Bộ đề thi môn Tiếng Anh - Thi thử THPT Quốc gia năm 2014-2015 (Có đáp án)

QUANG TRI DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION & TRAINING
DONG HA HIGH SCHOOL
Academic Year: 2014-2015
THE STATE’S HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION EXAMINATION MOCK TEST No.1
Allotted time: 90 minutes
Candidate Full Name:  - Candidate No. 
PART 1: MULTIPLE CHOICE (0.125 x 64 = 8.0p)
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. 
The Planets of Jupiter
	The largest of the giant gas planets, Jupiter, with a volume 1,300 times greater than Earth’s, contains more than twice the mass of all the other planets combined. It is thought to be a gaseous and fluid planet without solid surfaces, Had it been somewhat more massive, Jupiter might have attained internal temperatures as high as the ignition point for nuclear reactions, and it would have flamed as a star in its own right. Jupiter and the other giant planets are of a low-density type quite distinct from the terrestrial planets: they are composed predominantly of such substances as hydrogen, helium, ammonia, and methane, unlike terrestrial planets. Much of Jupiter’s interior might be in the form of liquid, metallic hydrogen, Normally, hydrogen is a gas, but under pressures of millions of kilograms per square centimeter, which exist in the deep interior of Jupiter, the hydrogen atoms might lock together to form a liquid with the properties of a metal. Some scientists believe that the innermost core of Jupiter might be rocky, or metallic like the core of Earth. 
	Jupiter rotates very fast, once every 9.8 hours. As a result, its clouds, which are composed largely of frozen and liquid ammonia, have been whipped into alternating dark and bright bands that circle the planet at different speeds in different latitudes. Jupiter’s puzzling Great Red Spot changes size as it hovers in the Southern Hemisphere. Scientists speculate it might be a gigantic hurricane, which because of its large size (the Earth could easily fit inside it), lasts for hundreds of years.  
	Jupiter gives off twice as much heat as it receives from the Sun. Perhaps this is primeval heat or beat generated by the continued gravitational contraction of the planet. Another star like characteristic of Jupiter is its sixteen natural satellites, which, like a miniature model of the Solar System, decrease in density with distance from rocky moons close to Jupiter to icy moons farther away. If Jupiter were about 70 times more massive, it would have become a star, Jupiter is the best-preserved sample of the early solar nebula, and with its satellites, might contain the most important clues about the origin of the Solar System.
The word attained in paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to _____.
	A. attempted	B. changed	C. lost	D. reached
The word they in paragraph 1 refers to _____.
	A. nuclear reactions	B. giant planets	C. terrestrial	D. substances
According to the passage, hydrogen can become a metallic-like liquid when it is _____.
	A. extremely hot	B. combined with helium	
	C. similar atmospheres	D. metallic cores
According to the passage, some scientists believe Jupiter and Earth are similar in that they both have _____.
	A. solid surfaces	B. similar masses	C. similar atmospheres 	D. metallic cores
The clouds surrounding Jupiter are mostly composed of _____.
	A. ammonia	B. helium	C. hydrogen	D. methane
It can be inferred from the passage that the appearance of alternating bands circling Jupiter is caused by _____.
	A. the Great Red Spot	
	B. heat from the Sun
	C. the planet’s fast rotation
	D. Storms from the planet’s Southern Hemisphere
The author uses the word puzzling in paragraph 2 to suggest that the Great Red Spot is _____.
	A. the only spot of its kind	
	B. not well understood	
	C. among the largest of such spots	
	D. a problem for the planet’s continued existence
Paragraph 3 supports which of the following conclusions? 
	A. Jupiter gives off twice as much heat as the Sun.
	B. Jupiter has a weaker gravitational force than the other planets.
	C. Scientists believe that Jupiter was once a star.
	D. Scientists might learn about the beginning of the Solar System by Studying Jupiter.
Why does the author mention primeval heat in paragraph 3? 
	A. To provide evidence that Jupiter is older than the Sun
	B. To provide evidence that Jupiter is older than the other planets
	C. To suggest a possible explanation for the number of satellites that Jupiter has
	D. To suggest a possible source of the quantity of heat that Jupiter gives off
 Which of the following statements is supported by the passage? 
