ĐỀ THI HSG LỚP 12 TP. HỒ CHÍ MINH NĂM HỌC 2022 – 2023 MÔN TIẾNG ANH CÓ ĐÁP ÁN

SỞ GIÁO DỤC VÀ ĐÀO TẠO

THÀNH PHỐ HỒ CHÍ MINH

ĐỀ THI CHÍNH THỨC

(Đề thi có 04 trang)

KỲ THI CHỌN HỌC SINH GIỎI LỚP 12 CẤP THÀNH PHỐ

NĂM HỌC 2022-2023

MÔN: TIẾNG ANH

Ngày thi: 07/3/2023

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

Họ, tên thí sinh: ..........................................................................

Số báo danh: ............................................................................... 

USE OF ENGLISH (20 pts)

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

1. - “I can’t believe you’re late again!” - “I’m sorry, but _______.”

A. I couldn’t help B. it couldn’t help

C. I couldn’t be helped D. it couldn’t be helped

2. Upon entering the apartment, he _______ in the dark for the light switch.

A. fumbled B. writhed C. hovered D. glimmered

3. The procedures of maintaining the system are _______ incompatible with our intended purpose.

A. thoroughly B. absolutely C. terribly D. utterly

4. Damages from the hurricane have been _______ at millions of dollars.

A. accessed B. assessed C. esteemed D. apportioned

5. I can’t stand the pressure at work any more. There’s _______ a stress-free job.

A. nothing compared to B. nothing that compares C. no such thing as D. nothing as

6. She acted in the _______ that she was making the right decision.

A. understanding B. belief C. expectation D. likelihood

7. -”I’m surprised he didn’t get the job.” - “He might have _______ a better interview.”

A. if he had B. if he would have C. did he have D. had he had

8. It turned out that the business tycoon was in _______ with local law enforcement to have the investigation dropped.

A. league B. terms C. connection D. ties

9. This lovely new dress fits like a _______.

A. gauntlet B. gown C. treat D. glove

10. - “Did you have trouble finding the house?” - “I hate to say it, but your directions _______.”

A. had lost us B. got us lost C. lost us D. were losing us

11. With its _______ engine, the car performed better than we had hoped.

A. rigorous B. marginalized C. modified D. gamer

12. He finds long newscasts boring; he’d rather listen to the news _______.

A. in good standing B. in principle C. in brief D. in succession

13. _______ are you to reveal this confidential information to the press.

A. In no time B. No matter what happens C. Under no circumstances D. In no account

14. The Nobel Prizes are among the world’s most _______ awards.

A. prestigious B. formidable C. imminent D. contingent

15. I would like to hear the _______ behind your suggestion.

A. rationale B. prospective C. perception D. inflection

16. John _______ next summer on an archeological dig in Egypt.

A. wishes he had spent B. hopes that he could spend

C. wishes that he will spend D. is hoping to spend

17. - “Was his family really so poor?” - “They couldn’t afford a bicycle, _______ a car.”

A. not even B. apart from C. rather than D. much less

18. The attacks continued up to the day _______ the agreement was signed.

A. which B. for which C. on which D. of which

19. - “Has the order been shipped yet?” - “It _______ this morning, but I’d better check.”

A. is supposed to be sent B. should have sent

C. was supposed to send D. was to have been sent

20. The torch _______ slightly, then went out. The battery was dead.

A. flashed B. guttered C. flickered D. shone

WORD FORMS (40 pts)

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

1. The celebrity temporarily lost her _______ when someone threw a tomato at her. (compose)

2. The sharp drop in stock prices in June was the _______ of the economic recession that followed in October. (run)

3. She is wearing a(n) _______ shirt and embroidered jeans to her end-of-term party tonight. (neck)

4. The factory has been _______ by a number of complaints from customers about the bad quality of its products.

(mobile)

5. A(n) _______ summer trip for your family means that you are just heading for a hassle-free vacation. (include) 

6. The new robot is supposed to do exactly what is required, which implies the _______ of its operation. (fail)

7. Being unemployed for nearly two years, Ricky was _______ and did whatever he liked. (feet)

8. All the members are working _______ on the new project to meet the customers’ demands. (expedition)

9. Smoking has undoubtedly caused _______ damage to your health. (repair)

10. To win a championship, _______ have to follow a tough training scheme. (judo)

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)

habit avoid action prevent know preparation

before family relate remind separation major

The first day in a new job can be (11) _______ of one’s childhood and the traumatic experience of one’s first day at school, (12) _______ from home life for the first time, feeling alone and far away from one’s safe environment. Again, one is faced with the challenging new experience which must be successfully dealt with. 

