BẢN ĐỌC THỬ MASTER THE ART OF NEC

the

of

I. Tips and notes In recent years, unlike other parts, part 3 listening of the NEC has remained unchanged. This part always draws its source from the Part 3 Multiple-choice Listening in the CAE or CPE test, although the level of difficulty varies each year. For example, part 3 in the NEC 2017 is pretty easy, yet that of the 2018 is not a simple task. This part requires you to comprehend the long extract as a whole so it is not necessary to catch all the words. You will often be asked about the opinions and points the speakers make. Sometimes, especially with tough questions, inference is necessary to deduce the right answer. Here are some tips for this part.

1)

Underline the key words in the questions prior to listening. While listening, look for synonyms and antonyms in the extracts that match those in the questions since they can give you a strong hint.

2)

Look for signposts while listening to these kinds of extract. The answers will not appear out of the blue. After giving a lot of background information to confuse you, the speakers may drop some hints implying that they are going to address the questions we need to answer before they actually do it. Make sure you are able to catch this and prepare to listen carefully to the next part.

3)

Some answers may seem obvious, but you should be careful and re-read the answers because misleading words like “always”, “really” can be used to trick you.

4)

If you are not sure about all 4 choices, infer yourself. Find a logical connection between the answer choices and what you can hear.

5)

Try to grasp the gist of the questions and answer choices before listening as the test designers sometimes paraphrase the exercise by phasing in a lot of difficult words or idioms to blur the overall meaning.

Part 2 gap-filling in CAE/CPE also appears the test but the frequency is lower. However, we will still cover that

part in this course to leave nothing to chance. The part is not so hard but occasionally, even good listeners can miss some words or choose the wrong words to fill in. The tips for this part are similar to those of IELTS gap-filling, but with some additional advice.

1)

Before listening, try to figure out what word form you are required to fill in (noun, verb, adjective,…). After you have filled in, read the sentences again to see whether it has a proper meaning or not. Sometimes you may accidentally leave out words and this may cost you points. For instance, if the answer key is “foregone conclusion” and you only write “conclusion”, you will lose all the points.

2)

You must maintain concentration all the time since the answers, unlike those of part 2, can come at any time.

3)

Like IELTS listening, listen for the ending sounds and the tense of the sentence. Nouns in this part will usually come in plural form.

ctic

fb.com/iloveambrosia I 9

the

of

I. Tips and notes There are generally only 6 to 10 word formation questions in the NEC. However, failure to achieve a high score for this type of question can drastically affect your final result.

In general, word formation questions of the NEC are fairly easier than those of the Olympic 30/4. Nonetheless, examinees must have a good command of word formation knowledge as well as inferring skill in order to figure out the correct answer.

Here are some tips for this type of question.

- Read through the entire given text, pay close attention

-

Leave an answer blank

to the context to determine what part of speech is

-

Rush through questions carelessly

required in each blank.

- Make sure that your answer is grammatically correct and fits in with the sense of the sentence or text.

- Check your spelling carefully, incorrect spelling would mean that your answer is incorrect.

- Make an educated guess if you cannot determine the answer.

-

Numerous word roots have multiple derivatives of the same part of speech whose meanings can be easily confused (e.g., “personify” and “personalise” are both verbs and derivatives of the root word “person”).

-

Occasionally, the same word can be used as different parts of speech, dependent on the given context (e.g., “answer” can be used as a verb or a noun).

II. How to practice

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

Learn affixes. This can be helpful should you have to make a guess, since you can make affixations based on context.

Look up derivatives of a word. When learning a new word, it is advisable that you try to find as many of its derivatives as possible.

Build a word formation “database”. Keep a list of words and their derivatives so you can refer back to this list if needed.

Read often and widely. When you encounter a new word, try to guess its meaning based on its affixation if possible.

Practice makes perfect. Do a lot of exercises to practice as well as broaden your knowledge of word formation.

Create your own word formation exercises as this can develop for you a mindset similar to that of a test designer and provide you with new vocabulary as well.

Build up through your skills. To reinforce your pool of vocabulary, try to integrate your knowledge into your writing or speaking parts.

fb.com/iloveambrosia I 49

the

of

III. Common affixes An affix is a morpheme that is attached to a word stem to form a new word or word form. The two primary kinds of affix are prefix and suffix. Prefixes and suffixes that are used in English give clues as to the meaning and, or, the function of words. A wide knowledge of affixes is the key to maximise your chance of achieving a high score for this type of question.

