Ngày 2: Full Mock Test — Reading

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📖 Full Mock Test — Reading

Hôm nay bạn làm bài Reading mô phỏng đầy đủ. Bấm giờ 60 phút — không thêm thời gian!

Chuẩn bị:

• ⏱️ Bấm giờ 60 phút
• 📝 Bút chì + answer sheet
• 🚫 KHÔNG dùng từ điển
• 💡 Chia thời gian: Passage 1 (15 phút) → Passage 2 (20 phút) → Passage 3 (25 phút)

Passage 1: The Rise of Remote Work

You should spend about 15 minutes on Questions 1-13.

The COVID-19 pandemic fundamentally transformed the way millions of people around the world approach their professional lives. What began as a temporary measure to contain the spread of a virus has evolved into a permanent shift in workplace culture. According to a 2022 survey by McKinsey, 58% of American workers now have the option to work from home at least one day a week, while 35% can work remotely full-time.

The benefits of remote work are well-documented. Employees report higher levels of job satisfaction, improved work-life balance, and elimination of commuting time — which averaged 27.6 minutes each way in the United States before the pandemic. Companies have discovered that productivity often increases when workers are given the flexibility to choose their working environment. A Stanford study found that remote workers were 13% more productive than their in-office counterparts.

However, the picture is not entirely positive. Critics point to the erosion of workplace culture, difficulties in mentoring junior employees, and the phenomenon known as “Zoom fatigue.” Mental health experts have raised concerns about social isolation, with 67% of remote workers reporting feelings of disconnection from their colleagues. The blurring of boundaries between work and personal life has led to longer working hours for many, despite the promise of greater flexibility.

The technology sector has been at the forefront of this transformation. Companies like Twitter, Spotify, and Shopify announced permanent remote work policies early in the pandemic. However, other major players, including Apple and Google, have mandated a return to the office for at least three days a week, sparking debates about the ideal work arrangement.

The concept of hybrid work — combining remote and in-office days — has emerged as the most popular compromise. This model attempts to capture the benefits of both arrangements: the focused productivity of working from home and the collaborative energy of being in an office. Yet implementing hybrid work effectively presents its own challenges, from scheduling coordination to ensuring equity between remote and in-office employees.

Looking ahead, the future of work will likely be shaped by advances in technology. Virtual reality meeting spaces, AI-powered collaboration tools, and improved video conferencing are all being developed to bridge the gap between remote and in-person interaction. Whatever form the workplace takes, it is clear that the rigid, five-day office week of the 20th century is unlikely to return.

Questions 1-5: True / False / Not Given

1. More than half of American workers can work from home at least once a week.
2. The average commuting time in the US was over 30 minutes before the pandemic.
3. Remote workers are less productive than office workers according to the Stanford study.
4. Twitter has reversed its remote work policy since 2022.
5. Virtual reality meeting spaces are already widely used in major companies.

Questions 6-9: Matching Information

Match the following statements to the correct paragraph (A-F).

6. A statistic about workers feeling isolated → Paragraph __________
7. The most widely adopted work model → Paragraph __________
8. Quantified improvement in remote worker output → Paragraph __________
9. Technology being developed for future workplaces → Paragraph __________

Questions 10-13: Summary Completion

Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the passage.

Remote work offers improved (10) __________ and eliminates commuting. However, it can lead to (11) __________ and longer working hours. The (12) __________ sector led the shift to remote work. The (13) __________ model combines working from home and office.

Passage 2: The History of Chocolate

You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 14-26.

Chocolate, one of the world’s most beloved foods, has a history spanning over 3,000 years. The story begins in Mesoamerica, where the ancient Olmec civilization is believed to have been the first to cultivate cacao plants around 1500 BCE. The Olmecs used cacao beans to create a bitter, frothy beverage that was consumed during religious ceremonies and believed to have divine properties.

The Maya civilization, which flourished from 250 to 900 CE, elevated chocolate to an art form. They developed sophisticated methods of processing cacao beans, including fermentation, drying, roasting, and grinding. The resulting paste was mixed with water, chili peppers, and cornmeal to create a drink called “xocolatl” — literally “bitter water.” Chocolate was so valuable in Mayan society that cacao beans were used as currency; a turkey could be purchased for 100 beans.

