Đề thi môn Tiếng Anh - Kỳ thi chọn học sinh giỏi Quốc Gia THPT năm 2016

T-
:-
-
i
- 
Ky thi chsn HSGQG THPT
Nim 2016
HQI EONG COI THI
(TinhiTP, trudng clAi hgc)
Mdn thi: TIENG ANH
Ngiy thi 06/01/2016
Cfn bQ coi thi s5 1 C6n bQ coi thi sd 2
(Ky vd ghi rO h9 t€n)
sO puacH
'r t
BAN CITNNII
H9 vd t6n thi sinh:......,... ... S6 bao dpnh
'!
Nam hay nfr:.... ................,....
Ngdy sinh:..........
Noi sinh:
Hgc sinh trudng:....
Eang hgc lorp:..
cht f:
- Thi sinh phdi ghi d,ny dil cdc mqc 6 tAn.
- Thi sinh khQng duqc tV ftn hay dilng biit c* W hiQu gi ae aann diiu bdi thi.
- Bdi thi khfing duqc vidt bdng mtrc d6, bfit chi.; khdng.viiit bdng 2 thilr mryc. Phdn vidt hdng,
ngodi cdch dimg thudc ggch ch6o kh6ng duqc tay xda biing Oiit tcl,cdch gi khtic ftA cd bfit xoi).
- Trdi voi cdc diiu trAn, thI sinh sA bi liqi.
,l Thdigian thi:
BAN CTffiNII
Bg clAo DUc vA oAo rao KV THt CHQN HgC slNH GtOt ouoc ctA THPT
CIE THIcHiNH THOc NAM 2016
M6n thi: TENG ANH
180 ph0t (kh6ng ke thdi gian giao dA)
06101/2016
De thi c6 t2 trang
s6 PHACH
. Thi sinh khdng duo. c st}. dUng tdi tiQu, kd cA tir di6n.
. Gi6m thikhOng gidithich gi thdm.
l. LISTENING (50 points)
HLTC}NG DAN PHAN THI NGHE HIEU
o Bdi nghe gdm 4 phAn; m6i phan duEc nghe z tdn, m6i lAn cdch nhau 05 gidy; md dAu vit kdt thlc mdi pndn
nghe cO tln hiQu. Thl sinh cd 20 gidy dd dec mdi phdn cdu hdi.
. Md ddu vd ket thlc bdi nghe cd tln hi€u nhac. Thl sinh cO 03 phht dd noan chlnh bdi truOc tln hiQu nhac
Xet tnlc bdi nghe.
. Mei huOng ddn cho thi sinh (bdng fieng Anh) dd cd trong bdi nghe.
Part 1. Listen to part of a conversation between a manager of a shop and a new employee, Penny.
For questions 7-5, choose the correct answer A, B, C or D, Write your answers in the corresponding
numbered boxes provided. 0 has been done as an example.
Example: 0. Penny's interview took place 
_.
A. yesterday B. last week C. two weeks ago D. last month
A. has a new name B. sells ladies' dresses
C. sells children's clothes D. gives advice on fashion
2. The section next to the one Penny will work in is called
A. The Youngster B. The Youngset C. The Young Set D. The Young Star
3. How much is Penny paid for an average hour?
A. $8.50 B. $6.50 C. $6.15 D. $2.00
4. Penny will have a break of total every working day. r
A. 75 minutes B. 60 minutes C. 45 minutes D. 15 minutes
5. New employees like Penny are entitled to 
_.
A. off-work training B. an annualfour-week holiday
C. daily training D. an annual three-week holiday
Your answers
o.B Ir. 2. 3. 4. E
Pari 2. Listen to a report on Korean education. For questions 6-10, complete the following fasks.
For questions 6-7, choose TWO letters from A-E.
Which TWO things are mentioned as factors putting students under study pressure in Korea?
A. regular school at night
B. double-shift schooling
C. formidable parents
D. lack of human resources
E. lack of natural resources
For questions 8-10, cfioose THREE letters from A-G.
Which THREE things are mentioned as a result of too much emphasis on non-stop studying in Korea?
A. maximum scores in formalexams
B. extraordinary single-mindedness
C. construction of power plants
D. worldwide renowned brands
E. internationally recognised qualifications
F. huge investment in education
G. top student suicidal rate among industrial nations
6.
7.
8.
L
10.
Page 1 of 12 pages
Part 3. Lrsfen to part of a news bultetin about the Trans-Pacific partnership, known as the TPP.