By the time most people enter the workplace they are better (13) _______, as they have probably completed a university education and have become (14) _______ to changes in their social contexts. However, the first day in a new job is a time of anxiety, and no amount of preparation (15) _______ will eliminate the stress. 

Everyone fears the (16) _______ and meeting new people with whom one will spend a considerable part of one’s working life. Whether they are friendly or not, they will be part of one’s life, and this is (17) _______. Just as the (18) _______ cope with the first day at school, so do they cope with the first day at work, building up (19) _______ with colleagues gradually. Social (20) _______ grows and, as it does so, co-workers might even become good friends.

GUIDED CLOZE TEST

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

A seacoast is the dynamic border between two worlds - the terrestrial and the marine. In the realm of life science, we can observe marine animals that inhabit the shoreline and tidepools. In the realm of Earth science, we can observe how the ocean’s currents, waves and winds sculpt the (1) _______ alternately carrying off and depositing sand.

These forces not only (2) _______ the land, but they also affect the living populations. Sometimes animals that (3) _______ deeper water are thrown off (4) _______. They come close to the shoreline (5) _______ may actually be found on the beach. They may be injured, sick or disoriented and soon become cold, hungry or dehydrated. (6) _______ is the case with various species of dolphin, porpoise, seal, whale and turtle that become stranded (7) _______ the Atlantic coastline. (8) _______, there is help for some animals. In many locations, when beached animals are sighted, professionals and volunteers are on the (9) _______. Sick, cold or injured animals are immediately placed in a rehabilitation program (10) _______ getting them well enough to be returned to their natural habitat. Often the animals are tagged with a transmitter for future (11) _______. 

Among the large marine animals that are regularly checked among the Atlantic coast are whales, dolphins, seals, walruses and sea turtles. If an individual from one of these populations is seen on shore, the observer can (12) _______ to ask an agency to help such creatures; if possible, a rescue team is (13) _______. Every acknowledged animal sighting is assigned a number and becomes part of the database for that species. If the animal (14) _______ treatment of an injury or disease, it may be given a temporary tank to live in (15) _______ it can recuperate and be returned to the wild.

1. A. surf B. shoreline C. coast D. surface

2. A. shape B. cleanse C. damage D. moisten

3. A. live B. drink C. require D. inhabit

4. A. balance B. course C. route D. location

5. A. but B. or C. so D. also

6. A. Similar B. There C. Such D. It

7. A. among B. within C. from D. along

8. A. Whatsoever B. However C. Whatever D. Whenever

9. A. scene B. sight C. area D. location

10. A. with the intention of B. with the intent on C. in the intention of D. in the intent of

11. A. chase B. chasing C. track D. tracking

12. A. take out B. take in C. call in D. call out

13. A. distributed B. deported C. dispatched D. transmitted

14. A. necessitates B. requests C. demands D. requires

15. A. unless B. until C. notwithstanding D. afterwards

OPEN CLOZE TEST (60 pts)

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

PASSAGE A (30 pts)

Planting a garden is a (1) _______ like having a family. (2) _______ require a great deal of work, especially as they grow and as the seasons change. As summer days lengthen, your plants become (3) _______ on you for sustenance, much like your children depend on you for food and drink. (4) _______ a thirsty child asking for a drink of water, your plants (5) _______ the same. Their bent, wilted “body” language, translated, issues a demand much the (6) _______ your child requests milk or juice. When their collective (7) _______ are quenched, you see the way they both thrive in your care. The fussy child becomes satisfied, and the plant reaches toward the sun in (8) _______ showy display. You might also find that you have to clean the space around your plants much like you would pick (9) _______ toys and clothes that have been (10) _______ helter-skelter in your toddler’s room. Similarly, plants shed spent petals, roses need to be pruned, and weeds need to be pulled. So (11) _______ to keep children healthy, parents protect their children against disease with medicine, and gardeners do the same with insect (12) _______. In order to nourish them, parents give (13) _______ vitamins, and gardeners use fertilizer, as both promote healthy growth. As children grow and become adults, they need less and less care. (14) _______, here’s where the similarity ends. While plants die and become dormant during winter, children still maintain a vital role in the family (15) _______.

