Xem toàn bộ tài liệu Lớp 12: tại đây

Bài 1. Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C or D to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions.

The poaching crisis wiping out Africa’s elephants is costing the continent’s economies millions in lost tourism revenue, according to a new study. Researchers looked at visitor and elephant data across 25 countries, and modeled financial losses from fewer visitors in protected areas due to the illegal wildlife trade, which has caused elephant numbers to plummet by more than 100,000 in the last decade. (A)

The study team combined visitor numbers across 164 protected areas in 25 countries in forest and savannah elephants, and elephant population data from 2009 to 2013, to reach a “per elephant” value in terms of tourism income.

They concluded that Africa was most likely losing $26m in tourism revenue a year. (B) Around $9m of that is lost from tourists’ direct spending, such as staying at hotels and buying crafts, with the rest through indirect value in the economy such as farmers and other suppliers supporting the tourist industry.

The study, published in the journal Nature Communications, found that in most cases the revenue losses were higher than paying for stronger anti-poaching measures to keep elephant populations stable. (C) Dr. Robin Naidoo, the paper’s lead author and , senior conservation wildlife scientist at WWF and his team found. In the case of central Africa’s forest elephants, which are harder for tourists to see and therefore attract fewer visitors, the costs of protecting them exceed the benefits from tourism. Demand from south-east Asia has seen the price of ivory triple since 2009 and it is estimated that one elephant is killed every 15 minutes. (D) Corruption, a lack of resources, and, most importantly, increasingly sophisticated poachers have hamstrung African countries’ efforts to stem the trade.

Naidoo said that the research was not suggesting economic issues should be the only consideration when protecting elephants, but framing the poaching crisis as a financial one could motivate African governments and communities.

“It gives an additional reason for some groups of people, who may not necessarily be motivated by intrinsic reasons for conversation, to engage with biodiversity conservation. It makes it clear to them that it’s not just in the best interests of the world to conserve this stuff, but tangible reasons for a whole different group,” he said.

Question 1: The overall profit that the continent lost a year can be estimated to ____.

A. 25 million USD          B. 100,000 USD

C. 26 million USD          D. 9 million USD

Đáp án: C

Thông tin: They concluded that Africa was most likely losing $26m in tourism revenue a year.

Dịch nghĩa: Họ kết luận rằng châu Phi rất có thể mất 26 triệu đô la doanh thu du lịch mỗi năm.

Question 2: Which of the following statements is TRUE?

A. To get to the conclusion, scientists compared the changes in number of tourists and number of elephants in 2009.

B. The only reason why illegal poaching is so difficult to stop is corruption.

C. Protecting elephants is for the both the practical and immaterial reasons.

D. There is an argument over the differences in the balance between the loss and the cost to protect the elephants.

Đáp án: C

Thông tin: Thông tin nằm ở toàn bộ đoạn 2.

Question 3: Which of the following statements is NOT true?

A. Across the continent, the amount of money spent on protecting the elephant is smaller than the loss tourist industry is suffering from.

B. The number of tourists reduces because now it is more difficult for them to see the elephants in the wild.

C. One reason why elephants are killed in mass volume is from the increasing market of ivory in South East Asia.

D. Relating poaching to financial benefits can be considered as one of the solutions to the problem.

Đáp án: A

Thông tin: In the case of central Africa’s forest elephants, which are harder for tourists to see and therefore attract fewer visitors, the costs of protecting them exceed the benefits from tourism.

Dịch nghĩa: Trong trường hợp voi rừng ở trung tâm châu Phi, nơi khách du lịch khó nhìn thấy hơn và do đó thu hút ít du khách hơn, chi phí bảo vệ chúng vượt quá lợi ích từ du lịch.

Question 4: Which of the positions marked in the passage does the phrase “but the financial argument did not stack up in all areas,” best fit?

A. (A)          B. (B)

C. (C)          D. (D)

Đáp án: C

Giải thích: Để làm được câu hỏi này ta cần hiểu được nghĩa của cả câu hỏi và đáp án để điền cho phù hợp.

Dịch nghĩa: Nghiên cứu, được công bố trên tạp chí Nature Communications, cho thấy trong hầu hết các trường hợp, tổn thất doanh thu cao hơn chi trả cho các biện pháp chống săn trộm mạnh mẽ hơn để giữ cho quần thể voi ổn định. Nhưng cuộc tranh luận về tài chính đã không chồng chất trong tất cả các lĩnh vực, Tiến sĩ Robin Naidoo, tác giả chính của bài báo và, nhà khoa học bảo tồn động vật hoang dã cao cấp tại WWF và nhóm của ông đã tìm ra điều này.

Question 5: The word plummet in paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to ____.

A. fall          B. fluctuate

C. rise          D. Stabilize

Đáp án: A

Từ mới: Plummet = fail (thất bại)

Question 6: The word sophisticated in paragraph 4 is closest in meaning to ____.

A. simple          B. outdated

C. advanced          D. basic

Đáp án: C

Từ mới: Sophisticated = advanced (tinh vi)

Question 7: The word motivate in paragraph 5 is closest in meaning to ____.

A. change          B. design

C. form          D. inspire

Đáp án: D

Từ mới: Motivate = inspire (động viên, tạo động lực)

Question 8: Which of the following is the best title for the passage?

