Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the option that best fits each of the numbered blanks.

International Music Festival Vietnam – A Celebration of Global Sounds

From August 15th to 17th, the International Music Festival Vietnam will take place at My Dinh National Stadium in Hanoi, bringing together renowned artists and bands (1) ______ perform from music hubs like London, Seoul, and Los Angeles, alongside Vietnam’s rising stars.

This year’s festival aims to (2) ______ with musical stereotypes, embracing diversity in sound and style. It promises a vibrant (3) ______ of musical genres, including pop, rock, hip-hop, and traditional Vietnamese folk music, ensuring something for every music lover. Attendees will enjoy live performances, interactive music workshops, and panel discussions (4) ______ by industry experts, offering insights into global music trends.

This event is a fantastic opportunity for (5) ______ music fans, producers, and cultural enthusiasts to connect with the global music scene and discover new talents. Don’t miss out on exclusive merchandise stalls and food courts that enhance the festival’s (6) ______ atmosphere!

(Adapted from Holidify)

Question 1: A. who   B. which   C. whom   D. whose

Question 2: A. get away   B. make away   C. do away   D. go away

Question 3: A. range   B. amount   C. couple   D. deal

Question 4: A. hold   B. held   C. holding   D. to hold

Question 5: A. passion   B. passionate   C. passionately   D. dispassionate

Question 6: A. artistic   B. exotic   C. authentic   D. electric

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the option that best fits each of the numbered blanks from 7 to 11.

The generation gap in parenting styles has grown more noticeable as societal values change. Today’s parents generally focus on open communication and emotional intelligence, creating a space where children feel comfortable sharing their thoughts and feelings. This is very different from earlier generations, who often stressed discipline and obedience, placing importance on authority and hierarchy within the family. As a result, (7) ______ towards a fairer approach, which encourages collaboration and understanding between parents and their offspring.

(8) ________. Many modern parents integrate digital tools into their parenting, using apps for tracking milestones, educational resources, and even family communication. (9) ________. This difference in approach has led to varying levels of comfort with technology, resulting in parents navigating the complexities of raising children in a digital age, (10) ________.

Additionally, cultural influences play a crucial role in shaping parenting styles, often highlighting differences across generations. This cultural dichotomy can create tension, as younger generations may feel torn between their heritage and (11) ________. Consequently, these differing perspectives can lead to misunderstandings, as each generation seeks to define what is best for the family.

(Adapted from The Conversation)

Question 7:

A. a shift reflects the way children are raised today
B. the way children are raised today reflects a shift
C. today, the way children are raised reflected a shift
D. today reflects a shift in the way children are raised

Question 8:

A. Nevertheless, the advancement of technology has helped parents spend more time with their children

B. In addition, parenting styles among different generations have changed greatly because of fashion preferences
C. Also, the advent of technology has barely influenced how parents spend more money on educational gadgets
D. Moreover, the advent of technology has significantly influenced parenting practices across generations

Question 9:

A. Thus, older generations relied on their parenting to guide traditional methods, such as books and face-to-face interactions
B. In other words, traditional methods, such as books and face-to-face interactions, guide their reliance on older generations in parenting

C. In contrast, older generations relied on traditional methods, such as books and face-to-face interactions, to guide their parenting

D. Lest older generations rely on traditional methods, such as books and face-to-face interactions, to guide their parenting

Question 10:

A. while older generations may feel less cognizant of these rapid changes
B. which older generations may find it hard to keep up with rapid changes
C. if older generations may not be tuned in to these rapid changes
D. or older generations may feel less aware of these rapid changes

Question 11:

A. no matter how they encounter the mainstream values outside the home
B. the mainstream values they encounter outside the home
C. just as they encounter the mainstream values outside the home
D. outside the home is where they encounter the mainstream values

Read the leaflet and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct option that best fits each of the numbered blanks from 12 to 17.

THE PSYCHOLOGY BEHIND AI WASHING

The Deceptive Power of AI Marketing

Companies are quick to slap the label “AI-powered” on products, often without any real intelligent technology. This misleading practice – known as AI-washing – tricks investors (12) ______ believing a product is cutting-edge. Clever marketing and techy jargon act as smoke and (13) ______, masking a lack of genuine innovation behind a facade of progress. These strategies capitalize on our enthusiasm for new technology, manipulating expectations more than delivering results.

Why Consumers Are Easily Fooled

Psychologically, people associate the term “AI” with efficiency (14) ______ the future. When these images go viral on social media, trust spreads faster than facts. Many tech enthusiasts and business leaders don’t have time to verify (15) ______ claim, so they take buzzwords at face (16) ______. Without more (17) ______ and expert oversight, AI-washing will continue to flourish, damaging both tech credibility and public trust.