Below is a list of affixes that are frequently tested in the NEC. Each affix presented has a hyphen either at the beginning or the end. If the hyphen is at the beginning, then the affix is a suffix. If the hyphen is at the end, then the affix is a prefix.

Affix a-able

Meaning

Examples

not, without, opposite to

amoral, asocial, atonal, atypical

1. that can or must be 2. having certain qualities or characteristics

1. lovable, enjoyable, imaginable 2. comfortable, fashionable

after-

1. something that happens after a particular activity or event 2.one thing that happens as a result of another

1. after-hours, after-school, after-lunch, after-dinner 2. aftertaste, afterglow, aftershock

-al -age -ance -ant

anti-

-archy -arian

-ary

auto-based be-

1. something that is connected with another 2. actions or process

1. mental, environmental, global 2. burial, betrayal, denial

1. a process, the result of a process or a state 2. a measurement

1. blockage, leakage, stoppage 2. voltage, mileage

1. action, process or state 2. state or quality

1. clearance, defiance 2. importance, ignorance

1. somebody who does a particular thing 2. something which has a particular effect

1. assistant, combatant, consultant 2. coolant, lubricant, pollutant

1. opposition

1. anti-war, anti-religious, anti-government, anti-establishment 2. antidepressant, anticoagulant, antibacterial

2. prevention

anarchy, monarchy, hierarchy rule, government Someone or something associated with a particular thing

vegetarian, librarian, centenarian, humanitarian

1. someone or something that is connected to, involves, or share some characteristics with another 2. people 3. places where something is kept or done

1. complimentary, imaginary, honorary, legendary

1. automatic 2. oneself

1. auto-cook, autopilot 2. autonomy, autograph

1. the major part of something 2. something being positioned or existing mainly in a particular place

1. computer-based, nuclear-based, paperbased 2. land-based, ocean-based, campus-based

someone or something in a particular state or going into that state

belittle, bewildered

fb.com/iloveambrosia I 50

2. secretary, luminary 3. mortuary, aviary

the

of

Part 1: (Adapted from CAE Advanced Trainer) For questions 1-10, fill in the blanks with ONE WORD only. You are supposed to write your answer in the corresponding numbered space.

A damp island on the fringes of the North Atlantic, Ireland has always been shaped by the (1) __________. How our wild inhabitants got here is the subject of lively debate. Why, for example, do we have species, such as spotted slugs, that are (2) __________ from Britain but found in northern Spain and Portugal?

The fact that the island’s wildlife is not (3) __________ a subset of that of the British Isles is intriguing, and, when added to our cultural landscape and weather-(4) __________ coasts, makes it a uniquely attractive destination.

Memorable experiences are at your (5) __________. For instance, commuters on Dublin’s urban rail system are regularly (6) __________ to views of seals, porpoises and bottlenose dolphins.

While Ireland is small, there are endless (7) ___________ and crannies waiting to be explored, and many surprises lie in (8) __________. Here, for example, is my pick of the top wildlife hotspots. Vast expanses of uninhabited bog and the cone-shaped, glittering quartz peak of Mount Errigal define the Donegal uplands. Remote and forbidding, this is a landscape of resilience in the (9) ___________ of isolation. At its heart is Glenveagh National Park, where nearly 10 years ago the skies resounded once again to the cries of golden eagles. The species was (10) __________ here from Scotland after not having been seen for more than a century.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

Part 2: (Adapted from the Guardian) For questions 11 – 17, read the passage and choose the best answer for each blank. You are supposed to write your answer in the corresponding numbered space.

Water shortages are likely to be the key environmental challenge of this century, scientists from NASA have warned, as new data has revealed a drying-out of (11) ___________ of the globe between the tropics and the high latitudes, with 19 hotspots where water depletion has been dramatic.

The Caspian Sea was a salient example that shows a strong decline in water resources, which tends to (12) ___________, resulting in a shrinking shoreline. Previously, this change had been attributed to natural (13) ___________, but the new report demonstrates it was caused in large part by the diversion and extraction of water from rivers that feed it, for agriculture and industry.