A. Elephant poaching costs African millions in tourism revenue

B. Elephant poaching does more good than harm

C. Elephant poaching brings an opportunity for Africa to change

D. Elephant poaching reduces the number of elephants in Africa

Đáp án: A

Giải thích: Tiêu đề phù hợp nhất cho bài đọc: Săn trộm voi tốn hàng triệu đô la châu Phi trong doanh thu du lịch.

Bài 2. 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.

Animation traditionally is done by hand-drawing or painting successive frame of an object, each slightly different than the proceeding frame. In computer animation, although the computer may be the one to draw the different frames, in most cases the artist will draw the beginning and ending frames and the computer will produce the drawings between the first and the last drawing. This is generally referred to as computer-assisted animation, because the computer is more of a helper than an originator.

In full computer animation, complex mathematical formulas are used to produce the final sequences of pictures. These formulas operate on extensive databases of numbers that defines the objects in the pictures as they exist in mathematical space. The database consists of endpoints, and color and intensity information. Highly trained professionals are needed to produce such effects because animation that obtains high degrees of realism involves computer techniques from three-dimensional transformation, shading, and curvatures.

High-tech computer animation for film involves very expensive computer systems along with special color terminals or frame buffers. The frame buffer is nothing more than a giant image memory for viewing a single frame. It temporarily holds the image for display on the screen.

A camera can be used to film directly from the computer’s display screen, but for the highest quality images possible, expensive film recorders are used. The computer computers the positions and colors for the figures in the picture, and sends this information to the recorder, which captures it on film. Sometimes, however, the images are stored on a large magnetic disk before being sent to the recorder. Once this process is completed, it is replaced for the next frame. When the entire sequence has been recorded on the film, the film must be developed before the animation can be viewed. If the entire sequence does not seem right, the motions must be corrected, recomputed, redisplayed, and rerecorded. This approach can be very expensive and time – consuming. Often, computer-animation companies first do motion tests with simple computer-generated line drawings before selling their computers to the task of calculating the high-resolution, realistic-looking images.

Question 1: Which of the following statement is supported by the passage?

A. Computers have reduced the costs of animation.

B. In the future, traditional artists will no longer be needed.

C. Artists are unable to produce drawings as high in quality as computer drawings.

D. Animation involves a wide range of technical and artistic skills.

Đáp án: D

Phân tích: Bài văn cho thấy việc làm hoạt hình bằng máy tính rất phức tạp đòi hỏi kỹ thuật máy tính tốt. Ngoài ra chuyên môn về nghệ thuật cũng là yếu tố quan trọng mà máy tính không thể thay thế.

Question 2: The word “they” in the second paragraph refers to ______.

A. formulas          B. objects

C. numbers          D. database

Đáp án: B

Thông tin: These formulas operate on extensive databases of numbers that defines the objects in the pictures as they exist in mathematical space

Dịch nghĩa: Những công thức này vận hành trên một cơ sở dữ liệu lớn các con số xác định vật trong bức ảnh khi chúng tồn tại trong không gian toán học.

Question 3: According to the passage, the frame buffers mentioned in the third paragraph are used to ______

A. add color to the images

B. expose several frames at the same time

C. store individual images

D. create new frames

Đáp án: C

Thông tin: The frame buffer is nothing more than a giant image memory for viewing a single frame. It temporarily holds the image for display on the screen

Dịch nghĩa: Các khung hình đệm chỉ là một bộ nhớ ảnh khổng lồ để xem từng khung hình một. Nó tạm thời chứa những bức ảnh để hiển thị trên màn hình.

Question 4: According to the passage, the positions and colors of the figures in high-tech animation are determined by _________

A. drawing several versions

B. enlarging one frame at a lime

C. analyzing the sequence from different angles

D. using computer calculations

Đáp án: D

Thông tin: The computer computers the positions and colors for the figures in the picture, and sends this information to the recorder, which captures it on film

Dịch nghĩa: Máy tính tính toán vị trí và màu sắc của nhân vật trên bức tranh và gửi thông tin này đến bộ thu để thu lại trên phim.

Question 5: The word “captures” in the fourth paragraph is closest in meaning to _____.

A. separates          B. registers

C. describes          D. numbers

Đáp án: A

Thông tin: “Capture” ở đây là công việc làm gì đó với thông tin từ máy thu để làm thành phim

Question 6: The word “Once” in the fourth paragraph is closest in meaning to ______.

A. before          B. since

C. after          D. while

Đáp án: C

Giải thích: “Once” là ngay khi chuyện gì xảy ra thì chuyện khác sẽ theo đó xảy ra, chọn đáp án C.

Question 7: According to the passage, how do computer-animation companies often test motion?

A. They experiment with computer-generated line drawings.

B. They hand-draw successive frames.

C. They calculate high-resolutions images.

D. They develop extensive mathematical formulas.

Đáp án: A

Thông tin: Often, computer – animation companies first do motion tests with simple computer-generated line drawings before selling their computers…

Dịch nghĩa: Thường thường, các công ty hoạt hình máy tính lúc đầu làm kiểm tra chuyển động với những bản vẽ do máy tính tạo ra trước khi bán máy tính của họ….