Đề thi chọn HSG lớp 12 TP HCM Tiếng Anh 2024-2025 có đáp án

SỞ GIÁO DỤC VÀ ĐÀO TẠO 

THÀNH PHỐ HỒ CHÍ MINH

(Đề thi gồm 04 trang)

KỲ THI CHỌN HỌC SINH GIỎI LỚP 12 CẤP THÀNH PHỐ

NĂM HỌC 2024-2025

MÔN: TIẾNG ANH

Ngày thi: 25/02/2025

Thời gian làm bài: 120 phút, không kể thời gian phát đề

LISTENING COMPREHENSION (20 pts)

PART 1: Listen to an actress on television commercials talking about her job. Fill in each blank with NO MORE THAN TWO words. (10 pts)

Jane feels that getting more (1) __________ is the most valuable part of working as an actress on television commercials.

Jane regrets that she can’t develop a (2) __________ while working on a commercial.

Jane admits she should have practiced more (3) __________ which would have helped her with her acting.

Jane advises people hoping to act in commercials to have lots of (4) __________ to show potential employers.

Jane says her biggest mistake was trying to get a job selling (5) __________ because of her appearance.

Jane wasn’t asked to audition for commercials for (6) __________ was that she had once worked for a competitor.

In Jane’s opinion, it is (7) __________ to accept all invitations to auditions.

Jane uses the word (8) __________ to describe the quality she sees as most important in her job.

Jane describes the experience of filming commercials as (9) __________.

Jane was surprised when an advertiser changed the appearance of (10) __________ so that it would look better.

PART 2: Listen to an interview and choose the best options to complete the sentences. (10 pts)

1. According to the historian, the term biomimetics __________.

A. is relatively recent B. can be applied to anything that copies nature

C. is an old science    D. has been misleading in many respects

2. The examples of new materials she gives are materials that copy __________.

A. water-based animals  B. animal in general    C. plants in general    D. animals and plants

3. When designing the Sagrada Familia, Gaudi took inspiration from __________.

A. models he had made   B. the cultural norms   C. nature’s forms       D. the human body

4. The design of the Sagrada Familia __________.

A. confused the public  B. brought Gaudi great fame

C. divided public opinion       D. amazed the architectural community

5. The Eastgate Centre in Harare uses biomimetics to avoid __________.

A. resembling an office and shopping complex    B. becoming too cold

C. repeating the traditional architectural designs      D. having to be cooled artificially

USE OF ENGLISH (20 pts)

Choose the word or phrase (A, B, C, or D) that best completes the sentence.

1. The next bus doesn’t come for another hour, so we __________ walk. That’s the best solution for now.

A. could possibly       B. might as well        C. probably may D. may at least

2. He fell off the ladder, __________ in three places. It couldn’t have been worse.

A. breaking his leg     B. had his leg broken   C. to get his leg broken        D. having broken his leg

3. It’s high time you __________! It’s far too long now.

A. have your hair cut   B. got your hair cut    C. had cut your hair    D. to get cut your hair

4. The economics of the city __________ encouraging so far, offering great opportunities for everyone.

A. is   B. were C. have been    D. has been

5. Remember to give me the name of the person __________ the cheque is made out.

A. that B. whose        C. to whom      D. for which

6. Stop complaining. __________ he’d invited you. Would you have come?

A. If   B. Provided     C. Unless       D. Suppose

7. __________ at the garage for its annual service, he took the bus to work.

