Đề HSG Tiếng Anh 9 Đắk Lắk 2025-2026 & đáp án chính thức

SỞ GIÁO DỤC VÀ ĐÀO TẠO

TỈNH ĐẮK LẮK

(Đề thi có 10 trang) KỲ THI CHỌN HỌC SINH GIỎI CẤP TỈNH THCS

NĂM HỌC 2025 - 2026

Môn thi: Tiếng Anh

Ngày thi: 24/03/2026

Thời gian làm bài: 150 phút, không kể thời gian phát đề

I. LISTENING (4.0 points) 

• The listening section is in TWO sections. You will hear each section TWICE. 

• There will be a piece of music at the beginning and at the end of the listening section. 

• All the other instructions are included in the recording. 

SECTION 1: For questions 1-10, listen to a conversation between the woman who wants to attend a cookery class and the officer of tourist information centre and complete the table below. 

Write ONE WORD AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer. Write your answers in the corresponding numbered boxes provided. 

Cookery Class Focus Other Information

Example:

The Food Studio

how to (1) __________ and cook with seasonal products • small classes

• also offers (2) __________ classes

• clients who return get a (3) __________ discount

Bond’s Cookery School food that is (4) __________ • includes recipes to strengthen your (5) __________

• they have a free (6) __________ every Thursday

The (7) __________ Centre mainly (8) __________ food • located near the (9) __________

• a special course in skills with a (10) __________ is sometimes available

SECTION 2: You will hear a talk about the jams on the highway in Granford and the proposed changes to traffic in the area and then do the following tasks. 

Part 1. For questions 11-13, listen and choose the correct letter A, B or C. Write your answers in the corresponding numbered boxes provided. 

Traffic Changes in Granford

11. Why are changes needed to traffic systems in Granford?

A. The number of traffic accidents has risen.

B. The amount of traffic on the roads has increased.

C. The types of vehicles on the roads have changed.

12. In a survey, local residents particularly complained about __________.

A. dangerous driving by parents

B. pollution from trucks and lorries

C. inconvenience from parked cars

13. According to the speaker, one problem with the new regulations will be __________.

A. raising money to pay for them

B. finding a way to make people follow them

C. getting the support of the police

Part 2. For questions 14-20, label the map below. Write the correct letter, A-I, next to questions 14-20. Write your answers in the corresponding numbered boxes provided. 

Proposed traffic changes in Granford

 

14. New traffic lights __________

15. Pedestrian crossing __________

16. Parking allowed __________

17. New “No Parking” sign __________

18. New disabled parking spaces __________

19. Widened pavement __________

20. Lorry loading/unloading restrictions __________

II. READING (11.0 points) 

II. 1. LANGUAGE IN USE (5.0 points) 

Part 1. For questions 21-30, choose the correct answer A, B, C, or D to each of the following questions. 

21. My decision to leave university after a year is one I now __________ regret.

A. harshly B. painfully C. keenly D. heavily

22. We are very busy - __________ that we won’t be able to take some time off this year.

A. so much so B. in plenty C. a great many D. quite a few

23. - Tom: “You should never have agreed to help mend her car!” - Peter: “__________”

A. Famous last words. B. Well, you live and learn.

C. It’s a small word. D. You can’t win them all.

24. The report makes the recommendation that more schools __________.

A. must be built B. be built C. be building D. should be building

25. He went to great lengths to __________ the details of the intricate plans to his co-workers.

A. take in B. stand up C. spell out D. measure out

26. It is apparent that physical health is __________ linked to mental health.

A. indomitably B. inextricably C. inexorably D. indulgently

27. If you agreed to work for our company, your income would be __________ your present one.

A. as twice much as B. as much as twice of

C. twice as higher as that D. twice as high as that of

28. The government has taken tough measures to __________ corruption in the country.

A. stamp out B. stretch away C. struggle on D. strike up

29. Tan and Nam are in a restaurant. 

- Tan: “None of us like the restaurant.” 

- Nam: “__________. I think it’s OK”.

A. Speak for yourself. B. I’d go along with that.

C. So do I. D. Of course.

30. David had a lucky escape. He ________ in that car crash.

A. should have been killed B. must have been killed

C. ought to have been killed D. could have been killed

Part 2. The passage below contains FIVE mistakes. For questions 31-35, UNDERLINE the mistakes and WRITE THEIR CORRECT FORMS in the numbered boxes provided. 