PASSAGE B (30 pts)

Camels are divided into two (16) _______: the dromedary, or one-humped camel, which once roamed wild in the deserts of North Africa and Arabia but now exists only in a domesticated state, and the two-humped Bactrian camel, native to Central Asia, (17) _______ domesticated camels abound while a small but shrinking number live in the wild stretches of the Gobi Desert. Bactrians are darker and woollier than (18) _______ and have shorter legs. 

Bactrian camels are an excellent example of an animal that has (19) _______ well to its environment. They are able to survive on the arid Asian steppes because of the biological strategies that enable them to cope with the severe temperature changes common to Central Asia. Camels can graze (20) _______ a wide range of plants and thorny vegetation that (21) _______ mammals avoid. Most striking is their ability to (22) _______ long periods without water - a characteristic that humans recognized as useful and used for their own purposes. The camel’s body conserves water by producing dry feces and concentrated urine. Body temperature may fluctuate by as (23) _______ as 57 degrees Fahrenheit during the course of a day, which enables the animal to minimize water loss due to perspiration. (24) _______ a camel may look scrawny and emaciated after a long, dry spell and its (25) _______ may become flaccid and flops to one side, it fills out quickly as soon as it gets water. In fact, a thirsty camel may drink up to 40 gallons in ten minutes. Its humps serve as storage facilities for body fat, so the camel can survive the grueling journeys across the desert where food is (26) _______ readily found. Built-in protection (27) _______ blowing desert sands include the camel’s long (28) _______ which protect the eyes, and nostrils that can be closed during the sand storms. Even the camel’s nasal cavities help to reduce water (29) _______ by moistening inhaled air. The thick coat of fur and underwool provide warmth during cold desert nights and help insulate against (30) _______ burning mid-day sun.

READING COMPREHENSION (20 pts)

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

Today’s shopping mall has as its antecedents historical marketplaces, such as Greek agoras, European piazzas, and Asian bazaars. The purpose of these sites, as with the shopping mall, is both economic and social. People go not only to buy and sell wares, but also to be seen, catch up on news, and be part of the human drama. Both the marketplace and its descendant the mall might also contain restaurants, banks, theaters, and professional offices. 

The mall is also the product of the creation of suburbs. Although villages outside of cities have existed since antiquity, it was the technological and transportation advances of the 19th century that gave rise to a conscious exodus of the population away from crowded, industrialized cities toward quieter, more rural towns. Since the suburbs typically have no centralized marketplace, shopping centers or malls were designed to fill the needs of the changing community, providing retail stores and services to an increasing suburban population. 

The shopping mall differs from its ancient counterparts in a number of important ways. While piazzas and bazaars were open-air venues, the modern mall is usually enclosed. Since the suburbs are spread out geographically, shoppers drive to the mall, which means that parking areas must be an integral part of a mall’s design. Ancient marketplaces were often set up in public spaces, but shopping malls are designed, built, and maintained by a separate management firm as a unit. The first shopping mall was built by J. C. Nichols in 1922 near Kansas City, Missouri. The Country Club Plaza was designed to be an automobile-centered plaza, as its patrons drove their own cars to it, rather than take mass transportation as was often the case for city shoppers. It was constructed according to a unified plan, rather than as a random group of stores. Nichols’ company owned and operated the mall, leasing space to a variety of tenants. 

The first enclosed mall was the Galleria Vittoria Emanuele in Milan, Italy in 1865–77. Inspired by its design, Victor Gruen took the shopping and dining experience of the Galleria to a new level when he created the Southdale Center Mall in 1956. Located in a suburb of Minneapolis, it was intended to be a substitute for the traditional city center. The 95-acre, two-level structure had a constant climate-controlled temperature of 72 degrees, and included shops, restaurants, a school, a post office, and a skating rink. Works of art, decorative lighting, fountains, tropical plants, and flowers were placed throughout the mall. Southdale afforded people the opportunity to experience the pleasures of urban life while protected from the harsh Minnesota weather. 

