SỞ GIÁO DỤC VÀ ĐÀO TẠO KỲ THI CHỌN HỌC SINH GIỎI CẤP TỈNH

PHÚ THỌ LỚP 9 THCS NĂM HỌC 2023-2024

Môn thi: TIẾNG ANH
ĐỀ CHÍNH THỨC

SECTION 1: LISTENING (20 points)

I. You will hear a radio interview with a man who works on an international camp. Choose A, B, C, or D
which fits best according to what you hear. Write your answers in the space provided. (10 points)
1. If you want to apply for the Camp, you must ______.
A. be a student B. be at least twenty-four years old
C. speak more than one language D. be an employee
2. In a Camp tent, you can expect to ______.
A. mix with other nationalities B. share with five other people
C. know the other people D. write diaries
3. What do you have to take to the Camp?
A. A tent. B. A map. C. Pictures. D. Cellphones.
4. As a Camp member, you should ______.
A. be a good singer B. join in performances
C. be good at acting D. have experience in camping
5. The Camp fees must be paid ______.
A. in dollars B. by cheques
C. before the Camp starts D. during the Camp
Write your answers here:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
II. You will hear a student union representative talking to some new students. Listen and complete the
table with NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER for each blank. Write your answers
in the space provided. (10 points)
PLACE CAPACITY REGULAR MENU COST
Main Refectory Hall 500 vegetarian, fish, (6)________ (7)________- £3
Open: 11.30 - 2.30
Arts Building Café (8)________ tea, coffee, hot chocolate, £1.15
Open: 9 - 6 sandwiches
(9)________ tea, coffee, (10)________ £1.30
Open: 10 - 4
Write your answers here:
6. 7. 8.
9. 10.

SECTION 2: PHONETICS (10 points)

III. Choose the word whose underlined part is pronounced differently from the rest by writing your
answers A, B, C, or D in the space provided. (6 points)
1. A. artisan B. residence C. pedestrian D. president
2. A. meteor B. faucet C. decline D. basket
3. A. influenced B. relaxed C. focused D. sunbathed
IV. Choose the word whose primary stress is different from that of the others by writing A, B, C, or D in
the space provided. (4 points)
4. A. asset B. cassette C. lettuce D. hostel
5. A. versatile B. celery C. prestigious D. marinate
Write your answers here:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

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SECTION 3: LEXICO – GRAMMAR (70 points)
V. Choose the best answer to complete each of the sentences by writing A, B, C, or D in the space
provided. (60 points)
1. Having been selected to represent the Association of American Engineers at the International
Convention, ______.
A. the member applauded him B. he gave a short acceptance speech
C. a speech had to be given by him D. the remember congratulated him
2. ______ more water than the ground can absorb, the excess water flows to the lowest level, carrying loose
material.
A. Any area receiving B. When might any area receive
C. Whenever any area receives D. If any area is receiving
3. As far as orchids are concerned, the most experienced person is undoubtedly Miss Ito. She appears
______ all the relevant articles in special journals.
A. to read B. having read C. to have read D. reading
4. It is desirable that the hotel manager ______ to call the maintenance staff every 6 months to clean up the
air conditioners.
A. remember B. will remember C. must remember D. remembers
5. After a number of incidents with the police, we decided to close down the club. But now I think that
maybe we ______ it open.
A. should be keeping B. should have kept C. must have kept D. must be keeping
6. As we were in an urgent need of syringes and other medical equipment, the aid organization promised to
deliver them ______ the double.
A. with B. in C. at D. round
7. He was so mean that he couldn’t bear to ______ the smallest sum of money for the charity appeal.
A. pay off B. part with C. give in D. let out
8. ______ saying was so important that I asked everyone to stop talking and listen.
A. What the woman was B. The woman was C. What was the woman D. That the woman was
9. ______, he gained lots of experience in teamwork skills.
A. Having lived abroad for years C. Live abroad for years
B. In order to live abroad for years D. To live abroad for years
10. ______ Keith made in his attempt to catch the dog that he strained his back.
A. Such a great effort B. Such was the effort C. So was the effort that D. So great effort
11. The student was ______ of understanding the theory even after the professor’s profound explanation.
A. incompetent B. incapable C. helpless D. unsuccessful
12. As a pianist his ______ is brilliant, but I don’t care much for his interpretation.
A. technique B. mastery C. technology D. attitude
13. I left the company by ______, not because I was forced to.
A. choice B. option C. selection D. preference
14. The woman was in a ______ emotional state after hearing of her son’s accident.
A. doubtfully B. greatly C. largely D. highly
15. His theory ______ some interesting questions for the scientific community.
A. assumes B. poses C. proposes D. faces
16. My sunburnt nose made me feel rather ______ for the first few days of the holiday.
A. self-conscious B. self-confident C. self-evident D. self-centred
17. Growing ______ are something many businesses experience when competition heats up.
A. failures B. hurts C. troubles D. pains
18. A ______ of locusts ate all the wheat in the field.
A. flock B. swarm C. herd D. pack
19. There was a(n) ______ of violence when the concert organisers told ticket holders they would have to
pay again to get their tickets validated.
A. setting B. epidemic C. attack D. outbreak
20. In any case, unfortunately, there is a ______ chance of finding alternative employment in this despoiled
area, which to an untutored eye looks rich in natural assets.
A. big B. fat C. good D. huge