In northern India, groundwater extraction for irrigation of crops such as wheat and rice have caused a rapid decrease in available water, despite rainfall being normal throughout the period studied. The fact that extractions already exceed recharge during normal precipitation does not (14) ___________ well for the availability of groundwater during future droughts.

Jonathan Farr, senior policy analyst at the charity WaterAid, said governments must take note of the findings and increase their role in preserving water resources and supplying people with freshwater in a sustainable manner.

“We have been trying to unearth a solution to the water (15) __________ since civilisation began. We know how to do it. We just need to manage it, and that has to be done at a local level”, he said. Providing access to clean water provides (16) __________ benefits to health, education, equity and the economy, so investment in water assets yields both economic and social (17) __________.

11. A. swaths B. tracts C. stretches D. belts 12. A. exhilarate B. exacerbate C. desecrate D. amalgamate 13. A. mutability B. oscillation C. vicissitudes D. variability 14. A. strike B. bode C. take D. stick 15. A. hunch B. toss-up C. conundrum D. roll-out 16. A. knock-on B. knock-by C. knock-in D. knock-out 17. A. dividends B. credits C. equity D. asset 11.

12.

fb.com/iloveambrosia I 128

13.

14.

15.

16.

17.

the

of

III. Description Vocabulary 1. Similarity and contrast Similarity

Contrast

similarly in the same way likewise as well as equally also as … as … too in a similar way/fashion not only … but also …

however, nevertheless yet on the other hand unlike while/whereas although/even though as opposed to in contrast/by contrast instead of apart from/except for

2. Trends Trends

Verb form

Noun form

Increase

rise/ increase / go up / uplift / rocket/ climb / upsurge / soar/ shot up/ improve/ jump/ leap/ move upward/ skyrocket/ soar/ surge

a rise / an increase / an upward trend / a growth / a leap / a jump / an improvement/ a climb.

Decrease

fall / decrease / decline / plummet / plunge / drop / reduce / collapse / deteriorate/ dip / dive / go down / take a nosedive / slum / slide / go into free-fall

a fall / a decrease / a reduction / a downward trend /a downward tendency / a decline/ a drop / a slide / a collapse / a downfall.

Standability/Flat

level off / remain constant / remain unchanged / remain stable / prevail consistency / plateau / reach a plateau / stay uniform or immutable / level out/ stabilize/ remain the same.

no change/ a flat/ a plateau

3. Changes Rapid ups and downs

wave/ fluctuate/ oscillate/ vacillate

waves/ fluctuations/ oscillations/ vacillations

Type of change

Adverb form

Rapid change

dramatically / rapidly / sharply / quickly / hurriedly / speedily / swiftly / significantly/ considerably / substantially / noticeably.

dramatic / rapid / sharp / quick / hurried / speedy / swift / significant / considerable / substantial / noticeable.

moderately

moderate

Steady change

steadily / gradually / progressively / sequentially.

steady / gradual / progressive / sequential.

Slight change

slightly / slowly / mildly.

slight / slow / mild.

Moderate change

fb.com/iloveambrosia I 144

Adjective form

the

of

Part 1: Read the following extract and use your own words to summarize it. Your summary should be between 100 and 120 words long.

Unusual incidents are being reported across the Arctic. Inuit families going off on snowmobiles to prepare their summer hunting camps have found themselves cut off from home by a sea of mud, following early thaws. There are reports of igloos losing their insulating properties as the snow drips and refreezes, of lakes draining into the sea as permafrost melts, and sea ice breaking up earlier than usual, carrying seals beyond the reach of hunters. Climate change may still be a rather abstract idea to most of us, but in the Arctic it is already having dramatic effects - if summertime ice continues to shrink at its present rate, the Arctic Ocean could soon become virtually ice-free in summer. The knock-on effects are likely to include more warming, cloudier skies, increased precipitation and higher sea levels. Scientists are increasingly keen to find out what's going on because they consider the Arctic the 'canary in the mine' for global warming - a warning of what's in store for the rest of the world.

For the Inuit the problem is urgent. They live in precarious balance with one of the toughest environments on earth.

Climate change, whatever its causes, is a direct threat to their way of life. Nobody knows the Arctic as well as the locals, which is why they are not content simply to stand back and let outside experts tell them what's happening.

