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Một số bài tập reading hay sưa tầm hỗ trợ cho thi học sinh giỏi lớp 9, giúp nâng cao trình độ đọc. Phần đọc luôn là phần đáng e sợ nhất trong bài thi. Vì vậy để làm tốt phần đọc, ta cần luyện tập nhiều. Trên đây là một số bài đọc hiểu hay hỗ trợ cho việc luyện tập.
MỘT SỐ BÀI READING SƯA TẦM HAY ÔN THI HSG LỚP Exercise 1: After 40 years, he passed away, and left her a letter which said: “My dearest, please forgive me, forgive my life's lie This was the only lie I said to you - the salty coffee Remember the first time we dated? I was so nervous at that time, actually I wanted some sugar, but I said salt, it was hard for me to change so I just went ahead I never thought that would be the start of my biggest lie I tried to tell you the truth many times in my life, but I was too afraid to, as I had promised never to lie to you Now I’m dying, and afraid of nothing so I will tell you the truth: I don’t like salty coffee, what a strange bad taste! But I have had salty coffee for my whole life Since I have known you, I have never felt sorry for anything I have done for you Having you with me is the biggest happiness of my life If I could live again, I would want to know you and have you for my whole life, even if I had to drink the salty coffee again.” Her tears made the letter totally wet Some day, someone asked her: "How does salty coffee taste?" "It’s sweet," she replied How many years did they live together? A 40 B 45 C 50 D 55 What did the man leave his wife after his death? A A letter to tell her the truth B All of his property C His property and a letter D None of the above Why didn’t the man tell his wife the truth when he was alive? A Because he didn't want to B Because his wife had known the truth before C Because he was afraid D Because he forgot to that Why did the man drink salty coffee for his whole life? A Because of his hobby B Because of its taste C Because of his wife D None of the above What did the wife say about the taste of the salty coffee? A It's sweet B It's salty C It's sour D It's bitter Đáp án: A A C C A Exercise When choosing a partner for life what people usually think of? A recent study has shown that these following factors are the most important things that one takes into consideration when choosing his/her partner Firstly, beauty is an important factor Although many people say that the partner’s appearance is not important, research has shown that beauty has great effect Secondly, money is also as important as appearance Rich people are easier to attract the opposite sex than the poor Both men and women say that they think much on how much money their partners have before they decide to get married In addition, timing is important, if the partner comes in time, marriage is more possible Do you see? If your partner comes when you are available or eager to love, he will be accepted easily According to the text, how many factors people consider when choosing a partner for life? A B C D What is the first factor? A Beauty B Money C Timing D None of the above What is the second factor? A Beauty B Money C Timing D None of the above What is the third factor? A Beauty B Money C Timing D None of the above Đáp án: C A B C Exercise In a test done in the 1970s, 1,031 students at the University of Wyoming said what they considered attractive in their partners Their answers were not new Men tended to prefer blondes, blue eyes and light skin color, while women liked darker men However, there were some surprises Few men liked very large breasts or boyish women Almost none of the women liked very muscular men In fact, both men and women prefer the average Too short, too tall, too pale or too dark were not chosen Averageness still wins In a recent study, scientists chose 94 faces of American women and used the computer to make a picture of an average face Then they asked people which face they liked Of the 94 real faces, only faces were considered to be more attractive than the average face Most people said that they preferred the average face How many students joined the test in the 1970s? A 1,013 B 1,031 C 1,103 D 1,130 According to the study done in 1970s, what kind of women did American men like? A Blondes, blue eyes and bright skin color B Blondes, brown eyes and bright skin color C Blondes, blue eyes and darker skin color D Blondes, brown eyes and darker skin color What kind of women did American men dislike? A Blondes, blue eyes and bright skin color B Women of averageness C Women with very large breasts D None of the above What kind of men did American women dislike? A Darker men B Very muscular men C Intelligent men D Handsome men What about the result of the second study? A The same as the first B Quite different from the first C Opposite to the first D None of the above Đáp án: B A C B A Exercise Since the world has become industrialized, there has been an increase in the number of animal species that have either become