Inequality between men and women results from poorer health for children and greater poverty for the family, according to a new study. The UN agency UNICEF found that in places where women are excluded from family decisions, children are more likely to suffer from malnutrition. There would be 13 million fewer malnourished children in South Asia if women had an equal say in the family, UNICEF said. 

UNICEF surveyed family decision-doing in 30 countries around the world. Their chief finding is that equality between men and women is vital to reducing poverty and improving health, especially that of children, in underdeveloping countries. The conclusions are contained in the agency’s latest report. This report points to a greater lack of opportunities for girls and women in education and work which contribute to disempowerment and poverty. Where men control the household, less money is spent on health care and food for the family, which results in poorer health for the children. An increase in employment and income-earning opportunities for women would increase their household power, the report said. For example, the agency found that whoever has the greater share of household income and assets decides whether those sources will be used for family needs. 

Part 3. For questions 36 - 40, read the sentences, then fill in each space with the correct form of the word given at the end of the sentence. Write your answers in the numbered boxes provided. 

36. The meeting has been __________ arranged for 2 p.m. next Thursday. (PROVIDE) 

37. Peter will not get angry with you; he has a very calm __________. (TEMPER) 

38. It’s __________ of him to lose his temper like that he’s usually very calm. (CHARACTER) 

39. To be successful, an artist must show great __________. (ORIGIN) 

40. Danny stood at the door to make sure that no one __________ the party. (GATE) 

Part 4. For questions 41 - 45, read the passage below and decide which answer (A, B, C, or D) best fits each space. Write the letter A, B, C, or D in the numbered boxes provided. 

Feeding demand

Maintaining high levels of food production in times of growing populations is cause for concern in many countries. Perhaps a better way to sustain these populations is to (41) __________ traditional crops. Many common staples, such as the potato, require a massive amount of energy to provide sufficient quantities to meet global consumption. Yet throughout the world there’s an abundance of native root vegetables which can be grown using less water, poorer soil and (42) __________ less effort. One challenge of making these crops commercially viable is that they often require (43) __________ conditions that are not commonly found on agricultural land. A further complication is that the knowledge on how best to grow them may have been lost over time. To address this issue, growers in Australia are working with aboriginal groups to collectively pool their understanding. By (44) __________ up this information for future use, perhaps they will be better prepared to feed (45) __________ generations. 

41. A. reconstruct B. release C. reconsider D. renovate

42. A. eventually B. ultimately C. secondly D. firstly

43. A. specific B. partial C. dedicated D. typical

44. A. seizing B. storing C. drawing D. taking

45. A. subsequent B. nearby C. immediate D. progressive

II. 2. READING COMPREHENSION (6.0 points) 

Part 1. For questions 46-51, read the following passage and fill in each of the numbered spaces with ONE suitable word. Write your answers in the corresponding numbered boxes provided. 

Why is it that many teenagers have the energy to play computer games (46) __________ late at night but can’t find the energy to get out of bed in time for school? According to a new report, today’s generation of children are in danger of getting so little sleep that they are putting their mental and physical health at risk. Adults can easily survive (47) __________ seven to eight hours’ sleep a night, whereas teenagers require nine or ten hours. According to medical experts, one in five youngsters gets anything between two and five hours’ sleep a night less than their parents did at their age. This raises serious questions about (48) __________ lack of sleep is affecting children’s ability to concentrate at school. The connection between sleep deprivation and lapses in memory, impaired reaction time and poor concentration is well established. Research has shown that losing as little as half an hour’s sleep a night can have profound effects on (49) __________ children perform the next day. A good night’s sleep is also crucial for teenagers because it is while they are asleep that they release a hormone that is essential for their “growth spurt” (the period during teenage years when the body (50) __________ at a rapid rate). It’s true that they can, to some extent, catch (51) __________ on sleep at weekends, but that won’t help them when they are dropping off to sleep in class on a Friday afternoon. 

Part 2. For questions 52-61, read a passage and write A, B, C or D in the corresponding numbered boxes provided to indicate the correct answer which fits best according to what is stated or implied in the text. 

In today’s dynamic world, many students are killing two birds with one stone by combining education and entrepreneurship. While pursuing their academic goals, these ambitious individuals are launching side businesses that not only generate income but also provide valuable real-world experience. This growing trend of “student entrepreneurs” demonstrates how modern education can coexist with business ventures. 

The key to successful side-hustling while studying lies in effective time management and prioritization. Successful student entrepreneurs often leverage their academic knowledge to inform their business decisions, while their entrepreneurial experiences enhance their understanding of theoretical concepts. They carefully schedule their activities, utilizing breaks between classes and weekends to develop their ventures without compromising their academic performance.  

