Bài thi thử kỳ thi tốt nghiệp Trung học Phổ thông môn Tiếng Anh - Năm học 2017-2018 - Đề số 10

SỞ GIÁO DỤC ĐÀO TẠO BÀI THI THỬ KỲ THI TỐT NGHIỆP TRUNG HỌC PHỔ THÔNG 
 ĐỀ CHÍNH THỨC NĂM HỌC 2017- 2018
 (Đề gồm có 04 trang) MÔN TIẾNG ANH ~ MÃ ĐỀ 001
 10 Thời gian: 60 phút - không tính thời gian giao đề
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 primary stress in each of the following questions.
 Question 1:A. conspiracy	B. conscientious	C. deteriorate	D. provincial
 Question 2:A. reliable	B. desirable	C. admirable	D. advisable
Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the underlined part that needs correction in each of the following questions.
Question 3: Despie a language barrier, humans have managed to communicate with others through sign language, from which certain motions stand for letters, words, or ideas.
A. humans	B. with others	C. Despie	D. from which
Question 4: Betty said that she knew how the procedures fior doing the experiment, but when we began to work in the laboratory, she found that she was mistaken.
A. knew how	B. that	C. mistaken	D. to work
Question 5: It was suggested that Peter studies the material more throroughly before attempting to pass the exam.
A. attempting to pass	B. studies	C. more throroughly	D. suggested
Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the following questions.
Question 6:.......strength of 70 horses, a forklift toils all day long in a warehouse lifting great weights.
A. Some	B. With the	C. Because the	D. The
Question 7: The United States spends more money on advertising.......country in the world.
A. than any other	B. other	C. other than	D. while other
Question 8: Each mediocre book we read means one less great book that we would otherwise have a chance........
A. to read them	B. reading	C. to read	D. read
Question 9: Most accidents in the home can be prevented by.......elimination of hazards.
A. that the	B. the	C. there is a	D. that
Question 10: Julie.......herself badly when she slipped on the icy pavement.
A. damaged	B. harmed	C. wounded	D. hurt
Question 11: There weren’t any new members at the club.......I can remember.
A. as well as	B. as much as	C. as far as	D. as long as
Question 12: I was made......for hours before I had my leg examined at the emergency room.
A. to wait	B. wait	C. waiting	D. to have waited
Question 13:.......problems in sailing in tropical seas is the coral reefs.
A. Of the biggest one	B. The biggest one	C. One of the biggest	D. There are the biggest
Question 14: "We.......by Leo’s announcement to leave the company." ~ "I know! I was left speechless."
A. surprised ourselves	B. were surprised	C. found surprise	D. had surprised
Question 15: Having access to a clean water supply is.......important for everyone in the village.
A. totally	B. considerably	C. completely	D. vitally
Question 16: My mother worked part-time.....we were growing up.
A. after	B. just	C. before	D. when
Question 17: I was so.......with the noise and pollution in the city that I moved to the countryside.
A. taken back	B. taken up	C. fed up	D. put up
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.
 Question 18:A. small	B. tall	C. sallow	D. call
 Question 19:A. private	B. narrate	C. pirate	D. considerate
Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the word(s) OPPOSITE in meaning to the underlined word(s) in each of the following questions.
Question 20: Twelve prisoners are at large following a series of escapes. 
A. liberated	B. set free	C. prosecuted	D. held captive
Question 21: He leaves all the difficult stuff for me to do and it really hacks me off. 
A. bothers me	B. kills me	C. cheers me up	D. discourages me
Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the sentence that best completes each of the following exchanges.
Question 22: ~ Man: “Do you think you could help me? I have a complaint.” ~ Woman: “...............”
A. How can I get to the central post office, Madam?
B. You look annoyed. What’s wrong?
C. There’s something wrong with my eyes, dear.
D. Please accept my apology, sir. Let’s see what’s wrong.
Question 23: ~ Sam: “.................” ~ Ivy: “Umm. I don’t think so. I might get injured.”
A. Fetch the dog and feed him, Ivy.	 B. Why didn’t you take those tablets before meals?
C. Hey, Ivy. Would you like to join my martial arts class?	 D. I’ll give you a lift to school.
Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the word(s) CLOSEST in meaning to the underlined word(s) in each of the following questions.
