Mở bài
Quản lý thời gian là một trong những kỹ năng quan trọng nhất không chỉ trong cuộc sống mà còn trong bài thi IELTS Reading. Chủ đề “time management” xuất hiện khá thường xuyên trong các đề thi IELTS thực tế, đặc biệt liên quan đến các lĩnh vực như năng suất làm việc, giáo dục, tâm lý học và phát triển cá nhân. Theo thống kê từ Cambridge IELTS, chủ đề này xuất hiện trung bình 2-3 lần mỗi năm ở các passages với độ khó từ medium đến hard.
Trong bài viết này, bạn sẽ được luyện tập với một bộ đề thi IELTS Reading hoàn chỉnh gồm 3 passages với độ khó tăng dần, từ Easy (Band 5.0-6.5) đến Hard (Band 7.0-9.0). Đề thi bao gồm đa dạng các dạng câu hỏi phổ biến trong IELTS như Multiple Choice, True/False/Not Given, Matching Headings, Summary Completion và nhiều dạng khác. Mỗi passage đều được thiết kế dựa trên format chuẩn của Cambridge với độ dài và độ khó tương tự đề thi thật.
Bên cạnh đó, bạn sẽ nhận được đáp án chi tiết kèm giải thích cụ thể về vị trí thông tin, kỹ thuật paraphrase và chiến lược làm bài. Bộ từ vựng quan trọng được tổng hợp theo từng passage sẽ giúp bạn nâng cao vốn từ học thuật. Đề thi này phù hợp cho học viên từ band 5.0 trở lên muốn cải thiện kỹ năng đọc hiểu và làm quen với format thi thực tế.
Hướng Dẫn Làm Bài IELTS Reading
Tổng Quan Về IELTS Reading Test
IELTS Reading Test là một phần quan trọng trong kỳ thi IELTS Academic, yêu cầu thí sinh hoàn thành 40 câu hỏi trong vòng 60 phút. Bài thi bao gồm 3 passages với độ dài khoảng 2000-2750 từ tổng cộng, độ khó tăng dần từ passage 1 đến passage 3.
Phân bổ thời gian khuyến nghị:
- Passage 1 (Easy): 15-17 phút – Passage này thường có nội dung đơn giản, thông tin rõ ràng và dễ xác định.
- Passage 2 (Medium): 18-20 phút – Passage này yêu cầu kỹ năng paraphrase và hiểu ngữ cảnh tốt hơn.
- Passage 3 (Hard): 23-25 phút – Passage này chứa nội dung học thuật phức tạp, yêu cầu phân tích và suy luận cao.
Lưu ý quan trọng: Bạn nên dành 2-3 phút cuối để chép đáp án vào answer sheet một cách cẩn thận, tránh mất điểm vì lỗi chính tả hoặc ghi nhầm.
Các Dạng Câu Hỏi Trong Đề Này
Đề thi mẫu này bao gồm 7 dạng câu hỏi phổ biến nhất trong IELTS Reading:
- Multiple Choice – Chọn đáp án đúng từ 3-4 lựa chọn
- True/False/Not Given – Xác định thông tin đúng, sai hoặc không được đề cập
- Yes/No/Not Given – Xác định ý kiến của tác giả
- Matching Headings – Nối tiêu đề với đoạn văn phù hợp
- Sentence Completion – Hoàn thành câu với từ trong bài
- Summary Completion – Điền từ vào bản tóm tắt
- Matching Features – Nối thông tin với các đối tượng tương ứng
Mỗi dạng câu hỏi yêu cầu kỹ năng và chiến lược riêng, vì vậy việc làm quen với tất cả các dạng là rất quan trọng để đạt band điểm cao.
IELTS Reading Practice Test
PASSAGE 1 – The Science of Time Management
Độ khó: Easy (Band 5.0-6.5)
Thời gian đề xuất: 15-17 phút
Time management has become an essential skill in modern society, where individuals juggle multiple responsibilities ranging from work commitments to personal obligations. The ability to allocate time effectively can mean the difference between success and failure in both professional and personal spheres. Research conducted by psychologists over the past few decades has revealed that effective time management is not merely about working harder, but about working smarter and understanding the psychological principles that govern our productivity patterns.
