SỞ GD-ĐT THÀNH PHỐ ĐÀ NẴNG KỲ THI CHỌN ĐỘI TUYỂN

TRƯỜNG THPT CHUYÊN HỌC SINH GIỎI QUỐC GIA

LÊ QUÝ ĐÔN ĐỀ THI MÔN: TIẾNG ANH – KHỐI 11
ĐỀ THI ĐỀ NGHỊ Thời gian: 180 phút (Không kể thời gian giao đề)
(Đề thi gồm 23 trang)
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A. LISTENING (50 POINTS)
PART 1: Listen to a lecture about population growth and answer each of the following
questions with NO MORE THAN TWO words and / or numbers. Write your answers in the
corresponding numbered boxes provided. (10 points)
1. What is defined as the number of children born per 1000 people per year?
___________________________________________________________________
2. Was the fertility rate in the UK higher or lower twenty years ago than it is now?
___________________________________________________________________
3. What country in the UK has the highest fertility rate?
___________________________________________________________________
4. What proportion of women in their mid-forties do not have children nowadays?
___________________________________________________________________
5. What do French couples who have eight children receive?
___________________________________________________________________
ANSWERS:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

PART 2: You will hear part of a talk about shopping centres. Decide whether each of the
following statements is TRUE or FALSE. Write your answers in the corresponding
numbered boxes provided. (10 points)
1. Shoppers are more aware of the competitive nature of shopping centres.
2. Shoppers find natural materials like stones and wood more appealing than plastic and steel.
3. Shoppers of different interest or taste like to do their shopping in the same shop.
4. Skillful Analysts is one of the customer types that David Peek mentioned.
5. David Peek dislikes tricking shoppers into spending more money.
ANSWERS:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

PART 3: You will hear a group of art history students going out an art gallery with their
teacher. For questions 1-5, choose the answer A, B, C or D which fits best according to

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what you hear. Write your answers in the corresponding numbered boxes provided. (10
points)
1. Burne-Jones believed that a painting ________.
A. ought to be true to nature
B. must have a moral point
C. should play an instructive role in a modern industrial society
D. need not have practical value
2. It appears that the story of the King and the Beggar Maid was ________.
A. a well-known Victorian tale
B. popularized by a poet
C. brought to the artist’s attention by his wife
D. taken up by novelists at later stage
3. According to the students, how did the painter approach the work?
A. He wanted to portray the beggar realistically.
B. He copied part of the painting from an Italian masterpiece.
C. He had certain items in the painting made for him.
D. He wanted to decorate the clothing with jewels.
4. The student thinks that in some way the painting depicts ________.
A. an uncharacteristically personal message
B. the great sadness of the artist
C. the artist’s inability to return the girl’s love
D. the fulfillment of the artist’s hopes and dreams
5. What was people’s reaction to the painting?
A. They recognized Frances Graham as the model for the Beggar Maid.
B. They realized how personal the painting was for the artist.
C. They interpreted the painting without difficulty.
D. They did not approve of the subject matter of the painting.
ANSWERS:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

PART 4: Listen to a report on the hazardous effects of solid waste in China on BBC and fill
in the missing information. Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS taken from the recording
for each answer. Write the answers in the corresponding numbered boxes provided. (20
points)
(1) __________________, including outdated cell phones and laptops, is among the most valuable (2)
__________________ imported to one of the main ports in Eastern China where million tons of solid
waste is (3) __________________ from all over the world and processed annually. The recycling

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process of (4) __________________ has posed serious threats to nearby villages. The situation is
worsened by recyclers (5) __________________ in hidden yards due to the government’s (6)
__________________ on illegal processing. The environment is getting more and more polluted,
which is detrimental to the health of those who live by the port. It is calculated that China houses
over two thirds of the world’s scrap (7) __________________ and the figure keeps increasing owing
to (8) __________________ or higher standards of living. This means people buying a wide variety of
electronics and (9) __________________ their old-fashioned ones. The (10) __________________
for latest version technology gadgets of Chinese people is predicted to, on the one hand, keep around
a hundred recycling plants operating at full strength, on the other hand, promise China a new growth
business.
ANSWERS:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