extinct or have neared extinction Bengal tiger, for instance, which once roamed the jungles in vast number, now only about 2,300 and by the year 2025, their population is estimated to be down to zero.What is alarming about the case of the Bengal tiger is that this extinction will have been caused almost entirely by poachers who according to some sources, are not interested in material gain but in personal gratification.This is an example of the callousness that is part of what is causing the problem of extinction Animals like Bengal tigers as well as other endangered species are a valuable part of the world's ecosystem International laws protecting these animals must be enacted to ensure their survival and the survival of our planet Countries around the world have begun to deal with the problem in various ways Some countries, in order to circumvent the problem, have allocated large amounts of land to animal reserves They then charge admission to help defray the costs of maintaining the parks and they often must also depend on world organizations for support With the money they get, they can invest in equipment, and patrols to protect the animals Another solution that is an attempt to stem the tide of animal extinction is an international boycott of products made from endangered species This seems fairly effective but it will not, by itself, prevent animals from being hunted and killed What is the main topic of the passage? A The Bengal tiger B International boycott C Endangered species D Problems with industrialization Which of the following is closest in meaning to the word "alarming"? A dangerous B serious C gripping D distressing The word "poachers" could be best replaced by which of the following? A illegal hunters B enterprising researchers C concerned scientists D zoologists The above passage is divided into two paragraphs in order to present A a problem and a solution B a statement and an illustration C a comparison and a contrast D specific and general information What does the word "they" refer to? A countries B amounts C animal reserves D ways The author uses the phrase "stem the tide" to mean _ A touch B stop C tax D save Đáp án: 1.C 2.B 3.A 4.A 5.A 6.B Exxercise Our sun is actually an orange, dwarf star Although it is not nearly the hottest star known, its surface temperature is about 10,000'F and that of its interior is thought to be in the range of 20,000,000'F We commonly think of the sun as burning, yet it's too hot to burn and is composed of elemental gases The sun is 865,000 miles in diameter and has a mass one-third of a million times greater than the Earth's.Scientists believe that it's two billion years old and, instead of cooling, is still getting hotter Perhaps, within the next two billion years, it will reach a temperature of sufficient intensity to destroy the Earth The sun's corona is almost as hot as interior Solar prominences-tongues of hot gas-leap outward a half million miles from the sun's surface at speeds reaching 250,000 miles an hour Fortunately, these prominences not travel the full ninety three million miles to earth, nor are their terrific temperatures transmitted through space.Some of the energy from these disturbances does not reach our atmosphere, however, and is believed to cause changes in weather According to his article, the sun A may eventually destroy the Earth B is getting hotter C is getting cooler D both A and B That the sun is two billion years old is A a belief of scientists B not mentioned C a well-known fact D an unfounded theory The mass of the sun is A three times that of the Earth B one-third of the mass of the Earth C one-third of a million times greater than the Earth D one-third of a million times smaller than the Earth The temperature of the interior of the sun is believed to be about A 10,000oF B 20,000,000oF C 2,000,000oF D 20,000oF Implied but not stated: A The Earth's sun is the only one in the existence B The sun is the hottest star C Our knowledge of the sun is far from complete D The sun is actually an orange, dwarf star Đáp án: 1.D 2.A 3.C 4.B 5.C Exercise Over the past 600 years, English has grown from a language of few speakers to become the dominant language of international communication English as we know it today emerged around 1350, after having incorporated many elements of French that were introduced following the Norman invasion of 1030 Until the 1600s, English was, for the most part, spoken only in England and had not extended even as far as Wales, Scotland, or Ireland However, during the course of the next two centuries, English began to spread around the globe as a result of exploration, trade (including slave trade), colonization, and missionary work Thus, smallenclaves of English speakers became established and grew in various parts of the world As these communities proliferated, English gradually became the primary language of international business, banking, and diplomacy Currently, about 80 percent of the