In the 1980s, giant megamalls were developed. While Canada has had the distinction of being home to the largest of the megamalls for over twenty years, that honor will soon go to Dubai, where the Mall of Arabia is being completed at a cost of over five billion U.S. dollars. The 5.3 million square foot West Edmonton Mall in Alberta, Canada, opened in 1981, with over 800 stores, 110 eating establishments, a hotel, an amusement park, a miniature-golf course, a church, a zoo, and a 438-foot-long lake. Often referred to as the “eighth wonder of the world,” the West Edmonton Mall is the number-one tourist attraction in the area, and will soon be expanded to include more retail space, including a facility for sports, trade shows, and conventions. 

The largest enclosed megamall in the United States is Bloomington, Minneapolis’s Mall of America, which employs over 12,000 people. It has over five hundred retail stores, an amusement park which includes an indoor roller coaster, a walk-through aquarium, a college, and a wedding chapel. The mall contributes over one billion dollars each year to the economy of the state of Minnesota. Its owners have proposed numerous expansion projects, but have been hampered by safety concerns due to the mall’s proximity to an airport.

1. In paragraph 1, “antecedents” most nearly means _______.

A. contemporaries B. predecessors C. planners D. descendants

2. The statement that people went to marketplaces to “be part of the human drama” (paragraph 1) suggests that people _______.

A. prefer to be entertained rather than shop for necessities B. seem to be more emotional in groups

C. like to be in community, interacting with one another D. like to act on stage rather than shop

3. All of the following questions can be explicitly answered on the basis of the passage EXCEPT _______.

A. Who designed the Galleria Vittoria Emanuele?

B. Why was the Country Club Plaza automobile-centered?

C. What are three examples of historical marketplaces?

D. What is the Edmonton Mall often referred to as?

4. How was the Country Club Plaza different from an urban shopping district?

A. It consisted of many more stores.

B. It was built by one company that leased space and oversaw operations.

C. It had both retail stores and restaurants, and offered areas for community programs.

D. It was based on an Italian design.

5. According to the passage, how did Southdale expand the notion of the shopping mall?

A. It was unheated.

B. It was the first to rise above two stories.

C. It was designed with more parking spaces than any previous shopping mall.

D. It enabled people to enjoy the urban life with necessary and leisurely activities.

6. What does “it” in paragraph 4 refer to?

A. Minneapolis B. Galleria Vittoria Emanuele C. Southdale Center Mall D. Minnesota

7. Which is the only activity visitors to the West Edmonton Mall cannot enjoy?

A. Gambling in a casino B. Visiting animals in a zoo

C. Doing sports D. Riding an amusement park ride

8. What is NOT a probable reason for the proposed expansion of the Mall of America?

A. To contribute more to the economy of its state B. To keep it closer in size to the other megamalls

C. To create more employment prospects D. To compete for visitors with the Mall of Arabia

9. Which mall offers people a place of worship?

A. Country Club Plaza B. Southdale Center Mall C. Galleria Vitoria Emanuele D. Bloomington

10. In the last paragraph, “hampered” most nearly means _______.

A. deferred B. hindered C. incriminated D. deteriorated

SENTENCE TRANSFORMATION (30 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 TEN WORDS.

1. The sales of the new gadget stopped rising as its novelty value disappeared. (worn)

=> Had the novelty value of the new gadget _________________________ off. 

2. My brother is far more skillful than his girlfriend. (nowhere)

=> My brother’s _________________________ him. 

3. Our special offer was taken up by as many as 40,000 people. (availed)

=> No _________________________ our special offer. 

4. I think the party tomorrow will possibly lack warmth and feeling. (devoid)

=> The odds _________________________ warmth and feeling. 

5. Peter hardly realized he didn’t have any chance to be promoted. (running)

=> Little _________________________ for the promotion. 

6. The teacher unexpectedly checked our homework in order for us not to be lazy. (did)

=> For fear that _________________________ check on our homework. 

