I. Choose the word whose underlined part is pronounced differently from that of the others:

1. a. grasses   b. stretches   c. comprises   d. potatoes

2. a. lie    b. wide   c. circle   d. comprise

3. a. compound    b. route   c. house   d. south

4. a. dune   b. hummock   c. shrub   d. buffalo

5. a. west    b. between   c. growth   d. which

II. Choose the word which is stressed differently from the rest:

6. a. aerial   b. cactus   c. explore   d. rainfall

7. a. enormous   b. corridor   c. parrallel   d. pharmacy

8. a. eucalyptus   b. expedition   c. scientific   d. territory

9. a. banana   b. buffalo   c. mosquito   d. disaster

10. a. comprise   b. remain   c. eastward   d. extend

III. Choose the word or phrase – a, b, c or d – that best completes the sentence or substitutes for the underlined word or phrase:

11. The Sahara contains complex linear dunes that are ________ by almost 6 kilometers.

a. developed   b. separated   c. lay   d. located

12. A _______ is a landscape or region that receives very little precipitation.

a. dune   b. desert   c. sandy area   d. shrub land

13. Deserts are often composed of ________ and rocky surfaces.

a. water   b. trees   c. oil   d. sand

14. Three great stretches of sandy deserts almost circle the center of Australia.

a. dunes   b. valleys   c. lands   d. areas

15. Deserts are also classified by their ________ location and dominant weather pattern.

a. geographical   b. aerial   c. sandy   d. facial

16. Thanks to pictures taken by satellites, deserts have not ________ a mystery in our time.

a. hidden   b. intended   c. remained   d. attained

17. Deserts take ________ one-third of the Earth’s land surface.

a. u   b. on   c. over   d. after

18. I want to work as an interpreter in the future, ________, I am studying Russian at university.

a. but   b. so   c. however   d. therefore

19. I am going shopping for food this evening ________ I do not have to go at the weekend.

a. so   b. but   c. however   d. moreover

20. When she got the news from her family, she could not do anything ________ cry.

a. but   b. and   c. so   d. however

IV. Fill in each numbered blank with one suitable word or phrase:

Most traditional human life in deserts is nomadic. It (21) ______ in hot deserts on finding water, and on following infrequent rains to (22) ______ grazing for livestock. In cold deserts, it depends on finding good hunting and fishing grounds, on sheltering from blizzards and winter (23) ______, and on storing enough food for winter. Permanent settlement in both kinds of deserts requires permanent water, food sources and adequate shelter, or the technology and energy sources to (24) ______ it.

Many deserts are flat and featureless, lacking landmarks, or composed of repeating landforms such as sand (25) ______ or the jumbled ice-fields of glaciers. Advanced skills or devices are required to navigate through such landscapes and (26) _____ travelers may die when supplies run (27) ______ after becoming lost. In addition, sandstorms or blizzards may cause disorientation in severely-reduced visibility.

The (28) ______ represented by wild animals in deserts has featured in explorers’ accounts but does not cause higher (29) ______ of death than in other environments such as rainforests or savanna woodland, and generally does not affect human distribution. Defense against polar bears may be advisable in some areas of the Arctic. Precautions against snakes and scorpions in choosing (30) ______ at which to camp in some hot deserts should be taken.

21. a. locates   b. selects   c. follows   d. depends

22. a. earn   b. demand   c. obtain   d. require

23. a. extremes   b. poles   c. tops   d. heights

24. a. grow   b. supply   c. comfort   d. bring

25. a. dunes   b. piles   c. valleys   d. stores

26. a. inconsistent   b. incapable   c. inexperienced   d. independent

27. a. of   b. out   c. in   d. over

28. a. danger   b. dangerous   c. endanger   d. endangered

29. a. level   b. rate   c. scale   d. standard

30. a. sight   b. lies   c. sites   d. seats

V. Read the passage carefully and choose the correct answer:

The Sonoran Desert is a North American desert which expands part of the United States – Mexico border and covers large parts of Arizona and California and the Mexican states. It is one of the largest and hottest deserts in North America, with an area of 311,000 km2.

The Sonoran Desert contains a variety of unique plants and animals. The desert includes 60 mammal species, 350 bird species, 20 amphibian species, more than 100 reptile species, 30 native fish species, and more than 2000 native plant species. Despite the common stereotype that it does not rain in deserts, the Sonoran Desert is considered the wettest desert in the world, receiving 3 to 15 inches per year (depending on location in the desert).

Many plants not only survive the harsh conditions of the Sonoran Desert, but they actually thrive. Many have evolved to have specialized adaptations to the desert climate. The Sonoran Desert includes such plant from the agave family, palm family, cactus family, legume family, and many others. This desert is the only place in the world where the famous saguaro cactus grows in the wild.

The desert is home to seventeen aboriginal American cultures. The largest city in the Sonoran Desert is Phoenix, Arizona, the USA. This metropolitan area in central Arizona is one of the fastest-growing metropolitan areas in the United States, with a population of 4 million. In the North Phoenix area, desert is losing ground to development at a rate of approximately 4,000 m2 per hour. The next largest cities are Tucson, in southern Arizona, with a metro area population of around 900,000, and Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico, whose municipality also has a population of around 900,000. The municipality of Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico has a population of around 700,000.

(*) Từ mới:

unique: chỉ có một, duy nhất, đơn nhất;

amphibian: (động vật học) lưỡng cư;

reptile: (động vật học) loài bò sát;

stereotype: mẫu sẵn, mẫu dập khuôn; ấn tượng sâu sắc, ấn tượng bất di bất dịch;

harsh: khắc nghiệt;

agave: (thực vật học) cây thùa;

palm: (thực vật học) cây cọ, cây họ cau dừa;

cactus: cây xương rồng;

legume: (thực vật học) cây họ đậu;

aboriginal: ban sơ, nguyên thuỷ, cổ sơ;

municipality: chính quyền thành phố tự trị, chính quyền đô thị tự trị;

31. There are more rainfalls in the Sonoran Desert than any others.

a. True   b. False   c. No information

32. Fish cannot survive in the Sonoran Desert.

a. True   b. False   c. No information

33. No place else in the world has famous saguaro cactus growing in the wild, but the Sonoran Desert.

a. True   b. False   c. No information

34. There are a lot of American citizens in the Sonoran Desert.

a. True   b. False   c. No information

35. The second largest city in the Sonoran Desert is Tucson.

a. True   b. False   c. No information

VI. Complete the following sentences with so/therefore/but/however:

36. This is the shortest way to the city center; _______ it is not the only way.

37. The boy was capable of learning English, ______ he appeared to be very lazy.

38. He didn’t attend the lesson, _______ he could not do his homework.

39. The rice is 10,000 dong per kilo, ______ we bought 10 kilos.

40. Your son is heading to the right direction; ___________ I think you should encougrage him to learn harder.

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