If we took a look at how people in Europe communicated just one hundred years ago, we woold be very surprised to find out that English was hardly used outside the United Kingdom. The languoge most commonly used between people of different nationalities, and particularly the aristocracy, wa French. In fact, French was the language of diplomacy, culture and education. However, that is not the case nowadays. English has replaced French as the international language of communication Today there are more people who speak English as a second language than people who speak it as a fir language. There are many reasons why English has become the language of international communication Britain's colonization of many parts of the world had something to do with it, but it is mainly due t America's rise to the position of major world power. This helped spread popular American cultur throughout the world bringing the language with it. But is it good that English has spread to all parts o the world so quickly? Language specialists seem to be divided over this issue. There are those who clair that it is important to have a language that the people in our increasingly globalize world have common. According to others, English is associated with a particular culture and therefore promotes the culture at the expense of others. Linguists have suggested "Esperanto", an artificially put-togeth language, as a solution to international communication problems but without success. So English w continue being the world language until some other language, maybe Chinese, which is the most widel spoken native language in the world, takes over as the world's international language instead of English

1. Was English spoken worlwide in the past?

2. What was the language most commonly used between people of different nationalities and particula the aristocracy in Europe one hundred years ago?

3. How many reasons why English has become the language of international communication?

4. What is chiefly responsible for the growth in popularity of English?

5. What do some language specialists think when English has spread to all parts of the world so quickl

6. What about the others?

7. What have linguists suggested as a solution to international communication problems but without succe

8. Does English or China have more speakers?

9. What does the author believe?

10. What do you usually do to learn English well?

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions from 26 to 35.

Blue Moon

“Blue Moon” is a term that is used to describe the phenomenon of a second full moon occurring in one month. How could two full moons possibly occur in a single month? It is not nature’s fault; the natural phrases of the moon do not perfectly match up with the Roman calendar.

Although still used today, this calendar was devised by Julius Caesar and Augustus Caesar over 2000 years ago. While the calendar works well, the method that they used does not match the lunar cycle exactly. Thus, occasionally the moon will go through its “full” phrase twice before the month changes.

[1] A “blue moon” is an uncommon event. [2] And it rare occurrence of a eventually led to the usage of the phrase “once in a blue moon”. [3] This phrase was commonly used to indicate an event that could never happen. Over time, the meaning of the phrase changed from something that seldom happens. [4] Today, this phrase is used to indicate extremely rare events, the absurd, or things that never happen.

According to the passage, to what does the term “blue moon” refer?

31. There used to was much traffic in this area.

                    A           B      C               D

32. How does our English teacher goes to work every day?

        A        B                                      C                      D

33. Children must to learn about read safety.

                          A        B           C              D

34. Did you used to go to school on foot?

         A            B        C                      D.

35. It takes me 30 minutes riding from home to school.

      A     B                               C         D

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions from 26 to 35.

Blue Moon

“Blue Moon” is a term that is used to describe the phenomenon of a second full moon occurring in one month. How could two full moons possibly occur in a single month? It is not nature’s fault; the natural phrases of the moon do not perfectly match up with the Roman calendar.

Although still used today, this calendar was devised by Julius Caesar and Augustus Caesar over 2000 years ago. While the calendar works well, the method that they used does not match the lunar cycle exactly. Thus, occasionally the moon will go through its “full” phrase twice before the month changes.

[1] A “blue moon” is an uncommon event. [2] And it rare occurrence of a eventually led to the usage of the phrase “once in a blue moon”. [3] This phrase was commonly used to indicate an event that could never happen. Over time, the meaning of the phrase changed from something that seldom happens. [4] Today, this phrase is used to indicate extremely rare events, the absurd, or things that never happen.

The word “absurd” in the passage is closet in meaning to

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions from 26 to 35.

Blue Moon

“Blue Moon” is a term that is used to describe the phenomenon of a second full moon occurring in one month. How could two full moons possibly occur in a single month? It is not nature’s fault; the natural phrases of the moon do not perfectly match up with the Roman calendar.