information stored on computer systems worldwide is in English Two-thirds of the world's science writing is in English, and English is the main language of technology, advertising, media, international airports, and air traffic controllers Today there are more than 700 million English users in the world, and over half of these are non-native speakers, constituting the largest number of non-native users than any other language in the world What is the main topic of this passage? A The number of non-native users of English B The French influence on the English language C The expansion of English as an international language D The use of English for science and technology Approximately when did English begin to be used beyond England? A In 1066 B Around 1350 C Before 1600 D After the 1600s According to the passage, all of the following contributed to the spread of English around the world EXCEPT A the slave trade B the Norman invasion C missionaries D colonization The word "enclaves" in line 10 could best be replaced by which of the following? A communities B organizations C regions D countries The word "proliferated" in line 11 is closest in meaning to which of the following? A prospered B organized C disbanded D expanded Đáp án: 1.C 2.D 3.B 4.A 5.D Exercise Harvard University is situated along the banks of the Charles River in Cambridge, Massachusetts The university is now a sprawling complex of more than 400 buildings, housing, classrooms, laboratories and libraries The Harvard faculty has produced 27 Nobel laureates and more than 20 winners of prestigious Pulitzer Prizes.Today the university has more than 16000 students and over 2300 full-time faculty members Harvard is consistently ranked as one of the best school in American and the world And it is considered a leading international research institution The university owners its reputation as a centre for academic excellence to its professional and graduate schools, as well as its undergraduate program The Medical, Law, Business and Divinity schools are leaders in their fields, attracting top students from around the world Beginning in the 1930s, Harvard made a conscious effort to recruit students from all over the US, not from the eastern part of the nation More recently, the University has pursued policies to increase the number of women and minority students on campus A long tradition of modification and change continues, but the commitment to academic excellence remains at the heart of Harvard education Which of the following statements is True? A The Harvard faculty has won 27 Nobel Prizes B The Harvard graduates have won 27 Nobel Prizes C The Harvard faculty has won more than 20 Pulitzer Prizes D The Harvard graduates have won 27 Nobel Prizes but no Pulitzer Prizes Harvard includes three of the following EXCEPT A professional schools B graduate programme C job training programme D undergraduate programme Three of the following are the famous schools in Harvard Which is the exception? A Medical School B Mathemetics School C Divinity School D Business School Since 1930s, Harvard has tried hard to enroll students from A all over the United States B all over the world D planets What is the main idea of the passage? A Galileo built on the work of Copernicus and Kepler B Galileo built his own telescope C Galileo made revolutionary discoveries D Galileo discovered that Jupiter had moons The passage states that traditional theories attempted to explain A what caused motion to occur B why planets had moons C why the earth had a moon D what planets were made of According to the passage, Galileo discovered that the earth's moon was A made of the same material as the moon of Jupiter B made of the same material as the earth C travelling faster than the earth D travelling more slowly than the moon of the Jupiter What is the author's purpose in writing this passage? A To entertain the readers with amusing anecdotes B To persuade the readers that Galieo was an important Renaissance scientist C To explain important theories of Renaissance science D To inform the readers about Galileo's discoveries Đáp án: 1.B 2.C 3.A 4.B 5.D Exercise After inventing dynamite, Swedish-born Alfred Nobel became a very rich man However, he foresaw its universally destructive powers too late Nobel preferred not to be remembered as the inventor of dynamite, so in 1895, just two weeks before his death, he created a fund to be used for awarding prizes to people who had made worthwhile contributions to mankind Originally there were five awards : literature, physics, chemistry, medicine, and peace Economics was added in 1968, just sixty-seven years after the first award ceremony.Nobel's original legacy of nine million dollars was invested, and the interest on this sum is used for the awards which vary from $ 30,000 to $ 125,000 Every year on December 10, the anniversary of Nobel's death, the awards (gold medal, illuminated diploma, and money) are presented to the winners