For questions 11-75, give shorl anslyers to the guesfions. Write NO MORE THAN THREE
WORDS AND/OR A NTJMBER taken from the recording for each answer in thespace provided.
1 1. what proportion of global GDP do the combined 12 economies make up?
12. What is given as an example of methods to promote trade between nations?
13. what state-owned company in chile is mentioned as a 'protected market'?
14. ln order to ensure fair competition among businesses, what kind of standards must the nations
involved meet besides environmental ones?
15. What are the TWO factors blamed for higher prices of medicine worldwide?
Part 4. Listen to a student called Mara Barnes giving a presentation about the language of the
Piraha people who live in the Amazon basin. For questions 16-25, complete the summary. Write
NO MORE THAN THREE t4lORDS taken from the recording for each answer in the space
provided.
THE LANGUAGE OF THE PIRAHA
Mara defines the way of life of the Piraha people as fitting into tlre 1to;
category.
Mara explains that beicause most sp6akers of Piraha are (17)
language is not under imminent threat.
Professor Everett was surprised to discover that the Piraha language has no words for ideas like (1S)
-" 
or "'number".
From his experiments, Professor Everett found that the Piraha people couldn't understand the concept
of number because (1 9) were not needed in their daily lives.
Mara thinks that the Piraha language sounds more like (20) than speech.
The (21) used in the Piraha language are thought to have originated in
another local language.
As the Piraha have no written language, very few storytelling traditions, and no decorative art traditions,
and concentrate on their present needs, they do not have a (22)
Professor Everett gives the example of the Piraha's superior (23)
'support his idea that they are not unintelligent.
Different from Professor Chomsky's ideas about a universal grammar, Professor Everett thinks that the
(24) of Piraha is not determined by the inborn system of grammar.
According to Mara, not many people can (25)
Professor Everett's theory because the Piraha language is hard to learn.
the
to
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or
ll. LEXICO-GRAMMAR (20 points)
Paft 1. For questions 26-39, choose the correct answer A, B, C, or D to each of the followingguesfions and write your answers in the'corresponding numbered Doxes provided.
26' lt's to complete a journey by public transport in totat silence as there are usually several
conversations going on at once.
A. irregular B. infrequent C. scarce D. rare
27. Al.night, a fog often descends over the river, creating a(n) 
_ 
atmosphere.
A. magical B. eerie -C. attractive D. sober
28. For cash-rich, time-poor workers, breakfast consumption has become the preferred option.
A. on-the-run B. on-the-spot c. on{he-road D. on-the-go
29. "Promise me that not a word of what you have seen or heard here tonight will ever pass y:our 
_."A. lips B. mouth C. teeth D. tongue
30. ln his speech, the Managing Director the innovative work of the design team.
A. cast doubt on B. paid tribute to c. put paid to D. got set on
31' lt is su-ggested by most doctors that people with hypertension should not take in food.
A. affluent B. rich C. wealthy D. la\rish
32. A qualified coach the performance of the national team has greatly improved.
A. invited B. was invited c. inviting b. be invited
33. You may be 
- 
to put all the eggs in one basket; you need to save for a rainy day.
A. inadvisable B. well-advised c. ill-advised D, advisable
34. Portugal scored a goal in the ninetieth minute, the referee blew the whisfle.
_ 
A at that point B. in when J, in which D. at which point
35. You can go and buy the tickets for us and I'll see the luggage until you get back.
A. out B. about C. around -- - d. to
36. That dilapidated house may want a lot if any tenant is to live in it.
37. The polar explorers have to plan everything carefully so as to leave nothing to 
_.
^A' opportunity B. luck c. chance - o. possioitity38. One of the biggest advantages of living in the town over living in the village is that it's close to shops,
banks, schools and other
A. proprieties EGlrices c. amenities D. utitities
39. The 21st Conference of the parties has just been in Paris to discuss the global climate change
treaty.
A. gathered
Your answers
Part 2. For questions 40-45, write the cgrrect form of each bracketed word in the numbered spaceprovided in the column on the right. 0 has been done as an example
Your answers
0. recognition
B. collected C. assembled D. convened
Perhaps the most vivid illustration of our gift lor (0) (RECoGNtzE) is the
magic of caricature 
- 
the fact that the sparest cartoon of a familiar face, even a
single line dashed off in two seconds, can be identified by our brains in an
instant. lt is often said that a good caricature looks more like a person than the
person themselves. As it happens, this notion, (40) 
_ 
(tNTUlfloN) though
it may sound, is actually supported by research. In the rieto of vision science,
there is even a term for this seeming paradox 
- 
the caricature effect 
- 
a phrase
that hints at how our brains (41) 
_ 
(pERCEpfloN) faces as much as
perceive them.
