Mở Bài
Chủ đề phát triển bền vững trong quy hoạch đô thị là một trong những đề tài xuất hiện thường xuyên trong kỳ thi IELTS Reading, đặc biệt trong các bài thi từ năm 2018 đến nay. Với sự quan tâm ngày càng tăng về môi trường, biến đổi khí hậu và tăng trưởng đô thị hóa toàn cầu, Cambridge và IDP thường xuyên đưa chủ đề này vào đề thi chính thức.
Bài viết này cung cấp một bộ đề thi IELTS Reading hoàn chỉnh với 3 passages tăng dần độ khó, từ Easy đến Hard, giúp bạn làm quen với cấu trúc thi thật. Bạn sẽ được luyện tập với 40 câu hỏi đa dạng, bao gồm Multiple Choice, True/False/Not Given, Yes/No/Not Given, Matching Headings, Summary Completion và nhiều dạng khác. Mỗi câu hỏi đều có đáp án chi tiết kèm giải thích về vị trí thông tin trong bài, cách paraphrase và chiến lược làm bài hiệu quả.
Đề thi này phù hợp cho học viên từ band 5.0 trở lên, giúp bạn nắm vững kiến thức về sustainable development, urban planning và các từ vựng học thuật liên quan. Thông qua việc luyện tập với đề thi mẫu này, bạn sẽ tự tin hơn khi đối mặt với các bài đọc tương tự trong kỳ thi thật.
Hướng Dẫn Làm Bài IELTS Reading
Tổng Quan Về IELTS Reading Test
IELTS Reading Test kéo dài 60 phút với 3 passages và tổng cộng 40 câu hỏi. Mỗi passage dài khoảng 700-1000 từ và có độ khó tăng dần. Điểm đặc biệt là bạn không có thời gian thêm để chuyển đáp án sang answer sheet, vì vậy cần quản lý thời gian hợp lý.
Phân bổ thời gian khuyến nghị:
- Passage 1 (Easy): 15-17 phút
- Passage 2 (Medium): 18-20 phút
- Passage 3 (Hard): 23-25 phút
Thời gian còn lại dùng để kiểm tra lại đáp án và đảm bảo không bỏ sót câu nào.
Các Dạng Câu Hỏi Trong Đề Này
Đề thi mẫu này bao gồm 8 dạng câu hỏi phổ biến nhất trong IELTS Reading:
- Multiple Choice – Chọn đáp án đúng từ 3-4 phương án
- True/False/Not Given – Xác định thông tin đúng, sai hay không được đề cập
- Yes/No/Not Given – Xác định ý kiến tác giả đồng ý, không đồng ý hay không đề cập
- Matching Headings – Ghép tiêu đề phù hợp cho các đoạn văn
- Summary Completion – Điền từ vào chỗ trống trong đoạn tóm tắt
- Matching Features – Ghép thông tin với các đối tượng được đề cập
- Sentence Completion – Hoàn thành câu với thông tin từ bài đọc
- Short-answer Questions – Trả lời câu hỏi ngắn với số từ giới hạn
IELTS Reading Practice Test
PASSAGE 1 – The Green City Movement
Độ khó: Easy (Band 5.0-6.5)
Thời gian đề xuất: 15-17 phút
Cities around the world are facing unprecedented challenges as urban populations continue to grow at an alarming rate. By 2050, it is estimated that nearly 70% of the global population will live in urban areas, putting tremendous pressure on infrastructure, resources, and the environment. In response to these challenges, urban planners and policymakers have begun to embrace the concept of sustainable development in city planning, leading to what is now known as the green city movement.
The green city movement represents a fundamental shift in how cities are designed, built, and managed. Rather than focusing solely on economic growth and expansion, this approach prioritizes environmental sustainability, social equity, and the quality of life for residents. Green cities aim to minimize their ecological footprint while maximizing the wellbeing of their inhabitants through innovative planning strategies and technologies.
One of the most visible aspects of green city planning is the integration of green spaces throughout urban environments. Parks, gardens, and urban forests serve multiple purposes beyond simply providing aesthetic value. These green spaces help to reduce air pollution by absorbing carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen, while also mitigating the urban heat island effect that makes cities significantly warmer than surrounding rural areas. Studies have shown that areas with abundant vegetation can be up to 5 degrees Celsius cooler than concrete-dominated neighbourhoods.
Public transportation systems play a crucial role in sustainable urban planning. Green cities invest heavily in efficient, accessible, and environmentally friendly transit options such as electric buses, light rail systems, and extensive cycling infrastructure. Copenhagen, Denmark, serves as an exemplary model, where over 60% of residents commute by bicycle daily. The city has created more than 390 kilometres of dedicated bike lanes, demonstrating that with proper infrastructure, citizens will readily adopt sustainable transportation methods.
Energy efficiency is another cornerstone of green city development. Modern sustainable buildings incorporate solar panels, advanced insulation systems, and smart technology to minimize energy consumption. Some innovative cities have gone even further by implementing district heating and cooling systems that serve entire neighbourhoods. These systems are often powered by renewable energy sources such as geothermal, wind, or solar power, significantly reducing reliance on fossil fuels.
Water management represents a critical challenge for urban planners pursuing sustainability. Green cities employ various strategies to conserve water resources and manage stormwater effectively. Permeable pavements allow rainwater to seep into the ground rather than overwhelming drainage systems, while green roofs and rain gardens capture and filter water naturally. Singapore has become a leader in this area, implementing a comprehensive water recycling system that purifies used water to drinking standards, making the city-state nearly self-sufficient in water supply.
