Đề luyện Reading VSTEP số 6 — Thời gian: 60 phút
Đề gồm 4 bài đọc, mỗi bài 10 câu hỏi trắc nghiệm (A, B, C, D). Tổng cộng 40 câu. Hãy hoàn thành trong 60 phút.
Passage 1: Crowd Psychology
Crowd psychology is the study of how individuals behave differently when they are part of a large group. Gustave Le Bon, a French social psychologist, published his influential work "The Crowd: A Study of the Popular Mind" in 1895. He argued that individuals in a crowd lose their sense of personal responsibility and become susceptible to emotional contagion, a phenomenon where feelings spread rapidly from person to person like a virus.
Modern research has both supported and challenged Le Bon's ideas. Studies confirm that people in crowds do tend to behave more impulsively and are more easily influenced by others. However, contrary to Le Bon's suggestion that crowds always become irrational and destructive, researchers have found that crowd behavior depends largely on context. Peaceful protests, music festivals, and sporting events demonstrate that crowds can be orderly and cooperative when appropriate social norms are established.
Social media has added a new dimension to crowd psychology. Online communities can form virtual crowds that exhibit similar patterns of emotional contagion and groupthink. The spread of misinformation on platforms like Twitter and Facebook often follows the same principles Le Bon described over a century ago, suggesting that his observations remain relevant in the digital age.
Câu 1. Who wrote "The Crowd: A Study of the Popular Mind"?
A. Sigmund Freud
B. Gustave Le Bon
C. Carl Jung
D. Jean Piaget
Câu 2. The term "emotional contagion" refers to ___.
A. a disease spread in crowds
B. feelings spreading rapidly among people
C. a type of crowd control
D. a method of psychological treatment
Câu 3. According to modern research, crowd behavior ___.
A. is always destructive
B. depends on context
C. cannot be studied scientifically
D. is identical in all cultures
Câu 4. The word "susceptible" in paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to ___.
A. resistant
B. vulnerable
C. hostile
D. indifferent
Câu 5. Which example shows that crowds can be orderly?
A. Riots and looting
B. Bank robberies
C. Peaceful protests
D. Traffic accidents
Câu 6. Social media has ___.
A. eliminated crowd psychology
B. made Le Bon's ideas completely outdated
C. added a new dimension to crowd psychology
D. solved the problem of misinformation
Câu 7. The word "groupthink" in paragraph 3 most likely refers to ___.
A. individual critical thinking
B. the tendency to conform to group opinions
C. a type of social media platform
D. a scientific research method
Câu 8. Le Bon's work was published in ___.
A. 1885
B. 1895
C. 1905
D. 1925
Câu 9. It can be inferred that the author believes Le Bon's ideas ___.
A. are completely wrong
B. have no modern relevance
C. are partly valid but need updating
D. should be banned from universities
Câu 10. The main purpose of the passage is to ___.
A. criticize social media companies
B. explain crowd psychology and its modern relevance
C. promote Le Bon's book
D. argue that crowds are always dangerous
Passage 2: Income Inequality
Income inequality has become one of the most debated economic issues of the 21st century. The Gini coefficient, a statistical measure ranging from 0 (perfect equality) to 1 (maximum inequality), shows that inequality has increased in most developed countries since the 1980s. In the United States, the top 1 percent of earners now receive approximately 20 percent of total national income, compared to about 10 percent in 1980.
Several factors contribute to rising inequality. Globalization has allowed companies to move manufacturing jobs to countries with lower labor costs, reducing wages for workers in developed nations. Technological change has increased demand for highly skilled workers while reducing the need for routine manual labor. Additionally, tax policies in many countries have become more favorable to high-income earners, further widening the gap between rich and poor.
The consequences of extreme inequality extend beyond economics. Research has shown that countries with higher inequality tend to have worse health outcomes, higher crime rates, and lower levels of social trust. The economist Joseph Stiglitz argues that excessive inequality undermines democracy itself, as wealthy individuals and corporations gain disproportionate influence over political decisions. Finding the right balance between rewarding economic achievement and ensuring social stability remains one of the great challenges of our time.
Câu 11. What does a Gini coefficient of 0 represent?
A. Maximum inequality
B. Perfect equality
C. Average income
D. Zero economic growth
Câu 12. In the US, the top 1 percent now receive approximately ___ of national income.
A. 10 percent
B. 15 percent
C. 20 percent
D. 30 percent
Câu 13. Which factor does NOT contribute to rising inequality according to the passage?
A. Globalization
B. Technological change
C. Tax policies favoring the wealthy
D. Overpopulation
Câu 14. The word "disproportionate" in paragraph 3 is closest in meaning to ___.
A. equal and fair
B. excessively large relative to what is appropriate
C. small and insignificant
D. temporary
Câu 15. Globalization has reduced wages in developed countries by ___.
A. increasing taxes
B. moving manufacturing to lower-cost countries
C. reducing the number of universities
D. eliminating all trade
Câu 16. Countries with higher inequality tend to have ___.
A. better education systems
B. higher crime rates
C. stronger democracies
D. more innovation
Câu 17. Joseph Stiglitz argues that excessive inequality ___.
A. is necessary for economic growth
B. only affects developing countries
C. undermines democracy
D. has no political consequences
Câu 18. Income inequality has increased in most developed countries since ___.
A. the 1960s
B. the 1970s
C. the 1980s
D. the 2000s
Câu 19. It can be inferred that the author ___.
A. supports unlimited inequality
B. is concerned about the effects of inequality
C. believes inequality is unavoidable
D. thinks tax policies are unimportant
Câu 20. The passage mainly discusses ___.