[I]. Digital tools and platforms allow them to automate various aspects of their operations, from social media marketing to inventory management [II]. [III] Moreover, many universities now offer entrepreneurship programs and resources, creating a supportive ecosystem for students who wish to explore business opportunities while maintaining their academic focus. [IV] 

The benefits of combining education with entrepreneurship extend beyond financial gains. Students develop crucial skills such as problem-solving, leadership, and adaptability, which are highly valued in today’s job market. Furthermore, these experiences often lead to networking opportunities and potential career paths that might not have been available through traditional academic routes alone.

52. The phrase killing two birds with one stone in paragraph 1 could be best replaced by __________.

A. carry out B. double up C. pull off D. break down

53. The word their in paragraph 2 refers to __________.

A. student entrepreneurs B. academic institutions

C. business ventures D. digital platforms

54. Which of the following is NOT mentioned as a benefit of student entrepreneurship?

A. increased academic performance scores B. development of leadership skills

C. valuable networking opportunities D. real-world business experience

55. Which of the following best summarises paragraph 2?

A. They focus on maximizing their academic performance first and dedicate remaining time to business ventures during semester breaks.

B. They integrate their classroom learning with business practices while strategically allocating time between studies and entrepreneurship.

C. They prioritize their business development during weekends and holidays while maintaining minimal engagement in academic activities.

D. They alternate between periods of intense academic focus and concentrated business development throughout the academic year.

56. Where in paragraph 3 does the following sentence best fit?

Technology plays a crucial role in enabling students to manage both their studies and businesses efficiently.

A. [I] B. [II] C. [III] D. [IV]

57. The word inventory in paragraph 3 is OPPOSITE in meaning to __________.

A. catalog B. collection C. abundance D. shortage

58. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?

A. They prioritize their business ventures over academic performance and dedicate most of their free time to entrepreneurial activities.

B. They participate exclusively in university-sponsored entrepreneurship programs and rely solely on institutional support for success.

C. They utilize digital platforms and technology to automate business operations while maintaining focus on their academic responsibilities.

D. They separate their academic learning from business ventures to avoid confusion and maintain clear boundaries between both pursuits.

59. Which of the following best paraphrases the underlined sentence in paragraph 4?

A. Modern employers actively seek candidates who demonstrate essential competencies gained through entrepreneurial experiences while studying.

B. Educational institutions recognize that combining academics with entrepreneurship helps students develop skills needed for employment success.

C. Business activities during college years enable students to cultivate fundamental capabilities that employers consider highly desirable.

D. The contemporary workplace environment places significant emphasis on practical abilities that students acquire through business ventures.

60. Which of the following can be inferred from the passage?

A. Modern educational institutions actively discourage students from pursuing entrepreneurial ventures while studying, as it may interfere with their academic performance and learning outcomes.

B. Student entrepreneurs primarily rely on traditional business methods and avoid using digital tools, preferring to focus on face-to-face interactions and manual management systems.

C. The integration of education and entrepreneurship creates opportunities for students to develop practical skills while studying, leading to enhanced career prospects and professional growth.

D. Universities are reducing their support for student entrepreneurs due to concerns about academic integrity and the potential impact on traditional educational frameworks.

61. Which of the following best summarises the passage?

A. Universities are developing comprehensive entrepreneurship programs and digital resources to support students who want to start businesses, focusing on practical skills development and theoretical business knowledge.

B. Technology platforms and digital tools have revolutionized how students manage their businesses, allowing them to automate operations and marketing while maintaining strong academic performance.

C. Modern students are increasingly balancing academic studies with entrepreneurial ventures, using technology and time management skills to succeed in both areas while gaining valuable experience and networking opportunities.

D. Student entrepreneurs demonstrate exceptional time management abilities by scheduling their activities around class times, utilizing weekends effectively, and leveraging academic knowledge in business.

Part 3. In the passage below, six paragraphs have been removed. For questions 62 - 67, read the passage and choose from paragraphs A - G the one which fits each gap. There is ONE extra paragraph which you do not need to use. Write the letters A - G in the corresponding numbered boxes provided.

Addicted to shopping

This is a story about modern consumerism; it is being written inside a mall, and my observation point is a wooden bench specifically designed to be uncomfortable. I sit gazing at a digital screen pulsing ever-changing adverts selling other ways here to spend, spend, spend. Around me, a mass of people hurry in and out of stores following the guiding principle of the dedicated turbo-consumer: live to shop.