Community engagement is essential for the success of green city initiatives. Urban planners increasingly recognize that sustainable development cannot be imposed from above but must involve residents in the planning process. Many cities now conduct extensive public consultations before implementing major projects, ensuring that developments meet the actual needs and preferences of the community. This participatory approach has led to greater public support for sustainability initiatives and more effective implementation of green policies.
The economic benefits of green city planning are becoming increasingly apparent. While initial investments in sustainable infrastructure can be substantial, the long-term savings and economic advantages are compelling. Energy-efficient buildings reduce operational costs, green spaces increase property values, and improved public transportation can boost local economies. Moreover, green cities often attract skilled workers and innovative companies seeking locations that align with their environmental values, creating a positive economic cycle.
Despite the many advantages, implementing green city initiatives faces several obstacles. Financial constraints often limit the ability of cities, particularly in developing countries, to invest in expensive sustainable infrastructure. Additionally, political resistance from various stakeholders can slow or derail projects. Some business owners oppose pedestrianization schemes, while property developers may resist strict environmental building codes. Overcoming these challenges requires strong political will, effective communication, and demonstrable evidence of the benefits.
Looking forward, the green city movement continues to evolve and expand. Emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things are being integrated into urban planning to create smart green cities that optimize resource use in real-time. As climate change impacts become more severe, the urgency of sustainable urban development will only increase, making green cities not just desirable but essential for human survival and prosperity in the coming decades.
Thành phố xanh với công viên và cây xanh tích hợp trong quy hoạch đô thị bền vững
Questions 1-13
Questions 1-5: Multiple Choice
Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D.
1. According to the passage, by 2050, what percentage of the world’s population is expected to live in cities?
A. 50%
B. 60%
C. 70%
D. 80%
2. What is the primary focus of the green city movement?
A. Economic growth only
B. Environmental sustainability and quality of life
C. Population expansion
D. Building more infrastructure
3. How much cooler can areas with abundant vegetation be compared to concrete areas?
A. Up to 3 degrees Celsius
B. Up to 5 degrees Celsius
C. Up to 7 degrees Celsius
D. Up to 10 degrees Celsius
4. What percentage of Copenhagen residents commute by bicycle daily?
A. Over 40%
B. Over 50%
C. Over 60%
D. Over 70%
5. According to the passage, what is one obstacle to implementing green city initiatives?
A. Lack of technology
B. Too much public support
C. Financial constraints
D. Excessive green spaces
Questions 6-9: True/False/Not Given
Do the following statements agree with the information given in the passage? Write:
TRUE if the statement agrees with the information
FALSE if the statement contradicts the information
NOT GIVEN if there is no information on this
6. Green spaces in cities only serve aesthetic purposes.
7. Singapore has achieved near self-sufficiency in water supply through recycling systems.
8. All business owners support pedestrianization schemes in green cities.
9. Green cities typically have lower property values than traditional cities.
Questions 10-13: Sentence Completion
Complete the sentences below. Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the passage for each answer.
10. District heating and cooling systems in green cities are often powered by __ such as geothermal or solar power.
11. Many cities now conduct extensive __ before implementing major sustainability projects.
12. Permeable pavements allow rainwater to __ rather than overwhelming drainage systems.
13. Emerging technologies like artificial intelligence are being used to create __ that optimize resource use.
PASSAGE 2 – Economic and Social Dimensions of Sustainable Urbanism
Độ khó: Medium (Band 6.0-7.5)
Thời gian đề xuất: 18-20 phút
The transformation of cities towards sustainability paradigms represents one of the most significant socio-economic transitions of the twenty-first century. While environmental considerations often dominate discourse on sustainable urban planning, the economic viability and social implications of such transformations merit equally rigorous examination. The intersection of these three pillars—environmental, economic, and social—forms the foundation of what urban theorists term comprehensive sustainable development.
A. Financial Architecture of Green Urbanism
The financial mechanisms underpinning sustainable urban development have evolved considerably over the past two decades. Traditional funding models, which relied primarily on municipal budgets and government bonds, have proven insufficient to meet the substantial capital requirements of comprehensive urban transformation. Consequently, cities have increasingly turned to innovative financing instruments such as green bonds, public-private partnerships, and performance-based contracts. Green bonds, in particular, have experienced exponential growth, with global issuance exceeding $250 billion in 2019, representing a tenfold increase from 2013 levels.
The return on investment for sustainable infrastructure projects often materializes over extended timeframes, creating challenges for conventional financial analysis. However, sophisticated cost-benefit analyses that incorporate externalities—such as improved public health outcomes, reduced climate adaptation costs, and enhanced ecosystem services—reveal compelling economic rationales. Research conducted by the Global Commission on the Economy and Climate suggests that investing in sustainable urban infrastructure could generate economic benefits of approximately $17 trillion by 2050 when compared to business-as-usual scenarios.
B. Employment and Economic Restructuring
Sustainable urban development catalyzes significant shifts in labour markets and economic structures. The transition creates substantial employment opportunities in emerging sectors such as renewable energy, green building, sustainable transportation, and environmental consulting. According to the International Labour Organization, the global green economy could generate 24 million new jobs by 2030 if appropriate policies are implemented. However, this transition simultaneously disrupts traditional industries, particularly those dependent on fossil fuels, necessitating comprehensive workforce retraining programs and just transition policies.
Cities pursuing sustainable development strategies have observed multiplier effects extending beyond direct green sector employment. Innovation clusters focusing on clean technology and sustainable solutions attract venture capital, research institutions, and skilled professionals, creating knowledge economies that drive broader economic growth. Vancouver, Canada, exemplifies this phenomenon, where deliberate policies fostering green technology innovation have established the city as a global hub for clean technology companies, generating billions in economic activity and thousands of high-quality jobs.