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21. Once people have given up their heritage, traditional beliefs, and other aspects of their native culture,
they are about to lose their sense of ______.
A. humor B. responsibility C. self D. honesty
22. It’s important to try to spend plenty of ______ time with your family.
A. benefit B. value C. quality D. merit
23. Janny was left to carry the ______ when the project ended in failure although she didn’t have to take any
responsibility for this project.
A. bucket B. bag C. tray D. can
24. The performance in the National Theatre really brought the ______ down last night. The actors were
given a standing ovation.
A. stage B. house C. hall D. world
25. Tooth decay can be kept at ______ by fluoride toothpaste and good dentistry.
A. gulf B. sea C. lake D. bay
26. He paid too much for expensive items without thinking about it. He spent money like ______ and I
wonder where he got it all from.
A. paper B. waste C. water D. air
27. His company went bankrupt and not much later his wife walked out on him. However he managed to
______ and make a fresh start in his life is a mystery to me.
A. kill two birds with one stone B. put the cat among the pigeons
C. take the bull by the horns D. get out of the rat race

* Write your answer A, B, C, or D in the space provided to indicate the word CLOSEST in meaning to the
underlined word in the following sentence.
28. The way the care-taker treated those little children was deplorable therefore she must be punished for
what she did.
A. respectable B. satisfactory C. unacceptable D. mischievous
* Write your answer A, B, C, or D in the space provided to indicate the words OPPOSITE in meaning to
the underlined words in the following sentence.
29. She’s decided to make a fresh start and regards all her old problems as water under the bridge.
A. worth looking at B. worth worrying about
C. happening for a long time D. unlikely to be changed
* Write your answer A, B, C, or D in the space provided to indicate the sentence that best completes the
following exchange.
30. Anne and Jim are talking about the preparation for her birthday.
- Anne: “What are you going to get me for my birthday?”
- Jim: “______”
A. Hang on, give me a moment. B. Oh, congratulations!
C. Never you mind. Wait and see! D. In your dreams!
VI. Identify the mistake in each sentence by writing your answers A, B, C, or D in the space provided.
(10 points)
31. According to many economists, international specialisation in the production of some goods, such as cars
and computers, increase world efficiency and output, making all nations richer.
A. According to B. specialisation C. increase D. making
32. It’s a great complement to be asked to do the job that we always dreamed of when we were at university.
A. a B. complement C. to do D. dreamed of
33. The villagers are highly appreciable of the volunteers’ efforts in reconstructing their houses after the
devastating storm.
A. highly appreciable B. volunteers’ efforts C. reconstructing D. devastating
34. Police sealed off the town-centre for two hours meanwhile they searched for the bomb.
A. off B. for C. meanwhile D. searched
35. The warm weather of the last week has given way to colder conditions in the last two days, putting the
weekend prospects on the balance.
A. The B. has given way C. putting D. on the balance
Write your answers here:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

