HCMC DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION & TRAINING THE 1st MID-TERM TEST

THE ASIAN INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL ACADEMIC YEAR: 2024-2025

OFFICIAL TEST PAPER CODE: 004
SUBJECT: ENGLISH – GRA0e of the test paper)

Student’s full name:……………………….…..………………. Class:……….. Student code:………

(STUDENTS MARK THE ANSWER A, B, C, or D ON THE ANSWER SHEET)
Listen to a conversation between two people / a talk about sibling rivalry and fill in the blank with the
suitable words. Write your answers to each of the questions from 1 to 5 in the answer sheet. (0.2 x 5 =
1.0 pt)
Question 1: In the second photo, I can’t be certain but I think they’re at a _____ alley.
Question 2: The common _____ is that the friends are not getting on well together.
Question 3: In the first photo, two of the girls are _____ the third girl from their conversation.
Question 4: The other girl probably feels _____ out.
Question 5: The second photo, on the other hand, shows an _____ between the two boys.
Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct arrangement of the sentences
to make a meaningful paragraph / letter in each of the following questions. (0.2 x 2 = 0.4 pts)
Question 6:
a. I didn’t mind at first, but now he’s going to a concert with them after he’d said he’d go with me.
b. He hasn’t got anything in common with them and he’s recently been going to places where he’s
under age.
c. My best friend’s started hanging out with people who are two or three years older than we are.
d. Of course I don’t want him to get in trouble, but I just don’t know what to do.
e. He can’t have forgotten - in fact, I’m sure he’s done it on purpose.
A. e – a – b – c – d B. b – a – e – c – d
C. c – a – e – b – d D. a – b – c – d – e
Question 7:
a. At the end of the experiment, Dr Bateson found that teachers paid almost three times more for
their drinks when the picture of the eyes was on the wall.
b. Dr Melissa Bateson, a psychologist from Newcastle University, secretly conducted an experiment
to see if she could change her colleagues' behaviour when it came to paying for their hot drinks.
c. Dr Bateson put a large picture of some flowers on the wall behind the box for a few weeks and
then replaced it with one of a picture of a pair of human eyes.
d. She concluded that we are programmed to respond to eyes, even pictures of eyes, and believed
that her posters could help combat crime.

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 e. The teachers were expected to put money in a box in the staff room, but nobody controlled how
much money each teacher gave.
A. e – a – b – c – d B. b – e – c – a – d
C. c – a – e – b – d D. a – b – c – d – e
Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the word whose underlined part differs
from the other three in pronunciation in each of the following questions. (0.2 x 2 = 0.4 pts)
Question 8: A. accuse B. apologise C. ask D. friends
Question 9: A. talked B. insisted C. reminded D. texted
Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the word that differs from the other
three in the position of the primary stress in each of the following questions. (0.2 x 2 = 0.4 pts)
Question 10: A. friendship B. complete C. correct D. below
Question 11: A. supported B. listening C. families D. highlighted
Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the
following questions. (0.2 x 5 = 1.0 pt)
Question 12: I hope to be supported by a best friend when I _____ a problem.
A. have B. will have C. have had D. had
Question 13: ‘Have you got any plans for this evening?’ - ‘I _____ Vicky.’
A. will meet B. am going to meet C. meet D. will have met
Question 14: I remembered that my brother _____ to drive while he _____ at SIU.
A. learnt/had been studying B. learns/is studying
C. learnt/was studying D. was learning/studied
Question 15: Mina: How was your date with P Diddy last night?
Bill: I wish you hadn’t _____.
A. looked after me B. turned me down C. got over it D. brought that up
Question 16: Mont Blanc is _____ tallest mountain in _____ France.
A. a/the B. a/no article C. the/the D. the/no article
Read the following school annoucement/advertisement and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your
answer sheeet to indicate the correct option that best fits each of the numbered blanks from 17 to 19
(0.2 x 6 = 1.2 pts)

WHAT TO DO IN A CRISIS

1. Remember to breathe - this is easy to forget when you are (17) _____ or enraged. And
breathe deeply! A calmer body helps create a calmer mind.

2. Focus on (18) _____ moment – don’t think about what should have been done differently.

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 Concentrate on solving the immediate problem.

3. Think positively – positive self-talk (19) _____ a crisis is often helpful. For example,
telling yourself how brave you are can help you overcome your fear.

Question 17: A. alarms B. alarming C. alarmed D. alarm

Question 18: A. the B. a C. many a D. no article
Question 19: A. in B. at C. above D. on

DEVELOPING CALMNESS IN CRISIS SITUATIONS

In times (20) _____ and crisis, our bodies instinctively react with heightened alertness—our
hearts race, and our muscles tense. While this response prepares us for immediate action, it
can cloud our judgment and hinder clear thinking.