H.qman faces are all built pretty much the same: two eyes above a nose that's
above a mouth, the features varying from person to person generally by mere
millinretres. So what our brains look for, according to vision scientisis, are the(42) 
- 
(LIE) features 
- 
those characteristics that deviate most from the
ideal face we carry around in our heads, the running average of every "visage"
we have ever seen. We code each new face we encounter not in absolute terms,
but in the several ways it differs (43) (MARK) from the mean. ln other
words, we accentuate what is most important for recognition and largely ignore
what is not. our perception fixates on the (44) 
_(TURN) nose, ihe sunken
eyes or the (45) (FLESH) cheeks, making them loom larger. To better
identify and remember people, we turn them into caricatures.
40.
41.
42.
43.
44.
45.
26. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. 32.
33. 34. 35. 36. 37. 38. 39.
Dano ? af ',l9 nanao
lll. READING (50 points)
Pa( 1. For questions 46-55, filt each of the following numbered btanks with ONE suitable word and
write your answers tn the corresponding numbered 6oxes provided.
SUCCESSFUL TRAVEL WRITING
Ol" 9i the biggest temptations for someone new to the travel game is to look at everything through rose-tinted (46)--, and this typically comes out in their writing. They paint everything to 5e magical andperfect, and their stories are lald oui in romantic, flowery languige. gut ine reality is that over time the road
will lose its lustre, and any reader who knows that is g6ing 6 s6e right through your" prore. Not to mention
that the harsh (47) 
. of a place are often just is iriteresting is the p6etiy used to (4S)_ it 
-probably even more interesting. Look over what you've written, anO if it seems'as if you've lust written abrochure, you might want to have (49)- took. tt might be your limited (Oo) - that ii causing the
issue 
- 
perhaps you're still caught up in tne magic of the-road. Oi pernaps yb, ir" too 
"aught 
up in sllting
the romance of travel.
Although getting (51)- the beaten track is always a good idea when travelling, travel writers
nonetheless feel they need to capture the biggest sites thaieveryone comes to a specific co-untry to see. So,
even if they are the more adventurous type,-they end up (521 to the same places that everyone elsegoes to. lt lay depend on what audience you're writing toi, uur tfre best advice is always to head in the
opposite (53)_- to. everyone else and just see ri,nat'nappens. ln another country, the seemingly
mundane often creates the most interesting, humorous and exciting moments. lf you are stuck to the bigg6st
attractions (54)- assignment, alwayiiook for another angle and point out things that (55)_ miss.
Your answers
Part 2. head the fottowing passage and answer quesfions i6-To.
SINGLE.GENDER EDUCATION: A CASE MADE?
A
All modern democracies, instilled as they are with the ethics of freedom and equality of the sexes,
nevertheless offer the option of single-sex education. This separates the genders into their own classrooms,
buildings, and often schools. Traditionally, women had to fight hard and long to achieve equal opportunities
in education, and the single-gender controversy is mostly in relation to them. The question is whether this
educational system advances or retards their cause, and there are supporters on both sides, each convinced
that the case is made.
B
Given that the word 'segregation' has such negative connotations, the current interest in single-gender
schooling is somewhat surprising. ln the same way that a progressive society would never consider
segregation on the basis of skin colour, income, or age, it seems innately wrong to do this on gender. yet in
the real world and the society in which we live, segregation of some sort happens all the time. Clubs
inevitably form, for example, of clerical workers, of lawyers, of the academically gifted, and of those skilled in
music or the arts. Exclusionary cliques, classes, and in-groups are all part of everyday life. Thus, it may
simply be an idealistic illusion to condemn single-gender settings on that basis alone, as do many co-
ed ucational advocates.
c
This suggests that single-gender education must necessarily be condemned on other grounds, yet the issue
is complicated, and research often sinks into a morass of conflicting data, and, occasionally, emotional
argument' Thus, one study comes out with strong proof of the efficacy of singte-gender schooling, causing a
resurgence of interest and positive public sentiment, only to be later met with a harshlytiled article, ,single-
Sex Schooling: The Myth and the Pseudoscience', published and endorsed by several respected magazipes.
similarly, the arguments on both sides have apparent validity and often accord, on the surface at least, with
common sense and personal observation. what then can parents do?