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 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.
11. 12. 13. 14. 15.
16. 17. 18. 19. 20.
21. 22. 23. 24. 25.
26. 27. 28. 29. 30.
31. 32. 33. 34. 35.
SECTION 4: READING (60 points)
VII. Read the following passage and write your answers A, B, C, or D in the space provided to indicate
the correct word for each of the blanks. (20 points)
“HOMEWORK AT ROOT OF MANY FAMILY ARGUMENTS”
Homework can cause friction between parents and children, especially in middle-class families
(1)______ concerns about a child’s future can lead to a climate of pressure to succeed, according to a recent
report. Homework can also create anxiety, boredom, fatigue and emotional exhaustion in children, who
resent the encroachment on their free time, (2)______ they think homework helps them do well at school.
The resulting (3)______ to the parent-child relationship may (4)______ any educational advantage
homework may (5)______, the Institute claimed. The report found that problems can (6)______ when
parents try to help with homework, especially when they feel they (7)______ the knowledge or the time.
Parents may (8)______ their children’s effectiveness in doing homework by trying to control the homework
environment – telling children when and where to do homework or trying to eliminate distractions – instead
of helping them adapt it to (9)______ their learning styles, the body said.
On the plus side, parental (10)______ in homework has been shown to be the strongest predictor of
better grades, the report said. Report author Dr Susan Hallam said: “Parents have the most positive influence
when they offer moral support, make appropriate resources available and discuss general issues. They
should only actually help with homework when their children specifically ask them to.”
1. A. which B. where C. who D. whom
2. A. meanwhile B. although C. supposing D. if
3. A. damage B. injury C. destruction D. detriment
4. A. exceed B. overbalance C. outweigh D. compensate
5. A. bring B. take C. make D. gain
6. A. proceed B. derive C. rise D. arise
7. A. go without B. miss C. lack D. are deprived of
8. A. interfere B. interrupt C. indicate D. inhibit
9. A. satisfy B. suit C. match D. fulfil
10. A. involvement B. contribution C. collaboration D. connection
Write your answers here:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
6. 7. 8. 9. 10.
VIII. Read the following passage and write your answers A, B, C, or D in the space provided to indicate
the correct answers to each of the questions. (20 points)
We live in a world of tired, sleep deprived people. In his book Counting Sheep, Paul Martin - a
behavioral biologist - describes a society which is just too busy to sleep and which does not give sleeping
the importance it deserves.
Modern society has invented reasons not to sleep. We are now a 24/7 society where shops and
services must be available at all hours. We spend longer hours at work than we used to, and more time
getting to work. Mobile phones and email allow us to stay in touch round the clock and late-night TV and
the Internet tempt us away from our beds. When we need more time for work or pleasure, the easy solution
is to sleep less. The average adult sleeps only 6.2 hours a night during the week, whereas research shows
that most people need eight or even eight and a half hours’ sleep to feel at their best. Nowadays, many
people have got used to sleeping less than they need and they live in an almost permanent state of sleep debt.
Until the invention of the electric light in 1879, our daily cycle of sleep used to depend on the hours of
daylight. People would get up with the sun and go to bed at nightfall. But nowadays our hours of sleep are
mainly determined by our working hours (or our social life) and most people are woken up artificially by an

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alarm clock. During the day caffeine, the world’s most popular drug, helps to keep us awake. 75% of the
world’s population habitually consume caffeine, which up to a point masks the symptoms of sleep deprivation.
What does a chronic lack of sleep do to us? As well as making us irritable and unhappy as humans,
it also reduces our motivation and ability to work. This has serious implications for society in general.
Doctors, for example, are often chronically sleep deprived, especially when they are on “night call”, and
may get less than three hours’ sleep. Lack of sleep can seriously impair their mood, judgment, and ability to
take decisions. Tired engineers, in the early hours of the morning, made a series of mistakes with
catastrophic results. On our roads and motorways, lack of sleep kills thousands of people every year. Tests
show that a tired driver can be just as dangerous as a drunken driver. However, driving when drunk is
against the law but driving when exhausted isn’t. As Paul Martin says, it is very ironic that we admire
people who function on very little sleep instead of criticizing them for being irresponsible. Our world would
be a much safer, happier place if everyone, whatever their job, slept eight hours a night.
11. Which of the following could best serve as the title of the passage?
A. An Alarming Rise in Sleepless People B. Sleep Deprivation: Causes and Effects
C. A Society of Sleepless People D. Sleep Deprivation: Symptoms and Solutions
12. According to the passage, which of the following statements is TRUE about Paul Martin?
A. He is a scientist who is chronically deprived of sleep.
B. He gives an interesting account of a sleepless society.
C. He shows his concern for sleep deprivation in modern society.
D. He describes the modern world as a place without insomnia.
13. The phrase round the clock in the second paragraph is similar in meaning to ______.
A. having a round clock B. surrounded with clocks C. during the daytime D. all day and night
14. The word it in the first paragraph refers to ______.
A. society B. importance C. sleeping D. book
15. The writer mentions the Internet in the passage as ______.
A. an easy solution to sleep deprivation B. a temptation that prevents us from sleeping
C. an ineffective means of communication D. a factor that is not related to sleep deprivation
16. All of the following are mentioned as those whose performance is affected by sleep debt EXCEPT ______.
A. biologists B. drivers C. doctors D. engineers
17. According to the third paragraph, which of the following statements is NOT TRUE?
A. Our social life has no influence on our hours of sleep.
B. The sun obviously determined our daily routines.
C. The electric light was invented in the 19th century.
D. The electric light has changed our daily cycle of sleep.
18. Which of the following is TRUE, according to the last paragraph?
A. Sleep deprivation has negative effects on both individuals and society.
B. Our motivation decreases with the bigger number of hours we sleep.
C. Doctors on “night call” do not need more than three hours of sleep a day.
D. Thousands of people are killed by drunken drivers every day.
19. The word chronic in the last paragraph probably means ______.
A. lasting for a long time B. temporarily available
C. being wrongly diagnosed D. likely to become worthless
20. Which of the following would the writer of the passage approve of?
A. Both drunken drivers and sleep-deprived people should be criticized.
B. Our world would be a much safer place without drinkers.
C. There is no point in criticizing irresponsible people in our society.
D. We certainly can function well even when we hardly sleep.
Write your answers here:
11. 12. 13. 14. 15.
16. 17. 18. 19. 20.
IX. Read the passage below and fill each numbered blank with ONE suitable word. Write your answers in
the space provided. (20 points)
THE POWER OF BELIEF