The foundation of good time management lies in understanding how we perceive time. According to Dr. Emily Richardson, a cognitive psychologist at Stanford University, humans have a natural tendency to underestimate how long tasks will take. This phenomenon, known as the planning fallacy, causes people to consistently miss deadlines and feel overwhelmed by their workload. “When we think about future tasks,” Dr. Richardson explains, “we tend to imagine an ideal scenario where everything goes smoothly. We fail to account for unexpected interruptions, the need for breaks, or the mental fatigue that sets in after prolonged concentration.”
One of the most widely recognised techniques for improving time management is the Eisenhower Matrix, named after the 34th President of the United States. This method involves categorising tasks into four quadrants based on their urgency and importance. Urgent and important tasks require immediate attention, while important but not urgent tasks should be scheduled for later. Urgent but unimportant tasks can often be delegated to others, and tasks that are neither urgent nor important should be eliminated entirely. By systematically applying this framework, individuals can prioritise their workload more effectively and reduce stress levels significantly.
Another powerful strategy is the Pomodoro Technique, developed by Francesco Cirillo in the late 1980s. This approach involves working in focused intervals, typically 25 minutes long, followed by short breaks. The technique capitalises on the brain’s ability to maintain concentration for limited periods and the restorative power of regular breaks. Studies have shown that people who use the Pomodoro Technique report feeling less mental exhaustion at the end of the day and are able to accomplish more tasks than those who work for extended periods without breaks. The key is to eliminate all distractions during the work intervals and use the break time to physically move away from the work environment.
Technology plays a dual role in time management. On one hand, digital tools like calendar apps, task management software, and productivity trackers can help individuals organise their schedules and monitor their progress. These tools provide visual representations of how time is being spent and can highlight patterns of inefficiency. On the other hand, technology is also a major source of distraction. Social media notifications, email alerts, and instant messaging can fragment attention and make it difficult to engage in deep, focused work. Experts recommend using technology mindfully, turning off notifications during concentration periods, and setting specific times to check emails and messages rather than responding reactively throughout the day.
The concept of time blocking has gained popularity among high-performing professionals. This strategy involves designating specific blocks of time for different types of activities. For example, a person might allocate mornings for creative work when mental energy is highest, afternoons for meetings and collaborative tasks, and evenings for administrative duties. By grouping similar activities together, individuals can minimise the cognitive cost of switching between different types of tasks, a phenomenon known as task-switching penalty. Research indicates that it can take up to 23 minutes to fully regain focus after an interruption, making task switching one of the biggest productivity killers in modern work environments.
Perhaps the most important aspect of time management is learning to say no. Many people struggle with overcommitment, agreeing to take on tasks and responsibilities that exceed their capacity. This often stems from a desire to be helpful, fear of disappointing others, or difficulty in assessing realistic timelines. However, chronic overcommitment leads to rushed work, missed deadlines, and burnout. Setting clear boundaries and being honest about one’s availability and limitations is not selfish – it is necessary for maintaining quality in the commitments one does make. As time management expert Laura Vanderkam notes, “Saying yes to everything means saying yes to nothing particularly well.”
Questions 1-6: Multiple Choice
Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D.
1. According to the passage, the planning fallacy refers to:
A. Working too hard on unimportant tasks
B. Underestimating the time needed to complete tasks
C. Failing to use a calendar effectively
D. Taking too many breaks during work
2. The Eisenhower Matrix categorises tasks based on:
A. Difficulty and time required
B. Personal preference and skill level
C. Urgency and importance
D. Deadline and resources needed
3. According to the passage, the Pomodoro Technique involves:
A. Working for 25-minute intervals with breaks
B. Eliminating all technology from the workplace
C. Delegating tasks to other people
D. Working for extended periods without stopping
4. What does the passage say about task switching?
A. It improves creativity
B. It takes about 23 minutes to refocus after interruption
C. It is recommended for administrative work
D. It helps reduce mental fatigue
5. Technology’s role in time management is described as:
A. Entirely positive
B. Completely negative
C. Having both helpful and harmful aspects
D. Unnecessary for productivity
6. According to Laura Vanderkam, saying yes to everything results in:
A. Better relationships with colleagues
B. Improved time management skills
C. Not doing anything particularly well
D. Increased productivity
Questions 7-10: True/False/Not Given
Do the following statements agree with the information 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
7. Dr. Emily Richardson works at Harvard University.
8. The Pomodoro Technique was created in the 1980s.
9. Time blocking involves allocating specific periods for different activity types.
10. Most people naturally excel at time management without training.
Questions 11-13: Sentence Completion
Complete the sentences below.
Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the passage for each answer.
11. Tasks that are urgent but unimportant can often be __ to other people.
12. The brain’s ability to maintain concentration is limited to certain __.
13. Setting clear boundaries is necessary for maintaining __ in one’s commitments.
PASSAGE 2 – Psychological Barriers to Effective Time Management
Độ khó: Medium (Band 6.0-7.5)
Thời gian đề xuất: 18-20 phút
While countless books, seminars, and digital applications promise to revolutionise our approach to time management, many people continue to struggle with chronic procrastination and inefficient work habits. The problem, according to contemporary research in behavioural psychology, is not necessarily a lack of knowledge about time management techniques, but rather deep-seated psychological barriers that undermine our best intentions. Understanding these cognitive and emotional obstacles is crucial for anyone seeking to genuinely improve their relationship with time.
Perfectionism represents one of the most paradoxical impediments to productive time use. Individuals with perfectionistic tendencies often believe that high standards drive success, but research suggests otherwise. A comprehensive study by Dr. Thomas Greenspon, published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, found that perfectionism frequently leads to procrastination rather than excellence. When people set unrealistically high standards for themselves, the fear of failing to meet these standards becomes paralysing. They may postpone starting projects indefinitely, waiting for the “perfect moment” or until they feel “fully prepared” – conditions that rarely materialise. This creates a vicious cycle: the longer one procrastinates, the less time remains to complete the task to the desired standard, which intensifies anxiety and further reinforces avoidance behaviour.
Another significant psychological barrier is what temporal motivation theory describes as present bias – the human tendency to prioritise immediate gratification over long-term benefits. The theory, developed by Dr. Piers Steel at the University of Calgary, explains why people struggle to work on tasks with distant deadlines even when they intellectually understand the importance of starting early. The brain’s reward system is far more responsive to immediate pleasures – checking social media, watching entertaining videos, or engaging in easy, mindless activities – than to the abstract future benefits of completing important work. This neurological preference for immediacy explains why New Year’s resolutions often fail and why deadline-driven cramming remains common despite its known ineffectiveness and stress-inducing nature.
The concept of cognitive load also plays a critical role in time management challenges. Cognitive load theory, originally developed in the context of educational psychology, refers to the total mental effort required to process information and make decisions. In our information-saturated environment, people face unprecedented levels of cognitive load simply managing daily communications, keeping track of commitments, and filtering relevant from irrelevant information. Decision fatigue – the deteriorating quality of decisions made after a long session of decision-making – becomes increasingly problematic. By the end of a typical day, individuals have made thousands of minor decisions, from what to wear to which email to answer first. This cumulative cognitive burden depletes mental resources, making it harder to exercise self-control and resist distractions precisely when discipline is most needed.
Emotional regulation difficulties compound these challenges. Research in affective neuroscience has demonstrated that emotional states significantly influence time perception and task engagement. When people feel anxious, stressed, or overwhelmed, their ability to accurately assess time and maintain focus becomes compromised. Dr. Sarah Koening’s research at the Max Planck Institute revealed that negative emotional states create a subjective experience of time passing more slowly during unpleasant tasks, making them feel more burdensome than they objectively are. This emotional time distortion can make people avoid starting tasks they associate with negative feelings, even when the tasks are objectively brief or manageable. Furthermore, individuals often use time-wasting activities as emotional coping mechanisms – a form of temporary escape from stress or discomfort that provides momentary relief but exacerbates the underlying problem.
The phenomenon of attention residue, identified by Professor Sophie Leroy at the University of Washington, presents yet another obstacle to effective time management. When people switch between tasks without fully completing one before moving to another, part of their attention remains fixated on the previous task. This residual attention reduces the cognitive resources available for the current task, diminishing performance quality and increasing the time required for completion. In modern workplaces characterised by frequent interruptions and multitasking expectations, attention residue becomes a persistent problem. Leroy’s experiments showed that people performed significantly worse on tasks when they had recently shifted attention from an uncompleted task, compared to when they completed tasks before moving on or had sufficient transition time between activities.