In Canada, where the Inuit people are jealously guarding their hard-won autonomy in the country's newest territory, Nunavut, they believe their best hope of survival in this changing environment lies in combining their ancestral knowledge with the best of modern science. This is a challenge in itself.

Part 2: The table below gives information on consumer spending on different items in five different countries in 2002.

Describe the information in the table and make comparisons where relevant. You should write about 150 words.

Part 3: Write an essay of 350 words on the following topic Some countries are banned from hosting and participating in the Olympics and other sporting events because they violated international rules, poor human rights record, for example.

To what extent do you agree or disagree with this act? Give reasons and specific examples to support your answer.

fb.com/iloveambrosia I 163

the

of

Relevant Vocabulary: 1. the bare essentials: the most basic and necessary things or activities.

2. sustain a population: to keep alive a population.

3. ozone depletion: the destruction of the upper atmospheric layer of ozone gas.

4. soil erosion: the displacement of the upper layer of soil.

5. perpetuate: to cause something to continue.

6. contingent on/upon something: depending on something in order to happen.

7. unsanitary: dirty and unhealthy.

8. in short supply: to be few or not enough in number.

9. non-biodegradable: not able to decay naturally.

10. carbon footprint: a measure of the amount of carbon dioxide that is produced by the daily activities of a person or company 11. aquifers: underground, natural water stores 12. tainted: polluted or contaminated 13. logging: cutting down trees for timber and industrial use 14. food chain: the natural system of animals eating other animals and plants 15. irrigation: supplying water to land for agriculture 16. crop rotation: the process of using different fields each year to keep the soil healthy 17. animal husbandry: the skill of keeping animals Examples: Linfen, China, where residents say they literally choke on coal dust in the evenings, is one of the most polluted place in the world and exemplifies many Chinese cities.

Six months after the 2010 BP oil spill, which affected 16,000 miles of U.S. coastline, over 8,000 animals were reported dead.

Copenhagen prioritises bikes over cars and now has more cyclers than drivers.

3. SOCIETY 3.1. Globalization: Advantages and disadvantages (Source: https://www.quora.com/What-are-the-advantagesand-disadvantages-of-Globalization)

Pros

Cons

1. As globalization increases, more and more companies are setting up businesses in other countries. This in turn increases the employment opportunities that people at one place have.

2. With the increase in globalization, it has become easier for people to move across borders to different parts of the world to acquire better education.

3. An increase in free trade has opened doors for investors in developed countries to invest their money in developing countries.

4. Information flows from one part of the world to the other immediately, resulting in the world being tied together.

5. As people move from one country to another, barriers between various cultures tend to decrease.

1. Developed countries can take advantage of underdeveloped countries’ weak regulatory laws in terms of environmental protection.

2. Small scale industries face extinction as they do not have the resources or the power that the multinational companies have.

3. Developing countries is facing a phenomenon called “brain-drain�, where a huge chunk of youth is preferring jobs/education in the developed countries than their own.

4. Terrorism has soared in the globalised world.

5. Globalisation can weaken and threaten national identities

Solution to protect traditional values : - We should promote the retention of our traditional roots to preserve the diversity of our culture and develop a sense of national identity

fb.com/iloveambrosia I 183

the

of

4. undeniably 5. literacy 6. apprenticeships 7. employment Ex 12: 1. mind-blowing 2. intimidated 3. backdrop 4. backwater 5. level-headed Ex 13: 1. bedrock 2. numeracy 3. fully-fledged 4. subcultures 5. semi-literate Ex 14: 1. malfunction 2. interface 3. effortlessly

4. ergonomics 5. continuum 6. provenance 7. nonmechanical 8. tableware Ex 15: 1. cumbersome 2. monetary 3. denomination 4. ponderous 5. faraway Ex 16: 1. conglomerate 2. consortium 3. takeover 4. ascertained 5. unsolicited Ex 17: 1. spellbound 2. awestruck 3. evocative 4. encapsulated 5. earthly -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

IV. LEXICO CONSOLIDATION Ex 1: 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

B levity: humor or lack of seriousness (during a serious occasion) A stoical: determined not to complain or show your feelings C servile: too eager to serve or please other people A felicitous: suitable or right and expressing well the intended thought D vacillate: to be uncertain what to do, or to change often between two opinions B otherwise C fall from grace: a situation in which you do something that makes people stop liking or admiring you.