A. If Jupiter had fewer satellites, it would be easier for scientists to study the planet itself.
B. If Jupiter had had more mass, it would have developed internal nuclear reactions.
C. If Jupiter had been smaller, it would have become a terrestrial planet.
D. if Jupiter were larger, it would give off much less heat.
Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the word whose underlined part is pronounced differently from that of the rest in each of the following questions.
 A. lean	B. teammate	C. beacon	D. overhead 
 A. challenge	B. snatch	C. brochure	D. chocolate
 A. naked	B. sacred	C. learned 	D. studied
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.
 A. description	B. counselor	C. inspector	D. amendment
 A. psychiatry	B. inexpensive	C. patriotic	D. scientific
Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the following questions.
 By tomorrow, the car _____ by me.
	A. will have been bought	B. will be bought	C. was being bought	D. was bought
 “_____” is used to express disagreement.
	A. I couldn’t disagree with you any more.	B. That’s not a good idea. 
	C. That’s the way I see it.	D. That’s what I’m not thinking of.
 The meeting has been put _____ to Friday as so many people have got the flu.
	A. up 	B. in	C. out	D. back
 The activities of the international marketing researcher are frequently much broader than _____.
	A. the domestic marketer has 	B. the domestic marketer does 
	C. those of the domestic marketer 	D. that which has the domestic marketer
 I am wrong, _____?
	A. aren't I	B. are I 	C. are not I 	D. am I
 - A: “John got married again.” - B: “Really? Who _____?”
	A. with 	B. at 	C. to	D. about
 The child was told to _____ for being rude to his uncle.
	A. excuse 	B. apologize 	C. forgive 	D. confess
 Mai: “Wow, I’ve never seen such a nice cell phone, Nam” - Nam: “_____”.
	A. Oh, I don’t know.	B. Thank you. I’m glad you like it.
	C. You’re welcome.	D. I agree with you.
 - A: “Are you interested in scuba diving?” - B: “A lot. Undersea life is _____.” 
	A. fascinating	B. fascinate	C. fascinates 	D. fascinated
 "_____ anyone ring while I’m away, please take a message."
	A. Will	B. May	C. Should	D. Would
 She had to pass all her exams, or _____ she would not have a holiday. 
	A. instead 	B. else	C. though	D. therefore
 The meeting has been brought _____ to Monday due to the seriousness of the situation.
	A. on	B. out	C. down	D. forward
 If you want your son to do better on his exams, I suggest he _____ harder.
	A. will study	B. studies	C. will study	D. study 
 My uncle was _____ ill last summer; however, fortunately, he is now making a slow but steady recovery.
	A. seriously	B. deeply	C. fatally 	D. critically
 The chief foods eaten in any country depend largely on _____ best in its climate and soil. 
	A. what grows	B. it grows	C. does it grow 	D. what does it grow
 She made a list of what to do ______ forget anything.
	A. in order to	B. so as not to	C. so that	D. not to
 A: “Can I smoke in here?” - B: “I’d rather you _____.”
	A. don’t	B. didn’t	C. won’t	D. can’t
 The grape is the _____, juicy fruit of a woody vine. 
	A. skin which is smooth	B. skinned is smooth 	C. smooth-skinned	D. smooth skin
 The _____ collar workers received a rise, but the workers on the shop-door were told they had to wait.
	A. blue	B. black 	C. grey	D. white 
_____ wooden buildings helps to protect them from damage due to weather. 
	A. The paint	B. Painted 	C. By painting	D. Painting 
 She kept him _____ because he had a high temperature.
	A. on	B. in	C. off	D. out
 Using many symbols makes _____ to put a large amount of information on a single map. 
	A. it possible	B. possible	C. it is possible 	D. that possible
 Having been served lunch, _____.
	A. the problem was discussed by the members of the committee 
	B. it was discussed by the committee members the problem
	C. the committee members discussed the problem 
	D. a discussion of the problem was made by the members of the committee
 Not until the dedication of Yellowstone Park in the late nineteenth century _____ a national park. 
	A. the United States had 	B. did the United States have 	
	C. when the United States had 	D. the United States having
 _____ mammals have hair at some time in their lives, though in certain whales it is present only before birth. 
	A. Most 	B. The most 	C. Most of which 	D. In most of the
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.
