Ngày 2: Full Mock — Reading (40 câu hỏi)

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📖 Full Mock Reading Test

Hôm nay là bài thi Reading hoàn chỉnh — 3 passages, 40 câu hỏi, 60 phút.

⚠️ Quy tắc thi thử

• ⏱️ Thời gian: 60 phút — KHÔNG thêm giây nào
• 📝 Phân bổ: Passage 1 (17 phút) → Passage 2 (20 phút) → Passage 3 (23 phút)
• ❌ KHÔNG dùng từ điển
• ✅ Đọc câu hỏi TRƯỚC khi đọc bài

Passage 1: The History of Public Libraries

(Dễ — 13 câu)

Public libraries have a long and fascinating history dating back to ancient civilizations. The first known library was established in ancient Mesopotamia around 2600 BCE, where clay tablets containing literary works and administrative records were carefully organized and stored.

In ancient Greece, private collections of books were common among wealthy citizens, but it was not until the Hellenistic period that true public libraries emerged. The Great Library of Alexandria, founded in the 3rd century BCE, is perhaps the most famous example. It aimed to collect all the world’s knowledge and at its peak reportedly held over 400,000 scrolls.

The Roman Empire continued this tradition, with Emperor Augustus establishing two public libraries in Rome. By the 4th century CE, Rome had at least 28 public libraries. However, the fall of the Roman Empire led to the destruction of many of these institutions.

During the Middle Ages, libraries were primarily maintained by monasteries and religious institutions. Monks painstakingly copied manuscripts by hand, preserving knowledge through centuries of political upheaval. Access was restricted to clergy and scholars.

The invention of the printing press in the 15th century revolutionized access to books. As books became cheaper to produce, literacy rates increased and the demand for public libraries grew. Benjamin Franklin established one of America’s first lending libraries in 1731, the Library Company of Philadelphia.

The modern public library movement gained momentum in the 19th century. In Britain, the Public Libraries Act of 1850 gave local authorities the power to establish free public libraries. Andrew Carnegie, the Scottish-American industrialist, funded the construction of over 2,500 libraries worldwide between 1883 and 1929.

Today, public libraries serve as community hubs, offering not just books but also digital resources, educational programs, and social services. Despite predictions that the internet would make libraries obsolete, usage has actually increased in many countries, with libraries adapting to serve new roles in the digital age.

Câu 1-5: True / False / Not Given

1. The first known library was in ancient Egypt. ___
2. The Library of Alexandria contained over 400,000 scrolls at its peak. ___
3. All Roman libraries were destroyed when the Empire fell. ___
4. Benjamin Franklin’s library was free for all citizens. ___
5. Andrew Carnegie built libraries only in the United States. ___

Câu 6-9: Matching Headings

Chọn heading phù hợp cho mỗi đoạn:

Headings: i) Religious preservation of knowledge / ii) Ancient beginnings / iii) The modern library revolution / iv) Libraries in the digital era / v) The printing press effect / vi) Greek and Roman contributions

6. Paragraph 2-3: ___
7. Paragraph 4: ___
8. Paragraph 5: ___
9. Paragraph 7: ___

Câu 10-13: Sentence Completion

10. Clay tablets in Mesopotamia contained literary works and __________.
11. During the Middle Ages, __________ copied manuscripts by hand.
12. The Public Libraries Act of __________ enabled British local authorities to create free libraries.
13. Carnegie funded over __________ libraries worldwide.

Passage 2: Sleep and Memory

(Trung bình — 13 câu)

Scientific research has consistently demonstrated a strong relationship between sleep and memory consolidation. During sleep, the brain actively processes and organizes information gathered during waking hours, transforming short-term memories into long-term ones through a process known as memory consolidation.

The sleep cycle consists of several stages, each playing a distinct role in memory processing. Non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep, particularly the deep slow-wave sleep (SWS) stage, is crucial for consolidating declarative memories — facts, events, and explicit knowledge. During SWS, the hippocampus replays recent experiences, gradually transferring information to the neocortex for long-term storage.

Rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, on the other hand, appears to be more important for procedural memories — skills, habits, and how to do things. Studies have shown that people who are deprived of REM sleep perform worse on tasks requiring motor skills and pattern recognition.

A groundbreaking study by Walker and Stickgold (2006) demonstrated that participants who slept between learning sessions showed a 20% improvement in recall compared to those who remained awake. Interestingly, even a short nap of 20-30 minutes can significantly enhance memory performance.

Recent research has also revealed the role of sleep spindles — brief bursts of neural activity during NREM sleep — in memory consolidation. Individuals who produce more sleep spindles tend to perform better on memory tests. This has led scientists to explore whether sleep spindles can be artificially enhanced to improve learning.

The implications for education are significant. Students who regularly get adequate sleep (7-9 hours for adults) consistently outperform their sleep-deprived peers on academic tests. Yet studies show that over 60% of university students report chronic sleep deprivation, often sacrificing sleep for study time — a strategy that research suggests is counterproductive.