Question 24: She was understandably intoxicated by her success in the national competition.
A. much excited	B. unconscious	C. drunk	D. poisoned
Question 25: All that time she'd been leading him on, but she was only interested in his money. 
A. falling in love with	B. persuading to marry
C. asking for pity 	D. pretending to be fond of
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.
WHAT'S IN A GADGET?
 They keep us in touch with our friends and family, entertain us and even help us fnd our way. Gadgets are great and almost everyone has one. Have you ever thought about where that curious word 'gadget' comes from, though, or even what makes our gadgets work?
 While you might find a large number of English words relating to science and technology have an ancient Greek origin, the word 'gadget' seems to have appeared on the scene not so long ago. In fact, it seems that the word was first used sometime in the 19th century but experts disagree on when and where. According to some experts, sailors used to use the slang word 'gadget' to refer to tools or mechanical parts whose precise names they couldn't remember while other sources maintain that it comes from the French word cachette, a small mechanism, or gagée, a small tool or accessory. Today, the word has taken on the meaning of a small, compact, high performance mobile device that requires little or no skill to use and that provides a service or entertainment.
 So what's inside these ever so popular and useful whatchamacallits? At the heart of most gadgets, or electronic devices, is the semiconductor. Most semiconductors are made from extremely thin wafers of a very common substance, silicon. In fact, silicon is one of the most abundant materials on the planet and is the main
element in sand. It doesn't conduct electricity very well and it isn't particularly valuable. Silicon is a pure semiconductor and therefore has uniqje properties. By adding other natural elements to silicon, in a process called "doping", engineers can control the amount of electric current that flows through it. This is very important when making parts for electronic devices such as computers or mobile phores because it is the amount and direction of current that passes through a device that makes it work in any specific way. Inside an electronic device you will find a series of components such as resistors and transistors all made with silicon. A diode, for example, allows electric current to pass in one direction while blocking it from the other direction. So basically, most gadgets have a number of semiconductors that allow various amounts of electric current through in order to control different functions. And that's s vhat our gadget work!
Question 26: In the last paragraph, what does the word 'it' in bold refer to?
A. direction	B. diode	C. silicon	D. electric current
Question 27: Some experts believe that the word was first used......
A. to refer to mechanical accessories.	B. to refer to tools whose names sailors easily forgot.
C. as a form of informal speech in French.	D. to refer to a specific sailor's tod.
Question 28: Silicon is......
A. not such a common material.	B. quite expensive.
C. available in large quantities.	D. extremely rare.
Question 29: Silicon is useful in electronics because......
A. engineers can vary the current flow through it.	B. it doesn't conduct current.
C. it is unique.	D. it conducts electricity vory well.
Question 30: What does ‘whatchamacallit’ mean in English?
A. undiscovered thing	B. a mystery	C. unknown thing D. something whose name is unknown
Question 31: According to the text, the main characteristic of all modern gadgets is that they......
A. make people happy.	B. are necessary.
C. are easy to use.	D. are small and complicated.
Question 32: The origin of the word 'gadget'......
A. goes back a long way.	B. can be found in old English.
C. is quite recent.	D. can be found in ancient Greek.
Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct word or phrase that best fits each of the numbered blanks.
LAUGH TO KEEP FIT!
 We all know what an important part exercise plays in our lives, but nore and more of us are getting less of it. People are often advised to take ...(33)... a sport, but it can often be hard to choose one that you enjoy. At our local community centre, this is set to change with the new laughter yoga classes on ...(34)...
 Laughter yoga is the perfect form of exercise for those who are looking for a fun way to keep fit. You don't need to possess any special skill; just a combination of a positive attitude and a desire for a fun filled workout. Classes ...(35)... place every Friday afternoon and involve breathing exercises and controlled laughter. A ...(36)... session begins with gentle warm-up techniques which include stretching, clapping and body movement; followed by a series of laughter exercises in groups to build confidence.
 Time passes by very quickly and before you know it, you’ve done an hour’s exercise. Not surprisingly, this method of ...(37)... out is extremely popular with all ages and attracts people from a wide ...(38)... of backgrounds. Even relatively shy people really enjoy themselves. So, if you have a sense of humour and are looking for a fun way to keep fit, this is definitely the right workout for you.
