ANH NGỮ RIVER – B1 VSTEP  0968.765.155/ 0867.103.

104

READING DAY 13 - READING PRACTICE 4

PASSAGE 1
The final battle of the War of 1812 was the Battle of New Orleans. This battle gave a clear
demonstration of the need for effective communication during wartime; it also showed the disastrous
results that can come to pass when communication is inadequate.
The War of 1812 was fought between Great Britain and the very young country of the United
States only a relatively few years after the United States had won its independence from Britain. The
United States had declared war against Britain in June of 1812, mostly because of interference with
U.S. shipping by the British and because of the forcing of U.S. sailors for enforced service on British
vessels. The war lasted for a little more than two years, when a peace treaty was signed at Ghent, in
Belgium, on the 24th of December, 1814.
Unfortunately, the news that the Treaty of Ghent had been signed and that the war was officially
over was not communicated in a timely manner over the wide distance to where the war was being
contested. Negotiations for the treaty and the actual signing of the treaty took place in Europe, and
news of the treaty had to be carried across the Atlantic to the war front by ship. A totally unnecessary
loss of life was incurred as a result of the amount of time that it took to inform the combatants of the
treaty.
Early in January of 1815, some two weeks after the peace treaty had been signed, British troops
in the southern part of the United States were unaware that the war had officially ended. Over 5,000
British troops attacked U.S. troops. During the ensuing battle, known as the Battle of New Orleans,
the British suffered a huge number of casualties, around 2,000, and the Americans lost 71, all in a
battle fought only because news of the peace treaty that had already been signed in Ghent had not yet
reached the battlefield.
1. The main idea of this passage is that
A. The War of Independence was unnecessary.
B. The War of 1812 was unnecessary.
C. The Treaty of Ghent was unnecessary.
D. The Battle of New Orleans was unnecessary.
2. The word 'it' in paragraph 1 refers to ________.
A. battle B. demonstration C. communication D. wartime
3. The expression ‘come to pass’ could best be replaced by _________.
A. happen B. overthrow C. self-destruct D. circumvent

COMPILED BY MR. KHOA, MS. THỦY & MR. NAM 1

ANH NGỮ RIVER – B1 VSTEP  0968.765.155/ 0867.103.104

4. According to the passage, when did the United States win its independence from Britain?
A. Shortly before the War of 1812. C. Just after the War of 1812.
B. During the War of 1812 . D. Long after the War of 1812.
5. According to the passage, some U.S. sailors were _________.
A. taken forcibly to Britain C. made to work on British ships
B. made to go to Ghent D. responsible for causing the War of 1812
6. It is NOT stated in the passage that Ghent was __________.
A. where negotiations took place C. where the treaty was signed
B. the site of the final battle D. far from the battlefield
7. The word 'contested' in paragraph 3 is the closest in meaning to
A. played B. fought C. discussed D. examined
8. It can be determined from the passage that, of the following dates, the Battle of New Orleans was
most probably fought _________.
A. on December 10, 1814 C. on January 1, 1815
B. on December 24, 1814 D. on January 8, 1815
9. Which paragraph best describes the battle that took place after the signing of the treaty?
A. Paragraph 1. B. Paragraph 2. C. Paragraph 3. D. Paragraph 4.

PASSAGE 2
Throughout history, pigs have been useful to humans. Their bodies work much like ours.
Doctors have used chemicals from pigs’ bodies to help treat diseases in people. We also use pigs for
food. We even make objects from their skin, such as bags and balls. Domestic pigs live on farms.
These kinds are useful for people. Wild pigs live in the mountains and forests. They are causing big
problems in the United States.
In the early 1900s, wild pigs – called boars – were brought from Europe to North Carolina.
Boars have two sharp horns, or tusks, on each side of their mouth. They are aggressive and mean. At
first, people kept the boars together in a forest. Hunters enjoyed trying to shoot them. But by the
1920s, some boars had escaped. Boars have lived in the mountains of North Carolina ever since.
Problems began when the boars entered a national park. They dug holes in the soils and destroyed
plants that other animals need for food.
California has the same problem. Wild pigs in that state are not just hurting national parks.
They are destroying the grass on golf course and eating plants in people’s gardens. Some more of
these pigs came from North Carolina in 1925. Some hunters brought them. They built a fence around
the boars. However, several pigs escaped. Later, some of the wild pigs mated with escaped domestic
pigs. Today, the number of wild pigs keeps growing. They are ruining lots of land. A scientist found
2,000 rare flowers in the stomach of one dead boar.