D
Proponents of separating the genders often argue that it promotes better educational results, not only in raw
academic scores but also in behaviour. The standard support for this is the claim of innate gender
differences in the mannef in which boys'and girls learn and behave in educational settings. Separation
allows males to be taught in a 'male way' and in accordance with the 'male' developmental path, which is
said to be very different to the female one. Such claims demand hard evidence, but this is difficult to come
by, since statistics are notoriously unreliable and subject to varying interpretations.
46. 47. 48. 49. 50.
51. 52. 53. 54. 55.
Paoe 4 of 12 oaoes
E
Of course, one of the key factors that leads to superior performance at single-gender schools is often the
higher quality of the teachers, the better resources at hand, and the more motivated students; often coming
as they do from wealthier or more privileged backgrounds:. Single-gender schools are often the most
prestigious in society, demanding the highest entry marks from their new students, who, in turn, receive more
deference and respect from society. When taking these factors into account, large-scale studies, as well as
the latest findings of neuroscientists, do not support the claims of superior results or persistent gender
differences, respectively. Those who make such claims are accused of emphasizing favorable data, and
drawing conclusions based more on anecdotal evidence and gender stereotyping.
F
Yet the single-sex educationalists come out with other positives. One of the most common is that girls are
free from the worry of sexual harassment or negative behaviour originating from the presence of boys. Girls
are said to develop greater self-confidence and a preparedness to study subjects, such as engineering and
mathematics, which were once the exclusive province of males. Conversely, boys can express a greater
interest in the arts, without the possible jibe, 'that's a girls' subject'. But logically, one senses such
stereotyping could equally come in single-gender settings, since it is the society outside of school, with all its
related expectations, that has the greatest influence.
G
Among this welter of conflicting argument, one can, at least, fall back on one certainty - that the real world is
co-gendered, and each side often misunderstands the other. Supporters of co-education argue that positive
and co-operative interaction between the genders at school reduces such divisions by de-emphasizing
gender as a factor of concern. ln theory, stereotypes are broken down, and inclusion is emphasized,
providing benefits for society as a whole. But such sentiments, admittedly, do sound as if we are retreating
into self-promotional propaganda. ln other words, these statements are just glib and unreal assertions, rather
than a reflection of what actually happens in the co-educational classroom'
H
The key point is whether the interaction in co-educational settings is indeed positive and co-operative' Some
would say it could equally be the opposite, and surely it must occasionally be so (if we abandon the rosy
picture painted in the previous paragraph). But I would say that interaction, whether good or bad, whether
academically enhancing or retarding, still constitutes education, and of a vital nature. lt presents exactly the
same subset of challenges that students, male or female, will ultimately have to deal with in the real world.
This is the most important point, and would determine my choice regarding in which educational setting I
would place my children.
For questions 56-63, choose the correct heading for paragraphs A-H. There are WO ertra headings
that you do not need to use. Write your answers in the corresponding space provided.
List of Headings
Another argument in favour
Conflicting evidence
Negatives are positives
An emotionalargument
Does it help or not?
Looking at the other side
A counter-argument
It's happening anyway
. 
The problems with genders
An argument in favour
56. Paragraph A
57. Paragraph B
58. Paragraph C
59. Paragraph D
60. Paragraph E
61. Paragraph F
62. Paragraph G
63. Paragraph H
Your answers
i.
ii.
It.
iv.
v.
vi.
vii.
viii.
ix.
x.
For questions 64-70, complete the sentences, ustng NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS taken from the
passage. Write your ansvrers in the corresponding numbered boxes provided.
-O+. 
ROvocates oi single sex education base their arguments on grounds of improved learning outcomes in
terms of grades and 
_.
65. Supporting statistics tor singte sex education need a long way to validate since they are frequently
criticized for being ambiguous and 
-.
66. Single sex school students usually enjoy greater social 
-.
67. Oni of the most outstanding meiits of single sex education is that school girls can be protected against
- 
misconduct from boys.
OA. Supporters of gingle sex education are often criticized for backing up their claims with 
- 
in addition
to typical gender differences.
Page 5 of 12 pages
64. 65. 66. 67.
68. 69. 70.
69. The arguments in favour of co-education basing on its contribution to social well-being are refuted as
being 
_ 
and failing to reflect classroom reality.
70. According to the author, interaction in a co-educational class creates real-life
students in future life.
Your answers
to be tackled by
Part 3. Read the following passage and answer questions 71-84.