Social and cultural factors further complicate individual time management efforts. In many professional environments, being visibly busy is conflated with being productive or valuable. This “cult of busyness” creates pressure to fill schedules with meetings and activities regardless of their actual importance or contribution to meaningful goals. People may unconsciously sabotage their own time management by overcommitting to demonstrate value or avoid appearing lazy. Additionally, the rise of always-on work culture, facilitated by smartphones and remote work technology, has blurred boundaries between professional and personal time. The expectation of constant availability makes it difficult to establish protected time for focused work or genuine rest, both of which are essential for sustained productivity and well-being.
Addressing these psychological barriers requires more than simply learning new scheduling techniques. It demands honest self-reflection about one’s emotional patterns, perfectionist tendencies, and relationship with discomfort. Effective interventions often include cognitive-behavioural strategies to challenge perfectionist thoughts, mindfulness practices to improve emotional regulation and attention control, and environmental design to reduce cognitive load and minimise distractions. Research suggests that the most successful approach is not seeking perfection in time management itself, but rather developing compassionate awareness of one’s psychological barriers and implementing gradual, sustainable changes that address root causes rather than merely symptoms.
Những rào cản tâm lý ảnh hưởng đến kỹ năng quản lý thời gian hiệu quả trong công việc
Questions 14-19: 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. Perfectionism usually helps people achieve better results in their work.
15. The brain naturally prefers immediate rewards over long-term benefits.
16. Making many small decisions throughout the day reduces mental energy.
17. All companies should ban smartphones from the workplace.
18. Attention residue decreases when people complete tasks before switching to new ones.
19. Time management problems can be solved simply by learning scheduling techniques.
Questions 20-23: Matching Information
Which paragraph contains the following information?
Write the correct letter, A-H.
20. An explanation of how emotional states affect perception of time
21. A description of why distant deadlines fail to motivate people
22. Information about how workplace culture influences individual time management
23. A discussion of the impact of uncompleted tasks on subsequent work
Questions 24-26: Summary Completion
Complete the summary below.
Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the passage for each answer.
Perfectionism can lead to 24. __ because people fear not meeting their high standards. This creates anxiety that makes them avoid starting tasks. According to temporal motivation theory, people struggle with tasks that have 25. __ because the brain prefers immediate pleasures. The concept of 26. __ refers to the mental effort needed to process information and make decisions throughout the day.
PASSAGE 3 – The Neuroscience and Philosophy of Temporal Agency
Độ khó: Hard (Band 7.0-9.0)
Thời gian đề xuất: 23-25 phút
The study of time management has transcended its origins as a pragmatic domain of self-help literature to become a subject of serious scientific inquiry at the intersection of neuroscience, psychology, and philosophy. Contemporary research reveals that our relationship with time is not merely a matter of scheduling proficiency or willpower, but is fundamentally shaped by neurobiological mechanisms, evolutionary adaptations, and culturally constructed concepts of temporal value. This multidisciplinary perspective suggests that genuinely effective time management requires understanding the complex interplay between biological constraints, cognitive architecture, and socioeconomic context – a far more nuanced undertaking than traditional productivity frameworks acknowledge.
Neuroimaging studies employing functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) have illuminated the neural substrates underlying temporal decision-making and prospective planning. Research conducted by Dr. Hiroaki Masuda at the RIKEN Brain Science Institute has identified specific activation patterns in the prefrontal cortex, particularly the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), during tasks requiring future-oriented planning and delay of gratification. The DLPFC plays a crucial role in executive functions – the cognitive processes that regulate goal-directed behaviour, including working memory, cognitive flexibility, and inhibitory control. Significantly, individual differences in DLPFC activation strength and connectivity with other brain regions, particularly the ventral striatum (involved in reward processing), correlate with variance in self-reported time management abilities and susceptibility to procrastination.
The temporal discounting phenomenon – whereby future rewards are systematically devalued relative to immediate rewards – has been extensively characterised at both behavioural and neural levels. This discounting follows a hyperbolic function rather than the exponential function that rational economic models would predict, creating time-inconsistent preferences that underlie much problematic temporal behaviour. Individuals might rationally decide in the morning to work on an important project in the afternoon, but when afternoon arrives, the motivational calculus shifts dramatically – immediate alternatives like checking social media or organising their desk suddenly appear disproportionately appealing. Neurobiological evidence suggests this reflects competition between the limbic system (evolutionarily ancient structures governing emotion and immediate reward) and the prefrontal cortex (evolutionarily recent structures enabling abstract reasoning and long-term planning). The relative influence of these systems fluctuates based on factors including glucose levels, sleep quality, stress hormones, and circadian rhythms.