C. Social Equity Considerations
Despite noble objectives, sustainable urban planning initiatives can inadvertently exacerbate social inequalities if not carefully designed and implemented. The phenomenon of green gentrification—wherein environmental improvements lead to increased property values and the displacement of lower-income residents—has emerged as a significant concern in cities worldwide. Studies of green infrastructure projects in cities such as New York and London have documented correlations between neighbourhood environmental improvements and subsequent increases in housing costs that displaced vulnerable populations.
Addressing these equity challenges requires deliberate policy interventions. Inclusionary zoning policies that mandate affordable housing components in new developments, community land trusts that preserve long-term housing affordability, and participatory budgeting processes that empower residents to influence local spending priorities represent mechanisms through which cities can pursue sustainability while protecting social equity. Portland, Oregon, has implemented comprehensive policies linking green infrastructure investments with affordable housing requirements, attempting to ensure that environmental benefits accrue equitably across socioeconomic groups.
D. Health and Wellbeing Outcomes
The public health dividends of sustainable urban planning constitute a compelling, though sometimes underappreciated, dimension of the sustainability equation. Urban design decisions profoundly influence physical activity levels, air quality exposure, mental health outcomes, and social connectivity—all critical determinants of population health. Research published in The Lancet demonstrated that cities with comprehensive active transportation infrastructure exhibit significantly lower rates of obesity, cardiovascular disease, and premature mortality compared to automobile-dependent counterparts.
Access to green spaces correlates strongly with mental health outcomes. Epidemiological studies have established that urban residents with regular access to parks and natural environments experience lower rates of depression, anxiety, and stress-related disorders. Moreover, green spaces facilitate social interaction and community cohesion, factors that epidemiologists increasingly recognize as fundamental determinants of population health and resilience.
E. Governance and Institutional Capacity
The successful implementation of sustainable urban strategies depends critically on governance structures and institutional capacity. Horizontal coordination across municipal departments—integrating transportation, housing, energy, and environmental planning—proves essential yet often elusive. Traditional governmental silos frequently impede the holistic approaches that sustainability demands. Progressive cities have established dedicated sustainability offices with authority to coordinate cross-departmental initiatives and align diverse municipal functions toward common sustainability objectives.
Vertical coordination between different levels of government presents additional challenges. National policies, regional regulations, and local initiatives must align coherently to enable effective sustainable urban development. The European Union’s urban agenda exemplifies attempts to create such multi-level governance frameworks, establishing mechanisms for coordination between EU institutions, national governments, and municipal authorities. However, tensions between these governmental levels regarding authority, resources, and priorities remain common obstacles.
The temporal dimension of sustainable urban planning poses unique governance challenges. Electoral cycles often discourage politicians from supporting initiatives whose benefits materialize beyond their terms of office, even when long-term analysis clearly demonstrates their value. Some cities have attempted to address this through independent sustainability commissions with mandates extending beyond electoral cycles, though such institutional innovations remain relatively uncommon and face political resistance.
Tài chính và đầu tư vào phát triển cơ sở hạ tầng đô thị bền vững hiện đại
Questions 14-26
Questions 14-18: Yes/No/Not Given
Do the following statements agree with the views of the writer in the passage? Write:
YES if the statement agrees with the views of the writer
NO if the statement contradicts the views of the writer
NOT GIVEN if it is impossible to say what the writer thinks about this
14. Traditional funding models are adequate for financing comprehensive urban transformation.
15. Green bonds have shown significant growth in recent years.
16. The global green economy will definitely create exactly 24 million jobs by 2030.
17. Green gentrification can lead to the displacement of lower-income residents.
18. All politicians support long-term sustainability initiatives regardless of electoral cycles.
Questions 19-23: Matching Headings
The passage has five sections, A-E. Choose the correct heading for each section from the list of headings below.
List of Headings:
i. The challenge of coordinating different government levels
ii. Mental and physical health benefits of urban green design
iii. New methods of funding sustainable city projects
iv. The problem of time in political decision-making
v. Job creation and industry changes in green cities
vi. Preventing inequality in environmental urban development
vii. The history of urban planning theories
viii. International cooperation on climate change
19. Section A
20. Section B
21. Section C
22. Section D
23. Section E
Questions 24-26: Summary Completion
Complete the summary below. Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the passage for each answer.
Sustainable urban development requires consideration of environmental, economic, and social factors together. While green bonds and other 24. __ have helped finance these projects, the benefits often take time to appear. Cities must also address 25. __, where environmental improvements cause housing costs to rise and force out poorer residents. Successful implementation depends on strong 26. __ and coordination between different government departments.
PASSAGE 3 – Theoretical Frameworks and Contested Paradigms in Urban Sustainability
Độ khó: Hard (Band 7.0-9.0)
Thời gian đề xuất: 23-25 phút
The discourse surrounding sustainable urban development has evolved from a relatively marginal concern of environmental advocates into a hegemonic paradigm shaping contemporary urban planning theory and practice. However, this apparent consensus masks profound ontological and epistemological disagreements about the nature of sustainability, the mechanisms through which it should be pursued, and the very definition of urban flourishing in an era of ecological precarity. Critical urban theorists increasingly interrogate the normative assumptions embedded within mainstream sustainability frameworks, questioning whether current approaches fundamentally challenge or ultimately reinforce existing patterns of capital accumulation and socio-spatial inequality.
The conceptual genealogy of sustainable urban development reveals tensions between competing theoretical traditions. Ecological modernization theory, which has significantly influenced policy discourse, posits that environmental sustainability and economic growth can be reconciled through technological innovation, market-based mechanisms, and regulatory reform within existing capitalist frameworks. This perspective, exemplified by concepts such as circular economy and eco-efficiency, maintains an essentially optimistic stance regarding the compatibility of sustainability imperatives with prevailing economic systems. Proponents argue that well-designed policies can harness market forces and entrepreneurial innovation to generate win-win scenarios wherein environmental improvements simultaneously enhance economic competitiveness.
