Câu 1:
___ the considerable opposition, the council proceeded with the controversial urban development plan.
Câu 2:
I'm exhausted; I'd rather we ___ out tonight, if you don't mind.
Câu 3:
The evidence, ___ circumstantial, was damning enough to secure a conviction.
Câu 4:
Seldom ___ such a compelling and nuanced performance from such a young actor.
Câu 5:
The politician's speech was a masterpiece of ___, saying much but committing to nothing.
Câu 6:
What the study underscores ___ the profound impact of early childhood education on long-term cognitive development.
Câu 7:
The CEO's apology did little to ___ the anger of the disenfranchised shareholders.
Câu 8:
The new regulations ___ the use of single-use plastics in the city, a move widely praised by environmental groups.
Câu 9:
His promotion was a foregone conclusion; everyone in the office knew it was just a matter of time, ___?
Câu 10:
The organization provides a framework ___ local communities can develop their own sustainable initiatives.
Câu 11:
Only after the archeologists had meticulously catalogued every artifact ___ their true significance.
Câu 12:
He is reputed ___ one of the most brilliant legal minds of his generation.
Câu 13:
The team's victory, celebrated by thousands, was ultimately a ___ one, as their best player sustained a career-ending injury.
Câu 14:
It is imperative that every member of the committee ___ fully briefed before the vote.
Câu 15:
Under no circumstances ___ you to divulge this information to anyone outside the department.
Câu 16:
Had the researchers been given more time and resources, they ___ a breakthrough by now.
Câu 17:
If the original cartographers had possessed modern satellite imagery, the map of the continent ___ entirely different today.
Câu 18:
His arguments are often more ___ than substantive, relying on emotional appeal rather than logic.
Câu 19:
Not until the final report was released ___ the full extent of the financial mismanagement.
Câu 20:
The peace talks broke down, thereby ___ any hope of an imminent ceasefire.
Bài đọc: The Geoengineering Dilemma
Geoengineering, the deliberate large-scale intervention in the Earth's natural systems to counteract climate change, presents a profound ethical and practical conundrum. Proponents champion it as a necessary last resort, a 'Plan B' for a world failing to curtail greenhouse gas emissions. They point to proposals like stratospheric aerosol injection, which could rapidly cool the planet and buy humanity valuable time. However, this utilitarian argument is fraught with peril. Critics raise the spectre of unintended consequences, from disrupting global weather patterns and monsoon cycles to damaging the ozone layer. This 'moral hazard' argument suggests that the mere availability of a techno-fix might disincentivize the arduous but essential work of decarbonizing our economies. Furthermore, the issue of governance is a Gordian knot: who would control this global thermostat, and how would decisions be made equitably? A unilateral deployment by a single nation could be perceived as an act of aggression. The debate is thus polarized between a pragmatic, consequentialist view that prioritizes averting immediate catastrophe and a precautionary, deontological stance that warns against hubristic interventions with potentially calamitous and irreversible side effects. Navigating this impasse requires a level of international cooperation and foresight that has, to date, proven elusive.
Câu 21:
What is the central 'conundrum' presented in the passage?
Câu 22:
The author's tone in the passage can best be described as:
Câu 23:
The 'moral hazard' argument, as described in the text, implies that geoengineering could:
Câu 24:
The word 'hubristic' in the final sentence implies that interventions would be driven by:
Câu 25:
What is the primary rhetorical function of the final sentence?
Câu 26:
What does the author imply by describing the required cooperation as having 'proven elusive'?
Câu 27:
The phrase 'Gordian knot' is used to emphasize that the issue of governance is:
Câu 28:
The 'precautionary, deontological stance' would likely prioritize:
Bài đọc: On Linguistic Determinism
The Sapir-Whorf hypothesis, in its most stringent form, posits that the language one speaks determines the very nature of one's thoughts. This concept, known as linguistic determinism, suggests that the cognitive categories and frameworks available to an individual are circumscribed by their native tongue. For instance, a language lacking a dedicated term for a concept might render that concept largely unthinkable to its speakers. However, this hard deterministic view has been widely discredited, not least because the very act of translating and discussing such linguistic gaps seems to refute it. A more tenable, 'weaker' version, linguistic relativity, proposes a less absolute relationship: language influences, rather than dictates, thought and perception. It predisposes speakers to certain interpretations of reality, making some cognitive paths easier to tread than others. This nuanced perspective acknowledges that while our mother tongue may furnish our primary cognitive toolkit, it does not build an inescapable prison. Human cognition possesses a plasticity that transcends linguistic boundaries, allowing for the acquisition of new conceptual frameworks, albeit with varying degrees of effort. The debate thus shifts from one of absolute constraints to one of influence and cognitive propensity.
Câu 29:
The word 'circumscribed' in the first paragraph is closest in meaning to:
Câu 30:
According to the passage, what is the primary reason the 'hard deterministic view' has been challenged?
Câu 31:
The main purpose of the passage is to:
Câu 32:
What does the author imply by the phrase 'an inescapable prison'?
Câu 33:
Which statement best represents the author's stance on the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis?
Câu 34:
The passage suggests that under linguistic relativity, a person's native language primarily acts as a:
Câu 35:
What does the author mean by 'cognitive propensity' in the final sentence?