COMPILED BY MR. KHOA, MS. THỦY & MR. NAM 2

ANH NGỮ RIVER – B1 VSTEP  0968.765.155/ 0867.103.104

How can people stop these hungry pigs? There are no answers. One national park in Hawaii
built a 15-meter fence around its entire 28,000 acres. Other states encourage hunters to kill the
animals. However, pigs are intelligent, stubborn, and tough. We domesticated them for use on the
farm. Now, our challenge is to control them when they leave the barnyard.
1. All of the following are mentioned in the passage EXCEPT ________.
A. how boars came to the US. C. the types of damage boars cause.
B. how boars got to Europe. D. the characteristics of boars.
2. How long have wild have wild pigs been a problem in the US, according to the passage?
A. 50 to 55 years . C. 85 to 120 years.
B. 70 to 85 years. D. more than 120 years.
3. What is the topic of paragraph 3?
A. differences between domestic pigs and wild pigs.
B. how Californian pigs are different from other pigs.
C. the problems pigs are making in one state.
D. why people in California like wild pigs.
4. The word “ours” in paragraph 1 refers to
A. people. B. pigs. C. bodies. D. doctors.
5. What does the word “them” in the last sentence refer to?
A. hunters. B. national parks . C. pigs. D. states.
6. Which statements best reflects the author’s opinion?
A. Wild pigs are a necessary part of nature.
B. Domestic pigs are dangerous.
C. All wild boars should be killed.
D. Controlling wild pigs is a difficult challenge.
7. From paragraph 3, we can infer that
A. there are many farms in North Carolina. C. North Carolina is not very beautiful.
B. wild pigs first came from Europe. D. wild pigs eat flowers.
8. The word “rare” in paragraph 3 is closest in meaning to which of the following?
A. beautiful. B. exquisite. C. common. D. special.
9. The word “entire” in the last paragraph is closest in meaning to
A. very large. B. whole. C. make sleepy. D. hot.

PASSAGE 3
Plants and animals will find it difficult to escape from or adjust to the effects of global warming.
Scientists have already observed shifts in the life-cycle of many plants and animals, such as flowers
blooming earlier and birds hatching earlier in the spring. Many species have begun shifting where
they live or their annual migration patterns due to warmer temperatures.
COMPILED BY MR. KHOA, MS. THỦY & MR. NAM 3
ANH NGỮ RIVER – B1 VSTEP  0968.765.155/ 0867.103.104

With further warming, animals will tend to migrate toward the poles and up mountainsides
toward higher elevations. Plants will also attempt to shift their ranges, seeking new areas as old
habitats grow too warm. In many places, however, human development will prevent these shifts.
Species that find cities or farmland blocking their way north or south may become extinct. Species
living in unique ecosystems, such as those found in polar and mountaintop regions, are especially at
risk because migration to new habitats is not possible. For example, polar bears and marine mammals
in the Arctic are already threatened by dwindling sea ice but have nowhere farther north to go.
Projecting species extinction due to global warming is extremely difficult. Some scientists have
estimated that 20 to 50 percent of species could be committed to extinction with 2 to 3 Celsius degrees
of further warming. The rate of warming, not just the magnitude, is extremely important for plants
and animals. Some species and even entire ecosystems, such as certain types of forest, may not be
able to adjust quickly enough and may disappear.
Ocean ecosystems, especially fragile ones like coral reefs, will also be affected by global
warming. Warmer ocean temperatures can cause coral to “bleach”, a state which if prolonged will
lead to the death of the coral. Scientists estimate that even 1 Celsius degree of additional warming
could lead to widespread bleaching and death of coral reefs around the world. Also, increasing carbon
dioxide in the atmosphere enters the ocean and increases the acidity of ocean waters. This
acidification further stresses ocean ecosystems.
1. Scientists have observed that warmer temperatures in the spring cause flowers to ______.
A. die instantly B. become lighter C. bloom earlier D. lose color
2. According to paragraph 2, when their habitats grow warmer, animals tend to move ______.
A. south-eastwards and down mountainsides toward lower elevations
B. north-westwards and up mountainsides toward higher elevations
C. toward the North Pole and down mountainsides toward lower elevations
D. toward the poles and up mountainsides toward higher elevations
3. The pronoun “those” in paragraph 2 refers to ______.
A. species B. ecosystems C. habitats D. areas
4. The phrase “dwindling sea ice” in paragraph 2 refers to ______.
A. the frozen water in the Arctic C. the melting ice in the Arctic
B. the violent Arctic Ocean D. the cold ice in the Arctic
5. It is mentioned in the passage that if the global temperature rose by 2 or 3 Celsius degrees, ______.
A. half of the earth’s surface would be flooded
B. the sea level would rise by 20 centimeters
C. water supply would decrease by 50 percent
D. 20 to 50 percent of species could become extinct