 Question 33:A. down	B. after	C. on	D. up
 Question 34:A. request	B. demand	C. display	D. offer
 Question 35:A. get	B. take	C. fill	D. have
 Question 36:A. typical	B. normal	C. standard	D. plain
 Question 37:A. trying	B. going	C. working	D. testing
 Question 38:A. mix	B. choice	C. selection	D. variety
Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the sentence that is closest in meaning to each of the following questions.
Question 39: Sally couldn't find the answer to her maths problem until after the class had been over.
A. Sally had some trouble finding the answer to her maths class later.
B. Sally was able to find the answers to her maths problem before the class ended.
C. The class had ended before Sally could find the answer to her maths problem.
D. The class was over after Sally could find the answer to her maths problem.
Question 40: It was his incompetence which led to their failure.
A. Thanks to his incompetence, they got failed.
B. If it hadn‘t been his incompetence, they would not have been failed.
C. If he had not been competent, they would not have failed.
D. They failed just because he was incompetent.
Question 41: Wealthy as they were, they were far from happy.
A. They were as wealthy as they were happy.
B. Even if they were wealthy, they were not unhappy.
C. Although they were wealthy, they were not happy.
D. They were not happy as they were wealthy.
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.
THE YEAR WITHOUT A SUMMER
 In 1816, Europe and North America suffered their worst summer in centuries. Cold temperatures brought heavy rains, frosts and snowfalls. Harvests failed, livestock died, and the famine and disease that resulted led to the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people. The year 1816 came to be known as 'the year without a summer'.
 Today, we know the cause of this lethal summer. One year previously, the largest and most deadly volcanic eruption in recorded history took place in Indonesia. The sulphur dioxide and dust that the eruption spewed into the atmosphere blocked sunlight and cooled the Earth, leading to a 'volcanic winter'.
 Indonesia has more active volcanoes than any country in the world. On 15th April, 1815, Mt Tambora, a volcano which is situated on the island of Sumbawa, erupted. The event was catastrophic. Toxic gases, rocks, and hot ash spread across the island, killing over 12,000 people instantly. 160 cubic kilometres of ash was thrown into the atmosphere, along with 400 million tons of gas. The eruption column reached an altitude of more than 43 km.
 To get some idea of the scale of the event: before the explosion, Mount Tambora was 4,300 metres high. After, it measured just 2,851 metres. The explosion was so huge it was heard 2,600 km away, and the sky remained dark for two days in areas up to 600 km from the volcano.
 The Tambora eruption was terrifying not only because it was so destructive, but because it happened so suddenly and with such speed. Unlike other more famous eruptions such as at Mt Vesuvius in 79 AD and on the island of Krakatoa in 1883, which had fairly long eruption sequences, Mt Tambora erupted with almost no warning and was extremely quick in reaching its climax.
 The loss of life after the eruption was terrible. Famine of extraordinary and severe intensity immediately broke out, taking the lives of thousands. On 3rd August, 1815, a Lt Phillips arrived on Sumbawa and reported: "The extreme misery to which the inhabitants have been reduced is shocking to behold." More than 71,000 people in Indonesia eventually died. Mt Tamboro's 1815 eruption killed more people in total than any other known volcanic eruption in history.
 Amazingly, despite the fact the Tambora eruption occurred less than 200 years ago and is the most deadly eruption ever to have been observed by humans, few people today have even heard of it. The eruption of Mt Tambora in 1815 remains one the most overlooked natural disasters in history.
Question 42: After the eruption......
A. there were serious food shortages.	B. the surviving inhabitants left the island.
C. many people died of shock.	D. other volcanoes in the region erupted.
Question 43: Crops didn't grow in Europe and North America in the summer of 1816 because......
A. temperatures were so low.	B. people were too ill to farm.
C. disease killed them.	D. animals ate them from the ground.
Question 44: In contrast to other eruptions, the Mt Tambora eruption......
A. didn't spread its lava as fast.	B. didn't cause as much damage.
C. gave fewer signs it was going to happen.	D. took longer to come to an end.
Question 45: The author finds the public's lack of knowledge about the Tambora eruption......