Sometimes politics plays an important role in the judges'decisions.Americans have won numerous science awards, but relatively few literature prizes No awards were presented from 1940 to 1942 at the beginning of World War II Some people have won two prizes, but this is rare; others have shared their prizes When did the first award ceremony take place? A 1985 B 1901 C 1962 D 1968 Why was the Nobel prize established? A To recognise worthwhile contributions to humanity B To resolve political differences C To honour the inventor of dynamite D To spend money In which area have Americans received the most awards? A Literature B Peace C Economics D Science Which of the following statements is NOT true? A Awards vary in monetary value B Ceremonies are held on December 10 to commemorate Nobel's invention C Polictics can play an important role in selecting the winners D A few individuals have won two awards In how many fields are the prizes bestowed? A B C D 10 Đáp án: 1.B 2.A 3.D 4.B 5.C Exercise 10 The umbrella is a very ordinary object It keeps the rain and the sun off people Most umbrellas fold up, so it is easy to carry them However, the umbrella did not begin life as an ordinary object It was a sign of royalty or importance Some African tribes still use the umbrella in this way today Do they this in your country? Someone carries an umbrella and walks behind the king or important person Umbrellas are very old The Chinese had them in the 11th century B.C From there, umbrellas traveled to India, Persia, and Egypt In Greece and Rome, men wouldn't use them They believed umbrellas were only for women When the Spanish explorers went to Mexico, they saw the Aztec kings using umbrellas English explorers saw Native American princes carrying umbrellas on the east coast of North America It seems that people in different parts of the world invented umbrellas at different times England was probably the first country in Europe where ordinary people used umbrellas against the rain.England has a rainy climate, and umbrellas are very useful there Everybody uses umbrellas today The next time you carry one, remember that for centuries only great men and women used them Perhaps you are really a king or queen, a princess or prince Today people use umbrellas for A the rain B the sun C a sign of a great person D A, B and C A queen is a person A royal B embarrassing C holiday D jewelry A great person walks someone with an umbrella A beside B before C in front of D in back of India and Persia learned about umbrellas from _ A Aztecs B Egypt C China D Spanish explorers Most groups of people had some kind of A coal B royalty C ink D mail Native Americans _ A learned about umbrellas from English and Spanish explorers B invented umbrellas C got umbrellas from the Chinese D taught Egyptians about umbrellas English people started using umbrellas because they have A royalty B a rainy climate C too much sun D great men and women Đáp án: 1.D 2.A 3.C 4.C 6.B 7.B Exercise 11 No one knows who invented pencils or when it happened A Swiss described a pencil in a book in 1565 He said it was a piece of wood with lead (Pb) inside it (Lead is a very heavy metal) Pencils weren't popular, and people continued to write with pens They used bird feather as pens Then in 1795, someone started making pencils from graphite and they became very popular Graphite is a kind of coal (Coal is black, and we burn it for heat and energy) Today, people make pencils in the same way They grind the graphite, make it into the shape of a stick, and bake it Then they put it inside a piece of wood One pencil can write 50,000 English words or make a line 55 kilometers long People wrote with feather pens and then used pens with metal points They had to dip the point into ink after every few letters Next someone invented a fountain pen that could hold ink inside it A fountain pen can write several pages before you have to fill it again Two Hungarian brothers, Ladislao and Georg Biro, invented the ballpoint pen that we all use today They left Hungary and started making ballpoint pens in England in 1943 during World War II English pilots liked them.They couldn't write with fountain pens in airplanes because ink leaked out Later, a French company called Bic bought the Biro's company Someone calls ballpoint pen a bic The Australian call them biros Whatever we call them, we use them every day Pencils were invented A in 1565 B by a Swiss C by someone whom we don't know D both A and B are correct At first, pencils were invented A with graphite inside B with lead inside C with a kind of black coal inside D with wood inside The kinds of popular pencils we are using today A have been made since 1795 B are pieces of wood with sticks of graphite inside C are used to write English words D both A and B are correct With a fountain pen, we A have to dip its point into ink after a few letters B have to fill its ink again after writing several pages C can write some pages in an airplanes D