[107] - Đề thi thử tốt nghiệp THPT 2024 - Môn Tiếng Anh - SỞ GIÁO DỤC VÀ ĐÀO TẠO BẠC LIÊU (LẦN 2)

Most scientists agree that global warming presents the greatest threat to the environment. There is little doubt that the Earth is getting warmer. In the last century the average temperature rose about 0.6 degrees C around the world. Many experts warn that global warming will cause sea levels to rise dramatically. In the past 100 years the oceans have risen 10 to 20 cms- but that's nothing compared to what would happen if, for example, Greenland's massive ice sheet were to melt.
Just as the evidence is clear that temperatures have risen in the last century, it's also well established that carbon dioxide in the Earth's atmosphere has increased about 30 percent, allowing the atmosphere to trap too much heat. However, the exact link, if any, between the increase in carbon dioxide emissions and the higher temperatures is still being disputed. Most scientists believe that humans, by burning fossil fuels such as coal and petroleum, are largely to blame for the increase in carbon dioxide. But some scientists also point to natural causes, such as volcanic activity.
The current rate of warming is faster than ever before, however, which suggests it probably is not a natural occurrence. And a large number of scientists believe the rise in temperatures will, in fact, speed up. A recent study suggested that Greenland's ice sheet will begin to melt if the temperature there rises by three degrees C. That is something many scientists think is likely to happen in another hundred years. The complete melting of the Greenland ice cap would raise sea levels by seven metres. Even a partial melting would cause a one-metre rise. Such a rise would have a devastating impact on low-lying islands, such as the Maldives, which would be entirely submerged.
Other scientists emphasise that such doomsday scenarios may be hundreds of years in the future. 'You can't say with any certainty that sea-level rises are going to have a huge impact on society,' says Stouffer. 'Who knows what the planet will look like 5000 years from now?' Most climate scientists, however, agree that global warming is a threat that has gone unchecked for too long. 'Is society aware of the seriousness of climate warming? I don't think so,' says Marianne Douglas, professor of geology at the University of Toronto. 'Otherwise we'd all be leading our lives differently. We'd see a society that used alternative sources of energy, with less dependence on fossil fuels.'
(Adapted from Objective for IELTS by Michael Black and Wendy Sharp)

When you wake up in the morning, do you assume that you're going to have a great day or that you're going to have a difficult day? If you normally have positive expectations, you might consider yourself an optimist, and if your expectations are usually negative, you may be a pessimist.
According to research done by the Mayo Clinic, optimism can have a strong positive effect on your health. Their research shows that optimists may live longer, get colds less often, and be less likely to suffer from cardiovascular disease. Optimists may even deal with stress better than pessimists do.
If you think you might be a pessimist and would like to try to be more optimistic, pay attention to what some call “self-talk.” The term “self-talk” refers to the automatic thoughts that go through your head all the time. You know-the ideas, worries, beliefs, and hopes that run through your mind as you're driving, washing dishes, folding laundry. Are those thoughts negative like, “Everyone knows so much more than I do,” or positive like, “I'm learning a lot at this job”?
If your self-talk is negative, there are some things you can do to steer it in a more positive direction. First, you can simply stop your negative self-talk. Every time you catch yourself thinking something negative, you can stop yourself by actually saying, “Stop,” out loud. Alternatively, you can revise your self-talk. For example, if you catch yourself saying, “I’m terrible at giving presentations,” revise that to a question like, “How can I improve my presentation skills?” Another idea is to think of yourself as a friend. When you “hear” a negative sentence go through your mind, think about whether or not you would feel comfortable saying it to a friend. If the sentence seems too mean to say to a friend, think about what would sound better.
(Adapted from Select Readings by Linda Lee and Jean Bernard)

Some people think of 'traditional ' gender roles as being like a 1950s TV sitcom: Dad puts on his suit and goes to the office, while Mum, in her apron, stays at home and does the housework. But for most of human history, it has taken the (42)_______ of both men and women, whether working in an office or in the fields, to look after the family. And that's the situation to (43)_______ we now seem to be returning.
By 2050, women will make up 47% of the workforce in the United States, up from 30% in 1950. (44)______ some experts are predicting that, at least in the short term, the number of women in the workforce may actually overtake the number of men. What's the reason? During the economic recession that began in 2008, (45)_______ jobs disappeared from industries traditionally dominated by male workers, such as manufacturing. Unless many more manual manufacturing jobs appear, it may be that women, who (46)______ work in healthcare, education and other service industries, will take the lead in the labour market.
(Adapted from First Master Class by Simon Haines and Barbara Stewart)