Conversely, political ecology perspectives fundamentally challenge these assumptions, arguing that capitalism’s inherent growth imperatives and commodification tendencies remain fundamentally incompatible with meaningful ecological sustainability. Drawing on Marxian analysis, scholars within this tradition contend that environmental degradation represents not an aberration correctible through better management, but rather an intrinsic feature of capitalist accumulation processes. From this vantage point, ostensibly green urban initiatives frequently constitute forms of ecological modernization that enable continued capital circulation while failing to address underlying structural contradictions. The proliferation of green consumption opportunities, carbon offset markets, and eco-certified developments may represent what scholars term greenwashing—superficial environmental gestures that obscure continued unsustainability.
The metabolic rift theory, extending Marx’s concept of the disruption in material and energy flows between society and nature, offers particular analytical purchase for understanding urban sustainability challenges. Cities concentrate populations and economic activity, creating profound disruptions in natural biogeochemical cycles—extracting resources from distant hinterlands while exporting wastes and pollution. Urban political ecologists argue that genuinely sustainable cities would require fundamental reorganization of these socio-metabolic relationships, far exceeding the incremental improvements emphasized in mainstream sustainability planning. This might necessitate degrowth strategies, radical decentralization, and fundamental challenges to consumerist cultures—transformations resisted by powerful economic and political interests.
Environmental justice scholarship introduces crucial considerations of distributional equity and procedural fairness frequently marginalized in technocratic sustainability approaches. This framework illuminates how environmental benefits and burdens are distributed unequally across social groups, with marginalized communities disproportionately experiencing pollution, climate vulnerability, and inadequate access to environmental amenities. Moreover, these communities often face systemic exclusion from decision-making processes shaping their environments. Critical scholars document how ostensibly progressive sustainability initiatives can reproduce or exacerbate these inequities—a phenomenon termed environmental privilege—wherein affluent populations disproportionately benefit from green amenities while costs are externalized onto vulnerable groups.
The tension between participatory ideals and technocratic imperatives constitutes another fundamental fault line in urban sustainability governance. Contemporary planning discourse emphasizes stakeholder engagement, deliberative democracy, and co-production of knowledge between experts and communities. However, the technical complexity of sustainability challenges—requiring specialized knowledge of energy systems, ecological processes, and complex modeling—potentially empowers expert-dominated decision-making that marginalizes public participation. Furthermore, deliberative processes themselves can reproduce existing power inequalities when participants possess vastly different resources, expertise, and political influence. Some scholars advocate agonistic rather than consensus-oriented approaches to urban governance, embracing conflict and contestation as legitimate and potentially productive dimensions of democratic sustainability planning.
Socio-technical transitions theory offers a multi-level perspective on how urban systems transform toward sustainability. This framework distinguishes between stable regimes—dominant socio-technical configurations including technologies, infrastructures, institutions, and cultural practices—and niches where innovations develop, and broader landscapes of external conditions. Sustainability transitions occur when niche innovations gain sufficient momentum to challenge established regimes, potentially catalyzed by landscape pressures such as climate change or resource scarcity. However, regime actors possess substantial resources and path dependencies sustain existing configurations, generating significant lock-in effects that impede transitions even when alternatives prove superior by various metrics.
This perspective illuminates why sustainable urban transitions prove so challenging despite apparent technical feasibility and policy commitment. Automobile-oriented urban development, for instance, remains entrenched not simply through individual preferences but through mutually reinforcing elements: road infrastructure, petroleum industries, suburban spatial patterns, cultural associations between automobiles and freedom, professional planning practices, and regulatory frameworks. Transitioning toward sustainable mobility requires simultaneously transforming these interconnected elements—a systemic transformation far exceeding isolated interventions like introducing electric vehicles while maintaining automobile dependence.
Resilience thinking has emerged as an influential framework, though one subject to vigorous debate. Originating in ecology, resilience concepts emphasize systems’ capacity to absorb disturbances while maintaining fundamental functions and structures. Applied to cities, this suggests designing urban systems capable of withstanding shocks—climate events, economic disruptions, pandemics—and adapting to changing conditions. However, critics argue that resilience discourse can promote conservative adaptation that accepts rather than challenges unjust existing conditions, focusing on enhancing systems’ persistence rather than pursuing transformative change toward fundamentally different, more equitable configurations.
The post-political critique contends that contemporary sustainability governance increasingly depoliticizes fundamentally political questions regarding resource distribution, development priorities, and environmental futures. By framing sustainability as technical problem-solving requiring expert management rather than as political contestation over competing visions and interests, mainstream approaches may foreclose democratic deliberation about alternatives. This post-political condition manifests in consensus-oriented governance emphasizing stakeholder partnerships and technical optimization while marginalizing radical alternatives and suppressing fundamental disagreements about societal organization.
Navigating these contested theoretical terrains proves essential for scholars and practitioners seeking to advance urban sustainability meaningfully rather than symbolically. Reflexive engagement with underlying assumptions, power dynamics, and normative commitments enables more critical evaluation of sustainability initiatives’ potential to generate genuine transformation versus superficial modifications preserving fundamentally unsustainable trajectories. As urban areas globally confront intensifying climate impacts, resource constraints, and social inequalities, the stakes of these theoretical debates extend far beyond academic discourse, fundamentally shaping the lived futures of billions of urban residents.