A. unacceptable.	B. disappointing.	C. surprising.	D. understandable.
Question 46: The word ‘lethal’ is closest in meaning to
A. devastating	B. the hottest	C. very dangerous	D. extreme
Question 47: The term ‘volcanic winter' refers to......
A. a period of time when more volcanoes than usual erupt.
B. a decrease in temperatures across the globe caused by a volcanic eruption.
C. an unusually largo volcanic eruption.
D. a longer than normal winter caused by a volcanic eruption.
Question 48: The Mt Tambora eruption......
A. trapped 12,000 people in their homes.	B. occurred during 'the year without a summer'.
C. increased the height of the volcano.	D. threw material 43 km up into the sky.
Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the sentence that best combines each pair of sentences in the following questions.
Question 49: Mum gave birth to the second child. Her first child was only 8 months old.
A. Mum gave birth to the second child while her first child was only 8 months old.
B. Mum gave birth to the second child until her first child was only 8 months old
C. Mum gave birth to the second child before her first child was only 8 months old
D. Mum gave birth to the second child after her first child was only 8 months old.
Question 50: Grandad left all his property to his third wife. He died at 79.
A. The moment Grandad died at 79, he left all his property to his third wife.
B. Although Grandad died at 79, he left all his property to his third wife. 
C. Grandad left all his property to his third wife when he died at79.
D. No sooner had Grandad left all his property to his third wife than he died at 79.
The End
SỞ GIÁO DỤC ĐÀO TẠO BÀI THI THỬ KỲ THI TỐT NGHIỆP TRUNG HỌC PHỔ THÔNG 
 ĐỀ CHÍNH THỨC NĂM HỌC 2017- 2018
 (Đề gồm có 04 trang) MÔN TIẾNG ANH ~ MÃ ĐỀ 002
 Thời gian: 60 phút - không tính thời gian giao đề
Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the sentence that best completes each of the following exchanges.
Question 1: ~ Sam: “.................” ~ Ivy: “Umm. I don’t think so. I might get injured.”
A. I’ll give you a lift to school.	B. Why didn’t you take those tablets before meals?
C. Hey, Ivy. Would you like to join my martial arts class?	D. Fetch the dog and feed him, Ivy.
Question 2: ~ Man: “Do you think you could help me? I have a complaint.” ~ Woman: “...............”
A. How can I get to the central post office, Madam?
B. There’s something wrong with my eyes, dear.
C. You look annoyed. What’s wrong?
D. Please accept my apology, sir. Let’s see what’s wrong.
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 primary stress in each of the following questions.
 Question 3:A. deteriorate	B. conspiracy	C. conscientious	D. provincial
 Question 4:A. advisable	B. admirable	C. reliable	D. desirable
Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the following questions.
Question 5: The United States spends more money on advertising.......country in the world.
A. than any other	B. other than	C. other	D. while other
Question 6: Most accidents in the home can be prevented by.......elimination of hazards.
A. there is a	B. that	C. the	D. that the
Question 7: "We.......by Leo’s announcement to leave the company." ~ "I know! I was left speechless."
A. surprised ourselves	B. were surprised	C. had surprised	D. found surprise
Question 8:.......problems in sailing in tropical seas is the coral reefs.
A. There are the biggest	B. The biggest one	C. One of the biggest	D. Of the biggest one
Question 9: I was so.......with the noise and pollution in the city that I moved to the countryside.
A. fed up	B. taken back	C. put up	D. taken up
Question 10: I was made......for hours before I had my leg examined at the emergency room.
A. to wait	B. to have waited	C. waiting	D. wait
Question 11:.......strength of 70 horses, a forklift toils all day long in a warehouse lifting great weights.
A. Because the	B. The	C. With the	D. Some
Question 12: Each mediocre book we read means one less great book that we would otherwise have a chance........
A. to read them	B. reading	C. read	D. to read
Question 13: My mother worked part-time.....we were growing up.
A. just	B. when	C. before	D. after
Question 14: There weren’t any new members at the club.......I can remember.
A. as long as	B. as far as	C. as much as	D. as well as
Question 15: Julie.......herself badly when she slipped on the icy pavement.