A. His car was  B. His car been C. His car had been     D. His car being

8. We __________ Switzerland four times during the 1990s. We haven’t been back ever since.

A. used to visit        B. visited      C. would visit  D. were visiting

9. Five years ago, __________ only two experts on the disease throughout the country.

A. it was believed to be        B. there was believed to be

C. there were believed to be    D. it is believed to have been

10. These students, __________ young and inexperienced, have been taken on by a corporation.    

A. even B. yet  C. though       D. despite

11. The girl is looking up how high __________ is. Can you lend her a hand?

A. Mount Everest        B. a Mount Everest      C. the Mount Everest    D. that one Mount Everest

12. I’d sooner __________ to bed early last night.

A. have gone    B. going        C. I went       D. go

13. You may hear the fire alarm, __________ you should proceed quickly and quietly to the nearest fire exit.

A. despite which        B. whenever     C. in which event       D. for when

14. If we hadn’t trained day and night, we __________ our victory at this welcome banquet now.

A. wouldn’t be celebrating      B. wouldn’t have celebrated     C. were not to celebrate        D. couldn’t celebrate

15. If you ask me, John’s performance compares __________ with Helen’s.

A. agreeably    B. pleasurably  C. preferably   D. favourably

16. His mom insists he should be on his best __________ at parties and other social events.

A. manner       B. behaviour    C. conduct      D. act

17. I’m exhausted. I think I’ll __________ for the night.

A. sleep in             B. come in      C. hand in      D. turn in

18. His excuse for being late sounded like a __________ story. How ridiculous!

A. thought-provoking    B. mind-boggling        C. well-rounded D. far-fetched

19. We highly recommend this restaurant. Its food and service are simply __________.

A. out of this world    B. up to standard       C. above average        D. beyond repair

20. Wilson __________ a loud laugh as he watched Robert trying to fire the gun.

A. had  B. took C. gave D. made

WORD FORMS (40 pts)

A. Use the correct form of the word given to fill in each blank. (20 pts)

1. The company’s security team worked __________ to prevent cyber-attacks. (tired)

2. The store offered a(n) __________ installment plan in which customers pay for furniture over six months without extra charges. (interest)

3. During their argument, Sarah refused to speak directly to Jake, so Sam, their mutual friend, acted as a(n) __________ and relayed messages. (go)

4. The hospital was __________, and nurses worked overtime to care for all the patients. (staff)

5. The heavy workload became __________ for the small team. (burden)

6. She tried to __________ herself from the controversial remarks made by her colleague. (social)

7. During the crisis, they had to cut down on __________ to save money. (essence)

8. Gazing __________, she silently prayed for guidance. (heaven)

9. She __________ the distance and ended up tripping over the step. (judge)

10. The doctor prescribed a(n) __________ to reduce the swelling. (flame)

B. Put the words given in the correct blanks. You have to use their correct forms to make a meaningful passage. There are two words that you cannot use. (20 pts)

deep    critical        wrong   rapid   load    belief

expose  lead    leak    facet   science priority

Fake news has become a major challenge in the digital era, spreading (11) __________ through social media and influencing public opinion, politics, and even financial markets. Misinformation can shape perceptions, (12) __________ divisions, and undermine trust in reliable sources. Cognitive biases, particularly confirmation bias, play a key role in its spread. People are more likely to (13) __________ information that aligns with their views, while repeated (14) __________ to false claims increases their perceived credibility. Social media algorithms amplify this problem by (15) __________ engagement over accuracy, creating echo chambers that reinforce misinformation. The consequences are significant. Declining trust in the media fuels political polarisation, whereas (16) __________ misinformation hampers public health efforts and climate policies. In finance, (17) __________ news can manipulate markets and investments. Combating fake news requires a (18) __________ approach. Education in digital literacy is crucial to help individuals assess sources (19) __________. Social media companies must enhance fact-checking and moderation. In an age of information (20) __________, critical thinking and responsible media consumption are essential tools in the fight against misinformation.

GUIDED CLOZE TEST (30 pts)

Read the passage and choose the best option (A, B, C, or D) for each blank space.