(Adapted from ResearchGate)

Question 12: A. after B. Above C. over D. into

Question 13: A. doors B. mirrors C. windows D. boundaries

Question 14: A. nor B. yet C. and D. so

Question 15: A. each B. others C. many D. most

Question 16: A. blanket B. value C. degree D. coffin

Question 17: A. standards industry stringent B. industry stringent standards
C. stringent standards industry D. stringent industry standards

Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct arrangement of the sentences to make a meaningful exchange or text in each of the following questions from 18 to 22.

Question 18:

A. Food security is becoming an increasingly critical issue as the global population continues to grow, placing significant pressure on agricultural systems.

B. Governments, businesses, and communities must collaborate to create a resilient food system that is both equitable and environmentally sustainable.

C. However, the transition to sustainable agriculture requires substantial investment in research, education, and infrastructure.

D. To address this, sustainable farming practices are essential to ensure that food production can meet future demands without depleting natural resources or harming ecosystems.

e. Innovations such as precision agriculture and agroecology offer promising solutions to enhance productivity while minimizing environmental impact.

A. a-b-e-d-c B. d-e-c-a-b C. d-c-e-b-a D. a-d-e-c-b

Question 19:

A. Emma: Have you ever wondered how human civilization evolved so rapidly compared to other species?

B. Emma: It makes me wonder what future generations will think of us. Will they see us as the architects of a new world or as a species that was too focused on progress at the expense of the planet?

C. Lucas: Exactly. The rise of civilizations has led to environmental destruction, social inequality, and conflicts. Yet, despite these challenges, we’ve made incredible progress in science, art, and culture.

D. Lucas: It’s fascinating. It’s not just about intelligence but also the ability to cooperate and build societies with complex systems of government, trade, and communication.

e. Emma: That’s true. The development of agriculture, writing, and technology allowed civilizations to flourish, but at what cost?

A. e-d-a-c-b B. a-d-e-c-b C. e-b-c-a-d D. a-c-d-b-e

Question 20:

A. Olivia: Exactly! Investing in timeless pieces not only minimizes waste but also fosters a more conscious approach to personal style.

B. Olivia: Fast fashion has exacerbated environmental degradation, yet consumerism perpetuates its relentless demand.

C. Ethan: That’s why I advocate for sustainable fashion – opting for ethically sourced materials and prioritizing longevity over transient trends.

A. b-a-c B. a-c-b C. b-c-a D. a-b-c

Question 21:

A. Additionally, there are concerns about security and the risk of online fraud, especially with sensitive personal information.

B. One major drawback is the inability to physically inspect products before purchasing, which can lead to dissatisfaction when the item arrives.

C. While online shopping has gained immense popularity due to its convenience, there are several disadvantages that consumers need to consider.

D. Despite these challenges, online shopping remains a preferred option for many due to its convenience and variety.

e. Another issue is the environmental impact of excessive packaging and delivery.

A. c-e-b-d-a B. b-c-e-d-a C. b-c-a-d-e D. c-b-a-e-d

Question 22:

Dear Professor Alvarez,

A. Many travelers remain unaware of the fragile state of coral reefs and how human actions can either harm or help these ecosystems.

B. I am writing to express my deep concern regarding the accelerating degradation of coral reefs worldwide.

C. Additionally, organizing beach cleanups or contributing part of the tour fees to conservation projects would further demonstrate your company’s commitment to sustainability.

D. Offering guided snorkeling or diving tours accompanied by marine biologists could not only enhance the travel experience but also inspire participants to become ambassadors for reef protection.

e. As a passionate advocate for marine preservation, I believe that responsible tourism can play a significant role in raising awareness and fostering meaningful change.

Sincerely,
Sarah Conner

A. a-d-c-b-e B. b-a-d-e-c C. b-e-a-d-c D. d-a-c-b-e

Read the passage and mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the best answer to each of the following questions from 23 to 32.

A thick, acrid haze has descended upon Vietnam's capital, obscuring buildings and muting the sunlight to a pale glow. It blankets the skyline in a brownish-gray veil, creating a somber, almost dystopian, ambiance. [I] This pervasive smog is not an isolated incident but a grim, seasonal regularity that envelops the city for days or weeks at a time. The air quality frequently deteriorates to hazardous levels, forcing a severe disruption of public life and posing a substantial and tangible threat to the health of its millions of residents.

