In spite of her difficult living conditions, she worked extremely hard.
A.She worked very hard in difficult conditions.
B.She worked very hard but she still lived in difficult conditions.
C.She worked very hard even though her living conditions were difficult.
D.She worked very hard because her living conditions were difficult.

(1) …….. 
A.much             
B.more                       
C.little                        
D.less

In line 10, water that is “shallow” is NOT ________ .
A.deep
B.clear
C.coastal
D.tidal

Exercise 1. Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct word or phrase that best fits each of the numbered blanks from 1 to 5.
GOOD FRIENDS
Psychologists have long known that having a set of cherished companions is crucial to mental well-being. A recent study by Australian investigators concluded that our friends even help to (1) ______ our lives. The study concentrated (2) ______ the social environment, general health, and lifestyle of 1,477 persons older than 70 years. The participants were asked how much contact they had with friends, children, relatives and acquaintances. Researchers were surprised to learn that friendships increased life (3) ______ to a far greater extent than frequent contact with children and other relatives. This benefit held true even after these friends had moved away to another city and was independent of factors such as socioeconomic status, health, and way of life. According to scientists, the ability to have relationships with people to (4) ______ one is important has a positive effect on physical and mental health. Stress and tendency towards depression are reduced, and behaviours that are damaging to health, such as smoking and drinking, occur less frequently. (5) _______, our support networks, in times of calamity in particular, can raise our moods and feelings of self-worth and offer helpful strategies for dealing with difficult personal challenges.
(Source: Academic Vocabulary in Use by Michael McCarthy and Felicity O’Dell)
(3)
A.expectation                         
B.insurance                
C.expectancy                         
D.assurance

Read the passge carefully, then choose the correct answer.
THANKSGIVING
Thanksgiving is celebrated in the US on the fourth Thursday in November. For many Americans it is the most important holiday apart from Christmas. Schools, offices and most businesses close for Thanksgiving, and many people make the whole weekend a vacation.
Thanksgiving is associated with the time when Europeans first came to North America. In 1620 the ship the Mayflowers arrived, bringing about 150 people who today are usually called Pilgrims. They arrived at the beginning of a very hard winter and could not find enough to eat, so many of them died. But in the following summer Native Americans showed them what foods were safe to eat, so that they could save food for the next winter. They held a big celebration to thank God and the Native Americans for the fact that they had survived.
Today people celebrate Thanksgiving to remember these early days.
The most important part of the celebration is a traditional dinner with foods that come from North America. The meal includes turkey, sweet potatoes (also called yams) and cranberries, which are made into a kind of sauce or jelly. The turkey is filled with stuffing or dressing, and many families have their own special recipe. Dessert is pumpkin made into a pie.
On Thanksgiving there are special television programs and sports events. In New York there is the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, when a long line of people wearing fancy costumes march through the streets with large balloons in- the shape of imaginary characters. Thanksgiving is considered the beginning of the Christmas period, and the next day many people go out to shop for Christmas presents.
Which of the following is not true?
A.In the US, Thanksgiving is not a national holiday; it's a religious holiday
B.Christmas comes Jess than a month after Thanksgiving.
C.Thanksgiving was originally celebrated by the first, Europeans in North America to thank God for their survival.
D.The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade are colourful and exciting.

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct word or phrase that best fits each of the numbered blanks.
CHRISTMAS
The Christmas season begins very early in Britain. By the end of October, you may see Christmas decorations in the streets and Christmas cards and gifts in the shops. (3) ______, people start to decorate their houses one or two weeks before 25th December, (4) _______ is Christmas Day.
There are a lot of traditions connected to Christmas. The most important one is the giving of presents. Family members wrap up their gifts and leave them at the bottom of the Christmas tree on Christmas morning. Children leave a long sock or stocking at the end of their bed on Christmas Eve, 24th December, hoping that Father Christmas will turn (5) _______ during the night and (6) _______ them small presents, fruits and nuts. They are not usually disappointed. Sometimes on Christmas Day, the family will sit down for a big turkey dinner and Christmas pudding. Later in the afternoon, they may watch the Queen on television as she (7) _______ her traditional Christmas message to the United Kingdom and the Common wealth. If they have rooms for even more food, they may enjoy a piece of Christmas cake or eat a hot mince pie. 26th December is also a public holiday, Boxing Day, and this is the time to visit friends and relatives or watch football.
(Extracted from Basic Ielts Listening, Li Ya Bin, P126, 2011)
(5) ______
A.with       
B.in  
C.at
D.up

Lan: “Would you say the Great Wall is among the seven man-made wonders of the world?”
Trang: “_______”
A.That’s the least I could do.  
B.Do you think so, too?
C.There’s no doubt about that.       
D.It was created by ancient Chinese people, wasn’t it?

Mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the word that differs from the other three in the position of the primary stress in each of the following questions.

A.celebrate    
B.consider            
C.occupy          
D.incident

Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the most suitable response to complete each of the following exchanges.
David is telling Mary about her new hair style.
David: “What an attractive hair style you have got, Mary!” - Mary:  “ _______”.
A.Thank you very much. I am afraid      
B.You are telling a lie
C.Thank you for your compliment             
D.I don't like your sayings

Supply the correct form of the verbs in the brackets
Nothing ( do)....... about this problem for months
A.did
B.will do
C.had been done
D.has been done