Furthermore, the timing of sleep relative to learning matters. Sleeping within a few hours of learning new material produces better retention than delaying sleep. This finding challenges the common practice of late-night cramming before examinations.

Câu 14-19: Summary Completion

Chọn từ: hippocampus, neocortex, declarative, procedural, REM, NREM, spindles, consolidation

During sleep, the brain processes information through memory __________ (14). Deep slow-wave sleep, part of __________ (15) sleep, is essential for __________ (16) memories. The __________ (17) replays experiences and sends them to the __________ (18). Meanwhile, __________ (19) sleep is important for skills and habits.

Câu 20-23: Multiple Choice

20. Walker and Stickgold’s study showed that sleep improved recall by:

    • A) 10%
    • B) 20%
    • C) 30%

21. Sleep spindles occur during:

    • A) REM sleep
    • B) NREM sleep
    • C) both stages

22. What percentage of university students report chronic sleep deprivation?

    • A) over 40%
    • B) over 50%
    • C) over 60%

23. According to the passage, the best time to sleep after learning is:

    • A) immediately
    • B) within a few hours
    • C) the next day

Câu 24-26: Yes / No / Not Given

24. Short naps can improve memory performance. ___
25. Scientists have successfully enhanced sleep spindles artificially. ___
26. Late-night cramming is an effective study strategy. ___

Passage 3: Urban Vertical Farming

(Khó — 14 câu)

As the global population continues to expand, projected to reach 9.7 billion by 2050, the challenge of feeding humanity has become increasingly urgent. Traditional agriculture, which currently occupies approximately 40% of the Earth’s ice-free land surface, faces mounting pressures from climate change, soil degradation, and water scarcity. In response, a revolutionary approach has emerged: vertical farming — the practice of growing crops in vertically stacked layers within controlled indoor environments.

The concept of vertical farming was popularized by Dr. Dickson Despommier of Columbia University in 1999, though the roots of the idea stretch back further. Despommier envisioned entire skyscrapers dedicated to food production, capable of feeding tens of thousands of people year-round. While such ambitious structures have yet to materialize on the scale he imagined, the core principles have been successfully implemented in facilities worldwide.

Modern vertical farms typically employ one of three growing systems: hydroponics, which grows plants in nutrient-rich water solutions; aeroponics, which suspends plant roots in air and mists them with nutrients; and aquaponics, which combines fish farming with plant cultivation in a symbiotic system. Each method eliminates the need for soil and dramatically reduces water usage — by up to 95% compared to conventional farming.

The advantages of vertical farming are compelling. Production can occur year-round regardless of weather conditions. Crops are protected from pests, reducing or eliminating the need for pesticides. Transportation costs and carbon emissions are minimized when farms are located within or near urban centers. Moreover, vertical farms can produce significantly higher yields per square meter — some facilities report up to 350 times the productivity of traditional farms.

However, critics point to several significant challenges. The energy requirements for artificial lighting and climate control systems are substantial, with electricity costs often representing 25-30% of operating expenses. The initial capital investment for establishing a vertical farm can range from $10 million to over $100 million, depending on scale. Additionally, the range of crops that can be economically grown is currently limited primarily to leafy greens, herbs, and some fruits — staple crops like wheat, rice, and corn remain impractical.

Despite these limitations, the vertical farming industry has experienced remarkable growth, valued at approximately $5.5 billion in 2022 and projected to reach $35 billion by 2030. Major investments from technology companies and venture capital firms have accelerated innovation, driving down costs and improving efficiency. Some analysts predict that within two decades, vertical farms could supply up to 10% of the world’s fresh produce.

The environmental implications extend beyond food production. By reducing the need for agricultural land, vertical farming could potentially allow degraded farmland to be restored to natural ecosystems, supporting biodiversity conservation. In water-stressed regions, the technology’s efficient water recycling systems offer a sustainable alternative to irrigation-dependent traditional farming.

Câu 27-30: Matching Information

Nối thông tin với đoạn văn (A-G = đoạn 1-7):

27. A comparison of different growing technologies ___
28. Financial barriers to vertical farming ___
29. The potential for ecological restoration ___
30. Historical origins of the concept ___

Câu 31-35: True / False / Not Given

31. Traditional agriculture uses about 40% of Earth’s land surface. ___
32. Dr. Despommier built the first vertical farm skyscraper. ___
33. Aeroponics uses more water than hydroponics. ___
34. Vertical farms can produce up to 350 times more per square meter. ___
35. Wheat can be grown economically in vertical farms. ___

Câu 36-40: Sentence Completion

36. The global population is projected to reach __________ by 2050.
37. Vertical farming can reduce water usage by up to __________.
38. Electricity costs represent __________ of operating expenses.
39. The industry was valued at __________ in 2022.
40. Analysts predict vertical farms could supply up to __________ of fresh produce within two decades.

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