The city’s inhabitants are obliged to alter their daily routines in response to the oppressive conditions. Outdoor exercise is abandoned, windows are sealed shut, and the ubiquitous sight of commuters on motorbikes is now accompanied by the mandatory use of face masks. [II] The physical discomfort is a constant complaint. “It is terrible. I have to wear a mask all the time when I am on the street,” laments Nguyen Thi Thuy, an office worker. Her sentiment encapsulates the collective feeling of helplessness and physical distress experienced by the populace living in the insalubrious atmosphere.

Official monitoring applications often register air quality indices exceeding the “very unhealthy” threshold. The primary danger stems from the high concentration of PM2.5, fine particulate matter capable of penetrating deep into the lungs and causing a range of respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. Environmental authorities attribute the hazardous conditions to a confluence of factors. The sheer volume of vehicle emissions, industrial output, pervasive construction dust, and the seasonal burning of agricultural waste contribute to the toxic mixture. [III] The convergence of these elements creates a perfect storm for dangerously poor air quality.

With no immediate large-scale solutions available, the population has resigned itself to a state of forced adaptation. Checking air quality apps has become as routine as checking the weather forecast. Life during these protracted smog events becomes a waiting game, a collective hope for a change in meteorological patterns. [IV] The arrival of a strong wind or a heavy rain is no longer a simple weather event, but a desperately needed, albeit temporary, respite that can purge the atmosphere and restore a semblance of normalcy. It is a cyclical pattern of endurance and fragile hope, a new, unwelcome rhythm to life in one of Asia’s most dynamic capitals.

(Adapted from Vietnam News)

Question 23: According to paragraph 1, the visual presentation of the haze over the capital ______.

A. is a brownish-gray veil that is formed by the sun’s muted, pale glow
B. involves a dark covering over the cityscape that creates a gloomy mood
C. is a thick haze that becomes acrid as it is obscuring the buildings
D. is a somber, dystopian ambiance created by the brownish-gray veil

Question 24: The word It in paragraph 1 refers to ______.

A. Vietnam’s capital B. The sunlight C. The skyline D. A thick, acrid haze

Question 25: Which of the following best paraphrases the underlined sentence in paragraph 1?

A. The frequent degradation of air quality to dangerous levels leads to a severe interruption of public life and a significant, real health threat for the city's millions of inhabitants.

B. Unsafe air quality often results in a severe disturbance to communal activities, a situation which in turn poses a substantial health danger to millions of the city's residents.

C. When the atmosphere often worsens to a hazardous point, it forces a major shutdown of shared activities and also presents a considerable health risk to the millions of local people.

D. The severe disruption of public life, combined with the substantial health threats posed to millions of residents, occurs after local air quality deteriorates to hazardous levels.

Question 26: Which of the following best summarises paragraph 2?

A. In response to the unhealthy air, residents must change their daily routines, a situation that has fostered a sense of public frustration with the lack of effective solutions being implemented by city officials.

B. The oppressive smog requires residents to change their daily habits, and the now-common use of face masks is a contributor to the physical discomfort and distress felt by many commuters on the city's streets.

C. The oppressive smog forces inhabitants to alter their daily habits, such as forgoing outdoor activities and wearing face masks, leading to widespread physical discomfort and a shared feeling of helplessness.

D. To cope with the oppressive smog, inhabitants are forced to change their daily routines, a lifestyle adaptation leading to a sharp decline in public participation in outdoor recreational activities and events.

Question 27: How are the city's residents forced to modify their daily lives?

A. By routinely checking air quality applications on their personal phones.

B. By experiencing a collective feeling of helplessness and physical distress.

C. By forgoing outdoor activities, sealing their homes, and wearing face masks.

D. By collectively hoping for a significant change in meteorological patterns.

Question 28: Which of the following is NOT listed in the passage as a contributing factor to the hazardous air quality in the city?

A. Vehicle emissions B. Industrial output
C. Construction dust D. Meteorological patterns

Question 29: The word protracted in paragraph 4 is closest in meaning to ______.

A. frequent B. severe C. lengthy D. widespread

Question 30: Which of the following can be inferred from the passage?

A. The abandonment of outdoor exercise during severe smog is causing a measurable decline in the physical fitness of the city's general population.

B. Beyond the danger of PM2.5 particles, other major pollutants are not considered significant contributors to Hanoi's ongoing air quality crisis.

C. Official air quality monitoring apps have been generally ineffective at convincing most residents to significantly alter their daily routines.

D. Chronic pollution may have altered how residents perceive weather, reframing normal atmospheric events as crucial, temporary forms of relief.