62. __________

How did we get here? How did we get to a point where going on a spending spree has become the top leisure activity for people like her, where we gladly board the work-to-spend treadmill and shop until we drop from exhaustion or run out of cash? Perhaps one could argue that it doesn’t really matter. Shopping doesn’t kill anyone, and so what if price wars mean most shops barely break even? If it makes people happy, why not leave them to it?

63. __________

In All Consuming, he compares this phenomenon to a kind of modern drug to which we have all become addicted. Those supplying it to us ensure that our needs are never satisfied. Continual advertising makes us desperate for the latest, newest, more exciting version of what we already have. Retailers can’t allow us to stop shopping or they will go bankrupt; instead, they use every power they have to tempt us to buy.

64. __________

This consumer treadmill has created a world where shops, retail centres and giant malls have taken over public spaces, creating a monotonous culture where everything is the same. As Lawson says, “The more we consume, the less space there is to be anything other than consumers. It may be a free country, but we simply have the freedom to shop.” Everything else has been lost.

65. __________

Geoffrey Miller, a professor at the University of New Mexico, answers from the basis of evolutionary psychology. The human body is a practical tool for reproduction and survival but it is also the advertising and packaging for our genes and attractiveness. When a woman buys a new dress or a man a Rolex watch, they are really self-marketing, saying: “Look at me, I’m attractive, successful, fertile, healthy-choose me.”

66. __________

The good news is that this is changing. Thousands of young people are turning their backs on consumerism and moving to social networks, realising that they can make friends and attract mates by blogging, using their personalities and wit. One can foresee a new generation interested in taking fewer planes, cycling more, borrowing from a friend; they will rent, stick to a budget, refuse to fall into debt and in doing so will help to create a more positive post-consumer society.

67. __________

It’s a nice idea. But here in the retail district, it still seems a pipe dream. I speak to two more girls, Karen and Abi, staggering under the weight of their carrier bags. Will they go home now and put something away for another day? “No, we’re taking these bags home in a taxi,” Abi says. “Then we’re coming back to do another hour before the shops close.”

A. But, taking a step back, couldn’t this be over-catastrophising? We all have to shop around to make ends meet, and buying a £3 top can make a bad day better. So perhaps we should be trying to work out why shopping has such a powerful influence over us.

B. As I look up, a young woman rushes by carrying a bag bearing the slogan: “All You Need is Love.” She doesn’t believe in the message; she is weighed down with designer bags. What she really needs, it seems, are more shoes, skirts, scarves, belts.

C. The sad thing is that much of this is pointless. Consumerism is a poor means of self-advertising because the vast majority of people don’t notice or care what you are wearing. The concept that wearing designer goods is an effective way of showing off our attractiveness is an illusion.

D. The brief high we feel on making a purchase is a way of making up for not having a richer, fuller life. But the sense of elation is short-lived: the more we spend, the more we buy, the more we possess, the greater our need to consume even more.

E. For the shopper there are no obligations to others, just rights. The consumer is king, and we live in a world where we are the centre of our own universe. She exemplifies the concept that personal freedom is the guiding principle of our age.

F. Well, that’s just it. In a fascinating new book, Neal Lawson argues that this short of turbo-consumerism doesn’t bring us contentment, and it never will. Every time we are seduced into buying one product, another appears that is “new”, “improved”, better than the one we already have.

G. This does not mean that human beings will ever stop trying to boost their attractiveness, but gradually they will find better ways of doing it than materialism, such as by valuing community and neighborly kindness.

Part 4. For questions 68 - 75, read the newspaper article in which four journalists talk about running in the London Marathon and choose from the sections (A - D). The sections may be selected more than once. Write the letter A, B, C, or D in the corresponding numbered boxes provided.

Which journalist

68. acknowledges that external influences may stop them fulfilling their goal?

69. mentions an injury they sustained during a previous attempt?

70. regards marathon running as a method to get to know oneself?

71. appreciates athletes’ approach to achieving their aims?

72. says they are motivated by a desire not to disappoint other people?

73. anticipates that fellow runners will be supportive of one another?

74. highlights the feelings running evokes as their primary motivation?

75. describes some preventative measures they have taken to stay healthy? 