 Polluted water and increased water temperatures have driven many species to the verge of extinction
	A. enriched	B. contaminated	C. purified	D. strengthened
 The story told by the teacher amused children in the class.
	A. astonished	B. frightened C. jolted 	D. saddened 
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.
 You must answer the police’s questions truthfully; otherwise, you will get into trouble.	
	A. in a harmful way	B. as trustingly as you can	
	C. with a negative attitude	D. exactly as you can
 It takes me 15 minutes to get ready.
	A. to prepare	B. to wake up	C. to go	D. to get up
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.
 It is vitally important that she takes this medication night and morning.
	 A B C D
 Had it not been for you help me, I wouldn't have succeeded.
	 A B C D
 Children enjoy telling and listening to ghosts stories, especially on Halloween night.
 A B C D
 We had better to review this chapter carefully because we will have some questions on it on our test tomorrow. A B C D
Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the sentence that is CLOSEST in meaning to the sentence given in each of the following questions.
 Due to the fact that the demand for tea was very high in the 19th century, its price was astronomical.
	A. It was not until the 19th century that the demand for tea started to increase.
	B. It was its astronomical price which decreased the demand for tea in the 19th century.	
C. In the 19th century the price for tea didn't increase despite the demand.	
D. The demand for tea was so high in the 19th century that its price was enormous.
 French is the only language other than English spoken on five continents.
	A. French and English are spoken widely in official and commercial circles.	
B. Unlike French, English is spoken on five continents.
C. French and English are the only languages that are spoken on five continents.
	D. Before English, French was the only language spoken on five continents.	
 Adults laugh less than children, probably because they play less. 
	A. unlike adults children laugh more while playing games.
B. Since adults have less time playing games; they don't laugh as much as children.
C. The reason why adults laugh less than children might be that they play less.
D. No matter how much adults play, they can't laugh more than children.
Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the sentence that best combines the pair of sentences given in each of the following questions.
 The fire-fighters made every effort to put off the flames. The building burned down completely. 
	A. The building burned down completely though the fire-fighters made every effort to put off the flames.
	B. Had it not been for the fire-fighters’ every effort, the building would have burned down completely. 
	C. Making every effort to put off the flames, the fire-fighters completely burned down the building. 
	D. Since the fire-fighters made every effort to put off the flames, the building burned down completely. 
 Marry loved her stuffed animal when she was young. She couldn’t sleep without it. 
	A. When Marry was young, she loved her stuffed animal so as not to sleep with it.
	B. As Marry couldn’t sleep without her stuffed animal when she was young, she loved it. 
	C. When Marry was young, she loved her stuffed animal though she couldn’t sleep without it. 
	D. When Marry was young, she loved her stuffed animal so much that she couldn’t sleep without it. 
 She phoned him early in the morning. She didn’t want him to forget to bring along the document. 
	A. She phoned him early in the morning when she didn’t want him to bring along the document. 
	B. She phoned him early in the morning so that she wanted him to bring along the document. 
	C. She phoned him early in the morning lest he would forget to bring along the document. 
	D. She phoned him early in the morning though she didn’t want him to forget to bring along the document. 
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. 
Environmental Concerns
	Earth is the only place we know of in the universe that can support human life. (55) _____ human activities are making the planet less fit to live on. As the western world (56) _____ on consuming two-thirds of the world's resources while half of the world's population do so just to stay alive we are rapidly destroying the (57) _____ resource we have by which all people can survive and prosper. Everywhere fertile soil is (58) _____ built on or washed into the sea. Renewable resources are exploited so much that they will never be able to recover (59) _____. We discharge pollutants into the atmosphere without any thought of the consequences. As a (60) _____ the planet's ability to support people is being reduced at the very time when rising human numbers and consumption are (61) _____ increasingly heavy demands on it. 
	The Earth's (62) _____ resources are there for us to use. We need food, water, air, energy, medicines, warmth, shelter and minerals to (63) _____ us fed, comfortable, healthy and active. If we are sensible in how we use the resources, they will (64) _____ indefinitely. But if we use them wastefully and excessively, they will soon run out and everyone will suffer.