Mô hình lý thuyết và khung phân tích phát triển đô thị bền vững phức tạp
Questions 27-40
Questions 27-31: Multiple Choice
Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D.
27. According to the passage, ecological modernization theory suggests that:
A. Economic growth must be abandoned for environmental protection
B. Environmental and economic goals can be achieved together through innovation
C. Capitalism is fundamentally incompatible with sustainability
D. Urban development should cease immediately
28. The metabolic rift theory is primarily concerned with:
A. The psychology of urban residents
B. Disruptions in material and energy flows between society and nature
C. Marketing strategies for green products
D. Political election cycles
29. What does the passage suggest about participatory planning processes?
A. They always produce equal outcomes for all participants
B. They are unnecessary in modern planning
C. They can reproduce existing power inequalities
D. They are only used in developing countries
30. According to socio-technical transitions theory, what are ‘regimes’?
A. Political governments only
B. Small-scale experimental innovations
C. Dominant socio-technical configurations
D. International climate agreements
31. Critics of resilience thinking argue that it:
A. Is too expensive to implement
B. May promote acceptance of unjust existing conditions
C. Requires too much public participation
D. Ignores climate change completely
Questions 32-36: Matching Features
Match each theoretical perspective (A-F) with the correct characteristic or concern (Questions 32-36).
Theoretical Perspectives:
A. Ecological modernization theory
B. Political ecology
C. Environmental justice scholarship
D. Resilience thinking
E. Post-political critique
F. Socio-technical transitions theory
32. Emphasizes the unequal distribution of environmental benefits and burdens across social groups
33. Focuses on how dominant systems can be challenged by niche innovations
34. Argues that sustainability governance removes democratic deliberation from fundamental political questions
35. Maintains that market mechanisms and technology can achieve sustainability within capitalism
36. Contends that capitalist growth imperatives are incompatible with ecological sustainability
Questions 37-40: Short-answer Questions
Answer the questions below. Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the passage for each answer.
37. What term describes superficial environmental gestures that hide continued unsustainability?
38. What type of strategies might genuinely sustainable cities require according to urban political ecologists?
39. What phenomenon describes when affluent populations benefit more from green amenities while costs fall on vulnerable groups?
40. What effects make it difficult to change established urban systems even when alternatives are better?
Answer Keys – Đáp Án
PASSAGE 1: Questions 1-13
- C
- B
- B
- C
- C
- FALSE
- TRUE
- FALSE
- FALSE
- renewable energy sources
- public consultations
- seep into/infiltrate the ground
- smart green cities
PASSAGE 2: Questions 14-26
- NO
- YES
- NOT GIVEN
- YES
- NO
- iii
- v
- vi
- ii
- i
- innovative financing instruments/financing instruments
- green gentrification
- governance structures/institutional capacity
PASSAGE 3: Questions 27-40
- B
- B
- C
- C
- B
- C
- F
- E
- A
- B
- greenwashing
- degrowth strategies/degrowth
- environmental privilege
- lock-in effects
Giải Thích Đáp Án Chi Tiết
Passage 1 – Giải Thích
Câu 1: C
- Dạng câu hỏi: Multiple Choice
- Từ khóa: 2050, percentage, population, cities
- Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 1, dòng 2-3
- Giải thích: Bài đọc nói rõ “By 2050, it is estimated that nearly 70% of the global population will live in urban areas”. Đây là thông tin trực tiếp không cần paraphrase.
Câu 2: B
- Dạng câu hỏi: Multiple Choice
- Từ khóa: primary focus, green city movement
- Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 2, dòng 2-4
- Giải thích: Bài viết chỉ ra “this approach prioritizes environmental sustainability, social equity, and the quality of life for residents” – tập trung vào tính bền vững môi trường và chất lượng cuộc sống, không chỉ tăng trưởng kinh tế.
Câu 6: FALSE
- Dạng câu hỏi: True/False/Not Given
- Từ khóa: green spaces, only, aesthetic purposes
- Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 3, dòng 2-3
- Giải thích: Bài viết nói rõ “These green spaces serve multiple purposes beyond simply providing aesthetic value” – không gian xanh có nhiều mục đích hơn là chỉ thẩm mỹ, do đó câu này FALSE.
Câu 7: TRUE
- Dạng câu hỏi: True/False/Not Given
- Từ khóa: Singapore, self-sufficiency, water supply, recycling
- Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 6, dòng cuối
- Giải thích: Bài đọc khẳng định “Singapore…implementing a comprehensive water recycling system…making the city-state nearly self-sufficient in water supply”. Paraphrase: “near self-sufficiency” = “nearly self-sufficient”.
Câu 10: renewable energy sources
- Dạng câu hỏi: Sentence Completion
- Từ khóa: district heating and cooling systems, powered by
- Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 5, dòng 4-5
- Giải thích: Câu gốc: “These systems are often powered by renewable energy sources such as geothermal, wind, or solar power”. Cần điền chính xác từ “renewable energy sources”.
Passage 2 – Giải Thích
Câu 14: NO
- Dạng câu hỏi: Yes/No/Not Given
- Từ khóa: traditional funding models, adequate, comprehensive urban transformation
- Vị trí trong bài: Section A, đoạn 1, dòng 2-3
- Giải thích: Bài viết nói “Traditional funding models…have proven insufficient to meet the substantial capital requirements” – nghĩa là không đủ (inadequate), trái ngược với câu hỏi nói “adequate”.
Câu 15: YES
- Dạng câu hỏi: Yes/No/Not Given
- Từ khóa: green bonds, significant growth, recent years
- Vị trí trong bài: Section A, đoạn 1, dòng 5-6
- Giải thích: Bài viết nêu rõ “Green bonds…have experienced exponential growth, with global issuance exceeding $250 billion in 2019, representing a tenfold increase from 2013 levels” – tăng trưởng đáng kể.