Question 31: Where in the passage does the following sentence best fit?

No single sector is solely responsible for the city's predicament.

A. [I] B. [IV] C. [III] D. [II]

Question 32: Which of the following best summarises the passage?

A. The seasonal smog in Hanoi is a difficult problem caused by a confluence of emissions and dust; this complexity helps to explain why no large-scale solutions are available, forcing residents to adapt by awaiting weather changes.

B. The regular smog events in Hanoi now constitute a public health crisis, with high PM2.5 levels from multiple sources forcing a new, unhealthy rhythm of life upon inhabitants as they can only wait for the weather to improve.

C. Hanoi's recurring smog, caused by various pollutants and disrupting daily life, is an issue with no immediate solutions, a situation that has prompted official advisories for citizens to monitor meteorological forecasts for their safety.

D. Hanoi's recurring seasonal smog, a toxic mix of various pollutants that poses a significant health risk, forces residents to alter their lives and leaves them in a state of adaptation, reliant on weather changes for temporary relief.

Read the passage and mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the best answer to each of the following questions from 33 to 40.

The deeply polarizing nature of social media is not a consequence of deficient algorithms but an inevitable outcome of the platforms' fundamental architecture, a new study utilizing AI-generated users has concluded. The research indicates this malady cannot be solved by superficial adjustments and will persist unless the core mechanics of online communication are fundamentally reimagined. The issue appears inextricable from the very concept of posting, reposting, and following, which inherently foments problematic social dynamics.

To interrogate this hypothesis, researchers at the University of Amsterdam, led by Petter Törnberg, devised a simulation with 500 AI chatbots. These agents were programmed to emulate a spectrum of US political beliefs based on established survey data. They were then instructed to interact on a bare-bones social network, a platform deliberately divested of all algorithms, advertisements, and engagement-maximization features. The explicit goal was to observe what emergent behaviors would manifest in such a neutral environment, absent the typical corporate incentives.

The outcomes were immediate and stark. The AI agents instinctively gravitated toward and followed users with whom they shared political affiliations. Bots expressing more partisan or extreme views consistently amassed more followers and reposts, effectively monopolizing the network's attention. The team then tested six potential interventions to counter these behaviors, including a chronological feed and amplifying opposing views. None of the remedies proved effective; most yielded negligible changes, while some, like hiding biographies, actually exacerbated polarization.

Researchers confronted a frustrating trade-off: alterations that reduced user inequality inadvertently made extreme posts more popular. Törnberg, who had presumed algorithms were the primary culprit, admitted the findings were a surprise. He concluded that “wiggling with algorithms” is woefully insufficient. The simulation strongly suggests that a “fundamental rethinking” of the very structure of online interaction is imperative to prevent these digital spaces from distorting public and political discourse.

Question 33: The word foments in paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to ______.

A. reveals B. incites C. creates D. reflects

Question 34: The word They in paragraph 2 refers to ______.

A. Researchers B. US political beliefs C. AI chatbots D. Survey data

Question 35: Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the passage as a feature that researchers deliberately excluded from their experimental social network?

A. Algorithms B. Advertisements

C. The ability to repost D. Engagement-maximization features

Question 36: Which of the following best paraphrases the underlined sentence in paragraph 3?

A. People with specific political leanings instinctively sought out and trailed the AI agents that mirrored their own beliefs.

B. A shared political alignment was eventually formed, stemming from the AI agents' natural inclination to follow certain users.

C. AI agents instinctively moved toward and followed users so as to establish a shared political affiliation with them.

D. AI agents displayed a natural tendency to follow and move toward users who possessed the same political alignment.

Question 37: The word woefully in paragraph 4 is OPPOSITE in meaning to ______.

A. reassuringly B. partially C. surprisingly D. clearly

Question 38: Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?

A. AI chatbots in the experiment were programmed with political beliefs drawn from six different US survey data interventions.

B. Most of the six interventions tested in the experiment, such as hiding biographies, were found to exacerbate political polarization.

C. The bare-bones social network was built without algorithms in an attempt to replicate the structure of early, non-commercial forums.

D. AI chatbots expressing partisan political beliefs attracted a larger following and more network attention than the moderate bots.

Question 39: Which paragraph mentions that some solutions attempted in the experiment made the problem worse?

A. Paragraph 1 B. Paragraph 3 C. Paragraph 2 D. Paragraph 4

Question 40: Which paragraph mentions that the researcher's original assumption about the problem's cause was incorrect?

A. Paragraph 1 B. Paragraph 3 C. Paragraph 2 D. Paragraph 4