(21) _____ these challenging moments effectively, we encourage everyone to develop the
skill of reacting calmly. By recognizing your body's stress signals and training yourself to
manage emotional responses, you can enhance your ability to make informed decisions under
pressure.

Join us in cultivating a calm mindset, empowering ourselves to respond thoughtfully in crises.

Together, we can face challenges with clarity and confidence, (22) _____ panic dictate our
actions.

Question 20: A. for distress B. of stress C. of optimism D. for pessimism

Question 21: A. To be navigated B. For being navigating C. To navigate D. Navigating
Question 22: A. let B. not letting C. letting D. to let
Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the best option to complete the sentence
(0.2 x 6 = 1.2 pts)
Question 23: I was lucky _____.
A. to miss the train B. not to miss the train C. that I missed the train D. that miss
Question 24: My sister finally _____ her first job for a year after she _____ university!
A. has got/left B. got/had left C. gets/had left D. had got/had left
Question 25: He _____ about his life and what he’s going to do, but he doesn’t care about anyone else!.
A. always talks B. is always talking C. talks always D. always is talking
Question 26: Bye! I _____ you tomorrow.
A. am seeing B. am going to see C. see D. will see
Question 27: During the 1960s and ‘70s, industrialised countries suffered an incredible _____.

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 A. crime prevention B. combat crime C. committing crime D. crime wave
Question 28: You see someone _____ some litter in the street. Do you ask them to put it in a bin?
A. to drop B. drops C. drop D. is dropping
Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the word
or phrase that best fits each of the numbered blanks. (0.2 x 5 = 1.0 pt)
Last night, I waited for Matt, but he was late - again! So by the time we got to the concert, it (29) _____.
(30) _____ time, I was so angry - I don't know why he can't be on the time for once! I tried discussing it
with him, but in the end I (31) _____. (32) _____ the end of the evening, we weren't speaking. I don't
know how things (33) _____ out, but I hope that in time we'll be friends again.

Question 29: A. had already started B. already started

C. had already been starting D. would have started
Question 30: A. In B. On C. By D. At
Question 31: A. picked up B. gave up C. broke up D. got over
Question 32: A. From B. To C. By D. In
Question 33: A. had turned B. turned C. turn D. will turn
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 34 to 38. (0.2 x 5 = 1.0 pt)
POWER OF CONNECTION
‘They tried to escape technology, to stay away from that and still have relationships with fellow
humans. Very difficult.’ Arthur Miller
Technology can exert its power on almost every aspect of our lives, and personal relationships are no
exception. We are now becoming more attached to technological devices and less connected to the
people around us or even our loved ones.
We work longer hours on computers, meet fewer friends, text more often, and watch more videos
than have a true conversation with friends or family members. Technology enhances relationships at
home and at work. Social media link us all together, but we mistake them for a perfect replacement for
relationships. It is time we realised that the power of connections is built from our own efforts. Whether
we choose to stay technologically or socially connected, we have to spend a considerable amount of time
doing activities together, listening, understanding and sharing feelings. This helps strengthen our mind
and body, keeping us away from isolation and loneliness.
It is not difficult to balance between connections through technology and those through real
interactions. We can start by nurturing the relationships within our family. We should spend more time
visiting our parents and siblings, besides keeping in touch with them on social media. We should learn to
cherish the moments we spend with them. It is never too late to strengthen the bonds with school friends

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and teachers. Don't hesitate to participate in sports clubs or a hiking trip where we can build up true
friendships. And above all, remember that time commitment counts in relationships, so running short of
time for connections is impossible.

Question 34: What is the purpose of the reading?

A. To tell the difference between technological and social bonds
B. To list all of the advantages of technology to social connections
C. To give advice on how to develop relationships in technological era
D. To encourage people to abandon technology entirely for better relationships
Question 35: The word ‘devices’ in paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to _____.
A. software B. tools C. instruments D. gadgets
Question 36: What does the passage suggest about our current social habits?
A. We are engaging in more meaningful conversations than ever before.
B. We are spending more time on technology than interacting with friends and family.
C. We are meeting more friends and forming deeper connections.
D. We have completely eliminated the use of technology in our lives.
Question 37: How does the passage view the balance between technology and real-life interactions?
A. Real-life interactions are more important than connections made through technology.
B. Technology should completely replace real-life interactions.
C. Both technology and real-life interactions can coexist and are important for relationships.
D. Spending time on social media is sufficient for maintaining relationships.
Question 38: The passage suggests that participating in sports clubs can help build true friendships.
A. True B. False C. Not given
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 39 to 45. (0.2 x 7 = 1.4 pts)
THE WORLD'S FIRST GPS
On a stormy night in 1707, four ships struck rocks off the south coast of England and sank. One
thousand, four hundred sailors were drowned. The ships had crashed because they had no way of
knowing how far they had travelled in a particular direction; they could not calculate their longitude,
which required accurate time measurement. It was the most serious in a series of accidents at sea, and a
stunned British government decided to act. In such difficult circumstances, they believed that the best
response to the disaster was a competition: the Longitude Prize.
The Longitude Prize was no ordinary competition. To win it, someone had to find a way of
calculating how far a ship had travelled east or west from its point of departure. Geniuses such as Sir
Isaac Newton had failed to find a solution, so to ensure the interest of Britain's greatest scientific minds,