A. damaged	B. hurt	C. wounded	D. harmed
Question 16: Having access to a clean water supply is.......important for everyone in the village.
A. completely	B. vitally	C. considerably	D. totally
Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the word(s) CLOSEST in meaning to the underlined word(s) in each of the following questions.
Question 17: She was understandably intoxicated by her success in the national competition.
A. much excited	B. drunk	C. poisoned	D. unconscious
Question 18: All that time she'd been leading him on, but she was only interested in his money. 
A. falling in love with	B. pretending to be fond of
C. persuading to marry	D. asking for pity 
Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the underlined part that needs correction in each of the following questions.
Question 19: It was suggested that Peter studies the material more throroughly before attempting to pass the exam.
A. studies	B. attempting to pass	C. more throroughly	D. suggested
Question 20: Despie a language barrier, humans have managed to communicate with others through sign language, from which certain motions stand for letters, words, or ideas.
A. Despie	B. from which	C. humans	D. with others
Question 21: Betty said that she knew how the procedures fior doing the experiment, but when we began to work in the laboratory, she found that she was mistaken.
A. to work	B. that	C. mistaken	D. knew how
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.
THE YEAR WITHOUT A SUMMER
 In 1816, Europe and North America suffered their worst summer in centuries. Cold temperatures brought heavy rains, frosts and snowfalls. Harvests failed, livestock died, and the famine and disease that resulted led to the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people. The year 1816 came to be known as 'the year without a summer'.
 Today, we know the cause of this lethal summer. One year previously, the largest and most deadly volcanic eruption in recorded history took place in Indonesia. The sulphur dioxide and dust that the eruption spewed into the atmosphere blocked sunlight and cooled the Earth, leading to a 'volcanic winter'.
 Indonesia has more active volcanoes than any country in the world. On 15th April, 1815, Mt Tambora, a volcano which is situated on the island of Sumbawa, erupted. The event was catastrophic. Toxic gases, rocks, and hot ash spread across the island, killing over 12,000 people instantly. 160 cubic kilometres of ash was thrown into the atmosphere, along with 400 million tons of gas. The eruption column reached an altitude of more than 43 km.
 To get some idea of the scale of the event: before the explosion, Mount Tambora was 4,300 metres high. After, it measured just 2,851 metres. The explosion was so huge it was heard 2,600 km away, and the sky remained dark for two days in areas up to 600 km from the volcano.
 The Tambora eruption was terrifying not only because it was so destructive, but because it happened so suddenly and with such speed. Unlike other more famous eruptions such as at Mt Vesuvius in 79 AD and on the island of Krakatoa in 1883, which had fairly long eruption sequences, Mt Tambora erupted with almost no warning and was extremely quick in reaching its climax.
 The loss of life after the eruption was terrible. Famine of extraordinary and severe intensity immediately broke out, taking the lives of thousands. On 3rd August, 1815, a Lt Phillips arrived on Sumbawa and reported: "The extreme misery to which the inhabitants have been reduced is shocking to behold." More than 71,000 people in Indonesia eventually died. Mt Tamboro's 1815 eruption killed more people in total than any other known volcanic eruption in history.
 Amazingly, despite the fact the Tambora eruption occurred less than 200 years ago and is the most deadly eruption ever to have been observed by humans, few people today have even heard of it. The eruption of Mt Tambora in 1815 remains one the most overlooked natural disasters in history.
Question 22: The Mt Tambora eruption......
A. increased the height of the volcano.	B. occurred during 'the year without a summer'.
C. threw material 43 km up into the sky.	D. trapped 12,000 people in their homes.
Question 23: After the eruption......
A. there were serious food shortages.	B. the surviving inhabitants left the island.
C. many people died of shock.	D. other volcanoes in the region erupted.
Question 24: Crops didn't grow in Europe and North America in the summer of 1816 because......
A. temperatures were so low.	B. animals ate them from the ground.
C. people were too ill to farm.	D. disease killed them.
Question 25: The term ‘volcanic winter' refers to......
A. a decrease in temperatures across the globe caused by a volcanic eruption.
B. an unusually largo volcanic eruption.
C. a longer than normal winter caused by a volcanic eruption.
D. a period of time when more volcanoes than usual erupt.
Question 26: The author finds the public's lack of knowledge about the Tambora eruption......