A. how to eliminate poverty worldwide
B. the causes and consequences of income inequality
C. the biography of Joseph Stiglitz
D. a comparison of tax systems
Passage 3: Language Extinction
Of the approximately 7,000 languages spoken worldwide today, linguists estimate that nearly half will disappear by the end of this century. A language is considered endangered when children no longer learn it as their first language. Once the last fluent speakers die, the language becomes extinct, taking with it unique cultural knowledge, oral traditions, and ways of understanding the world that cannot be fully captured in translation.
The causes of language extinction are complex. Colonization historically forced indigenous peoples to abandon their native languages in favor of the colonizer's language. Today, globalization and urbanization continue this trend as speakers of minority languages move to cities where dominant languages are used in education, employment, and media. Many parents choose to raise their children in the dominant language, believing it will give them better economic opportunities.
Efforts to preserve endangered languages have intensified in recent decades. Organizations like UNESCO maintain lists of endangered languages and fund documentation projects. Technology has also played a role: mobile apps, online dictionaries, and video recordings help preserve languages that lack written traditions. In New Zealand, the Maori language has experienced a revival through immersion schools called "kohanga reo" (language nests), where children are educated entirely in Maori from an early age. Such programs demonstrate that language decline can be reversed with sustained community effort and government support.
Câu 21. How many languages are currently spoken worldwide?
A. About 3,500
B. About 5,000
C. About 7,000
D. About 10,000
Câu 22. A language is considered endangered when ___.
A. fewer than 1,000 people speak it
B. children no longer learn it as their first language
C. it is not taught in universities
D. it has no written form
Câu 23. The word "extinct" in paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to ___.
A. widespread
B. no longer existing
C. recently discovered
D. officially recognized
Câu 24. Which factor contributed to language loss historically?
A. Natural disasters
B. Colonization
C. Climate change
D. Technological failure
Câu 25. Why do some parents choose dominant languages for their children?
A. They dislike their native culture
B. They believe it offers better economic opportunities
C. Dominant languages are easier to learn
D. Schools refuse to teach minority languages
Câu 26. What is a "kohanga reo"?
A. A type of Maori food
B. A Maori immersion school
C. A New Zealand government office
D. A language testing center
Câu 27. Which technology helps preserve endangered languages?
A. Nuclear power plants
B. Mobile apps and online dictionaries
C. Satellite television
D. Printing presses only
Câu 28. The word "immersion" in paragraph 3 is closest in meaning to ___.
A. partial exposure
B. complete involvement in something
C. physical swimming
D. brief introduction
Câu 29. It can be inferred that language extinction ___.
A. only affects small island nations
B. results in the loss of cultural knowledge
C. is welcomed by most linguists
D. has already been solved
Câu 30. The example of Maori in New Zealand shows that ___.
A. language decline cannot be stopped
B. technology is useless for language preservation
C. language revival is possible with effort and support
D. only European languages can survive
Passage 4: Global Migration
International migration has reached unprecedented levels, with approximately 281 million people living outside their country of birth in 2023, according to the United Nations. This represents about 3.6 percent of the world's population. While migration has occurred throughout human history, modern transportation, communication technology, and economic globalization have accelerated the movement of people across borders.
The causes of migration are typically divided into push and pull factors. Push factors include poverty, armed conflict, political persecution, and natural disasters that force people to leave their home countries. Pull factors include better employment opportunities, higher wages, quality education, and political freedom in destination countries. Climate change is emerging as an increasingly important driver of migration, with rising sea levels and extreme weather events displacing millions of people annually.
Migration has significant economic effects on both sending and receiving countries. Receiving countries benefit from a larger labor force and increased cultural diversity, which can drive innovation and economic growth. However, they may also face challenges related to housing, public services, and social integration. Sending countries lose skilled workers through "brain drain" but receive remittances — money sent home by migrants — which totaled $656 billion in 2022 and represent a vital source of income for many developing nations.
The political debate around migration often generates more heat than light. Evidence suggests that the economic impact of migration is generally positive for receiving countries in the long run, though the benefits and costs are not distributed evenly across society. Developing fair and effective migration policies requires moving beyond emotional rhetoric to engage with the complex realities that drive human movement.
Câu 31. How many people lived outside their country of birth in 2023?
A. About 181 million
B. About 231 million
C. About 281 million
D. About 381 million
Câu 32. International migrants represent approximately ___ of the world's population.
A. 1.6 percent
B. 2.6 percent
C. 3.6 percent
D. 5.6 percent
Câu 33. Which is a "push factor" for migration?
A. Higher wages abroad
B. Better education opportunities
C. Armed conflict
D. Political freedom
Câu 34. The word "remittances" in paragraph 3 refers to ___.
A. government aid to developing countries
B. money sent home by migrants
C. taxes paid by immigrants
D. loans from international banks
Câu 35. How much were global remittances in 2022?
A. $456 billion
B. $556 billion
C. $656 billion
D. $756 billion
Câu 36. "Brain drain" refers to ___.
A. mental health problems in migrants
B. the loss of skilled workers from sending countries
C. educational programs for immigrants
D. a type of medical condition
Câu 37. The phrase "generates more heat than light" in paragraph 4 means ___.
A. causes environmental problems
B. produces anger rather than understanding
C. creates energy efficiently
D. improves public knowledge
Câu 38. Climate change drives migration through ___.
A. creating new job opportunities
B. improving transportation
C. rising sea levels and extreme weather
D. reducing cultural barriers
Câu 39. It can be inferred that the author believes migration policy should be ___.
A. based on emotional arguments
B. guided by evidence and complexity
C. focused on stopping all migration
D. left entirely to individual countries
Câu 40. The economic impact of migration on receiving countries is generally ___.
A. entirely negative
B. positive in the long run
C. impossible to measure
D. only beneficial for migrants
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