A max out: to use all that is available of something A lived B player finds D saving grace: a good quality or feature in a person or thing that prevents them from being completely useless.

12. C let: to allow your house to be lived in in exchange for a regular payment.

13. D as luck would have it: by chance 14. B a blinding flash: an idea or answer that suddenly becomes obvious 15. A rock up: to arrive somewhere 16. B inveigh against: to strongly criticize something or someone 17. C that once grew 18. D shrivel up: to become dry and smaller 19. A absolutely furious 20. D inspire: to make someone have a particular strong feeling or reaction Ex 2: 21.

22.

23.

24.

25.

26.

27.

28.

29.

30.

unveil: make something known for the first time unprecedented: never having happened or existed in the past misbehavior: immoral or unacceptable behavior Membership: the state of belonging to an organization lifelong: lasting for the whole of a person’s life breakaways: an act of separating from a group rebuilding: to build something again that has been damaged or destroyed overhauling: to repair or improve something underscores: to emphasize safeguard: to protect something from harm

fb.com/iloveambrosia I 231

the

of

Good word usage: 1. judicious: sensible 2. foster: promote 3. pivotal role: very important role 4. educational outcomes: academic results, marks and achievements in general 5. inimical to sth: harmful to sth 6. In view of: considering sth 7. proclivity for sth: tendency for sth, often sth bad 8. preclusion: prevention of sth 9. concession mindset: a tendency to allow sb to do sth to end an argument 10. ineluctable: unavoidable 11. hallmark: a typical feature of sth/sb 12. delegate responsibility to sb: shift workload to sb Ex 3: In the technology-driven era, modern machinery has seemingly infiltrated almost all aspects of human’s lives. Nevertheless, some people deprecate this phenomenon and claim that this will exert deleterious effects on mankind, which I wholeheartedly subscribe to.

The first and foremost rationale for my standpoint is the deprivation of logical human thinking. Since modern people’s dependence on technology increases overtime, they will have a tendency to resort to machines to tackle a multitude of life issues as it takes much less time and effort. In the long run, should this practice persist for a certain

period of time, individuals’ capability for analytical and critical thinking will be eroded to a certain extent due to underuse . As a result, when bereft of cutting-edge technology, people may struggle considerably to solve their own problems by themselves. This can be witnessed in the

fact that a number of today students in manifold countries express strong preferences for Google and other online websites in order to search for answers to their school assignments, which has induced huge idleness among them. This has caused them to meet with colossal difficulties when they are made to perform academic tasks without the help of the Internet for example, during formal school examinations.

Thereby, humans’ lack of logical thinking is conceivable in the event of overuse of modern machines.

Increasing unemployment is another potential peril of humans’ overreliance on machines. In the current context, numerous corporations make use of artificial intelligence and automation in lieu of human labours owing to their superior working productivity and financial savings from salaries to human employees. Consequently, both bluecollar and white-collar workers from a variety of occupations, especially manual jobs, will be made redundant in this robotic takeover, which will place those people in a great dilemma to eke out a living. China and India are cases in point. Upon the widespread invasion of

automation, these two most populous countries in the world have been forced to reduce the number of manual and blue-collar workers by millions and are anticipated to cut back more on this section workforce in the long term. This situation has robbed many Chinese and Indian people of future job opportunities and incomes. This also potentially destroys these nations’ long-standing strive for poverty reduction, considering the constantly growing population of China and India . This

fb.com/iloveambrosia I 242

→ state opinion right in the intro → clear and straightforward topic sentence in the form of a noun phrase

→ advanced grammar structure: invasion

→ clarification of example: students’ over-reliance on technology

→ reaffirment of topic sentence → linking word to introduce point

→ clarification of example: unemployment in China and India due to technology

→ reaffirment of topic sentence

the

of

alarming example does suffice to illustrate the gloomy scenario of unemployment when people become too dependent on technology.

In conclusion, the ever-increasing use of state-of-the-art technology in daily lives can have serious repercussions for humans. Hence, I opine that each individual should harness machines appropriately and cautiously with a view to making the most of them and averting their potential drawbacks as much as possible.