The concept of temporal agency – one’s subjective sense of control over time and confidence in the ability to allocate time effectively – has emerged as a critical psychological construct. Professor Sarah Sharma’s ethnographic research, documented in her work In the Meantime: Temporality and Cultural Politics, reveals how temporal agency is unevenly distributed across social categories. Individuals in precarious employment with unpredictable schedules, caregivers managing dependents’ complex needs, or people working multiple jobs to achieve financial security face structural constraints on their temporal agency that no amount of personal productivity optimisation can fully overcome. This perspective challenges the implicit assumption in much time management discourse that individuals have substantial discretion over how they spend their time – an assumption that reflects the experiences of relatively privileged socioeconomic positions while obscuring the temporal realities of marginalised populations.
Chronobiology – the study of biological rhythms – provides another crucial dimension for understanding optimal time management. The circadian system, regulated by the suprachiasmatic nucleus in the hypothalamus, creates approximately 24-hour oscillations in physiological processes including hormone secretion, body temperature, and cognitive performance. Research by Dr. Till Roenneberg at the Ludwig Maximilian University has demonstrated that individuals exhibit stable chronotypes – genetically influenced preferences for sleep-wake timing – ranging from extreme “larks” (morning types) to extreme “owls” (evening types). Critically, these chronotypes influence not merely sleep preferences but the temporal pattern of peak cognitive performance. Expecting an evening-type individual to perform complex analytical work at 8 AM, or a morning-type individual to engage in creative problem-solving at 11 PM, runs counter to their biological temporal architecture. Yet social and occupational structures typically privilege morning schedules, creating what Roenneberg terms “social jetlag” for evening types who must chronically operate out of phase with their biological rhythms.
Philosophical inquiry into the nature of time and temporal experience offers additional insights that complicate utilitarian approaches to time management. The phenomenologist Martin Heidegger distinguished between chronological time (clock time, measurable and quantifiable) and phenomenological time (the qualitative, subjective experience of temporal flow). From this perspective, the reduction of time to a resource to be optimised – the very premise of time management – represents a particular mode of temporal existence that obscures other valid ways of relating to time. The philosopher Barbara Adam argues that clock-time dominance in industrial and post-industrial societies has colonised more organic, task-oriented, and socially embedded temporal orientations, with ambiguous consequences for human flourishing. Time management techniques that focus exclusively on maximising productivity and minimising “wasted” time may inadvertently promote an instrumental relationship with temporal experience that devalues present-moment awareness, spontaneity, and activities without clear productive outcomes – precisely the experiences that many philosophical and contemplative traditions identify as essential to meaningful existence.
The emerging field of computational neuroscience has begun modelling time management as a resource allocation problem under conditions of uncertainty and competing goals. These models employ reinforcement learning frameworks – the mathematical approach that also describes how biological nervous systems learn from experience. From this perspective, effective time management represents a form of meta-learning: learning how to learn about one’s own cognitive resources, performance patterns, and environmental constraints, then continuously updating behavioural strategies based on accumulated evidence. This computational approach suggests that rather than seeking a universal optimal time management system, individuals should adopt an experimental mindset, systematically testing different approaches, carefully monitoring outcomes, and iteratively refining their strategies based on personalised data. Some researchers are developing machine learning applications that track individuals’ productivity patterns, attention dynamics, and contextual factors, then generate personalised recommendations – a form of algorithmically-assisted temporal agency that raises both promising possibilities and ethical concerns about surveillance and autonomy.
The convergence of these diverse perspectives – neurobiological, psychological, sociological, philosophical, and computational – suggests that genuinely comprehensive approaches to time management must integrate scientific understanding of cognitive and biological constraints with critical awareness of social structures and thoughtful consideration of existential questions about temporal values. Rather than pursuing maximalist productivity as an unquestioned goal, individuals might benefit from clarifying their fundamental temporal priorities: What kinds of temporal experience do they find meaningful? How do their current time use patterns align with or diverge from these priorities? What structural factors constrain their temporal agency, and what individual and collective actions might expand it? These questions resist simple answers but may ultimately prove more generative than the reductive prescriptions that dominate popular time management discourse.