B. LEXICO-GRAMMAR (30 POINTS)

PART 1: Choose the answer A, B, C, or D that best completes each of the following
sentences. Write your answers in the corresponding numbered boxes provided. (20
points)
1. I'm afraid we got our _______ crossed. I thought my husband would be picking up the children
and he thought I was doing it.
A. minds B. purposes C. wires D. fingers
2. Parents often have to _______ large amounts of money so that their children can take part in
extracurricular sports activities.
A. mark down B. ring up C. shell out D. stock up
3. Julie felt unfairly _______ when she spoke out against a company proposal and the entire staff
team turned against her.
A. prosecuted B. persecuted C. oppressed D. suppressed
4. I couldn’t remember where I had left my car, when it suddenly ______ me that I didn’t have a car
any longer.
A. dawned on B. ran into C. went through D. tumbled to
5. John was _______ a week after the accident, but he has not been able to come to football practice
yet.
A. up and about B. vim and vigour
C. life and death D. fingers and thumbs
6. The _______ skyscrapers of modern metropolises dwarf previous feats of engineering both literally
and figuratively.
A. tottering B. towering C. sprawling D. spanning

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7. The high level of air pollution is _______ a result of local factory emissions.
A. plainly B. abruptly C. distinctly D. markedly
8. It is mandatory that smoking in public _______ .
A. is banned B. must be banned C. banning D. be banned
9. The floral bouquets we entered into the competition were a _______ of colour, but unfortunately,
we did not win first prize.
A. wham B. riot C. drop D. buzz
10. Most people are _______ to believe that girls and boys like certain toys when they are young.
A. hardened B. acclimated C. conditioned D. accustomed
11. Charlotte _______ the new girl immediately, within hours of meeting each other they were best of
friends.
A. took issue with B. took heart from
C. took a shine to D. took his hat off to
12. People don’t have a right to _______ in judgement when they don’t know all the facts.
A. sit B. pass C. make D. bite
13. Would you be _______ my letter when I am away?
A. too good as to forward B. so good as to forward
C. as good as to forward D. so good as forwarding
14. At the age of 11, Taylor Swift was already trying to _______ a record deal in Nashville.
A. land B. create C. steal D. grab
15. I felt as if I _______ a confidence.
A. am betraying B. have betrayed C. would betray D. had betrayed
16. As much as the candidate tried to convince people of his honesty, he could not shake off his
_______ past.
A. serene B. tranquil C. shady D. frigid
17. After years of working together, the partners found themselves _______ linked.
A. permanently B. indelibly C. perpetually D. inextricably
18. Be realistic! You can’t go through life looking at the world through _______
A. rosed-coloured spectacles B. bright sights
C. magnificent spectacles D. green fingers
19. Regional parliaments allow _______ for remote parts of the country or islands far from the capital.
A. self-government B. self-sufficiency
C. self-regulation D. self-support
20. In geometry, an ellipse may be defined as the locus of all points _______ distances from two fixed
points is constant.
A. the sum of whose B. of which the sum
C. whose sum of D. which the sum of

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ANSWERS:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.
11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20.

PART 2: Give the correct form of the words in brackets. Write your answers in the
corresponding numbered boxes provided. (10 points)
1. Hostels are used as a _____________ until the families can find permanent accommodation.
(STOP)
2. The draft law gives companies _____________ power to block merger and acquisition deals with
foreign investors. (DISCRETION)
3. Hopeful actors from small towns are often ____________ in New York. (DRIFT)
4. Her book is as _____________ as a cool ocean breeze. (VIGOR)
5. It is inhumane to sell ______________ limbs of the animals such as rhinoceros or elephants in the
market place. (MEMBER)
6. A(n) ____________ to the contract stated that the buyer would be responsible for all
transportation costs. (ADD)
7. The problematic symptoms tend to disappear once the _____________ is corrected. (ALIGN)
8. A baby may be born with a stork bite, or the _____________ may appear in the first months of life.
(MARK)
9. You may not have liked her, but no one could ____________ her determination. (SAY)
10. The ship is an exact _____________ of the original Golden Hind. (REPLY)
ANSWERS:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

C. READING COMPREHENSION (60 POINTS)

PART 1: You are going to read an extract from an article. Seven paragraphs have been
removed from the extract. Choose from paragraphs A-H the one which fits each gap (1-
7). There is one extra paragraph which you do not need to use. Write your answers in the
corresponding numbered boxes provided. (7 points)