All are wrong Ballpoint pen were invented A in Hungary by two Hungarians B in England by two Hungarians C In France by Bic's company D in Australia by Biro's company Đáp án: 1.C 2.B 3.D 4.B 5.B Exercise 12: Do dogs have a sixth sense? Yes , but perhaps not in the way that is generally assumed There is nothing supernatural in the sensitivities of dogs They can all be explained by biological machanisms For instance, dogs can find their way home from long distance This ability seems to be based on the detection of subtle difference and changes in the earth's magnetic field Dogs are also capable of predicting thunderstorm When a storm is imminent, they may become intensely alarmed and begin trembling as if in pain This sensitivity is a response to changes in barometric pressure It may seem to be meaningless behaviour today, but in the dog's wild ancestry it made good sense to become worried by these climatic signals One of the most amazing claims for dogs' sixth sense was made recently by researchers who reported that they had discovered infrared detectors in dogs' noses This could explain certain abilities previously thought to be supernatural St Bernard dogs, for example , are said to be able to tell whether a climber buried in an avalanche is still alive, simply by sniffing the snow We know that sensitive heat detector exists in the snouts of certain snakes, and this strengthens the case for their existence in dogs We are still learning how dogs achieve such remarkable feats as have been recorded time and again According to the passage, the sixth sense in dogs is A supernatural B generally assumed supernatural C never explained by biological mechanism D appreciated by human It's the detection of subtle differences and changes in the earth's magnetic field that A gives dogs a good sense of direction B helps dogs predict changes in weather C make dogs sensitive to human D enables dogs to predict thunderstorms Dogs may become intensely alarmed and begin trembling when A they are beaten B they cannot find their way home C a storm is going to happen D they are in pain What helps a dog know whether a buried person is alive or not? A The changes in the earth's magnetic field B The changes in barometric pressure C The supernatural sensitivity of the dog D The infrared heat sensors on the dog's snout Which of the following statements the author would probably agree with? A The behaviour of some dogs during thunderstorm indicates that they are afraid of drowning B Scientist will be able to discover how dogs' senses work C Dogs have more kinds of perceptions than people because they need them D The presence of heat detectors in dogs proves that dogs are supernatural Đáp án: 1.B 2.A 3.C 4.D 5.B Exercise 13 It is very important to have healthy teeth Good teeth help us to chew our food They also help us to look nice.How does a tooth go bad? The decay begins in a little crack in the enamel covering of the tooth This happens after germs and bits of food have collected there Then the decay slowly spreads inside the tooth Eventually, poison goes into the blood, and we may feel quite ill How can we keep our teeth healthy? Firstly, we ought to visit our dentist twice a year He can fill the small holes in our teeth before they destroy the teeth He can examine our teeth to check that they are growing in the right way Unfortunately, many people wait until they have toothache before they see a dentist Secondly, we should brush our teeth with a toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste at least twice a day - once after breakfast and once before we go to bed We can also use wooden toothpicks to clean between our teeth after a meal Thirdly, we should eat food that is good for our teeth and our body: milk, cheese, fish, brown bread, potatoes, red rice, raw vegetables and fresh fruit Chocolates, sweets, biscuits and cakes are bad, especially when we eat them between meals They are harmful because they stick to our teeth and cause decay Good teeth help us to A be nice B chew our food C have good eyesight D be important When food and germs collect in a small crack, our teeth _ A become hard B send poison into the blood C begin to decay D make us feel quite ill A lot of people visit a dentist only when A their teeth grow properly B they have toothache C they have holes in their teeth D they have brushed their teeth We ought to try to clean our teeth A once a day B between meals C at least twice a day D before breakfast We shouldn't eat a lot of _ A red rice B fish C fresh fruit D chocolate Đáp án: 1.B 2.C 3.B 4.C 5.D Exercise 14 Are organically grown foods the best choices? The advantages claimed for such foods over conventionally grown and marketed food products are now being debated Advocates of organic foods – a term whose meaning varies greatly – frequently proclaim that such products are safer and more nutritious than others The growing interest of consumers in the safety and more nutritional quality