Đề thi học sinh giỏi môn Tiếng Anh Chuyên lớp 11 tỉnh Vĩnh Phúc năm 2014 - 2015

SKIING HOLIDAYS IN COLORADO
To ski or snowboard in Colorado is to experience the pinnacle of winter sports. The state of Colorado is known for its spectacular scenery and (1. BREATH) _______ views, which inspire today's travelers as much as they spurred on the (2. SETTLE) _______ who first arrived in this part of the US over a century ago. And whether you're seeking the outdoor adventure of a (3. LIFE) _______ exciting nightlife or a great family getaway, Colorado has everything you need.

November through April, snow conditions are (4. CONSIST) _______ and reliable, featuring Colorado's (5. LEGEND) _______ “champagne powder” snow. Extensive snow making and grooming operations always keeps trails in top shape.

The mountain destinations in the Colorado Rockies can turn your wildest ski dreams into thrilling (6. REAL) _______. There, you'll find the best skiing and snowboarding resorts on (7. PICTURE) _______ slopes, as well as the finest ski schools in the US. Together, they present an (8. PARALLEL) _______ winter paradise. And the best part is that you'll enjoy friendly, (9. CARE) _______ service in resorts that are (10. COMMIT)
_______ to delivering the highest quality amenities.

THE ATMOSPHERE OF VENUS
Venus, also called the Morning Star and Evening Star, is the second-closest planet to the sun and the brightest object in the night sky. The planet orbits the sun every two hundred and twenty four Earth-days and is sometimes referred to as Earth‟s sister planet because the two share both a similar size and bulk. What is not similar, however, is Venus's atmosphere in comparison to Earth's atmosphere.

The atmosphere on Venus is much heavier and has a higher density than that of Earth. Venus‟s atmosphere also expands significantly higher than Earth‟s atmosphere although a thick cloud cover makes the surface of Venus nearly impossible to see unless observed through radar mapping.

While the pressure and temperature of Venus‟s upper atmosphere are comparable to those of Earth, the heat and pressure of the lower atmosphere are not unlike a furnace. Venus‟s atmosphere is very thick due to a composition consisting mainly of carbon dioxide, and a small amount of nitrogen. If man could survive the extreme heat of Venus’s surface (400 degrees Celsius), then he would have to contend with a surface pressure that is more than 90 times that of Earth. Venus‟s extremely high temperature is thanks to the greenhouse effect caused by such a large amount of carbon dioxide. The greenhouse effect is a process by which the sun‟s infrared radiation is more readily absorbed by the atmosphere. Just like in a real greenhouse
used to grow plants years round, the proliferation of carbon dioxide traps radiation and warms Venus‟s atmosphere. Due to this phenomenon, Venus boasts a higher atmospheric temperature than Mercury, even though Venus is twice the distance from the sun.

However, scientists postulate that Venus‟s atmosphere was not always so hot. [A] Studies show that large bodies of water were once on Venus‟s surface but that eventually evaporation of all the water caused the runaway greenhouse effect which regulates the planet today. [B] Thus Venus has become a critical study for today‟s scientists, as human beings are only beginning to struggle with the early stages of the greenhouse effect. [C] Our problems do not stem from evaporated water supplies but from a propagation of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases due to industrial and automobile emissions. [D]

Another interesting characteristic to note regarding Venus‟s atmosphere is that its daytime temperatures and nighttime temperatures are not that far removed from each other. This is due to the thermal inertia, the ability of a substance to store heat despite changing temperatures and the transfer of heat by Venus‟s strong winds. Although winds on the surface of Venus move slowly in comparison with Earth‟s winds, Venus‟s air is so dense that a slowmoving there can move large obstructions and even skip stones along the planet‟s surface.

In 1966, humankind made its first attempt at sending a recording instrument into Venus‟s atmosphere. The Venera 3 probe did collide with Venus surface; however, the abrupt impact caused its communication system to fail, and it was unable to send and feedback. In 1967, Venera 4 successfully enter Venus‟s atmosphere and was able to take many readings, one of which recorded that Venus‟s atmosphere was between ninety and ninety-five percent carbon dioxide. Subsequent Venera probes were sent into Venus‟s atmosphere, but most of them succumbed to the crushing air pressure.

SPLENDID SPAS OF ASIA

Lying on a bed almost on the (1) ________ of a cliff, with a stupendous ocean view and the (2) ________ of waves, aches and pains are soothed away (3) ________ expert hands. Only two steps are needed to reach the private pool, which seems to merge (4) ________ the ocean.
Such a scenario is no longer a fantasy (5) ________ an increasingly popular reality in Asia for many stressed out businessmen and visitors from all over the world in search of that peaceful time and space for their body and mind.

In the last four years, at (6) ________ 17 hotel spas have opened in South East Asia to (7)________ this need. The tropical climate of the region and its reliable sunshine make for an ideal spa setting. Picturesque environments (8) ________ with a series of rejuvenating treatments bring the desired result. The Asian spa resorts have acquired a formidable reputation for their professional services as (9) ________ as for the decor of their large treatment rooms.

Visitors relax with Thai music and soak in the warm tones of the room. As all these take (10) ________ in individual rooms, precious privacy is guaranteed, a rare privilege often absent from other spas where guests share rooms or changing areas.

WIND - The untamable weather machine

On 15 October 1987, the southern counties of Britain were struck by the strongest winds they had experienced in 200 years. Gusts of over 130 kilometers per hour slammed across the region and £1.5-billion-worth of damage was (1) _________ in just a few hours.

Extreme weather events like this are dramatic (2) _________ of the power of the wind. It's one part of the weather we generally don't give a second thought to in Britain but it plays a vital role in people's lives across the world. Without the formation and circulation of winds there would quite (3) __________ be no climate.
Some parts of the world seem to suffer more than others from the effects of "ill winds", and links between particular winds and psychological problems (4) __________ back centuries. The Fohn, the hot dry wind that slides off the slopes of the Alps, is capable of boosting temperatures quite suddenly by 10°C or more. It affects as many as one in three people in its (5) __________, making them feel anxious, irritable and generally ill. In California, many people (6) __________ the arrival of the Santa Ana, which rushes down from the high Mojave desert. Lyall Watson, in his book Heaven's Breath, claims that when the Santa Ana blows, murder rates soar.

The wind may get into the headlines when it comes in the form of tornadoes and hurricanes, but for the (7) __________ part it goes about its job of shifting huge masses of air around the planet. Plants take (8) __________ of this free ride to send their pollen grains far and wide. Trees (9) __________ on it to remove old leaves and make way for new growth. Spiders have been caught (10) __________ a lift at altitudes of almost 4.5 kilometers.