In a game of American football, players tackle in an extremely violent manner, slamming into each other, knocking each other to the (1) __________, stomping over each other, crashing their heads together. As a result, they are no strangers to a type of head (2) __________ known as concussion. The brain is surrounded by spinal fluid, cushioning it against impact with the skull, but (3) __________ the head receives a blow sudden and strong enough, soft cerebral tissue collides with the bone, becoming bruised. (4) __________ repeated concussions can lead to perceptual and speech (5) __________ , and even to cognitive decline. Since these problems (6) __________ themselves in middle age, young players may go on (7) __________ themselves for years, (8) __________ unaware of the risks. Parents, (9) __________, are acutely aware of the risks. Many now regard American football with the same vehement disapproval usually (10) __________ for smoking, violent video games and outlandish dresses; many categorically (11) __________ their children to play. (12) __________ so few young people taking up the sport, professional teams could find themselves running out of new recruits. Highly concerned about this prospect, the sport’s governing (13) __________ have finally decided to take action to make the game safer. One option could be to change the (14) __________ of the game to minimize violence, yet this apparently sound course of action could mar an integral part of its appeal for (15) __________.

1.      A. ground       B. pitch        C. ring D. field

2.      A. wound        B. strain       C. injury       D. ache

3.      A. does B. should       C. have D. is

4.      A. Quickly the damage heals

C. The damage heals so quickly  B. However quickly the damage heals

D. Quickly as the damage might heal

5.      A. deterioration        B. malfunction  C. impairment   D. failure

6.      A. demonstrate  B. emerge       C. manifest     D. transform

7.      A. to be endangered     B. endangering  C. having endangered    D. to endanger

8.      A. sedentarily  B. ignorantly   C. peacefully   D. blissfully

9.      A. nevertheless B. consequently C. otherwise    D. therefore

10.     A. reserved     B. preserved    C. conserved    D. observed

11.     A. ban  B. prohibit     C. frown        D. forbid

12.     A. For  B. Amongst      C. On   D. With

13.     A. associations B. offices      C. bodies       D. authorities

14.     A. rules        B. etiquettes   C. regulations  D. terms

15.     A. vieweres     B. spectators   C. witnesses    D. audiences

OPEN CLOZE TESTS (50 pts)

Fill in each of the blanks in the following passages with ONE suitable word.

PASSAGE A (30 pts)

Do you feel that your name is an essential part of who you are? What factors did your parents (1) __________ when they named you? Had they already been thinking about the name (2) __________ you were born? Have you changed your name at any time in your life (3) __________ you thought it did not suit you? For some, names mean little. For (4) __________, such as Native American Indians, who have been following the same naming traditions for generations, it is a critical part of one’s identity. Although traditions differ from one Native American tribe to another, all tribes (5) __________ great importance to the name or names that each individual is given. You are probably familiar (6) __________ Native American names taken from (7) __________, such as Laughing Water, Rolling Thunder, White Feather, etc. (NB the (8) __________ that such names derive from what their parents were looking at (9) __________ the child was born is false). You are probably less aware that their names can also describe certain attributes, such as character (e.g. Independent) or (10) __________ appearance (e.g. Broad Shoulders) or social status (e.g. Wife). Among some tribes, these names are continually changing according to people’s achievements or life experiences. In some (11) __________, a person will change names three or four times during their life. Names in Native American Indian culture are descriptive, reminding the (12) __________ of their place in nature or of their reputation in society. In other cultures, surnames often denoted (13) __________ a person came from or what their family (14) __________ was: ‘Julie London’, ‘James Carpenter’ are examples in English. But even if such names still exist, they are no (15) __________ an indication of a person’s identity.

PASSAGE B (20 pts)

We’re told we can do anything if we (16) __________ our minds to it. If you have a positive outlook, they say, there are no (17) __________ to what you can achieve. Doubtless, it can sometimes be helpful to try to remain upbeat when (18) __________ difficulties, but it’s virtually impossible to do so all the (19) __________. The downside of willing (20) __________ to be positive is that we can end up feeling more anxious - obviously a huge drawback. Trying to eliminate negative thoughts is unrealistic; research shows that 80 percent of our thoughts are (21) __________. What should we do? Coming to (22) __________ with our feelings, rather than trying to bypass them. In one study, people about to give a speech were instructed to try to calm their nerves. Others were told to take ownership of their anxiety. The best speeches (23) __________ delivered by the second group. Suppressing negative feelings takes up brain power, and in the meantime we might miss (24) __________ on helpful experiences and consequently forego the opportunity to change things for the (25) __________.