→ linking phrase to conclude

Good word usage: 1. technology-driven: dominated by technology 2. deprecate sth: oppose to sth 3. wholeheartedly subscribe to sth (collocation): totally agree with sth 4. rationale for sth: reason for sth 5. bereft of sth: completely lacking sth 6. manifold: many 7. peril: danger 8. in lieu of: instead of 9. robotic takeover: a situation in which robot takes over 10. eke out a living: manage to live with little money 11. poverty reduction (collocation): the act of reducing poverty 12. suffice to do sth: enough to do sth 13. state-of-the-art: the most modern, updated 14. repercussion: consequences 15. opine: have the opinion 16. avert: avoid -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

IV. WRITING CONSOLIDATION Sample Answers Ex 1: The reading extract sheds light on the battle against climate change that the Inuit is fighting. Unprecedented events such as premature thaws, snow dripping and lake draining have resulted in many repercussions. For instance, igloos’ insulating characteristics are subsiding and no longer are seals within reach of the hunters. These severe implications have raised the alarm about climate change for the word and thus, piqued the curiosity of scientists. Climate change poses a serious threat to the survival of the Inuit, whose living conditions are excruciatingly tough. The indigenous people have no intention of being manipulated since they are both knowledgeable and possessive about their territory. To resolve climate change, they rely on the integration of traditional and modern wisdom, which is another issue to address.

Ex 2: The given table gives an insight into the expenditure patterns of consumers on three categories of products and services in 2002. Overall, all five countries featured in the survey share a common trend: the budget on food/drinks/tobacco is the largest and the reverse is applicable to leisure/education.

A closer look reveals that Turkey and Ireland stood out as nations which possessed the highest percentage spending on food/drinks/tobacco, at 32.14% and 28.91% respectively. With regard to leisure/education, Turkey also topped the table as its consumers devoted about 4% of their budget to this segment. On the other hand, Ireland and Spain attached little of their resources to leisure/education: the former spent only 2.21% whilst the latter’s figure languished at 1.98% only. It is noteworthy that in respect to clothing/footwear, Italians were the ones

fb.com/iloveambrosia I 243

the

of

TABLE OF CONTENTS PART ONE: LISTENING .............................................................................................................................................. 3 IELTS LISTENING.................................................................................................................................................... 3 CAE, CPE LISTENING ............................................................................................................................................. 9 NEWS LISTENING ................................................................................................................................................. 17 LISTENING CONSOLIDATION ............................................................................................................................. 28 PART TWO: LEXICO - GRAMMAR .......................................................................................................................... 30 GRAMMAR ............................................................................................................................................................ 30 VOCABULARY ....................................................................................................................................................... 44 WORD FORMATION ............................................................................................................................................. 49 LEXICO CONSOLIDATION ................................................................................................................................... 59 PART THREE: READING .......................................................................................................................................... 61 CLOZE TESTS ....................................................................................................................................................... 61 IELTS READING .................................................................................................................................................... 77 CAE CPE READING .............................................................................................................................................. 95 A.

GAPPED TEXT ........................................................................................................................................... 95

B.

MULTIPLE MATCHING ........................................................................................................................... 107

TOEFL READING ................................................................................................................................................. 115 READING CONSOLIDATION .............................................................................................................................. 128 PART FOUR: WRITING ........................................................................................................................................... 134 SUMMARY WRITING .......................................................................................................................................... 134 REPORT WRITING .............................................................................................................................................. 140 ESSAY WRITING ................................................................................................................................................. 148 WRITING CONSOLIDATION ............................................................................................................................... 163 PART FIVE: SPEAKING ........................................................................................................................................... 164 PERSONAL QUESTIONS .................................................................................................................................... 164 PROVERB AND QUOTE QUESTIONS ............................................................................................................... 168 TOPIC QUESTIONS ............................................................................................................................................ 177 SPEAKING CONSOLIDATION ............................................................................................................................ 197 PART SIX: PRACTICE TESTS ................................................................................................................................ 198 PRACTICE TEST 1 .............................................................................................................................................. 198 PRACTICE TEST 2 .............................................................................................................................................. 212 PART SEVEN: KEY .................................................................................................................................................. 225

fb.com/iloveambrosia I 258