A. The London Marathon had always been an annual tradition. On a weekend in April, we’d wander slowly down the road and feel a surge of emotion as we looked at the flow of runners. We’d smile sympathetically at the slow ones, already struggling after a few miles, but determined to make money for their selected charity. This year, though, one of those at the back will be me. I’ve been trying to get fit and avoid any viruses by taking plenty of vitamins and using antibacterial gel. My training plan went well until a rare appearance at a five-a-side saw me twist my ankle and crash into the goalpost. I suppose I was lucky not to fracture a rib or dislocate my shoulder. Then, barely having recovered, I was doing a 10K run in Birmingham when I cut my foot badly and failed to finish. I imagine the camaraderie of other competitors will be encouraging, but I can say my prospects of finally fulfilling my ambition to complete this race look pretty remote.

B. Marathon running is staggering effort, both in terms of the time spent training and the toll it takes on your body. If you pull a muscle in your leg, it can be very painful as I know too well after last year (not to mention the blisters). So what’s it all for, if not even for a good cause? I guess I’m doing it because I spent years watching marathons and thinking : “I’d love to do that”. So one day, I did. I’ve done four marathons now. It is so extraordinarily intense, and nothing can compare with the sheer joy of focusing so much effort on one mad, exciting, chaotic charge amid a pack of fellow runners. In the last few months, I’ve done some good half marathons here and in Paris. I hope I’m not tempting fate by thinking that everything is on track for me to be right up there with the leaders and to beat my previous best time for the London Marathon. Anyway, bring it on.

C. I get to start in the elite group alongside a gaggle of Olympians (thanks to my press pass rather than any fundraising aspirations). In a way, that’s great - it’s fascinating to see their drive and determination up close. Although if what happened to me in my first marathon is anything to go by, all I’ll be faced with after the gun fires will be the less than encouraging sight of the Olympians’ rapidly disappearing backs.

You’d think that having now completed three marathons, I’d be a bit more relaxed but right now I’m feeling the pressure. I’m a bit under the weather and I think I’ve got the beginnings of a sore throat. I’m trying to control the urge to coat my colleagues, friends and family in a bacterial spray in case I catch flu. Still, this is the first marathon I’ve done where none of my training has been disrupted by injury, so it should go well. But on the day, some things - weather, germs or even random protestors-will always be well beyond your control.

D. This will be my fifth consecutive marathon. It’s the most marvellously positive, emotional, public event of the year. I wouldn’t miss it for the world. And besides that, there’s the element of exploration involved in the physical and mental challenge. Assuming you’re trying to run a personal best, a marathon is a voyage of personal discovery. It teaches you lessons too, sometimes harsh ones - my amateur approach to training for my very first London Marathon meant that I was poorly prepared. It ended, inevitably perhaps, in spectacular failure. This year, I just want to do my best for all the wonderful people who’ve sponsored me and the local hospice depending on me. Despite having had a cold, probably because I was run-down, now I’m on the mend, and that’ll hopefully mean me getting over the finishing line near Buckingham Palace once again.

III. WRITING (5.0 points)

Part 1. For questions 76-80, complete the second sentence in such a way that it means exactly the same as the sentence printed before it.

76. During my travels, I have never visited a more unusual country than Iceland.

 Iceland is by ____________________________________________________ during my travels.

77. It’s a widespread assumption that Christ was wrongly accused.

 Christ is _______________________________________________________________________

78. Do you agree with Jill’s views on male – female relations?

 Are you ____________________________________________________ male-female relations?

79. He was such a handsome man that most girls were attracted to him.

 He __________________________________________ man that most girls were attracted to him.

80. The director’s bodyguards stood behind him, watching.

 Watchfully _______________________________________________________ his bodyguards.

Part 2. For questions 81-85, complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first one, using the word given. Do not change the word given. You must use between FOUR and SIX words.

81. Mike explained to me what had happened. (PICTURE)

 Mike ____________________________________________________ about what had happened.

82. His book helps to understand what the world of beer brewing is really like. (INSIGHT)

 His book _________________________________________________ the world of beer brewing.

83. Most of my English colleagues prefer to drink tea rather than coffee. (PREFERENCE)

 Most of my English colleagues _______________________________________________ coffee.

84. Very few people buy video players these days. (DEMAND)

 Video players _________________________________________________________ these days.

85. “Your attitude will cost you your job,” said the manager to Patrick. (LEAD)

 According to the manager__________________________________________ him losing his job.

Part 3. Write an essay of at least 200 words on the following topic.

The government has reached a consensus on the merger of provinces, reducing the total number of provinces and cities to 34. In this context, the merger of Phú Yên and Đắk Lắk brings both opportunities and challenges.

To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement? Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

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