READING COMPREHENSION (20 pts)

Choose the item (A, B, C, or D) that best answers each question or completes the sentences about the passage.

A long-term study of lions in Africa shows that the females living among a group of lions consistently produce similar numbers of surviving offspring and raise them collectively. Such egalitarianism is rare in nature. Most cooperative animal societies, such as wolf packs, are despotic. While all female wolves are involved in rearing cubs, they leave reproduction to a single, domineering female.

The researchers discovered that female lions form remarkably egalitarian societies that are characterized by two key features: symmetrical relationships and a voluntary system of communal cub-rearing in which all the qualified females engage in reproduction. Since this reproductive pattern is so different from that of other cooperative animal groups, it is believed that close study of the behaviour of lions may improve scientists’ understanding of the factors that lead to egalitarianism in other types of societies, notably our own.

Lions live in groups of three to thirty individuals, called prides. Within each pride is a group of closely related females - mothers, daughters, sisters, and cousins. The number of individual females typically ranges from two to eighteen, depending mainly on how much prey lives in the surrounding area or migrates through a pride’s territory. Females do most of the hunting for the members of a pride and remain with the group for their entire lifetime, which can extend to eighteen years. They mate and give birth to offspring - usually one to three cubs - every two or three years, unless the cycle is disrupted by the invasion of males from outside the group.

Males, on the other hand, aren’t so home-bound. They leave their native prides once they reach the age of two to four and band together with several other males, often from the same pride, to form a coalition. Once the males in a group have reached full maturity and are ready to reproduce, they set off together to seek out an existing pride they can overtake. But first, they have to evict the males already living in the targeted group. This confrontation is often violent and the weaker male lions are killed. The ousted lions that survive the rivalry go off in search of another pride to claim as their own. Male lions that manage to avoid early death can live to about the age of twelve.

Once the victorious males have taken over a pride, they kill all the existing cubs - an act of infanticide that expedites a female lion’s readiness to mate with one of the newcomers. The new males then stay around for several years - usually up to four years - to protect the group and its territory against other potential intruders. Eventually, however, a nomadic gang of males succeeds in overtaking the pride, and the cycle starts all over again.

In this tumultuous lifestyle, female lions equally share the burdens of childbearing and motherhood, engaging in a type of behaviour that is consistent with models of egalitarian theory. Research into the behaviour of other animals has shown that egalitarianism is usually limited to species in which a single female is unable to control the reproductive habits of other females in the group. That kind of control would be particularly difficult for lions to achieve because the violent nature of their rivalry probably serves as a deterrent to despotic behaviour. Potentially lethal claws and teeth pose a significant risk of ‘mutually assured destruction’ between rival females - a risk that’s greater than in any other social species. As a result, female colleagues in a pride don’t harass one another or assert their dominance in social interactions, according to the researchers.

‘On the one hand, they can be very aggressive to each other. They can be very dangerous companions to have - they are armed to the teeth, so to speak,’ said one of the leading researchers. ‘On the other hand,’ he added, ‘there is some positive motivation to work together.’

Female lions, like all feline species, slink off to give birth in secrecy. This keeps the young, vulnerable cubs away from potential female despots within the pride, and also hides them from nomadic males and predators such as hyenas. Once a female lion has returned to the pride with her cubs, she raises them alongside other new mothers in a nursery group, or crèche. Only mothers with cubs of roughly the same age form a crèche. The advantage of this close association is that multiple mothers are available to defend the cubs against potentially infanticidal males - essentially, an instance of greater safety in numbers. The researchers’ data show that cubs are more likely to survive when they are raised in a nursery rather than by a solitary mother. This advantage of reproductive success gives female lions an incentive to synchronize their breeding, which they do.