 A. Although 	B. Yet 	C. Still 	D. Despite 
 A. continues 	B. repeats 	C. follows	D. carries 
 A. individual 	B. alone 	C. very 	D. solitary 
 A. neither 	B. sooner 	C. rather	D. either 
 A. utterly 	B. completely	C. quite 	D. greatly
 A. result 	B. reaction 	C. development 	D. product 
 A. making 	B. doing 	C. having 	D. taking 
 A. living 	B. real 	C. natural 	D. genuine 
 A. maintain	B. stay 	C. hold 	D. keep 
 A. remain 	B. go 	C. last 	D. stand 
PART 2: WRITING TASK (2.0p)
You should spend about 30 minutes writing a paragraph.
Do you agree or disagree with the following statement?
'Parents are the best teachers.'
Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer. You should give reasons for your answer using your own ideas and experience.
Write at least 250 words.-----
------------ THE END ----------
KEYS
1. D
2. B
3. C
4. D
5. A
6. C
7. B
8. D
9. D
10. B
11. D
12. C
13. D
14. B
15. A
16. A
17. B
18. D
19. C
20. A
21. C
22. B
23. B
24. A
25. C
26. B
27. D
28. D
29. A
30. A
31. B
32. B
33. C
34. D
35. D
36. B
37. A
38. C
39. B
40. A
41. C
42. D
43. D
44. A
45. C
46. B
47. B
48. A
49. D
50. C
51. C
52. A
53. D
54. C
55. B
56. D
57. C
58.D
59. B
60. A
61. A
62. C
63. D
64. B
QUANG TRI DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION & TRAINING
DONG HA HIGH SCHOOL
Academic Year: 2014-2015
THE STATE’S HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION EXAMINATION MOCK TEST No.2
Allotted time: 90 minutes
Candidate Full Name:  - Candidate No. 
PART 1: MULTIPLE CHOICE (0.125 x 64 = 8.0p)
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. 
A. Breathing	B. Ethane	C. Thank	D. Healthy	
A. School	B. Blood	C. Choose	D. Bamboo	
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. 
A. Charity	B. Helicopter	C. Enthusiasm	D. Operate
A. Corporation	B. Unexpected	C. Centenarian	D. Authority 
A. Acquaintance	B. Attraction	C. Suspicion	D. Influence
Mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the following questions.
By the time I _____ to bed last night, I _____ my homework.
	A. went – have already finished	B. had gone – already finished
	C. went – had already finished	D. was going – were already finishing
In an _____ to diffuse the tension, I suggest that we break off for lunch.	
	A. attempt	B. advance	C. effort	D. ability 	
Electric lights are _____, clean, and give more light than gas.
	A. economy	B. economical	C. economic	D. economics	
The survey was to find out the young people’s attitudes _____ love.	
	A. towards 	B. above	C. beneath	D. with	
Peter: “I thought your game was much better last night.” – Dave: “You’ve got to be kidding! _____!
	A. I myself like it very much	B. I thought it was terrible 	
	C. I’m sure you enjoy it	D. I suppose it was not bad	
_____ her hard work, she could not have passed the exam.	
	A. Due to	B. Because	C. Though	D. Had it not been for	
_____ handball is fast becoming _____ popular sport worldwide.	
	A. The - the	B. A - W	C. W - a	D. W - the	
It is our responsibility to contribute to _____ our own lives.	
	A. growing	B. heightening	C. bettering	D. increasing	
He was not prepared for the test; _____, he managed to pass it.	
	A. however	B. therefore	C. so	D. but	
Early morning parties were held across the city to mark the _____ event. 	
	A. historical	B. history	C. historian	D. historic	
She suggested that we _____ at the restaurant in the Hilton Garden Inn for a change of venue. 	
	A. could meet	B. meet	C. will meet	D. met	
Michael could hardly wait to _____ his new bike.	
	A. sit down	B. turn back	C. try out	D. put on	
There _____ two stone lions at the gate of that old house. Isn’t that right?
	A. used to be	B. used to	C. were used to	D. being used
My father and his teacher talked a lot about the things and persons _____ they could remember. 
	A. who 	B. which 	C. what 	D. that
I am 17 years old now. I wish my parents wouldn't treat me as if I _____ a child. 
	A. was 	B. were 	C. am 	D. have been
Mr. Li made up his mind to devote all he could _____ his oral English before going abroad. 