Nghiên cứu thần kinh học về cơ chế não bộ trong việc lập kế hoạch và quản lý thời gian
Questions 27-31: Multiple Choice
Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D.
27. According to the passage, neuroimaging studies have shown that temporal decision-making primarily involves:
A. The limbic system exclusively
B. The dorsolateral prefrontal cortex
C. The suprachiasmatic nucleus
D. The ventral striatum only
28. Temporal discounting follows a hyperbolic function, which means:
A. Future rewards are valued equally to immediate rewards
B. People make completely rational decisions about time
C. The value of future rewards decreases in a specific non-linear pattern
D. Economic models accurately predict time management behaviour
29. Professor Sarah Sharma’s research suggests that temporal agency:
A. Is equally available to all individuals
B. Can be achieved through better productivity techniques
C. Is distributed unevenly across social categories
D. Is unrelated to socioeconomic factors
30. According to chronobiology research, social jetlag occurs when:
A. People travel across time zones frequently
B. Evening-type individuals must follow morning schedules
C. Everyone experiences the same peak performance times
D. Biological rhythms are perfectly aligned with work schedules
31. The computational neuroscience approach to time management suggests:
A. Using a universal optimal system for everyone
B. Avoiding all technology in time management
C. Adopting an experimental approach with personalised strategies
D. Ignoring individual differences in productivity patterns
Questions 32-36: Matching Features
Match each researcher with their contribution according to the passage.
Write the correct letter, A-G, next to questions 32-36.
Researchers:
32. Dr. Hiroaki Masuda
33. Professor Sarah Sharma
34. Dr. Till Roenneberg
35. Martin Heidegger
36. Barbara Adam
Contributions:
A. Distinguished between chronological and phenomenological time
B. Studied brain activation patterns during future planning
C. Researched chronotypes and social jetlag
D. Developed the Pomodoro Technique
E. Examined how temporal agency is socially distributed
F. Created the Eisenhower Matrix
G. Argued that clock-time has colonised other temporal orientations
Questions 37-40: Short-answer Questions
Answer the questions below.
Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the passage for each answer.
37. What type of cognitive processes does the DLPFC regulate that enable goal-directed behaviour?
38. According to the passage, what two brain systems compete when making decisions about immediate versus future rewards?
39. What does Roenneberg call the condition experienced by evening types who operate against their biological rhythms?
40. What type of mindset do computational approaches suggest individuals should adopt for time management?
Answer Keys – Đáp Án
PASSAGE 1: Questions 1-13
- B
- C
- A
- B
- C
- C
- FALSE
- TRUE
- TRUE
- NOT GIVEN
- delegated
- periods / intervals
- quality
PASSAGE 2: Questions 14-26
- NO
- YES
- YES
- NOT GIVEN
- YES
- NO
- E (Paragraph 5)
- C (Paragraph 3)
- G (Paragraph 7)
- F (Paragraph 6)
- procrastination
- distant deadlines
- cognitive load
PASSAGE 3: Questions 27-40
- B
- C
- C
- B
- C
- B
- E
- C
- A
- G
- executive functions
- limbic system, prefrontal cortex
- social jetlag
- experimental mindset
Giải Thích Đáp Án Chi Tiết
Passage 1 – Giải Thích
Câu 1: B
- Dạng câu hỏi: Multiple Choice
- Từ khóa: planning fallacy
- Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 2, dòng 2-4
- Giải thích: Bài viết nói rõ “This phenomenon, known as the planning fallacy, causes people to consistently miss deadlines” và Dr. Richardson giải thích rằng con người có xu hướng “underestimate how long tasks will take”. Đây là paraphrase của đáp án B.
Câu 2: C
- Dạng câu hỏi: Multiple Choice
- Từ khóa: Eisenhower Matrix, categorises
- Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 3, dòng 2-3
- Giải thích: Bài viết nói rõ “involves categorising tasks into four quadrants based on their urgency and importance”. Đây là thông tin trực tiếp.
Câu 4: B
- Dạng câu hỏi: Multiple Choice
- Từ khóa: task switching
- Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 6, dòng cuối
- Giải thích: “Research indicates that it can take up to 23 minutes to fully regain focus after an interruption” – thông tin này được nêu rõ trong bài.
Câu 7: FALSE
- Dạng câu hỏi: True/False/Not Given
- Từ khóa: Dr. Emily Richardson, Harvard University
- Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 2, dòng 1
- Giải thích: Bài viết nói “Dr. Emily Richardson, a cognitive psychologist at Stanford University” chứ không phải Harvard. Đây là thông tin mâu thuẫn.