Source: Life, National Geographic Learning

1. In what way does the writer say that a pride of lions is similar to a pack of wolves?

A. Females in both have equal status in the group.

B. Only one female in the group bears offspring.

C. Neither have high fertility rates.

D. Individuals in both groups work together to raise young.

2. Research into the way female lions interact with each other, showed that __________

A. individual lions form close relationships with others in the group.

B. all females who can breed are likely to have cubs.

C. cubs in the group are only raised by their mothers.

D. the level of co-operation is less than in other comparable species.

3. Why does the writer say that the behaviour of lions requires ‘close study’ in the second paragraph?

A. Because it will reveal why their fairly unique way of behaving has come about.

B. Because it is a good way of showing how co-operation has evolved in most mammals.

C. Because it will shed light on the nature of human society.

D. Because not enough research of this kind has taken place before.

4. Which of the following is typical of a pride of lions according to the text?

A. Most prides are more or less the same size.

B. Females within the pride tend to share the same gene pool.

C. Prides regularly share territory with other prides.

D. There are roughly the same number of males and females in a pride.

5. Which of the following is true of male lions?

A. They generally live on their own for much of their lives.

B. They are largely responsible for finding and killing prey.

C. They usually bond with males they are closely related to.

D. Like their female siblings, they stop living with their mothers at a young age.

6. From the context of the article, which of the following is the best definition of the word ‘coalition’ in the fourth paragraph?

A. a gathering of lions from different groups

B. a group of lions working together for mutual self-interest

C. a war-like gang of lions of various ages 

D. a family breeding group of closely-related lions

7. In the fifth paragraph, the writer describes the killing of cubs by male lions. How would you describe the writer’s tone?

A. emotional and engaged        B. shocked and disapproving

C. matter-of-fact and explanatory       D. sympathetic but distant

8. According to the writer, why don’t female lions try to dominate each other?

A. They show greater empathy with family members than other mammal species.

B. Individual females lack the violent nature of dominant females in other mammal species.

C. All females in the pride are so strong they avoid being aggressive for fear of injury.

D. They seem to know that sharing the burdens of childbearing is beneficial.

9. What is the main reason given in the text to explain why female lions look after their cubs together in a crèche?

A. It is the best way to keep their cubs safe from predators like hyenas.

B. It allows females to bear young at different times of the year.

C. It gives their cubs an opportunity to grow together and learn from each other.

D. It provides a degree of protection from adult males who may try to kill cubs.

10. What is the overall aim of the article?

A. to report on research that has revealed why lions show certain behavioural traits

B. to document how our previous understanding of lions’ behaviour has been shown to be false

C. to summarize the results of a number of recent analyses of the behaviour of lions

D. to detail a study into social equality across a range of species including that of lions

SENTENCE TRANSFORMATION (20 points)

Rewrite each sentence in such a way that it means almost the same as the one printed before it. Use the word in brackets without making any change to it. Write NO MORE THAN TWELVE WORDS.

1. Despite her insistence, no one paid attention to her warnings. (deaf)

 Insistent _____________________________________________________________________________________

2. The supervisor taught me the skills so that I wouldn’t have difficulty working in teams. (pressed)

 Lest _________________________________________________________________________________ the rope.

3. We can’t ask the kids to behave themselves whenever they are impatient. (order)

 It’s no ____________________________________________________________________________ of their tether.

4. In terms of originality, your essay is much better than theirs. (head)

 With ___________________________________________________________________________________ theirs.

5. Whatever happens, the new policy will facilitate our developing the metro system. (pave)

 Come _______________________________________________________________________ of the metro system.

6. I’d rather you hadn’t run the risk. (thin)

 You ought ____________________________________________________________________________________

7. As they presumed that the project will fail, they reduced the investment drastically. (fall)

 On ________________________________________________________________________________ to the bone.

8. Having asked her colleagues to help, she managed to deal with the project successfully. (favour)

 Had she __________________________________________________________________ a success of the project.

9. Tom didn’t have enough time to finish the task. (lack)

 It was due ____________________________________________________________________ the back of the task.

10. It was her first ride on a roller-coaster, so Mary was very excited. (surge)

 Never _______________________________________________________________________________________

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