When the Aztec empire rose to prominence in the 14th century, they inherited and expanded upon Mayan chocolate traditions. The Aztec emperor Montezuma II was reportedly obsessed with chocolate, consuming up to 50 cups of xocolatl per day. Unlike the Maya, who enjoyed chocolate across social classes, the Aztecs reserved it primarily for nobility, warriors, and priests.

The European chapter of chocolate’s history began in 1528, when Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés brought cacao beans back to Spain. The Spanish modified the recipe, adding sugar and vanilla to counteract the natural bitterness. For nearly a century, Spain kept chocolate a closely guarded secret, but by the 17th century, it had spread across Europe, becoming a fashionable drink among the aristocracy.

The transformation of chocolate from a drink to a solid food occurred in 1847, when Joseph Fry of England created the first modern chocolate bar by combining cocoa butter, cocoa powder, and sugar. In 1875, Daniel Peter of Switzerland invented milk chocolate by adding condensed milk — a product supplied by his neighbor, Henri Nestlé. These innovations made chocolate more accessible and appealing to the masses.

The 20th century saw chocolate become a global industry worth billions of dollars. However, this growth has come at a cost. The majority of the world’s cacao is grown in West Africa, where issues of child labor, deforestation, and unfair compensation for farmers persist. The fair trade movement and bean-to-bar craft chocolate makers are working to address these concerns, but significant challenges remain.

Today, the average European consumes approximately 5 kilograms of chocolate per year, with Switzerland leading at over 10 kilograms per capita. As consumers become more aware of the origins and ethics of their food, the industry is evolving toward greater transparency and sustainability — while still satisfying humanity’s ancient love for this remarkable food.

Questions 14-18: Matching Headings

Choose the correct heading for each paragraph.

List of Headings:

• i. Chocolate’s dark side
• ii. The Spanish discovery
• iii. Modern consumption patterns
• iv. From liquid to solid
• v. The birth of chocolate
• vi. Mayan mastery
• vii. Aztec aristocratic beverage
• viii. European spread

14. Paragraph 1 → __________
15. Paragraph 2 → __________
16. Paragraph 3 → __________
17. Paragraph 5 → __________
18. Paragraph 6 → __________

Questions 19-23: Multiple Choice

19. The Olmecs used cacao primarily for:

    • A) cooking
    • B) trading
    • C) religious purposes
    • D) medicine

20. In Mayan society, 100 cacao beans could buy:

    • A) a slave
    • B) a turkey
    • C) a house
    • D) a weapon

21. Montezuma II reportedly drank chocolate:

    • A) only at ceremonies
    • B) mixed with milk
    • C) up to 50 cups daily
    • D) once a week

22. Who created the first chocolate bar?

    • A) Daniel Peter
    • B) Henri Nestlé
    • C) Hernán Cortés
    • D) Joseph Fry

23. The Swiss consume per year approximately:

    • A) 5 kg per person
    • B) over 10 kg per person
    • C) 15 kg per person
    • D) 20 kg per person

Questions 24-26: Sentence Completion

Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS.

24. Spain kept chocolate as a __________ for almost 100 years.
25. Milk chocolate was invented by adding __________ to chocolate.
26. The __________ movement aims to improve conditions for cacao farmers.

Passage 3: Neuroplasticity — The Brain’s Ability to Change

You should spend about 25 minutes on Questions 27-40.

For centuries, scientists believed that the adult human brain was essentially fixed — that once development was complete, no new neural connections could be formed and lost neurons could never be replaced. This view, known as the “fixed brain” paradigm, dominated neuroscience until the latter half of the 20th century. Today, we know this assumption was profoundly wrong.

Neuroplasticity — the brain’s ability to reorganize itself by forming new neural connections throughout life — is now recognized as one of the most important discoveries in modern neuroscience. The term was first used by Polish neuroscientist Jerzy Konorski in 1948, but it took decades of research before the scientific community fully accepted the concept.