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 In a small village nestled between lush green hills, (21)______ lived a young girl named Sara.
Despite growing up in humble surroundings, Sara dreamed of becoming a renowned singer and sharing her
voice (22)______ the world.
(23)______, doubts and insecurities often clouded Sara’s mind. She feared that her dreams were
(24)______ big for someone like her, with no formal training or connections in the music industry.
Despite these doubts, Sara refused to give up on her passion. Every day, she (25)______ practice
singing in the fields, pouring her heart and soul into each note, believing that one day her voice would be
heard.
One evening, a traveling musician passed through the village and heard Sara singing. Mesmerized by
her talent and determination, he offered to mentor her and help her (26)______ her dreams.
With the guidance of her mentor and unwavering belief in herself, Sara embarked on a journey of
self-discovery and growth. She (27)______ at local events and competitions, captivating audiences with her
soulful melodies.
Years later, Sara’s perseverance (28)______ off when she received an invitation to perform at a
prestigious music festival. Standing on (29)______, surrounded by thousands of cheering fans, Sara realized
that dreams (30)______ come true when you have the courage to believe in yourself. Her story inspired
others to achieve their own ambitions, no matter how impossible they may seem.
Write your answers here:
21. 22.
23. 24.
25. 26.
27. 28.
29. 30.
SECTION 5: WRITING (40 points)
X. Finish each of the following sentences in such a way that it means exactly the same as the sentence
printed before it. Write your answers in the space provided. (10 points)
1. We have had reports that the Prime Minister is making a surprise visit to Singapore.
 The Prime Minister ...................................................................................................................................
2. I explained what had happened but they totally refused to accept what I said.
 They found .................................................................................................................................................
3. Both the doctors I consulted were confident of curing me.
 I consulted ..................................................................................................................................................
4. I expected the book to be far better because it had been written by such a good novelist.
 The book fell ..............................................................................................................................................
5. Sue left the office right before the manager arrived there.
 No sooner ...................................................................................................................................................
XI. Complete the second sentence so that it has the same meaning as the first one, using the capitalized
word in bold given without changing the word. Write your answers in the space provided. (10 points)
6. “Don’t cancel your trip because of us,” we said to John. OFF
 We told John .......................................................................................................................because of us.
7. We took the ring road because we didn’t want to get caught in traffic in the city centre. AS
 We took the ring road ....................................................................................................in the city centre.
8. Michael didn’t want to spend his holidays in London, but in the end he did. RATHER
 Michael ................................................................................................................................... in London.
9. You may not like what I have to say, but you don’t have to yell at me. HEAD
 You don’t have to ................................................................................ if you don’t like what I’m saying.
10. You have to realise there’s a problem that needs to be dealt with. WAKE
 In regards to the problem at hand, you ...........................................................................................coffee.
XII. Paragraph writing: (20 points)
Should teenagers earn their pocket money to make a donation to charity?
In about 150 words, write a paragraph to give your own opinions about this topic.
Write your paragraph in the space provided.

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- THE END -

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SECTION 1: LISTENING (20 points)
1. C 2. A 3. C 4. B 5. C
6. pasta and salad 7. £1.50/1.50 pounds 8. 50/fifty
9. Theatre Bar 10. toasted sandwiches
SECTION 2: PHONETICS (10 points)
1. C 2. A 3. D 4. B 5. C
SECTION 3: LEXICO – GRAMMAR (70 points)
1. B 2. C 3. C 4. A 5. B
6. C 7. B 8. A 9. A 10. B
11. B 12. A 13. A 14. D 15. B
16. A 17. D 18. B 19. D 20. B
21. C 22. C 23. D 24. B 25. D
26. C 27. C 28. C 29. B 30. C
31. C 32. B 33. A 34. C 35. D
SECTION 4: READING (60 points)
1. B 2. B 3. A 4. C 5. A
6. D 7. C 8. D 9. B 10. A
11. B 12. C 13. D 14. C 15. B
16. A 17. A 18. A 19. A 20. A
21. there 22. with
23. However/Nevertheless/Nonetheless/ Notwithstanding 24. too
25. would 26. pursue/follow/chase
27. performed/sang 28. paid
29. stage 30. do

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