Seyen paragraphs have been removed fram the passage. For questions 71-77, choose from
paragraphs A-H the one which fits each gap. There is OA|E extra paragraph which you do not need to
use. Write your answers in the corresponding numbered boxes provided.
ART FOR ALL?
There were more than a few eyebrows ralsed when
Martin Creed's installation, "The Lights Going On
and Off', was unveiled at this year's Turner Prize
show at Tate Britain. The museum's curator of
communications, Simon Williams, declared that the
work signified "the movement towards the
dematerialisation of art since the 60s", but most of
the general public seemed to reckon that an empty
room with a light flickering on and off was a
pretentious conceit. Yet even those who loathed the
piece still tried to engage with it as a work of art.
71. 
_
There are still some who mutter darkly ahout the
perils of dumbing down, but the upside'is that
many more people are gaining the confidence to
appreciate works they might previously have
considered dull or incomprehensible.
72._
A recent survey published by Artworks, the National
Children's Art Awards, revealed that average yearly
spending on art materials in English and Welsh
schools had fallen from an already dangerously low
figure to a derisory one. Five to seven-year-olds
were allocated a mere 81.18 per head, while 11 to
18-year-olds fared little better with an average
annual budget of f2.68.
73._
lf you went into a museum or gallery back in the
1970s, you would have found a dusty regime run by
an elite for an elite. A curator would have gathered a
collection of artifacts or pictures into a gallery, and
unless the visitor was steeped in art hisfory, he or
she would have little idea of why any particular group
of objects had been grouped together in the same
room, as there was no explanation or interpretation
on offer.
A. "We wanted to be clear about what the galleries were trying to say about the history of art and design and
to ensure we catered for our target audience," says Christopher Wilk, chief curator. "Art galleries have
tended to appeal to the analytical learner who likes to absorb information from a plaque, but we have gone
out of our way to arrange exhibits in a variety of ways so that the galleries can be understood and absorbed
by everyone."
74.
A case in point is the newly reopened British
Galleries, housing a collection of objects from 1500-
1900, at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London. ln
many museums, the education team is brought in as
an afterthought to tidy up after the curator and the
designer have decided on the exhibits and the
layout. But for the British Galleries, the education
team was in on the act from the outset.
75._
Museums outside London often have to fight harder
for recognition and in many ways have an even
greater part to play in the cultural fabric of the
community than their grander counterparts. The
National Museum of Photography Film & Television
in Bradford is an example. Situated in the second
poorest ward in the country, it has become a focal
point for the north-east, attracting people from all
sections of the community.
76._
"ln countries such as ltaly and France, opera has
always been a popular musical form," says Mark
Tinkler, artistic director. "lt's only in the US and the
UK that it has been branded elitist. We believe it is
something that should be available to everyone so,
as well as providing workshops in schools, we
perform in places such as Hemel Hempstead and
Thames Ditton where opera is seldom, if ever,
staged."
77. 
_
At its best, art represents the highest form of human
achievement; at its worst, it is tame, unchallenging
and hollow. To ettgage or not to engage? Now, more
than ever, the choice is ours.
Page 6 of 12 pages
B. Unsurprisingly, then, and because art counts for nothing in the performance league tables, schools have
largely washed their hands af the subjectand in the proCess a generation of schoolchildren have had their
access, both to practical artistic experienee and to a wider appreciation of aesthetics, severely compromised.
But where the schools have failed, arts organizations, museums, galleries and the media have tried to step
in.
C. But for all the success in efforts to reach a wider public, a note of caution is also required. Even in times of
prosperity, arts budgets are tight and in times of recession they are often slashed. Arts organizations are
fighting for every penny and many are sfruggting on a sioestring to continue to oifer a first-rate
programme; no one can take their survival for granted.
D. They want meaning on a plate, served up the way it has always been. They often seem to want
demonstration of familiar skills. Some people are afraid, both of the feeiings art provokes and of having their
preconceptions of what art ought to be upset.
E. Twenty-five years ago we tended to take a very different view. Art meant high art. lf it wasn't a Mozart
o_Per_a, a Shakespeare play or a Rembrandt painting, then it wasn't art: it was popular culture. Today fhe
distinctions have become increasingty blurred. Circus skills, pop music, even TV soaps, are now all
recognized as legitimate art forms.
F. While painting, film and theatre may have opened up to a wider public, therd are still some art forms, such
as opera, that are still regarded in some quarters as inaccessible. But this too is changing. The Royal Opera
House has taken to providing a running English translation of its foreign tangulg6 works, 'but more
importantly there are a number of small opera groups, such as English Pocket Opeia (EpO); which are
dedicated to making the art form more accessible.