A. What are the criteria used by the director of a gallery and his or her advisers when selecting for
exhibition? Is he or she like the editor of a science journal? No, for there is nothing in art like the
peer review so fundamental to science; there are no art critics, just art writers. As the editor of
a scientific journal it is extremely rare that my personal view determines whether or not a paper
gets published. My role is to choose a good editorial board and to know to whom the papers to
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 be reviewed should be sent.
B. Bringing visual artists and scientists together merely makes them feel elevated: it is not a
scientific experience. Although it must be said that science has had a strong influence on certain
artists - in the efforts to imitate nature and thus to develop perspective or in the area of new
technologies - art has contributed virtually nothing to science.
C. Then of the hundreds of thousands of papers published each year, few have a lifetime of more
than a few years. Most disappear with little if any trace. The original papers, with very rare
exceptions, like those of Einstein, are never part of scientific culture and they are not for sale.
Science, unlike art, is not entertainment.
D. What intrigued me at the opening was how the exhibits were chosen. There is less of a problem
with well-established artists such as Lucian Freud, Francis Bacon or Matisse. It is the very
modern works that present the problem.
E. How different from this are all the arts. No Shakespeare - no Hamlet; no Picasso - no Guernica.
Moreover a work of art is capable of many interpretations and has moral content. There is but
one correct scientific explanation for any set of observations and reliable scientific understanding
has no moral or ethical content; that is to say that the scientist does not allow his own reactions
to come into play.
F. The Oxford University art historian Martin Kemp takes a very different view from mine here. He
claims that during the 'Scientific Revolution' some artists were able to play an active role in the
dialogue between seeing and knowing. He gives the fiery emissions of Joseph Wright's
volcanoes painted in the late eighteenth century as an example. Wright's painting of Vesuvius
erupting may be dramatic but it owes nothing to geology.
G. Art is not constrained by reality. It cannot be shown to be wrong. And of all the arts, painting is
the one least related to science as it does not deal with complex ideas or explanations, is the
easiest to appreciate, and the response is often an emotional one. Ideas in the visual arts come
from art critics and historians, not the works themselves.
H. Science is about understanding how the world works, there being only one right description of
any observed phenomenon. Unlike the arts it is a collective endeavour in which the individual is
ultimately irrelevant - geniuses merely speed up discovery.

MERGING ART & SCIENCE: A FALSE PREMISE

The current vogue is for believing that art and science should be brought together. This obsession for
showing that art - particularly the visual arts - is similar to science in content and the creative process
es is bemusing. I detect in it an element of social snobbery - artists are envious of scientists and scient
ists want to be thought of as artists.
1. _________

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If Watson and Crick had not got the structure of DNA, we know that Franklin and Klug would soon hav
e had it. Indeed simultaneous discovery is a common feature of science. If one could rerun the history
of science and start again it would have a different history but the end results would be the same: wat
er would be H20 and genes would code for proteins but the names would be different.
2. _________
Whatever the feelings of the scientist, these are absent from the final understanding of a process, whil
e art is a personal creation and contains the personal views of the artist. And since science is a commu
nal process, a scientist has to be very aware of what is known about the problem being investigated. T
here are strict criteria about lack of contradiction and, of course, correspondence with reality. Science
makes progress, we build on the work of our current and earlier colleagues. To talk about progress in
art makes no sense, there is change but not progress.
3. _________
Thus, I cannot understand what is being referred to when there is reference to critical thinking in art.
In what sense can a painting be right or wrong? Anyone can have views about a painting and engage i
n art discussions. Non-scientists can thrill to scientific ideas but to make meaningful comments about t
hem, and I exclude their application to technology, one actually has to have detailed knowledge; scien
ce needs a much greater, and quite different, intellectual effort.
4. _________
It is very rare for referees to recommend acceptance without changes. This can be a complex procedu
re but, in general, authors are grateful for the careful reading and criticism of their paper. Even so we
reject about half of all papers we receive. Paintings, however, are neither revised nor can be shown to
be wrong.
5. _________
The idea of creativity may make scientists want to be thought of as artists and vice versa and there m
ay well be something similar in all human creativity, but that it is particularly similar in scientists and ar
tists is without foundation. The similarity between art and science is even less than that between billia
rds and rugby, both of which at least use a ball.
6. _________
It seems just poetic licence to suggest that this picture did much to convince European scientists that t
he great mystery of life might be explained in terms of electrochemical forces. (Although it may be tha
t Jan Vermeer did indeed discover that more compelling illusions can be achieved through a kind of op
tical illusion that makes special use of the perceptual system inside our brains, rather than through the
details that reach our eyes).
7. _________
Art does not explain, but it broadens our experience in ways that are not clearly understood. I value it
in its own terms, but it has nothing to do with understanding how the world works. To pretend that it

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does is to trivialise science and do nothing for art. We should stop pretending that the two disciplines
are similar, and instead rejoice in the very different ways that they enrich our culture.