	A. improve 	B. to improve 	C. improving 	D. to improving
Mai: “Our living standards have been improved greatly” – Susan: “_____.”
	A. Thank you for saying so 	B. Sure. I couldn’t agree more	
	C. No, it’s nice to say so 	D. Yes, it’s nice of you to say so
Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the following questions. 
Tommy was one _____. 
	A. of the happiest children in the class	B. of the happiest child in the class 
	C. child who was happiest of all the class 	D. happy children of his class
_____ falls on the 2nd of September. 
	A. Vietnam's Independent Day 	B. The day of the Vietnamese independence 
	C. Vietnam's Independence Day	D. Vietnamese's Independence Day
George knew _____ improve his test scores, but he did not have enough time to study. 
	A. what to	B. how he could	C. how that	D. how could he
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. 	
Fruit and vegetables grew in abundance on the island. The islanders even exported the surplus.  
	A. large quantity     	B. excess    	C. small quantity     	D. sufficiency
She decided to remain celibate and devote her life to helping the homeless and orphans.  
	A. married 	B. divorced 	C. separated	D. single
Mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the word(s) SIMILAR in meaning to the underlined word(s) in each of the following questions. 
I could see the finish line and thought I was home and dry.
	A. hopeless 	B. hopeful  	C. unsuccessful	D. successful   
You will need a sound understanding of basic teaching skills if you want to enter the classroom with great confidence.
	A. sufficient      	B. defective                   	C. inadequate                 	D. thorough.
We spent the entire day looking for a new apartment.
	A. the long day 	B. all day long	C. all long day	D. day after day
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. 
If I knew you were coming, I would have met you at the airport.
 A B C D
I enjoyed talking to the people with that I met at the party last night.
 A B C D
Despite of the fact that I washed my hands, they still look dirty.
 A B C D
In my opinion, he maybe elected because he is honest, knowledgeable and competent.
 A B C D
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. 
MUSIC – A UNIVERSAL LANGUAGE
	Music is universal - it is produced by all cultures. Some scientists believe that music came before speech and (35) _____ as a development of mating calls. In fact, there is one theory that the (36) _____ languages were chanted or sung rather than spoken. Indeed, in some cultures, music is a form of (37) _____ history. The Aboriginal Australians, for example, use music as a means to pass on stories of the land and spirits to the next (38) _____. 
	New evidence suggests that music does not just (39) _____ the feel-good factor but it is also good for the brain. A study of intellectually disabled children showed that they could recall more (40) _____ after it was given to them in a song than after it was read to them as a story. 
	Researchers also report that people score better on a standard intelligence (41) _____ after listening to Mozart. The so–called 'Mozart effect', has also been (42) _____ by findings that rats brought up on Mozart run faster through a complex network of paths or passages, (43) _____ as a maze. Overall, it seems that in most instances people who suffer from any form of mental (44) _____ benefit from listening to music. 
35. A. was 	B. swelled 	C. arose	D. reacted
36. A. simplest	B. newest 	C. easiest 	D. earliest 
37. A. enjoying 	B. making 	C. recording 	D. stating
38. A. children 	B. people 	C. tribe 	D. generation
39. A. convince 	B. satisfy 	C. please 	D. prefer
40. A. information	B. knowledge 	C. memory 	D. facts
41. A. form 	B. scheme 	C. demonstration 	D. test
42. A. supported 	B. given 	C. marked 	D. remembered
43. A. called 	B. heard 	C. regarded 	D. known
44. A. badness 	B. hurt 	C. illness 	D. pain
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 45 to 54.
	Cities develop as a result of functions that they can perform. Some functions result directly from the ingenuity of the citizenry, but most functions result from the needs of the local area and of the surrounding hinterland (the region that supplies goods to the city and to which the city furnishes services and other goods). Geographers often make a distinction between the situation and the site of a city. Situation refers to the general position in relation to the surrounding region, whereas site involves physical characteristics of the specific location. Situation is normally much more important to the continuing prosperity of a city. If a city is well situated in regard to its hinterland, its development is much more likely to continue. Chicago, for example, possesses an almost unparalleled situation: it is located at the southern end of a huge lake that forces east-west transportation lines to be compressed into its vicinity, and at a meeting of significant land and water transport routes. It also overlooks what is one of the world’s finest large farming regions. These factors ensured that Chicago would become a great city regardless of the disadvantageous characteristics of the available site, such as being prone to flooding during thunderstorm activity. 