7. Given responsibility for that project, the applicant really showed her true qualities. (now)

=> The applicant really came _________________________ responsible for that project.

8. Although I tried, I couldn’t remember where I left my keys. (slightest)

=> Try _________________________ where I left my keys.

9. Jerry had spent all the money he earned before he left for Singapore. (which)

=> Jerry left for Singapore, _________________________ means. 

10. Everyone approved of the decision to gain access to ChatGPT in information search. (tap)

=> There was unanimous _________________________ ChatGPT in information search.

----- THE END OF THE TEST -----

SỞ GIÁO DỤC VÀ ĐÀO TẠO

THÀNH PHỐ HỒ CHÍ MINH

ĐÁP ÁN CHÍNH THỨC

(Đáp án có 02 trang)

KỲ THI CHỌN HỌC SINH GIỎI LỚP 12 CẤP THÀNH PHỐ

NĂM HỌC 2022-2023

MÔN: TIẾNG ANH

Ngày thi: 07/3/2023

USE OF ENGLISH (1 pt each correct answer)

1. D. it couldn’t be helped 11. A. rigorous

2. A. fumbled 12. C. in brief

3. D. utterly 13. C. Under no circumstances

4. B. assessed 14. A. prestigious

5. C. no such thing as 15. A. rationale

6. B. belief 16. D. is hoping to spend

7. D. had he had 17. D. much less

8. A. league 18. C. on which

9. D. glove 19. D. was to have been sent

10. B. got us lost 20. C. flickered

WORD FORMS (2 pts each correct answer)

A. B.

1. composure 11. reminiscent

2. forerunner 12. separated

3. open-necked 13. prepared

4. immobilized 14. habituated

5. all-inclusive 15. beforehand

6. infallibility 16. unknown

7. footloose/foot-loose 17. unavoidable

8. expeditiously 18. majority

9. irreparable 19. relationships

9. judokas/judoists 20. interaction

GUIDED CLOZE TEST (2 pts each correct answer)

1. B. shoreline 6. C. Such 11. D. tracking

2. A. shape 7. D. along 12. C. call in

3. D. inhabit 8. B. However 13. C. dispatched

4. B. course 9. A. scene 14. D. requires

5. B. or 10. A. with the intention of 15. B. until

OPEN CLOZE TEST (2 pts each correct answer)

PASSAGE A

1. lot 6. way 11. as

2. Both 7. thirsts 12. repellent(s)

3. dependent/reliant 8. a 13. children/kids

4. Like 9. up 14. However/Nevertheless/Nonetheless

5. do 10. thrown/strewn 15. unit

PASSAGE B

16. species/categories/classification 21. other 26. not

17. where 22. survive 27. against

18. dromedaries 23. much 28. eyelashes

19. adapted 24. Although/Though 29. loss

20. on 25. hump 30. the

READING COMPREHENSION (2 pts each correct answer)

1. B. predecessors

2. C. like to be in community, interacting with one another.

3. A. Who designed the Galleria Vittoria Emanuele?

4. B. It was built by one company that leased space and oversaw operations.

5. D. It enabled people to enjoy the urban life with necessary and leisurely activities.

6. C. Southdale Center Mall

7. A. Gambling in a casino

8. D. To compete for visitors with the Mall of Arabia

9. D. Bloomington

10. B. hindered

READING COMPREHENSION (3 pts each correct answer) 

(1 vế: 1 pt; 2 vế: 3 pts)

1. Had the novelty value of the new gadget not worn off, // its sales wouldn't have levelled off.

2. My brother's girlfriend is nowhere (near) as/so skillful as him.

3. No fewer than 40,000 people // availed themselves of our special offer.

4. The odds are that // the party tomorrow will be devoid of warmth and feeling.

5. Little did Peter realize // that he was not in the running/ he was out of the running for the

promotion.

6. For fear that we (should) be lazy, // the teacher did a spot check on our homework.

7. The applicant really came into her own // now that he/she was responsible for that project.

8. Try as I might, // I didn't have the slightest idea/clue where | left my keys.

9. Jerry left for Singapore, by which time // he had lived beyond his means.

10. There was unanimous approval of the decision // to tap into Chat GPT in information search.

----- THE END -----