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 36 to 42.

For a century and a half the piano has been one of the most popular solo instruments for Western musiC.Unlike string and wind instruments, the piano is completely self- sufficient, as it is able to play both the melody and its accompanying harmony at the same time. For this reason, it became the favorite household instrument of the nineteenth century.

The ancestry of the piano can be traced to the early keyboard instruments of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries-the spinet, the dulcimer, and the virginal. In the seventeenth century the organ, the clavichord, and the harpsichord became the chief instruments of the keyboard group, a supremacy they maintained until the piano supplantedthem at the end of the eighteenth century. The clavichord's tone was never powerful, nevertheless, because of the variety of tone possible to it, many composers found the clavichord a sympathetic instrument for intimate chamber musiC.The harpsichord with its bright, vigorous tone was the favorite instrument for supporting the bass of the small orchestra of the period and for concert use but the character of the tone could not be varied save by mechanical or structural devices .

The piano was perfected in the early eighteenth century by a harpsichord maker in Italy (though musicologists point out several previous instances of the instrument). This instrument was called a piano e forte (soft Mid loud), to indicate its dynamic versatility; its strings were struck by a recoiling hammer with a felt-padded heaD.The wires were much heavier in. the earlier instruments. A series of mechanical improvements continuing well into the nineteenth century, including the introduction of pedals to sustain tone or to soften it, the perfection of a metal frame, and steel wire of the finest quality, finally produced an instrument capable of myriad tonal effects from the most delicate harmonies to an almost orchestral fullness of sound, from a liquid, singing tone to sharp, percussive brilliance.

Câu 36: What does the passage mainly discuss?

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet te indicate the correct answer to each of the questions from 31 to 35.

The walnut tree produces wood that is used for countless purposes, and is considered the finest wood in the world. The wood is easy to work with, yet it is very hard and durable and when it is polished, it produces a rich, dark luster. It also shrinks and swells less than any other wood, which makes it especially desirable for fine furniture, flooring, and even gun stocks.

In fact, just about every part of the walnut is unusually hard and strong. The nut of the tree is encased inside a very hard shell, which itself is enclosed in a leathery outer covering called a husk. It requires real effort to break through those layers to get at the tasty meat inside.

Yet every part of the walnut is useful to people. The outer husk produces a dark reddish stain that is hard to remove from the hands of the person who opens the nut, and this pigment is widely used in dyes and wood stains. The inner shell is used as an abrasivesubstance to clean jet engines. And the meat of the nut is extensively used in cooking, ice cream, flavorings-and just eaten raw.

Walnut trees exudea chemical into the soil near their roots which can be poisonous to some trees and shrubs. Fruit trees, for example, will not survive if planted too close to a walnut. Many other plants, such as maple trees or ivy, are not affected by the walnut's presence, and are well-suited to grow in its vicinity.

Câu 31: What is the topic of this passage?

_____________was the coffee that we couldn't drink it.

We are up to our_____________in paperwork and don't have a bit of free time for entertainment these days.

My brother lives a(n) _____________throw from the airport.

According to the passage, what deficiency did the harpsichord have?

I don't find it difficult to get up early in the morning.

Tim is studying hard. He doesn't want to fail the next exam.

I'm sure Hoa was very happy when she passed the final exam with high marks.

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.

"It is you that stole my handbag." Ms. Hoa said to the young boy.

The school was closed for a month because of the_____________of coronavirus pandemic.

When Jenifer ran out of money, she_____________her mother for help.

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.

When you cross the street, be careful and be on the alert for the bus.

I object_____________to the beach in this cold weather.

No, I didn't know her phone number, _____________I would have called her.

Hoa: "Can I try this new camera?" - Seller:" _____________"