	Similarly, it can be argued that much of New York City’s importance stems from its early and continuing advantage of situation. Philadelphia and Boston both originated at about the same time as New York and shared New York’s location at the western end of one of the world’s most important oceanic trade routes, but only New York possesses an easy-access functional connection (the Hudson-Mohawk Lowland) to the vast Midwestern Hinterland. This account does not alone explain New York’s primacy, but it does include several important factors. Among the many aspects of situation that help to explain why some cities grow and others do not, original location on a navigable waterway seems particularly applicable. Of course, such characteristic as slope, drainage, power resources, river crossings, coastal shapes, and other physical characteristics help to determine city location, but such factors are normally more significant in early stages of city development than later.  
What does the passage mainly discuss? 
A. The development of trade routes through United States cities. 
B. Contrasts in settlement patterns in United States. 
C. Historical differences among three large United States cities. 
D. The importance of geographical situation in the growth of United States cities.
The word “ingenuity” in paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to _____.
	A. wealth 	B. resourcefulness 	C. traditions 	D. organization 
According to the passage, a city’s situation is more important than its site in regard to the city’s ____. 
	A. long-term growth and prosperity	B. ability to protect its citizenry 
	C. possession of favorable weather conditions 	D. need to import food supplies 
The author mentions each of the following as an advantage of Chicago’s location EXCEPT its ____. 
	A. hinterland 	B. nearness to a large lake
	C. flat terrain 	D. position in regard to transport routes 	
The word “characteristics” in paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to _____.
	A. choices 	B. attitudes 	C. qualities 	D. inhabitants 
The primary purpose of paragraph 1 is to _____.
	A. summarize past research and introduce a new study 
	B. describe a historical period 
	C. emphasize the advantages of one theory over another 
	D. define a term and illustrate it with an example 
According to the passage, Philadelphia and Boston are similar to New York City in _____.
	A. size of population 	B. age 	
	C. site 	D. availability of rail transportation 
The word “functional” in paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to _____.
	A. usable	B. unknown 	C. original 	D. alternate
The word “it” in paragraph 2 refers to _____. 
	A. account 	B. primacy 	C. connection 	D. hinterland 
The word “significant” in paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to _____.
	A. threatening 	B. meaningful 	C. obvious 	D. available 
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 55 to 64.
	We believe the Earth is about 4.6 billion years old. At present we are forced to look to other bodies in the solar system for hints as to what the early history of the Earth was like. 
	Studies of our moon, Mercury, Mars, and the large satellites of Jupiter and Saturn have provided ample evidence that all these large celestial bodies were bombarded by smaller objects in a wide variety of sizes shortly after the larger bodies had formed. This same bombardment must have affected Earth as well. The lunar record indicates that the rate of impacts decreased to its present low level about 4 billion years ago. On Earth, subsequent erosion and crustal motions have obliterated the craters that must have formed during this epoch. 
	Scientists estimate the Earth's age by measuring the ratios of various radioactive elements in rocks. The oldest Earth rocks tested thus far are about 3 1/3 billion years old. But no one knows whether these are the oldest rocks on Earth. Tests on rocks from the moon and on meteorites show that these are about 4.6 billion years old. Scientists believe that this is the true age of the solar system and probably the true age of the Earth
In paragraph 2, the word "obliterated" means _____.
	A. created	B. destroyed	C. changed	D. eroded
According to this passage, how do scientists estimate the age of the Earth?
A. By measuring the ratios of radioactive elements in rocks.
B. By examining fossils.
C. By studying sunspots.
D. By examining volcanic activity.
Scientists estimate the age of the Earth as_____.
	A. 3 1/3 billion years old	B. 4 billion years old	C. 4.6 billion years old	D. 6 billion years old
Which of the following processes led to the obliteration of the craters formed by the bombardment of the Earth by celestial bodies?
	A. Volcanic activity.	B. Solar radiation.	C. Gravity.	D. Crustal motions.
According to the passage, why are scientists forced to look at other bodies in the solar