ANSWERS:

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

PART 2: Read the text below and think of the word which best fits each space. Use only
ONE word in each space. Write your answers in the corresponding numbered boxes
provided. (15 points)
Concentration is good in exams, bad in orange juice. Concentration happens when you
manage to focus on one thing to the (1) __________ of all others, and concentrating on one thing (2)
__________ you worrying about a lot of other nameless things. Sometimes, of course, your mind
concentrates when you don’t want it to. Maybe you can’t get something out of your head, such as a
problem you have to (3) __________ up to, or an embarrassing situation you’ve been in. That’s why
collecting things as a hobby is popular; it (4) __________ your mind off other things. Indeed, some
people seem to prefer looking after and cataloguing their collections to actually (5) __________
anything with them, because this is when the absorbing, single- minded concentration happens.
The natural span for concentration is 45 minutes. That’s why half an hour for a television
programme seems too short whilst an hour seems too long. But many people's lives are (6)
__________ of concentration. Modern culture is served up in small, easily digestible chunks that
require only a short (7) __________ span although young people can concentrate on computer games
for days at a (8) __________.
Sticking out the tongue can aid concentration. This is because you can’t (9) __________
yourself with talking at the same time and other people won’t interrupt your thoughts because you
look (10) __________ an idiot!
ANSWERS:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

PART 3: Read the text below and choose the answer A, B, C or D which you think best fits
according to the text. Write your answers in the corresponding numbered boxes provided.
(10 points)
Science plays a crucial role in identifying problems related to how natural systems function and
deteriorate, particularly when they are affected by an external factor. In turn, scientific findings
shape the policies introduced to protect such systems where necessary. Experts are frequently called
upon by politicians to provide evidence which can be used to make scientifically sound, or at least
scientifically justifiable policy decisions.

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 Issues arise as there are frequent disagreements between experts over the way data is
gathered and interpreted. An example of the former is the first scientific evidence of a hole in the
ozone layer by the British Antarctic Survey. (1) The findings were at first greeted by the scientific
community with scepticism, as the British Antarctic Survey was not yet an established scientific
community. (2) Moreover, it was generally believed that satellites would have picked up such ozone
losses if they were indeed occurring. (3) It was not until the methodology of NASA's Goddard Space
Flight Center was reviewed that it became apparent that data had been overlooked. (4)
With regards to the latter, controversy between scientists may arise where data analysis
appears to support one policy over another. In 1991, the World Resource Institute (WRI) published
estimates of net emissions and sinks of greenhouse gases for a number of countries, including India.
The report provoked criticisms among Indian scientists who argued that the figures had failed to take
some significant factors into account, leading to overestimated emission values. The WRI was accused
of blaming less economically developed countries for global warming; a stance which, if accepted,
could impede industrialisation and sustain, even widen, the wealth gap.
Problems regarding the scientific method are well documented and it is widely accepted by the
scientific community that, however consistent scientists are in their procedures, the results born under
different circumstances can vary markedly. A number of factors influence research, among them the
organisation of a laboratory, the influence of prevailing theories, financial constraints and the peer
review process. Consequently, scientists tend to believe they are not in a position to bear universal
truths but to reveal tendencies.
However, this is countered by two factors. Firstly, certain scientific institutions wish to
maintain a degree of status as ‘bearers of truth’. Further, policy makers uphold this
understanding by requesting scientific certainties in order to legitimise their policy
decisions. According to a number of authors who have documented this process, decision makers do
not necessarily try to obtain all the information which is or could be made available regarding an
issue. Rather, they select that information which is necessary to fulfil their goals, information termed
as ‘half-knowledge’. Attempts to underplay transboundary issues such as water provision and
pollution are cases in point. Politicians clearly cannot pretend that certain data do not exist if they
are well-known in scientific communities or national borders, but some discretion is evident, especially
where there is controversy and uncertainty.
It is important to note that policies regarding scientific issues are influenced in no small part by
societal factors. These include the relative importance of certain environmental issues, the degree of
trust in the institutions conducting the research, and not least the social standing of those affected by
the issue. In other words, environmental problems are in many ways socially constructed according to
the prevailing cultural, economic and political conditions within a society. It has been suggested, for
example, that contemporary 'post-materialist' Western societies pay greater attention to 'quality' -
including environmental quality – than 'quantity'. This theory does not necessarily assume that people

