[009] - Đề thi thử tốt nghiệp THPT 2024 - Môn Tiếng Anh - THPT LÊ XOAY - VĨNH PHÚC (LẦN 2)

THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE MUSIC
Think for a moment about the last music album you bought. Most likely, you'll think of the singer or band that made you want to buy the album. You might even know the name of the guitar player or the drummer. Those talented performers, however, are only some of the people in the music industry work behind the scenes, but the roles they play in the musical progress are very important.
Songwriters: Songs begin with the songwriter. Some songwriters work alone, but many work in teams that combine the talents of a lyricist, who writes the words to songs, and an instrumentalist, often a piano player or guitarist, who writes the music. Many of today's pop stars work with songwriters. For example, some of Lady Gaga's biggest hits were written by Nadir Khayat, also known "RedOne". Some songwriting teams have become very famous, such as Mike Stock, Matt Aitken, and Pete Waterman, who were responsible for many big 1980s pop hits.
Arrangers: After a song has been written, music arrangers-make it more appealing by deciding which instruments will be used, what tempo, or speed, the song will have, and whether the song should have a lower or higher pitch. A good arrangement can bring a song to life and make it a classic.
Studio Musicians: Not every singer or instrumentalist can be a star, and many work in the background as studio musicians. These artists are not a part of any one musical group. Instead, they are hired for recording sessions that eventually become the albums you buy, as well as soundtracks for television shows, movies, and radio ads.
Recording Engineers: Recording engineers also play a major role in creating the final sound that you hear. First, these engineers set up the recording studio, the room where the performers play, placing musicians and microphones in exactly the right places to get the best sound. Next, they use electronic equipment, such multi-track recorders, to capture the music. Finally long after the musicians have gone home, recording engineers use a mixing board to balance the melodies and rhythms of each musician, and sometimes to incorporate special sound effects or additional tracks.
Many people make a living with music. You may not recognize all of their names, but all of them work together to create the songs you love to listen to.

Write the Perfect Crime Novel
Most people are born with the natural ability to tell stories, ___(8)___ only a rare few have the determination to become professional authors, and even fewer have the joy of seeing their novels top the list of bestselling books. Some of the world's famous crime writers have ___(9)___ the greatest success of all.
Who can deny the appeal of famous detectives like Sherlock Holmes, Miss Marple or Hercule Poirot? Even if you haven't read the ___(10)___ books you will have seen them in films or on the TV. If you have an ambition to become the next Agatha Christie what should you do? The best starting point is to read ___(11)___ of examples of crime fiction written by good authors. You will need a notebook to carry around with you or, even better, some loose sheets of paper ___(12)___ you can make notes on and then file into a folder. After all, the most everyday situation -for example, watching a woman get off a train - may be the inspiration for your first bestseller.

Many people dream of going on a great travel adventure. Most of us keep dreaming; others make it happen...
Gregg Bleakney's dream was to travel the Americas from top to bottom. He got the idea after he finished a 1,600 kilometer (1,000 mile) bike ride. Gregg's friend, Brooks Allen, was also a cyclist. The two friends talked and slowly formed a plan they would travel from Alaska to Argentina by bike. To pay for the trip, Gregg and Brooks worked and saved their money for years. Once they were on the road, they often camped outdoors or stayed in hostels. In many places, local people opened their homes to the two friends and gave them food.
During their trip, Gregg and Brooks cycled through deserts, rainforests, and mountains. They visited modern cities and ancient-ruins such as Machu Picchu in Peru. And everywhere they went, they met other cyclists from all over the world. In May 2007-two years, twelve countries, and over 30,500 km (19,000 mites) later-Gregg eventually reached Ushuaia, Argentina, the southernmost city in the world. (Near Guatemala, Brooks had to return to the U.S., and Gregg continued without him.)
The trip taught both men a lot about traveling, especially if you travel abroad. What did they learn? Here is some of Gregg's advice:
Travel light. The less baggage you have, the less you'll worry about.
Be flexible. Don't plan everything. Then you'll be more relaxed and happy, especially if there are problems.
Be polite. As one traveller told Gregg, "Always remember that nobody wants to fight, cheat, or rob a nice guy."