Câu 17: YES
- Dạng câu hỏi: Yes/No/Not Given
- Từ khóa: green gentrification, displacement, lower-income residents
- Vị trí trong bài: Section C, đoạn 1, dòng 2-4
- Giải thích: Bài đọc định nghĩa “green gentrification—wherein environmental improvements lead to increased property values and the displacement of lower-income residents”. Đây chính xác là điều câu hỏi nêu ra.
Câu 19: iii
- Dạng câu hỏi: Matching Headings
- Từ khóa: Section A, financial mechanisms, green bonds, financing
- Vị trí trong bài: Toàn bộ Section A
- Giải thích: Section A tập trung vào “Financial Architecture of Green Urbanism”, thảo luận về green bonds và innovative financing instruments – khớp với heading iii “New methods of funding sustainable city projects”.
Câu 20: v
- Dạng câu hỏi: Matching Headings
- Từ khóa: Section B, employment, labour markets, jobs
- Vị trí trong bài: Toàn bộ Section B
- Giải thích: Section B nói về “Employment and Economic Restructuring”, 24 million new jobs, workforce retraining – khớp với heading v “Job creation and industry changes in green cities”.
Câu 24: innovative financing instruments/financing instruments
- Dạng câu hỏi: Summary Completion
- Từ khóa: green bonds, finance projects
- Vị trí trong bài: Section A, đoạn 1
- Giải thích: Bài viết nói “cities have increasingly turned to innovative financing instruments such as green bonds” – cần điền “innovative financing instruments” (hoặc rút gọn thành “financing instruments” vẫn đúng trong giới hạn 2 từ).
Passage 3 – Giải Thích
Câu 27: B
- Dạng câu hỏi: Multiple Choice
- Từ khóa: ecological modernization theory, suggests
- Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 2, dòng 2-4
- Giải thích: Bài viết nói rõ ecological modernization theory “posits that environmental sustainability and economic growth can be reconciled through technological innovation, market-based mechanisms” – hai mục tiêu có thể đạt được cùng lúc.
Câu 28: B
- Dạng câu hỏi: Multiple Choice
- Từ khóa: metabolic rift theory, primarily concerned
- Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 4, dòng 1-2
- Giải thích: Bài đọc định nghĩa “The metabolic rift theory…offers particular analytical purchase for understanding urban sustainability challenges” và nói về “disruption in material and energy flows between society and nature”.
Câu 29: C
- Dạng câu hỏi: Multiple Choice
- Từ khóa: participatory planning processes, passage suggest
- Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 6, dòng 3-5
- Giải thích: Bài viết chỉ ra “deliberative processes themselves can reproduce existing power inequalities when participants possess vastly different resources, expertise, and political influence” – quá trình tham gia có thể tái tạo bất bình đẳng quyền lực.
Câu 32: C
- Dạng câu hỏi: Matching Features
- Từ khóa: unequal distribution, environmental benefits and burdens
- Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 5, dòng 1-3
- Giải thích: Environmental justice scholarship “introduces crucial considerations of distributional equity…how environmental benefits and burdens are distributed unequally across social groups” – khớp hoàn toàn.
Câu 35: A
- Dạng câu hỏi: Matching Features
- Từ khóa: market mechanisms, technology, sustainability within capitalism
- Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 2
- Giải thích: Ecological modernization theory “maintains an essentially optimistic stance regarding the compatibility of sustainability imperatives with prevailing economic systems…harness market forces and entrepreneurial innovation” – sử dụng thị trường và công nghệ trong hệ thống tư bản chủ nghĩa.
Câu 37: greenwashing
- Dạng câu hỏi: Short-answer Questions
- Từ khóa: superficial environmental gestures, hide unsustainability
- Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 3, dòng cuối
- Giải thích: Bài viết định nghĩa rõ ràng: “what scholars term greenwashing—superficial environmental gestures that obscure continued unsustainability”.
Câu 38: degrowth strategies/degrowth
- Dạng câu hỏi: Short-answer Questions
- Từ khóa: genuinely sustainable cities, require, urban political ecologists
- Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 4, dòng 5-6
- Giải thích: “genuinely sustainable cities would require…This might necessitate degrowth strategies, radical decentralization” – cần chiến lược giảm tăng trưởng.
Câu 40: lock-in effects
- Dạng câu hỏi: Short-answer Questions
- Từ khóa: difficult to change, established systems, alternatives better
- Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 7, dòng cuối
- Giải thích: “regime actors possess substantial resources and path dependencies sustain existing configurations, generating significant lock-in effects that impede transitions even when alternatives prove superior” – hiệu ứng khóa chặt (lock-in effects) là câu trả lời.