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of low-income countries have no interest in environmental protection, as the example of the Chipko
movement in India clearly demonstrates, but demonstrates that the way a resource is valued varies
widely among different communities.
Finally, it cannot be denied that the ‘issue of the day’ changes constantly. One issue becomes
more or less urgent than another, based on current events. Concurrently, new issues enter the
political agenda. It has been noted that it often takes a 'policy entrepreneur', someone who dedicates
time, energy and financial resources to a certain issue, to raise its profile. Furthermore, whether an
issue is taken up by political, environmental or media groups, depends very much on the degree to
which it suits their particular agenda, not to mention budget.
1. With reference to paragraph 1, which of the following pieces of research would be NOT be relevant
to this article?
A. the effect of climate change on weather patterns in Africa
B. whether or not low level radiation increases the risk of cancer
C. how acid rain impacts species within a lake ecosystem
D. a comparison of the species present in two areas of woodland
2. What is the purpose of the example of ozone data given in paragraph 2?
A. to show that NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center used unreliable methods of gathering
scientific data
B. to show how data gathering methods and the status of scientists may affect the way data is
regarded
C. to prove that it is wrong to dismiss evidence which comes from a non-established source
D. to show how NASA and the British Antarctic Survey disagreed over the correct way to gather
ozone data.
3. Where in paragraph 2 does this sentence best fit?
This was because of the way their computers had been programmed to discard any
readings which appeared anomalous.
A. 1 B. 2 C. 3 D. 4
4. Paragraph 3 gives an example of a dispute over
A. which country was most responsible for producing greenhouse gases
B. the pollution caused by multinational companies in India.
C. how statistics were interpreted and presented.
D. erroneous data which resulted from a poorly-funded experiment.
5. Which sentence best sums up the ideas in paragraph 4?
A. Scientists are aware that their work cannot present incontrovertible facts.
B. If scientists were more consistent, they could create more reliable evidence.
C. Variations in how research is conducted often affect its validity.
D. Scientists spend more time documenting problems than conducting research.

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6. In paragraph 5, ‘this’ refers to
A. the scientific method and its inherent problems.
B. the belief that scientists cannot reveal universal truths.
C. the variation in scientific results under different circumstances.
D. the list of factors which influence scientific research.
7. What is meant by this sentence?
‘Further, policy makers uphold this understanding by requesting scientific certainties in
order to legitimise their policy decisions.’
A. Politicians when seeking evidence for policy-making, do not understand the fact that scientists
are unable to act as ‘bearers of truth’.
B. Politicians consider the scientific research that supports their policies as more legitimate than
other research.
C. Scientific institutions encourage politicians to use them for policy-making in order to improve
their status.
D. Politicians, when seeking evidence for policy-making, encourage the belief that scientists can
produce incontestable facts.
8. Why are ‘transboundary issues such as water provision and pollution’ referred to in
paragraph 5?
A. to illustrate situations in which politicians pretend that certain data does not exist
B. to illustrate situations in which incorrect information is given by scientific institutions keen to
maintain their status.
C. to illustrate situations in which politicians are selective with regards to what data they gather
D. to illustrate situations in which policy makers request scientists to present them with scientific
certainties, even though none exist.
9. What can be inferred about the Chipko movement?
A. It was an example of how people in low-income countries have little interest in environmental
protection.
B. It was an example of how different people within a community valued a resource differently.
C. It was an example of how people in a low-income community showed interest in protecting
the environment.
D. It was an example of how people in a low-income community valued quantity over quality.
10. Which of the following arguments is NOT presented in paragraph 7?
A. An issue only get political or media attention if someone with a high profile is supporting it.
B. Politicians are only interested in environmental issues if it benefits them.
C. Issues don’t get public attention unless a particular person advocates it strongly.
D. Issues may be overlooked if there are other significant events happening at the time.
ANSWERS:

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 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