COMPILED BY MR. KHOA, MS. THỦY & MR. NAM 4

ANH NGỮ RIVER – B1 VSTEP  0968.765.155/ 0867.103.104

6. According to the passage, if some species are not able to adjust quickly to warmer temperatures,
_______.
A. they may be endangered C. they will certainly need water
B. they can begin to develop D. they move to tropical forests
7. The word “fragile” in paragraph 4 most probably means ________.
A. very large B. easily damaged C. rather strong D. pretty hard
8. The bleaching of coral reefs as mentioned in paragraph 4 indicates ________.
A. the water absorption of coral reefs C. the blooming phase of sea weeds
B. the quick growth of marine mammals D. the slow death of coral reefs
9. The level of acidity in the ocean is increased by ________.
A. the rising amount of carbon dioxide entering the ocean
B. the decrease of acidity of the pole waters
C. the extinction of species in coastal areas
D. the loss of acidity in the atmosphere around the earth
10. What does the passage mainly discuss?
A. Influence of climate changes on human lifestyles.
B. Effects of global warming on animals and plants.
C. Global warming and possible solutions.
D. Global warming and species migration.

PASSAGE 4
In the American colonies there was little money. England did not supply the colonies with coins

and did not allow the colonies to make their own coins, except for the Massachusetts Bay Colony,

which received permission for a short period in 1652 to make several kinds of silver coins. England

wanted to keep money out of America as a means of controlling trade: America was forced to trade

only with England if it did not have the money to buy products from other countries. The result during

this pre-revolutionary period was that the colonists used various goods in place of money: beaver

pelts, Indian wampum, and tobacco leaves were all commonly used substitutes for money. The

colonists also made use of any foreign coins they could obtain. Dutch, Spanish, French, and English

coins were all in use in the American colonies.

During the Revolutionary War, funds were needed to finance the world, so each of the individual

states and the Continental Congress issued paper money. So much of this paper money was printed

that by the end of the war, almost no one would accept it. As a result, trade in goods and the use of

foreign coins still flourished during this period.

COMPILED BY MR. KHOA, MS. THỦY & MR. NAM 5
ANH NGỮ RIVER – B1 VSTEP  0968.765.155/ 0867.103.104

By the time the Revolutionary War had been won by the American colonists, the monetary

system was in a state of total disarray. To remedy this situation, the new Constitution of the United

States, approved in 1789, allowed Congress to issue money. The individual states could no longer

have their own money supply. A few years later, the Coinage Act of 1792 made the dollar the official

currency of the United States and put the country on a bimetallic standard. In this bimetallic system,

both gold and silver were legal money, and the rate of exchange of silver to gold was fixed by the

government at sixteen to one.

1. The passage mainly discusses ___________.

A. American money from past to present

B. the English monetary policies in colonial America

C. the effect of the Revolution on American money

D. the American monetary system of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries

2. The passage indicates that during the colonial period, money was ___________.

A. supplied by England C. scarce

B. coined by colonists D. used extensively for trade

3. The Massachusetts Bay Colony was allowed to make coins ___________.

A. continuously from the inception of the colonies
B. throughout the seventeenth century
C. from 1652 until the Revolutionary War
D. for a short time during one year
4. The expression “a means of” in paragraph 1 could be best replaced by _________.
A. an example of C. a result of
B. a method of D. a punishment for
5. Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the passage as a substitute for money during the
colonial period?
A. wampum. B. cotton. C. tobacco. D. beaver furs.
6. The pronoun “it” in paragraph 2 refers to which of the following ___________.
A. The Continental Congress C. The War
B. Paper money . D. Trade in goods

COMPILED BY MR. KHOA, MS. THỦY & MR. NAM 6

ANH NGỮ RIVER – B1 VSTEP  0968.765.155/ 0867.103.104

7. It is implied in the passage that at the end of the Revolutionary War, a paper dollar was worth
___________.
A. exactly one dollar C. just over one dollar
B. just under one dollar D. almost nothing
8. The word “remedy” in paragraph 3 is closest in meaning to _________.
A. resolve B. understand C. renew D. medicate
9. How was the monetary system arranged in the Constitution?
A. Only the US Congress could issue money.
B. The US officially went on a bimetallic monetary system.
C. Various state governments, including Massachusetts, could issue money.
D. The dollar was made official currency of the US.
10. According to the passage, which of the following is NOT true about the bimetallic monetary
system?
A. Either gold or silver could be used as official money.
B. Gold could be exchanged for silver at the rate of sixteen to one.
C. The monetary system was based on two matters.
D. It was established in 1792.

COMPILED BY MR. KHOA, MS. THỦY & MR. NAM 7