A. surprising.	B. disappointing.	C. unacceptable.	D. understandable.
Question 27: The word ‘lethal’ is closest in meaning to
A. the hottest	B. very dangerous	C. extreme	D. devastating
Question 28: In contrast to other eruptions, the Mt Tambora eruption......
A. didn't cause as much damage.	B. didn't spread its lava as fast.
C. gave fewer signs it was going to happen.	D. took longer to come to an end.
Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct word or phrase that best fits each of the numbered blanks.
LAUGH TO KEEP FIT!
 We all know what an important part exercise plays in our lives, but nore and more of us are getting less of it. People are often advised to take ...(29)... a sport, but it can often be hard to choose one that you enjoy. At our local community centre, this is set to change with the new laughter yoga classes on ...(30)...
 Laughter yoga is the perfect form of exercise for those who are looking for a fun way to keep fit. You don't need to possess any special skill; just a combination of a positive attitude and a desire for a fun filled workout. Classes ...(31)... place every Friday afternoon and involve breathing exercises and controlled laughter. A ...(32)... session begins with gentle warm-up techniques which include stretching, clapping and body movement; followed by a series of laughter exercises in groups to build confidence.
 Time passes by very quickly and before you know it, you’ve done an hour’s exercise. Not surprisingly, this method of ...(33)... out is extremely popular with all ages and attracts people from a wide ...(34)... of backgrounds. Even relatively shy people really enjoy themselves. So, if you have a sense of humour and are looking for a fun way to keep fit, this is definitely the right workout for you.
 Question 29:A. on	B. down	C. after	D. up
 Question 30:A. display	B. demand	C. offer	D. request
 Question 31:A. fill	B. get	C. take	D. have
 Question 32:A. normal	B. typical	C. standard	D. plain
 Question 33:A. working	B. trying	C. going	D. testing
 Question 34:A. mix	B. selection	C. choice	D. variety
Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the sentence that best combines each pair of sentences in the following questions.
Question 35: Grandad left all his property to his third wife. He died at 79.
A. Grandad left all his property to his third wife when he died at79.
B. No sooner had Grandad left all his property to his third wife than he died at 79.
C. Although Grandad died at 79, he left all his property to his third wife. 
D. The moment Grandad died at 79, he left all his property to his third wife.
Question 36: Mum gave birth to the second child. Her first child was only 8 months old.
A. Mum gave birth to the second child after her first child was only 8 months old.
B. Mum gave birth to the second child while her first child was only 8 months old.
C. Mum gave birth to the second child until her first child was only 8 months old
D. Mum gave birth to the second child before her first child was only 8 months old
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.
WHAT'S IN A GADGET?
 They keep us in touch with our friends and family, entertain us and even help us fnd our way. Gadgets are great and almost everyone has one. Have you ever thought about where that curious word 'gadget' comes from, though, or even what makes our gadgets work?
 While you might find a large number of English words relating to science and technology have an ancient Greek origin, the word 'gadget' seems to have appeared on the scene not so long ago. In fact, it seems that the word was first used sometime in the 19th century but experts disagree on when and where. According to some experts, sailors used to use the slang word 'gadget' to refer to tools or mechanical parts whose precise names they couldn't remember while other sources maintain that it comes from the French word cachette, a small mechanism, or gagée, a small tool or accessory. Today, the word has taken on the meaning of a small, compact, high performance mobile device that requires little or no skill to use and that provides a service or entertainment.
 So what's inside these ever so popular and useful whatchamacallits? At the heart of most gadgets, or electronic devices, is the semiconductor. Most semiconductors are made from extremely thin wafers of a very common substance, silicon. In fact, silicon is one of the most abundant materials on the planet and is the main
element in sand. It doesn't conduct electricity very well and it isn't particularly valuable. Silicon is a pure semiconductor and therefore has uniqje properties. By adding other natural elements to silicon, in a process called "doping", engineers can control the amount of electric current that flows through it. This is very important when making parts for electronic devices such as computers or mobile phores because it is the amount and direction of current that passes through a device that makes it work in any specific way. Inside an electronic device you will find a series of components such as resistors and transistors all made with silicon. A diode, f