PART 4: Read the passage and do the following tasks. Write your answers in the
corresponding numbered boxes provided. (13 points)
PSYCHOLOGY AND PERSONALITY ASSESSMENT
A. Our daily lives are largely made up of contacts with other people, during which we are constantly
making judgments of their personalities and accommodating our behaviour to them in accordance
with these judgments. A casual meeting of neighbours on the street, an employer giving instructions
to an employee, a mother telling her children how to behave, a journey in a train where strangers eye
one another without exchanging a word – all these involve mutual interpretations of personal
qualities.
B. Success in many vocations largely depends on skill in sizing up people. It is important not only to
such professionals as the clinical psychologist, the psychiatrist or the social worker, but also to the
doctor or lawyer in dealing with their clients, the businessman trying to outwit his rivals, the salesman
with potential customers, the teacher with his pupils, not to speak of the pupils judging their teacher.
Social life, indeed, would be impossible if we did not, to some extent, understand, and react to the
motives and qualities of those we meet; and clearly we are sufficiently accurate for most practical
purposes, although we also recognize that misinterpretations easily arise – particularly on the pare of
others who judge us!

C. Errors can often be corrected as we go along. But whenever we are pinned down to a definite
decision about a person, which cannot easily be revised through his ‘feed-back’, the inadequacies of
our judgments become apparent. The hostess who wrongly thinks that the Smiths and the Joneses
will get on well together can do little to retrieve the success of her party. A school or a business may
be saddled for years with an undesirable member of staff because the selection committee which
interviewed him for a quarter of an hour misjudged his personality.
D. Just because the process is so familiar and taken for granted, it has aroused little scientific curiosity
until recently. Dramatists, writers and artists throughout the centuries have excelled in the portrayal
of character, but have seldom stopped to ask how they, or we, get to know people, or how accurate is
our knowledge. However, the popularity of such unscientific systems as Lavater’s physiognomy in the
eighteenth century, Gall’s phrenology in the nineteenth, and of handwriting interpretations by
graphologists, or palm-readings by Gypsies, shows that people are aware of weaknesses in their
judgments and desirous of better methods of diagnosis. It is natural that they should turn to
psychology for help, in the belief that psychologists are specialists in ‘human nature’.
E. This belief is hardly justified: for the primary aim of psychology had been to establish the general
laws and principles underlying behaviour and thinking, rather than to apply these to concrete
problems of the individual person. A great many professional psychologists still regard it as their main
function to study the nature of learning, perception and motivation in the abstracted or average
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human being, or in lower organisms, and consider it premature to put so young a science to practical
uses. They would disclaim the possession of any superior skill in judging their fellow-men. Indeed,
being more aware of the difficulties than is the non-psychologist, they may be more reluctant to
commit themselves to definite predictions or decisions about other people. Nevertheless, to an
increasing extent psychologists are moving into educational, occupational, clinical and other applied
fields, where they are called upon to use their expertise for such purposes as fitting the education or
job to the child or adult, and the person to the job. Thus, a considerable proportion of their activities
consists of personality assessment.
F. The success of psychologists in personality assessment has been limited, in comparison with what
they have achieved in the fields of abilities and training, with the result that most people continue to
rely on unscientific methods of assessment. In recent times there has been a tremendous amount of
work on personality tests, and on carefully controlled experimental studies of personality.
Investigations of personality by Freudian and other ‘depth’ psychologists have an even longer history.
And yet psychology seems to be no nearer to providing society with practicable techniques which are
sufficiently reliable and accurate to win general acceptance. The soundness of the methods of
psychologists in the field of personality assessment and the value of their work are under constant fire
from other psychologists, and it is far from easy to prove their worth.
G. The growth of psychology has probably helped responsible members of society to become more
aware of the difficulties of assessment. But it is not much use telling employers, educationists and
judges how inaccurately they diagnose the personalities with which they have to deal unless
psychologists are sure that they can provide something better. Even when university psychologists
themselves appoint a new member of staff, they almost always resort to the traditional techniques of
assessing the candidates through interviews, past records, and testimonials, and probably make at
least as many bad appointments as other employers do. However, a large amount of experimental
development of better methods has been carried out since 1940 by groups of psychologists in the
Armed Services and in the Civil Service, and by such organizations as the (British) National Institute of
Industrial Psychology and the American Institute of Research.
Questions 1-7:
There are seven paragraphs marked A-G in the passage. Choose the correct heading for each
paragraph from the list below.
List of Headings
i The advantage of an intuitive approach to personality assessment
ii Overall theories of personality assessment rather than valuable guidance
iii The consequences of poor personality assessment
iv Differing views on the importance of personality assessment
v Success and failure in establishing an approach to personality assessment
vi Everyone makes personality assessment