of the typical North American diet is a welcome development However, much of this interest has been sparked by sweeping claims that the food supply is unsafe or inadequate in meeting nutritional needs Although most of these claims are not supported by scientific evidence, the preponderance of written material advancing such claims makes it difficult for the general public to separate fact from fiction As a result, claims that eating a diet consisting entirely of organically grown foods prevents or cures disease or provides other benefits to health have become widely publicized and form the basis for folklore Almost daily the public is besieged by claims for "no-aging" diets, new vitamins, and other wonder foods There are numerous unsubstantiated reports that natural vitamins are superior to synthetic ones, that fertilized eggs are nutritionally superior to fertilized eggs, that untreated grains are better than fumigated grains and the like.One thing that most organically grown food products seem to have in common is that they cost more than conventionally grown foods But in many cases consumers are misled if they believe organic foods canmaintain health and provide better nutritional quality than conventionally grown foods So there is real cause for concern if consumers, particularly those with limited incomes, distrust the regular food and buy only expensive organic foods instead The word "advocates" is closest in meaning to which of the following? A proponents B inspectors C consumers D merchants In the first paragraph, the word "others" refers to _ A advocates B products C advantages D organic foods Which of the following is true about the term "organic foods"? A It has been used only in recent years B It is seldom used by consumers C It has no fixed meaning D It is accepted by most nutritionists The "welcome development" mentioned is an increase in A the amount of health food grown in North American B interest in food safety and nutritional quality of the typical North American diet C the number of consumers in North American D the nutritional quality of the typical North American diet The word "unsubstantiated" is closest in meaning to A uncontested B unbelievable C unverified D unpopular The word "maintain" is closest in meaning to A preserve B retire C improve D monitor Who does the author think should NOT buy organic foods? A Advocates of organic food B Wealthy people C Concerned consumers D Low income consumers 8.The author implies that there is cause for concern if consumers with limited incomes buy organic foods instead of conventionally grown foods because _ A too many farmers will stop using conventional methods to grow food B many organic foods are actually less nutritious than similar conventionally grown foods C conventionally grown foods are more readily available than organic foods D organic foods can be more expensive but are often no better than conventionally grown foods Đáp án: 1.A 2.B 3.C 4.B 5.C 6.A 7.D 8.D Exercise 15 The Hollywood sign in the hills that line the northern border of Los Angeles is a famous landmark recognized the world over The white-painted, 50-foot-high, sheet mental letters can be seen from great distances across the Los Angeles basin The sign was not constructed, as one might suppose, by the movie business as a means of celebrating the importance of Hollywood to this industry; instead, it was first constructed in 1923 as means of advertising homes for sale in a 500-acre-housing subdivision in a part of Los Angeles called "Hollywood land" The sign that was constructed at that time, of course, said "Hollywood land" Over the years, people began referring to the area by the shorten version "Hollywood" and after the sign and its site were donated to the city in 1945, the last four letters were removed The sign suffered for years of disrepair, and in 1973, it needed to be completely replaced, at a cost of $ 27,700 per letter Various celebrities were instrumental in helping to raise needed funds Rock star Alice Cooper, for example, bought an O in memory of Groucho Marx, and Hugh Hefner of Playboy fame held a benefit party to raise the money for the Y The construction of the new sign was finally completed in 1978 What is the topic of this passage? A A famous sign B A famous city C World landmarks D Hollywood versus Hollywood land The expression "the world over" in line could best be replaced by _ A in the northern parts of the world B on top of the world C in the entire world D in the skies It can be inferred from the passage that most people think that the Hollywood sign was first constructed by _ A an advertising company B the movie industry C a construction company D the city of Los Angeles The pronoun "it" in line refers to _ A the sign B the movie business C the importance of Hollywood D this industry According to the passage, the Hollywood sign was first built in A 1923 B 1949 C 1973 D 1978 Which of the following is NOT mentioned about Hollywood