Although still used today, this calendar was devised by Julius Caesar and Augustus Caesar over 2000 years ago. While the calendar works well, the method that they used does not match the lunar cycle exactly. Thus, occasionally the moon will go through its “full” phrase twice before the month changes.

[1] A “blue moon” is an uncommon event. [2] And it rare occurrence of a eventually led to the usage of the phrase “once in a blue moon”. [3] This phrase was commonly used to indicate an event that could never happen. Over time, the meaning of the phrase changed from something that seldom happens. [4] Today, this phrase is used to indicate extremely rare events, the absurd, or things that never happen.

The word “phrase” in the passage is closet in meaning to

Choose the underlined part that needs correcting in each sentence below.

31. There used to was much traffic in this area.

                   A         B      C               D

32. How does our English teacher goes to work every day?

        A       B                                     C                        D

33. Children must to learn about read safety.

                        A       B          C               D

34. Did you used to go to school on foot?

        A           B       C                       D.

35. It takes me 30 minutes riding from home to school.

      A    B                                C       D

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions from 26 to 35.

Blue Moon

“Blue Moon” is a term that is used to describe the phenomenon of a second full moon occurring in one month. How could two full moons possibly occur in a single month? It is not nature’s fault; the natural phrases of the moon do not perfectly match up with the Roman calendar.

Although still used today, this calendar was devised by Julius Caesar and Augustus Caesar over 2000 years ago. While the calendar works well, the method that they used does not match the lunar cycle exactly. Thus, occasionally the moon will go through its “full” phrase twice before the month changes.

[1] A “blue moon” is an uncommon event. [2] And it rare occurrence of a eventually led to the usage of the phrase “once in a blue moon”. [3] This phrase was commonly used to indicate an event that could never happen. Over time, the meaning of the phrase changed from something that seldom happens. [4] Today, this phrase is used to indicate extremely rare events, the absurd, or things that never happen.

Which is the best place for the following sentence?

“In fact, this phrase has taken on other meanings over the years as well.”

HOW ENGLISH SPREAD AROUND THE WORLD

      The English language was used in Britain first and the ovri expanding Biilisli Empire helped to spread the Modern English around the world during the 18^th and 19^th centuries. This is why many of the countries where English is an official language were former British colonies, including Canada, Australia, South Africa and the United States.

Colonialism helped to introduce English to regions like India and parts of Africa, where it continues to be widely spoken. Although Hindi is the most widely-spoken language in India today, English remains an official language in the country and is often used in university education, and within the field of politics.

Officially, just 12 percent of Indian people speak English, with many only speaking it as a second language. Nevertheless, the country has an extremely dense population, meaning that this 12 percent cross-section of society exceeds 100 million people. As a result, India has one of the largest English speaking populations on the planet.

Throughout the 20^th century, the United States emerged as a major political superpower, especially in the years after World War II. Its influence, combined with Hollywood films and the work of the British Broadcasting Corporalion, are credited with the continued spread of the language throughout the century.

English remains the only official language of the Commonwealth of Nations and is also the recognised official language of Gibraltar, the Falkland Islands and Bermuda.

By the turn of the new century, English has been the most widely-spoken and written language that has ever existed.

*colony (n): thuộc địa

        (Adapted from Lingoda)

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions from 26 to 35.

Blue Moon

“Blue Moon” is a term that is used to describe the phenomenon of a second full moon occurring in one month. How could two full moons possibly occur in a single month? It is not nature’s fault; the natural phrases of the moon do not perfectly match up with the Roman calendar.

Although still used today, this calendar was devised by Julius Caesar and Augustus Caesar over 2000 years ago. While the calendar works well, the method that they used does not match the lunar cycle exactly. Thus, occasionally the moon will go through its “full” phrase twice before the month changes.

[1] A “blue moon” is an uncommon event. [2] And it rare occurrence of a eventually led to the usage of the phrase “once in a blue moon”. [3] This phrase was commonly used to indicate an event that could never happen. Over time, the meaning of the phrase changed from something that seldom happens. [4] Today, this phrase is used to indicate extremely rare events, the absurd, or things that never happen.

According to the passage, which of the following is not true?