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 vii Acknowledgement of the need for improvement in personality assessment
viii Little progress towards a widely applicable approach to personality assessment
ix The need for personality assessment to be well judged
x The need for a different kind of research into personality assessment

1. Paragraph A
2. Paragraph B
3. Paragraph C
4. Paragraph D
5. Paragraph E
6. Paragraph F
7. Paragraph G
Questions 8-10:
Which THREE of the following are stated about psychologists involved in personality assessment?
A. ‘Depth’ psychologists are better at it than some other kinds of psychologists.
B. Many of them accept that their conclusions are unreliable.
C. They receive criticism from psychologists not involved in the field.
D. They have made people realize how hard the subject is.
E. They have told people what not to do, rather than what they should do.
F. They keep changing their minds about what the best approaches are.
Questions 11-13:
Do the following statements reflect the claims of the writer?
Write
YES if the statement reflects the claims of the writer
NO if the statement reflects the claims of the writer
NOT GIVEN if it is impossible to say what the writer thinks about this
11. Unscientific systems of personality assessment have been of some use.
12. It is likely that some psychologists are no better than anyone else at assessing personality.
13. Research since 1940 has been based on acceptance of previous theories.
ANSWERS:

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13.

PART 5: You are going to read an article about work-life balance. For questions 1-10,
choose from the sections (A-D). The sections may be chosen more than once. Write your
answers in the corresponding numbered spaces provided. (15 points)
Which section mentions the following?
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 ANSWERS
involvement in decision-making leading to increased worker satisfaction. 1. ________
a term that was once used to refer to an inadequate work-life balance. 2. ________

a reduction in one business’s expenditure caused by improved staff retention. 3. ________

a recognition among some employees of the necessity for longer working hours. 4. ________
changes in the world of work leading to competition between established and 5. ________
emerging companies.
the statutory regulation of work-life balance ideas. 6. ________

certain staff benefits no longer being seen as adequate by potential employees. 7. ________
a change in how work-life balance developments are generated. 8. ________

a way of defining what work-life balance involves. 9. ________

a theory as to what people require out of life. 10. _______

ISSUES ARISING OUT OF THE CONTINUING WORK-LIFE BALANCE DEBATE IN THE UK

A. Here in the UK, the continuous pressure of work and the relentless pace of change is impacting
on people. Hard. And some people have reached the point where they want their lives back or at
least are questioning how they can balance their work obligations with their domestic
responsibilities. This includes new recruits - employers also recognise that in the battle to attract
talented people the tried and tested incentives of high salary, a medical plan and use of a
company car will not pull in the high fliers any more. But what exactly does work-life balance
cover? In the recent past, 'stress' was the word that best seemed to represent this general
concern about too much work, too little life. Everyone understood it, since they experienced it at
a personal level, but work-life balance has larger parameters. According to the Work Foundation,
it is only achieved when an individual's right to a fulfilled life inside and outside paid work is
respected as the norm. So, for example, work-life balance also takes into account the
contribution that people want to make to the world in which they live. It includes the recognition
that people have to manage family life and it considers the impact that an excessive workload
has on people's health.
B. We can point to the psychologist, Abraham Masiow, as the inspiration behind the work-life
balance phenomenon. Maslow's 'hierarchy of needs' model posits five ascending levels of need,
each stage of which has to be satisfied in turn before the individual can move onwards and
upwards. So, at the base of the triangular model, individuals first have to satisfy their physical