Câu 11: delegated
- Dạng câu hỏi: Sentence Completion
- Từ khóa: urgent but unimportant, other people
- Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 3, dòng 5
- Giải thích: “Urgent but unimportant tasks can often be delegated to others” – từ “delegated” là đáp án chính xác và nằm trong giới hạn từ quy định.
Passage 2 – Giải Thích
Câu 14: NO
- Dạng câu hỏi: Yes/No/Not Given
- Từ khóa: Perfectionism, better results
- Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 2, dòng 2-4
- Giải thích: Bài viết nói “perfectionism frequently leads to procrastination rather than excellence” và “high standards drive success, but research suggests otherwise”. Đây là quan điểm trái ngược với câu hỏi.
Câu 15: YES
- Dạng câu hỏi: Yes/No/Not Given
- Từ khóa: brain, immediate rewards, long-term benefits
- Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 3, dòng 4-6
- Giải thích: “The brain’s reward system is far more responsive to immediate pleasures… than to the abstract future benefits” – đây chính xác là quan điểm của tác giả.
Câu 20: E (Paragraph 5)
- Dạng câu hỏi: Matching Information
- Từ khóa: emotional states, perception of time
- Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 5
- Giải thích: Đoạn 5 thảo luận chi tiết về “emotional states significantly influence time perception” và nghiên cứu của Dr. Koening về “negative emotional states create a subjective experience of time passing more slowly”.
Câu 24: procrastination
- Dạng câu hỏi: Summary Completion
- Từ khóa: Perfectionism, lead to
- Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 2, dòng 3
- Giải thích: “perfectionism frequently leads to procrastination” – từ “procrastination” điền vào chỗ trống một cách chính xác.
Passage 3 – Giải Thích
Câu 27: B
- Dạng câu hỏi: Multiple Choice
- Từ khóa: neuroimaging studies, temporal decision-making
- Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 2, dòng 2-4
- Giải thích: Bài viết nói rõ nghiên cứu đã “identified specific activation patterns in the prefrontal cortex, particularly the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC)” liên quan đến temporal decision-making.
Câu 29: C
- Dạng câu hỏi: Multiple Choice
- Từ khóa: Professor Sarah Sharma, temporal agency
- Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 4, dòng 2-3
- Giải thích: “Professor Sarah Sharma’s ethnographic research… reveals how temporal agency is unevenly distributed across social categories” – đây là paraphrase chính xác của đáp án C.
Câu 32: B
- Dạng câu hỏi: Matching Features
- Từ khóa: Dr. Hiroaki Masuda
- Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 2, dòng 2
- Giải thích: Bài viết nói “Research conducted by Dr. Hiroaki Masuda… has identified specific activation patterns in the prefrontal cortex… during tasks requiring future-oriented planning”.
Câu 37: executive functions
- Dạng câu hỏi: Short-answer Questions
- Từ khóa: DLPFC, regulate, goal-directed behaviour
- Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 2, dòng 5
- Giải thích: “The DLPFC plays a crucial role in executive functions – the cognitive processes that regulate goal-directed behaviour” – cụm từ “executive functions” là đáp án chính xác.
Câu 39: social jetlag
- Dạng câu hỏi: Short-answer Questions
- Từ khóa: Roenneberg, evening types, biological rhythms
- Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 5, dòng cuối
- Giải thích: “what Roenneberg terms ‘social jetlag’ for evening types who must chronically operate out of phase with their biological rhythms” – từ “social jetlag” là thuật ngữ chính xác.