Từ Vựng Quan Trọng Theo Passage
Passage 1 – Essential Vocabulary
| Từ vựng | Loại từ | Phiên âm | Nghĩa tiếng Việt | Ví dụ từ bài | Collocation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| sustainable development | n | /səˈsteɪnəbl dɪˈveləpmənt/ | phát triển bền vững | embrace the concept of sustainable development | sustainable development goals |
| urban population | n | /ˈɜːbən ˌpɒpjuˈleɪʃn/ | dân số đô thị | urban populations continue to grow | urban population density |
| ecological footprint | n | /ˌiːkəˈlɒdʒɪkl ˈfʊtprɪnt/ | dấu chân sinh thái | minimize their ecological footprint | reduce ecological footprint |
| green spaces | n | /ɡriːn ˈspeɪsɪz/ | không gian xanh | integration of green spaces | urban green spaces |
| mitigate | v | /ˈmɪtɪɡeɪt/ | giảm thiểu | mitigating the urban heat island effect | mitigate climate change |
| public transportation | n | /ˈpʌblɪk ˌtrænspɔːˈteɪʃn/ | giao thông công cộng | invest heavily in public transportation systems | efficient public transportation |
| renewable energy | n | /rɪˈnjuːəbl ˈenədʒi/ | năng lượng tái tạo | powered by renewable energy sources | renewable energy sources |
| permeable pavements | n | /ˈpɜːmiəbl ˈpeɪvmənts/ | vỉa hè thấm nước | employ permeable pavements | install permeable pavements |
| community engagement | n | /kəˈmjuːnəti ɪnˈɡeɪdʒmənt/ | sự tham gia của cộng đồng | Community engagement is essential | promote community engagement |
| participatory approach | n | /pɑːˈtɪsɪpətri əˈprəʊtʃ/ | phương pháp tham gia | This participatory approach has led to | adopt a participatory approach |
| initial investments | n | /ɪˈnɪʃl ɪnˈvestmənts/ | đầu tư ban đầu | While initial investments can be substantial | require initial investments |
| political resistance | n | /pəˈlɪtɪkl rɪˈzɪstəns/ | sự phản kháng chính trị | political resistance from various stakeholders | face political resistance |
Passage 2 – Essential Vocabulary
| Từ vựng | Loại từ | Phiên âm | Nghĩa tiếng Việt | Ví dụ từ bài | Collocation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| paradigm | n | /ˈpærədaɪm/ | mô hình, khuôn mẫu | sustainability paradigms | paradigm shift |
| economic viability | n | /ˌiːkəˈnɒmɪk ˌvaɪəˈbɪləti/ | khả thi về kinh tế | the economic viability of transformations | assess economic viability |
| green bonds | n | /ɡriːn bɒndz/ | trái phiếu xanh | innovative financing instruments such as green bonds | issue green bonds |
| public-private partnerships | n | /ˈpʌblɪk ˈpraɪvət ˈpɑːtnəʃɪps/ | đối tác công-tư | turned to public-private partnerships | establish public-private partnerships |
| externalities | n | /ˌekstɜːˈnælətiːz/ | các yếu tố bên ngoài | incorporate externalities | account for externalities |
| labour markets | n | /ˈleɪbə ˈmɑːkɪts/ | thị trường lao động | significant shifts in labour markets | transform labour markets |
| multiplier effects | n | /ˈmʌltɪplaɪə ɪˈfekts/ | hiệu ứng nhân | observed multiplier effects | generate multiplier effects |
| green gentrification | n | /ɡriːn ˌdʒentriːfɪˈkeɪʃn/ | quá trình đô thị hóa xanh | The phenomenon of green gentrification | address green gentrification |
| inclusionary zoning | n | /ɪnˈkluːʒənəri ˈzəʊnɪŋ/ | phân vùng bao trùm | Inclusionary zoning policies | implement inclusionary zoning |
| community land trusts | n | /kəˈmjuːnəti lænd trʌsts/ | quỹ đất cộng đồng | community land trusts that preserve affordability | establish community land trusts |
| participatory budgeting | n | /pɑːˈtɪsɪpətri ˈbʌdʒɪtɪŋ/ | ngân sách tham gia | participatory budgeting processes | adopt participatory budgeting |
| governance structures | n | /ˈɡʌvənəns ˈstrʌktʃəz/ | cấu trúc quản trị | depends on governance structures | strengthen governance structures |
| horizontal coordination | n | /ˌhɒrɪˈzɒntl kəʊˌɔːdɪˈneɪʃn/ | phối hợp ngang | Horizontal coordination across departments | improve horizontal coordination |
| vertical coordination | n | /ˈvɜːtɪkl kəʊˌɔːdɪˈneɪʃn/ | phối hợp dọc | Vertical coordination between government levels | ensure vertical coordination |
| temporal dimension | n | /ˈtempərəl daɪˈmenʃn/ | khía cạnh thời gian | The temporal dimension poses challenges | consider the temporal dimension |
Passage 3 – Essential Vocabulary
| Từ vựng | Loại từ | Phiên âm | Nghĩa tiếng Việt | Ví dụ từ bài | Collocation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| hegemonic paradigm | n | /ˌhedʒɪˈmɒnɪk ˈpærədaɪm/ | mô hình bá quyền | a hegemonic paradigm shaping planning | challenge hegemonic paradigm |
| ontological | adj | /ˌɒntəˈlɒdʒɪkl/ | thuộc bản thể luận | ontological and epistemological disagreements | ontological assumptions |
| epistemological | adj | /ɪˌpɪstɪməˈlɒdʒɪkl/ | thuộc nhận thức luận | epistemological disagreements | epistemological framework |
| ecological precarity | n | /ˌiːkəˈlɒdʒɪkl prɪˈkeərəti/ | tình trạng bất ổn sinh thái | in an era of ecological precarity | face ecological precarity |