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the government offered a prize of £20,000 - the equivalent of £2.6 million in today's money. But to
everyone's surprise, it wasn't a famous academic who solved the problem, but an unknown carpenter.
When John Harrison wasn't working with wood, he was making clocks. An accurate clock would
allow sailors to calculate their position, but at the time it was thought impossible to create a mechanical
clock that could work on a ship. The movement of the sea and the changes in temperature destroyed the
delicate parts. However, after three frustrated attempts, Harrison's fourth sea clock, H4, finally triumphed.
Its mechanics were so good that the H4 worked better than most clocks on land.
The Longitude Prize and Harrison's success generated a lot of interest in the 18th century, but it was
soon forgotten. However, in 2013, the British government created a new Longitude Prize, offering £10
million to the person who could solve a great challenge to humanity. An enthralled public then took part
in a TV programme where viewers chose one challenge from a list of six for scientists to focus on. The
question now is, will someone be able to solve it just as well as Harrison solved the challenge presented
to him?

Question 39: What is the main idea of the passage?

A. The Longitude Prize was a competition that aimed to improve navigation at sea.
B. John Harrison was the only person to win the Longitude Prize for his clock invention.
C. The British government has always prioritised maritime safety over scientific advancement.
D. Modern technology has completely eliminated the need for time measurement at sea.
Question 40: What is GPS ?
A. Global Positioning Satellite B. Global Positioning System
C. Global Programme Satellite D. Galileo Positioning System
Question 41: What is the antonym of 'Longitude'?
A. Altitude B. Shoreline C. Latitude D. Equator
Question 42: John Harrison's fourth sea clock, H4, was believed to be inferior to most clocks on land.
A. True B. False C. Not given
Question 43: The passage mentions specific challenges that were chosen for the new Longitude Prize.
A. True B. False C. Not given
Question 44: How much money was offered for the new Longitude Prize created in 2013?
A. £20,000 B. £2.6 million C. 10 million euros D. 10 million pounds
Question 45: What can be inferred about the significance of John Harrison's achievement with the H4
clock?
A. It was a minor development that had little impact on navigation.
B. It demonstrated that innovation could come from unexpected sources, not just established scientists.
C. It was solely the result of funding and resources provided by the government.

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 D. It showed that mechanical clocks were unnecessary for sea travel.
Write a sentence of similar meaning using the word in brackets. (0.2 x 5 = 1.0 pt)
Question 46: I last saw him when he got married last summer.
→ I have ___________________________________________________________________________.
Question 47: His journey was dangerous, which was beyond what he'd expected.
→ His journey was more _______________________________________________________________.
Question 48: Do you take a moment to pick up litter?
→ Do you stop _______________________________________________________________________.
Question 49: Friends rarely get along all the time.
→ Rarely ___________________________________________________________________________.
Question 50: He gets used to working long hours without taking breaks.
→ He is accustomed __________________________________________________________________.

----------THE END OF THE TEST----------

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 ANSWER KEY
ENGLISH 12 – THE 1st MID-TERM TEST – ACADEMIC YEAR: 2024–2025
Note: [1–50] x 0.2 = 10 pts
CODE: 004

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Answer 6. C 7. B 8. C 9. A 10. A
bowling theme excluding left argument

Answer 11. A 12. A 13. B 14. C 15. D 16. D 17. C 18. A 19. A 20. B

Answer 21. C 22. B 23. B 24. B 25. B 26. D 27. D 28. C 29. A 30. A

Answer 31. B 32. C 33. D 34. C 35. D 36. B 37. C 38. A 39. A 40. B

Answer 41. C 42. B 43. C 44. D 45. B

Answer 46. I have not him since he got married last summer.

Answer 47. His journey was more dangerous than he'd expected.

Answer 48. Do you stop to pick up litter?

Answer 49. Rarely do friends get along all the time.

Answer 50. He is accustomed to working long hours without taking breaks.

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