The evidence for neuroplasticity comes from multiple sources. Studies of London taxi drivers revealed that they have significantly larger hippocampi — the brain region associated with spatial memory — than average people. This difference was proportional to the number of years spent driving, suggesting that the brain physically adapted to the demands of navigating London’s complex street layout. Similarly, research on musicians has shown that areas of the brain responsible for hand coordination and auditory processing are markedly enlarged compared to non-musicians.

Perhaps the most dramatic evidence comes from studies of brain injury recovery. Patients who have suffered strokes or traumatic brain injuries often regain lost functions as other parts of the brain compensate for damaged areas. A landmark case involved a woman who was born with only half a brain due to a rare condition called hemispherectomy. Despite missing an entire hemisphere, she developed nearly normal cognitive and motor functions, demonstrating the brain’s remarkable capacity for adaptation.

Neuroplasticity operates through several mechanisms. Synaptic plasticity involves the strengthening or weakening of existing connections between neurons based on activity levels — a process often summarized as “neurons that fire together, wire together.” Structural plasticity refers to the brain’s ability to actually change its physical structure, growing new dendrites and synapses. Neurogenesis, the creation of entirely new neurons, has been confirmed in certain brain regions, particularly the hippocampus.

The practical implications of neuroplasticity are far-reaching. In education, understanding that the brain can continue to develop has challenged the notion that intelligence is fixed at birth. Growth mindset theory, developed by psychologist Carol Dweck, draws directly on neuroplasticity research to argue that abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work.

In medicine, neuroplasticity has led to revolutionary treatments. Constraint-induced movement therapy forces stroke patients to use affected limbs, stimulating the brain to rewire around damaged areas. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) has been shown to physically alter brain structure in patients with anxiety and depression. Brain-computer interfaces, still in their early stages, promise to help paralyzed individuals by creating new pathways between the brain and external devices.

However, neuroplasticity is not always beneficial. The same mechanisms that allow the brain to adapt positively can also reinforce negative patterns. Chronic pain, addiction, and obsessive-compulsive disorder all involve maladaptive neuroplastic changes. Understanding these negative aspects is crucial for developing effective treatments.

The field continues to evolve rapidly. Advances in neuroimaging technology, particularly functional MRI, have made it possible to observe neuroplastic changes in real time. Researchers are exploring how factors such as exercise, meditation, sleep, and nutrition affect the brain’s plasticity. As our understanding deepens, the potential to harness neuroplasticity for cognitive enhancement, disease treatment, and rehabilitation grows ever more promising.

Questions 27-31: Yes / No / Not Given

27. Scientists have always known that the brain can form new connections.
28. Jerzy Konorski coined the term “neuroplasticity” in 1948.
29. London taxi drivers have larger hippocampi than bus drivers.
30. A woman with half a brain developed mostly normal functions.
31. Neurogenesis occurs in all parts of the brain.

Questions 32-36: Matching Features

Match each feature with the correct type of neuroplasticity.

A. Synaptic plasticity B. Structural plasticity C. Neurogenesis

32. Strengthening connections based on activity → __________
33. Growing new dendrites → __________
34. Creating entirely new neurons → __________
35. “Neurons that fire together, wire together” → __________
36. Changing physical brain structure → __________

Questions 37-40: Multiple Choice

37. The London taxi driver study showed that:

    • A) all taxi drivers are smarter
    • B) spatial memory affects brain structure
    • C) driving causes brain damage
    • D) the hippocampus shrinks with age

38. Growth mindset theory is connected to neuroplasticity because:

    • A) intelligence cannot change
    • B) abilities can develop through effort
    • C) only children’s brains are plastic
    • D) genetics determine all abilities

39. An example of negative neuroplasticity is:

    • A) recovering from a stroke
    • B) learning a new language
    • C) chronic pain reinforcement
    • D) improved memory from exercise

40. The passage suggests that future research will focus on:

    • A) proving neuroplasticity exists
    • B) factors affecting brain plasticity
    • C) disproving the fixed brain theory
    • D) reducing brain size

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