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 survival needs, while at the apex of the triangle, is the 'self-actualised' individual whose priorities
are personal growth and fulfilment. Maslow's work fused with a trend that also affected the
concerns about work-life balance. Having a job for life, which had been part of the bedrock
values of traditional companies, simply could not be sustained by the dynamic marketplace of
the 1990s and beyond. The old certainties evaporated, and employers realised that the new
imperative was to ensure their employees became as innovative as the young entrepreneurs
who were creating exciting new businesses of their own.
C. The idea of a work-life balance has evolved over time. In the UK, there has been a long tradition
of government-based initiatives that were its forerunners. However, with work-life balance as it
exists today, the influence of some corporate role models has had the most impact. Consider
Ben & Jerry's, the US ice-cream company. Since the 1980s, this firm has recognised that people
wanted a different sort of work experience. It made a virtue out of donating 7.5 per cent of its
pre-tax profits to philanthropy - an employee-led initiative. Engaging employees in such a way
has helped both to improve motivation and drive innovation and productivity, making Ben &
Jerry's into an extremely lucrative brand. A recent survey identified more than 100 varieties of
similar work-life initiatives. However, it is clear that the most important variable in work-life
balance is the nature of the job itself. People want jobs with autonomy, flexibility, meaning,
managerial support as well as a chance for advancement.
D. So, do work-life balance policies work? In the UK there has been little doubt that they have had
a positive impact. British Telecom, for instance, used work-life balance initiatives both to draw
more women into the workforce and to address the significant problem of losing staff. As a
result, a staggering 98 per cent of women returned after maternity leave, saving the
organisation a tidy sum in recruitment and training. Work-life balance is already a catch-all term
for many different new policy developments and the list is still growing. Many employees know
from direct experience that the world of work is changing. In a 24/7 society, they recognise that
their customers expect service round-the-clock. And they also know that they have to juggle
their home responsibilities while stretching their schedules to meet customer expectations.
Employers know this too. Indeed, there is a raft of legal provisions governing work-life balance
being driven by the European Union. And what the individual employee wants and the employer
is set to deliver need not be in opposition

D. WRITING (60 POINTS)

PART 1: Read the following extract and use your own words to summarise it. Your
summary should be between 100 and 120 words long. (15 points)
For many years, stress was considered an imaginary complaint that lazy employees would use
as an excuse for skipping work. Now, stress has finally made its way into medical books and into

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company accounts too. More and more firms are realizing the effect that stress-related illnesses are
having on their bottom line.
The causes of stress are manifold. Just getting to work on time may be a major cause. At the
workplace, stress can be caused by not having enough to do, not facing sufficient challenges or simply
being in a job that does not suit the person. At the other end of the scale is overwork and job
insecurity. There may also be ergonomic reasons for stress such as cramped working conditions, a
faulty chair, a desk at the wrong height, a smoky office or defective air-conditioning.
Stress manifests itself in many ways. The most common symptoms are headaches, backaches,
shortness of breath, skin disorders, heart palpitations, gastric problems and sleeping disorders. There
is also poor concentration, poor memory and loss of self-confidence. Other major health problems
such as depression, repetitive strain injury and heart problems may follow these symptoms.
All these symptoms give rise to inefficient work practices, increased medical leave and
consequently loss of productivity. Companies are finally beginning to take notice and are starting to
invest in their employees' health as a natural cost of doing business.
Companies are taking the necessary measures to overcome stress-related problems with the
hope that there will be heightened efficiency at the workplace and lower absenteeism. But at the end
of the day it is up to the individual.
The art of stress management is not something that can be picked up overnight. It is
something that an individual has to perfect and improve on throughout his lifetime. The key is 'healthy
body, healthy mind'.
Diet should be kept in check with smoking and drinking under control. Consider investing in a
home gym, which can be set up at a reasonable cost consisting of basic equipment such as an
exercise bench, a pair of dumb-bells and an exercise bike.
Massage is another tried and tested form of physical relaxation, guaranteed to reduce both
mental and physical stress levels. A massage does not take long and it is not expensive. The different
types of massages and aromatherapy techniques have different effects with some for relaxation and
some for stimulation; all guaranteed to make you feel invigorated or enlivened after a hard day.
Another way of reducing stress is the century-old and hugely popular practice of yoga. A
beginner taking up yoga may find the posture and breathing exercises beneficial. But yoga goes way
beyond that as it deals with the inner organism (the mind, the respiratory and digestive organs) -
inner harmony first - and when the inner organism is working properly, then physical fitness can be
achieved.
In stress management, the most important thing is to recognize the symptoms of stress early
and to act before they become something serious.

PART 2: The line graph below shows the average monthly temperatures in three major
cities.

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Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make
comparisons where relevant.
You should write about 150 words.

Sydney Dubai

Sydney
Dubai

Paris
Paris

PART 3: Write an essay of 350 words on the following topic. (30 points)
“Success should be measured by the knowledge a person has, not by the material
possessions he or she has acquired.”
Do you agree with this idea? Give reasons and examples to support your opinion(s).

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