Đề thi chọn đội tuyển học sinh giỏi THPT Vòng 2 TP Hồ Chí Minh môn Tiếng Anh năm 2008-2009

PASSAGE 1 Although it (1) POST IN HISTORY come as a surprise to many people, postal services have existed in some parts of the world for thousands of years. There is ample (2), that a postal service existed among the Assyrians and Babylonians. In China a regular postal service was established in the seventh century BC, and (3) the centuries attained such a high level of efficiency that some 2,000 years after its institution it won the admiration of travelers like Marco Polo. Efficient and highly developed postal services were (4) established in the Persian and Roman empires. In to the use of representatives of the state; like to send their messages and ancient times, these services were mainly (5). various private citizens made use of slaves, merchants and (6), documents. In Medieval Europe, postal services were organized by emperors and by the papacy, (7). private citizens continued to entrust their correspondence (8) travelers. Later, around the 13th century, universities and towns came to have their own messengers. However, it was not (9) the 14th century that merchants, the private citizens who had the greatest need for a speedy and regular exchange of correspondence, began to set regular courier services. The needs of business (10)_ to the development of the postal service as we know it today. PASSAGE 2 PROTECTING YOUR RIGHTS Copyright is the inalienable, (1)_ secured right to publish, reproduce, and sell the matter and form of a literary, musical, dramatic, or artistic work. Copyright is designed specifically to protect an artist, publisher, or other owner against any (2) reproducing the work (3). copying of his works as by any material form, publishing it, performing it in public, filming it, broadcasting it, causing it to be distributed to subscribers (4)_ making any adaptation of the work. A copyright supplies a copyright holder with a kind of ownership over the created material, which assures him (5)_ both control over its use and the monetary benefits derived from it. Historically, copyrights (6), out of the same system as royal patent grants, by (7). certain authors and printers were given the exclusive right to publish books and other materials. The to raise basic purpose of such grants was not to protect authors' or publishers' rights (8)_ government revenue and to give governing authorities control over publicized contents. The Statute of Anne, passed in England in 1710, was a milestone in the history of copyright law as it recognized that authors (9) be the primary beneficiaries of copyright law. Today, the Berne Convention of 1886 and the Universal Copyright Convention of 1955 protect rights (10). level recognized in all countries. PART 3. WORD FORMS & GUIDED CLOZE (40 pts) an international A. Use the appropriate form of the word given in each blank to make meaningful sentences. 1. The use of acupuncture before and during surgery reduces patients' need for pain-killing medication. (operation) 2. During her lifetime, Mother Theresa 3. Ken is a health-care specialist dealing 4. His pain as well as the virtues that few people have. (body) in respiratory issues. (dominate) exuberance impressed the judges from day one of auditions. (youth) 5. Lack of evidence to the allegations against the criminal resulted in his acquittal. (substance) of the road. (face) 6. Speed restrictions will be in force during the 7. Scenes of devastation and heroic rescue efforts in the cyclone-hit region spurred offers of aid and a(n) of sympathy. (pour) 8. Girls, I think, are better prepared for, and 9. He was convicted for _____more suited to housework. (temper) conduct after twice disrupting city council meetings. (order) (putting) 10. Try to come to the meeting - we'd value your B. Read the following passage and give the correct forms of the words in parentheses. The World Health Organisation says 100 to 150 million people around the world are asthmatic and the number is growing by 50% every decade. Many theories have been put forward concerning the causes of asthma and the reasons why its (1. occur), so dramatically in recent years. especially among children, has increased towards developing it, as asthma, and run in families. However, Certainly some children have a genetic (2. dispose). eczema and other allergic conditions, like hay fever, are (3. link) an inherited tendency towards a health problem does not necessarily mean that a child is (4. destiny) to develop the condition. Some theories to explain the increase in asthma focus on environmental factors, such as air pollution, diet or the widespread use of pesticides. One new suggestion is that most Western families are (5. enthuse) their homes 'too clean', their children's immune systems are no longer given the chance to develop about hygiene and that by keeping properly through (6. expose). to normal levels of bacteria. What is clear is that there is a complex (7. relate). factors, and thus it is difficult to (8. see) between hereditary and environmental disorders will develop asthma, and which will not. In addition, the triggers for an attack can vary widely; which children in a family with a history of allergic one child may be (9. sense) to house dust and pet hairs, while his sibling is (10. affect) by these but reacts badly to spores or mould. C. Choose the best option (A, B, C or D) to complete each of the blanks in the following passages. TEXT 1: Visiting the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt is (1),