Đề thi chính thức tốt nghiệp THPT môn Tiếng Anh năm 2018 - Mã đề 408

The knock-on effect of volunteering on the lives of individuals can be profound. Voluntary work helps foster independence and imparts the ability to deal with different situations, often simultaneously, thus teaching people how to (31) ______ their way through different systems. It therefore brings people into touch with the real world; and, hence, equips them for the future. Initially, young adults in their late teens might not seem to have the expertise or knowledge to impart to others that say a teacher or an agriculturalist or a nurse would have, (32) ______ they do have many skills that can help others. And in the absence of any particular talent, their energy and enthusiasm can be harnessed for the benefit (33) ______ their fellow human beings, and ultimately themselves. From all this, the gain to any community no matter how many volunteers are involved is (34) ______. Employers will generally look favorably on people (35) ______ have shown an ability to work as part of a team. It demonstrates a willingness to learn and an independent spirit, which would be desirable qualities in any employee. (Adapted from "IELTS Testbuilder 2" by Sam McCarter)

There are many African tribes but, for many people, the Masai are the most well-known. They are famous for their bright red clothing and their ceremonies with lots of music and dancing. Probably, one of the most colorful ceremonies is the festival of "Eunoto," when the teenage boys of the Masai become men. Eunoto lasts for many days and Masai people travel across the region to get to a special place near the border between Kenya and Tanzania. The teenage boys who travel with them are called "warrriors". This is a traditional name from the past when young men fought with other tribes. At the beginning of the ceremony, the teenagers paint their bodies while their mothers start to build a place called the "Osingira", a sacred room in the middle of the celebrations. Later, the senior elders from different tribes will sit inside this place and, at different times, the boys go inside to meet them. Later in the day, the boys run around the Osingira, going faster and faster each time. The teenagers also have to alter their appearance at Eunoto. Masai boys' hair is very long before the ritual but they have to cut it off. In Masai culture, hair is an important symbol. For example, when a baby grows into an infant, the mother cuts the child's hair and gives the child a name. At a Masai wedding, the hair of the bride is also cut off as she becomes a woman. And so, at Eunoto, the teenage boy's mother cuts his hair off at sunrise. On the final day, the teenagers meet the senior elders one more time. They get this advice: "Now you are men, use your heads and knowledge." Then, people start to travel back to their homes and have children. Later in life, they will be the leaders of their communities. (Adapted from "Life" by John Hughes, Helen Stephenson and Paul Dummett)

In this modern world where closed-circuit television CCTV cameras are everywhere and smartphones in every pocket, the routine filming of everyday life is becoming pervasive. A number of countries are rolling out body cams for police officers; other public-facing agencies such as schools, councils and hospitals are also experimenting with cameras for their employees. Private citizens are getting in on the act too: cyclists increasingly wear headcams as a deterrent to aggressive drivers. As camera technology gets smaller and cheaper, it isn't hard to envisage a future where we're all filming everything all the time, in every direction. Would that be a good thing? There are some obvious potential upsides. If people know they are on camera, especially when at work or using public services, they are surely less likely to misbehave. The available evidence suggests that it discourages behaviours such as vandalism. Another upside is that it would be harder to get away with crimes or to evade blame for accidents. But a world on camera could have subtle negative effects. The deluge of data we pour into the hands of Google, Facebook and others has already proved a mixed blessing. Those companies would no doubt be willing to upload and curate our body-cam data for free, but at what cost to privacy and freedom of choice? Body-cam data could also create a legal minefield. Disputes over the veracity and interpretation of police footage have already surfaced. Eventually, events not caught on camera could be treated as if they didn't happen. Alternatively, footage could be faked or doctored to dodge blame or incriminate others. Of course, there's always the argument that if you're not doing anything wrong, you have nothing to fear. But most people have done something embarrassing, or even illegal, that they regret and would prefer they hadn't been caught on film. People already censor their social media feeds – or avoid doing anything incriminating in public – for fear of damaging their reputation. Would ubiquitous body cams have a further chilling effect on our freedom? The always-on camera world could even threaten some of the attributes that make us human. We are natural gossips and backbiters, and while those might not be desirable behaviors, they oil the wheels of our social interactions. Once people assume they are being filmed, they are likely to clam up. The argument in relation to body-cam ownership is a bit that for guns: once you go past a critical threshold, almost everyone will feel they need one as an insurance policy. We are nowhere near that point yet - but we should think hard about whether we really want to say "lights, body cam, action." (Adapted from http://www.newscientist.com)