G. You might have thought that it was the education system that had inspired this latter-day culture
revolution. But even though there has been a lot of talk coming out of government about creativity in schools,
little more than window dressing has emerged.
H. There is still a minority of curators and critics who believe that the art should stand alone and speak for
itself, but most now recognize that museums have a duty to inform, as our national treasures belong to all of
us.
Your answers
For questions 78-84, choose the best answer A, B, C or D. Write your answers in the corresponding
numbered 6oxes provided.
78. The phrase "eyebrows raised' is used to show that the installation of Martin Creed met with
A. disapproval B. amazement C. interest D. disagreement
79. According to the passage, people who "mutter darkty about the perits of dumbing down" ate
A. ignorant of them
C. desperate about them
A. paying through the nose
C. eking a living
B. pessimistic about them
D. unaware of them
80. A museum or gallery in the 1970s was described as "a dusty regime" or a(n) system.
A. innovative B, complicated C. chaotic O. outOateA
81. A visitor who is "sfeeped in art history'' is most tikely to be a(n) in the field.
A. enthusiast B. rookie C. novice
82. As stated in the passage, schools that "washed their hands of the
responsibility for it.
A. shifted ; B. assumed
D. expert
subject' of mts 
_ 
their
83. All of the following are close in meaning to the expression "sfrugglrn g on a shoesfring" EXCEPT
C. disclaimed D. shouldered
B. making both ends meet
D. leading a frugal existence
84. The phrase "the distinctions have become increasingty btirred'is used to indicate that
A. there is no difference in legitimate art forms
B. there is no longer a clear-cut discrepancy between art and popular culture
C. the paintings by Rembrandt are no longer clear to see
D. a Mozart opera or a shakespeare play is not considered high art any more
71 72. 73. 74.
75. 76. 77.
Your answers
78. 79. 80. 81
82. 83. 84.
Paft 4. Read the text below and answer questions OS-1S.
FOUR WOODS
A. Oak
Oak wood has a density of about 0.75 g/cms, great strength and hardness, and is very resistant to insect
and fungal attack because of its high tannin content. lt also has very appealing grain markings, particularly
when quarter-sawn. Oak planking was common on high status Viking long ships in the 9th and 10th
centuries. The wood was hewn from green logs, by axe and wedge, to produce radial planks, similar to
quarter-sawn timber. Wide, quarter-sawn boards of oak have been prized since the Middle Ages for use in
interior paneling of prestigious buildings such as the debating chamber of the House of Commons in
London, and in the construction of fine furniture. Oak wood, from Quercus robur and Quercus petraea,
was used in Europe for the construction of ships, especially naval men of war, untilthe 19th century, and
was the principal timber used in the construction of European timber-framed buildings.
Today oak wood is still commonly used for furniture making and flooring, timber frame buildings, and for
veneer production. Barrels in which wines, sherry, and spirits such as brandy, Scotch whisky and Bourbon
whiskey are aged are made from European and American oak. The use of oak in wine can add many
different dimensions to wine based on the type and style of the oak. Oak barrels, which may be charred
before use, contribute to the colour, taste, and aroma of the contents, imparting a desirable oaky vanillin
flavour to these drinks. The great dilemma for wine producers is to choose between French and American
oakwoods. French oaks give the wine greater refinement and are chosen for the best wines since they
increase the price compared to those aged in American oak wood. American oak contributes greater
texture and resistance to ageing, but produces more violent wine bouquets. Oak wood chips are used for
smoking fish, meat, cheeses and other foods.
B. Elm
Elm wood was valued for its interlocking grain, and consequent resistance to splitting, with significant uses
in wagon wheel hubs, chair seats and coffins. The elm's wood bends well and distorts easily, making it
quite pliant. The often long straight trunks were favoured as a source of timber for keels in ship
construction. Elm is also prized by bowyers; of the ancient bows found in Europe, a large portion of them
are elm. During the Middle Ages elm was also used to make longbows if yew was unavailable.
The first written references to elm occui in the Linear B lists of military equipment at Knossos in the
Mycenaean Period. Several of the chariots are'of elm, and the lists twice mention wheels of elm wood.
Hesiod says that ploughs in Ancient Greece were also maile parfly of elm.
The density of elm wood varies between species, but averages around 560 kg per cubic metre.
Elm wood is also resistant to decay when permanently wLt, and hollowed trunks were widely used as
water pipes during the medieval period in Europe. Elm was also used as piers in the construction of