land? A It used to be the name of an area of Los Angeles B It was formerly the name of the sign in the hills C There were houses for sale there D It was the most expensive area of Los Angeles The passage indicates that the sign suffered for years of _ A being damaged B not being fixed C the bad weather D being poorly constructed How old was the Hollywood sign when it was necessary to replace it completely? A Ten years old B Twenty-six years old C Fifty years old D Fifty-five years old The word "replaced" is closest in meaning to which of the following? A Moved to a new location B Destroyed C Found again D Exchanged for a newer one 10 According to the passage, how did celebrities help with new sign? A They played instruments B They raised the sign C They helped get the money D They took part in work parties to build the sign Đáp án: 1.A 2.C 3.B 4.A 5.A 6.D 7.B 8.C 9.D 10.C [...]... have won numerous science awards, but relatively few literature prizes No awards were presented from 194 0 to 194 2 at the beginning of World War II Some people have won two prizes, but this is rare; others have shared their prizes 1 When did the first award ceremony take place? A 198 5 B 190 1 C 196 2 D 196 8 2 Why was the Nobel prize established? A To recognise worthwhile contributions to humanity B To resolve... pronoun "it" in line 5 refers to _ A the sign B the movie business C the importance of Hollywood D this industry 5 According to the passage, the Hollywood sign was first built in A 192 3 B 194 9 C 197 3 D 197 8 6 Which of the following is NOT mentioned about Hollywood land? A It used to be the name of an area of Los Angeles B It was formerly the name of the sign in the hills C There were houses... was first constructed in 192 3 as means of advertising homes for sale in a 500-acre-housing subdivision in a part of Los Angeles called "Hollywood land" The sign that was constructed at that time, of course, said "Hollywood land" Over the years, people began referring to the area by the shorten version "Hollywood" and after the sign and its site were donated to the city in 194 5, the last four letters... disrepair, and in 197 3, it needed to be completely replaced, at a cost of $ 27,700 per letter Various celebrities were instrumental in helping to raise needed funds Rock star Alice Cooper, for example, bought an O in memory of Groucho Marx, and Hugh Hefner of Playboy fame held a benefit party to raise the money for the Y The construction of the new sign was finally completed in 197 8 1 What is the topic... science D To inform the readers about Galileo's discoveries Đáp án: 1.B 2.C 3.A 4.B 5.D Exercise 9 After inventing dynamite, Swedish-born Alfred Nobel became a very rich man However, he foresaw its universally destructive powers too late Nobel preferred not to be remembered as the inventor of dynamite, so in 1 895 , just two weeks before his death, he created a fund to be used for awarding prizes to people... years old 9 The word "replaced" is closest in meaning to which of the following? A Moved to a new location B Destroyed C Found again D Exchanged for a newer one 10 According to the passage, how did celebrities help with new sign? A They played instruments B They raised the sign C They helped get the money D They took part in work parties to build the sign Đáp án: 1.A 2.C 3.B 4.A 5.A 6.D 7.B 8.C 9. D 10.C... to be used for awarding prizes to people who had made worthwhile contributions to mankind Originally there were five awards : literature, physics, chemistry, medicine, and peace Economics was added in 196 8, just sixty-seven years after the first award ceremony.Nobel's original legacy of nine million dollars was invested, and the interest on this sum is used for the awards which vary from $ 30,000 to... book in 1565 He said it was a piece of wood with lead (Pb) inside it (Lead is a very heavy metal) Pencils weren't popular, and people continued to write with pens They used bird feather as pens Then in 1 795 , someone started making pencils from graphite and they became very popular Graphite is a kind of coal (Coal is black, and we burn it for heat and energy) Today, people make pencils in the same way They... pages before you have to fill it again Two Hungarian brothers, Ladislao and Georg Biro, invented the ballpoint pen that we all use today They left Hungary and started making ballpoint pens in England in 194 3 during World War II English pilots liked them.They couldn't write with fountain pens in airplanes because ink leaked out Later, a French company called Bic bought the Biro's company Someone calls ballpoint... pencils were invented A with graphite inside B with lead inside C with a kind of black coal inside D with wood inside 3 The kinds of popular pencils we are using today A have been made since 1 795 B are pieces of wood with sticks of graphite inside C are used to write English words D both A and B are correct 4 With a fountain pen, we A have to dip its point into ink after a few letters B