| capital accumulation | n | /ˈkæpɪtl əˌkjuːmjuˈleɪʃn/ | tích lũy tư bản | patterns of capital accumulation | process of capital accumulation |
| ecological modernization | n | /ˌiːkəˈlɒdʒɪkl ˌmɒdənaɪˈzeɪʃn/ | hiện đại hóa sinh thái | Ecological modernization theory | ecological modernization approach |
| circular economy | n | /ˈsɜːkjələr iˈkɒnəmi/ | kinh tế tuần hoàn | concepts such as circular economy | transition to circular economy |
| political ecology | n | /pəˈlɪtɪkl iˈkɒlədʒi/ | sinh thái chính trị | political ecology perspectives | political ecology framework |
| greenwashing | n | /ˈɡriːnwɒʃɪŋ/ | tẩy xanh (làm bộ thân thiện môi trường) | what scholars term greenwashing | engage in greenwashing |
| metabolic rift | n | /ˌmetəˈbɒlɪk rɪft/ | rạn nứt trao đổi chất | The metabolic rift theory | metabolic rift between society and nature |
| biogeochemical cycles | n | /ˌbaɪəʊˌdʒiːəʊˈkemɪkl ˈsaɪklz/ | chu trình địa sinh hóa | disruptions in biogeochemical cycles | natural biogeochemical cycles |
| degrowth | n | /diːˈɡrəʊθ/ | giảm tăng trưởng | might necessitate degrowth strategies | degrowth movement |
| environmental justice | n | /ɪnˌvaɪrənˈmentl ˈdʒʌstɪs/ | công bằng môi trường | Environmental justice scholarship | environmental justice movement |
| systemic exclusion | n | /sɪˈstemɪk ɪkˈskluːʒn/ | loại trừ có hệ thống | face systemic exclusion | address systemic exclusion |
| environmental privilege | n | /ɪnˌvaɪrənˈmentl ˈprɪvəlɪdʒ/ | đặc quyền môi trường | phenomenon termed environmental privilege | examine environmental privilege |
| technocratic imperatives | n | /ˌteknəˈkrætɪk ɪmˈperətɪvz/ | mệnh lệnh kỹ trị | technocratic imperatives | tension with technocratic imperatives |
| socio-technical transitions | n | /ˌsəʊsiəʊ ˈteknɪkl trænˈzɪʃnz/ | chuyển đổi xã hội-kỹ thuật | Socio-technical transitions theory | socio-technical transitions framework |
| lock-in effects | n | /ˈlɒk ɪn ɪˈfekts/ | hiệu ứng khóa chặt | generating significant lock-in effects | overcome lock-in effects |
| resilience thinking | n | /rɪˈzɪliəns ˈθɪŋkɪŋ/ | tư duy về khả năng phục hồi | Resilience thinking has emerged | resilience thinking approach |
| post-political | adj | /pəʊst pəˈlɪtɪkl/ | hậu chính trị | The post-political critique | post-political condition |
Kết Bài
Chủ đề phát triển bền vững trong quy hoạch đô thị không chỉ là một xu hướng đương đại mà còn là yêu cầu cấp thiết cho tương lai của nhân loại. Qua bộ đề thi mẫu này, bạn đã được trải nghiệm một bài thi IELTS Reading hoàn chỉnh với 3 passages tăng dần độ khó, từ giới thiệu cơ bản về green city movement, đến phân tích sâu về các khía cạnh kinh tế-xã hội, và cuối cùng là các lý thuyết học thuật phức tạp về sustainable urbanism.
Ba passages đã cung cấp đầy đủ 40 câu hỏi với 8 dạng khác nhau, giúp bạn làm quen với mọi định dạng câu hỏi có thể xuất hiện trong kỳ thi thật. Passage 1 tập trung vào khả năng đọc hiểu thông tin cơ bản và xác định chi tiết rõ ràng, phù hợp cho band 5.0-6.5. Passage 2 yêu cầu kỹ năng paraphrase và hiểu ý sâu hơn về các vấn đề kinh tế, xã hội liên quan đến phát triển bền vững, thích hợp cho band 6.0-7.5. Passage 3 thách thức người đọc với văn phong học thuật, từ vựng chuyên ngành và các khái niệm lý thuyết phức tạp, nhắm đến band 7.0-9.0.
Đáp án chi tiết kèm theo giải thích về vị trí thông tin, cách paraphrase và lý do tại sao đáp án đúng sẽ giúp bạn tự đánh giá chính xác năng lực của mình. Hãy chú ý đến cách các từ khóa trong câu hỏi được paraphrase trong bài đọc – đây là kỹ năng quan trọng nhất để đạt band điểm cao trong IELTS Reading. Những kiến thức giống như How to reduce waste cũng là nền tảng quan trọng giúp bạn hiểu sâu hơn về các chủ đề môi trường thường gặp.
Bộ từ vựng được tổng hợp từ cả 3 passages bao gồm hơn 40 từ và cụm từ quan trọng, từ cơ bản đến nâng cao, kèm phiên âm, nghĩa tiếng Việt và collocation. Hãy học thuộc những từ vựng này vì chúng không chỉ xuất hiện trong chủ đề urban planning mà còn trong nhiều chủ đề khác như environment, society và technology. Để mở rộng vốn từ vựng về chủ đề môi trường, bạn có thể tìm hiểu thêm về Impact of climate change on rural farming communities để có cái nhìn toàn diện hơn.
Kỹ thuật làm bài đã được thể hiện qua các giải thích chi tiết: luôn đọc câu hỏi trước, xác định từ khóa, skim passage để tìm vị trí thông tin, sau đó scan kỹ để xác nhận đáp án. Với True/False/Not Given và Yes/No/Not Given, hãy đặc biệt cẩn thận phân biệt giữa thông tin sai và thông tin không được đề cập. Với Matching Headings, đọc toàn bộ đoạn văn trước khi chọn heading phù hợp nhất.
Hãy luyện tập đề thi này nhiều lần, mỗi lần tập trung vào một kỹ năng khác nhau: lần đầu làm trong 60 phút để mô phỏng thi thật, lần sau phân tích kỹ từng câu trả lời sai, lần tiếp theo tập trung vào việc cải thiện tốc độ đọc. Sự kiên trì và phương pháp đúng đắn sẽ giúp bạn đạt được band điểm mong muốn trong kỳ thi IELTS Reading.