Từ Vựng Quan Trọng Theo Passage
Passage 1 – Essential Vocabulary
| Từ vựng | Loại từ | Phiên âm | Nghĩa tiếng Việt | Ví dụ từ bài | Collocation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| essential | adj | /ɪˈsenʃəl/ | thiết yếu, cần thiết | essential skill | essential component, essential element |
| juggle | v | /ˈdʒʌɡəl/ | xoay xở nhiều việc cùng lúc | juggle multiple responsibilities | juggle tasks, juggle priorities |
| allocate | v | /ˈæləkeɪt/ | phân bổ, phân chia | allocate time effectively | allocate resources, allocate budget |
| fallacy | n | /ˈfæləsi/ | ngụy biện, sai lầm logic | planning fallacy | logical fallacy, common fallacy |
| fatigue | n | /fəˈtiːɡ/ | sự mệt mỏi, kiệt sức | mental fatigue | combat fatigue, chronic fatigue |
| delegate | v | /ˈdelɪɡeɪt/ | ủy quyền, giao việc | delegate to others | delegate authority, delegate responsibility |
| capitalise on | phrasal v | /ˈkæpɪtəlaɪz ɒn/ | tận dụng lợi thế | capitalise on brain’s ability | capitalise on opportunity |
| fragment | v | /ˈfræɡmənt/ | phân mảnh, làm gián đoạn | fragment attention | fragment data, fragment memory |
| overcommitment | n | /ˌəʊvəkəˈmɪtmənt/ | cam kết quá mức | struggle with overcommitment | avoid overcommitment |
| burnout | n | /ˈbɜːnaʊt/ | kiệt sức (công việc) | leads to burnout | prevent burnout, experience burnout |
| boundaries | n | /ˈbaʊndriz/ | ranh giới, giới hạn | setting clear boundaries | establish boundaries, maintain boundaries |
| restorative | adj | /rɪˈstɔːrətɪv/ | có tác dụng phục hồi | restorative power of breaks | restorative sleep, restorative practice |
Passage 2 – Essential Vocabulary
| Từ vựng | Loại từ | Phiên âm | Nghĩa tiếng Việt | Ví dụ từ bài | Collocation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| revolutionise | v | /ˌrevəˈluːʃənaɪz/ | cách mạng hóa | revolutionise our approach | revolutionise industry, revolutionise thinking |
| chronic | adj | /ˈkrɒnɪk/ | mãn tính, kéo dài | chronic procrastination | chronic pain, chronic illness |
| deep-seated | adj | /ˌdiːp ˈsiːtɪd/ | ăn sâu, bám rễ | deep-seated psychological barriers | deep-seated belief, deep-seated fear |
| undermine | v | /ˌʌndəˈmaɪn/ | làm suy yếu, phá hoại | undermine best intentions | undermine confidence, undermine authority |
| paradoxical | adj | /ˌpærəˈdɒksɪkəl/ | nghịch lý | paradoxical impediments | paradoxical situation, paradoxical effect |
| paralysing | adj | /ˈpærəlaɪzɪŋ/ | gây tê liệt, làm bất lực | fear becomes paralysing | paralysing fear, paralysing anxiety |
| vicious cycle | n | /ˈvɪʃəs ˈsaɪkəl/ | vòng luẩn quẩn xấu | creates a vicious cycle | break vicious cycle, trapped in vicious cycle |
| gratification | n | /ˌɡrætɪfɪˈkeɪʃən/ | sự thỏa mãn | immediate gratification | instant gratification, delayed gratification |
| depletes | v | /dɪˈpliːts/ | làm cạn kiệt | depletes mental resources | deplete energy, deplete reserves |
| compound | v | /kəmˈpaʊnd/ | làm trầm trọng thêm | compound these challenges | compound problem, compound effect |
| exacerbates | v | /ɪɡˈzæsəbeɪts/ | làm trầm trọng hơn | exacerbates the underlying problem | exacerbate tension, exacerbate crisis |
| residue | n | /ˈrezɪdjuː/ | phần còn sót lại | attention residue | leave residue, chemical residue |
| fixated on | adj | /fɪkˈseɪtɪd ɒn/ | bị ám ảnh bởi | attention remains fixated on | fixated on details, fixated on idea |
| conflated with | v | /kənˈfleɪtɪd wɪð/ | nhầm lẫn với | being busy is conflated with being productive | conflate concepts, conflate ideas |
| sabotage | v | /ˈsæbətɑːʒ/ | phá hoại | unconsciously sabotage | sabotage efforts, sabotage relationship |
Passage 3 – Essential Vocabulary
| Từ vựng | Loại từ | Phiên âm | Nghĩa tiếng Việt | Ví dụ từ bài | Collocation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| transcended | v | /trænˈsendɪd/ | vượt qua, siêu việt | transcended its origins | transcend boundaries, transcend limitations |
| pragmatic | adj | /præɡˈmætɪk/ | thực dụng | pragmatic domain | pragmatic approach, pragmatic solution |
| intersection | n | /ˌɪntəˈsekʃən/ | giao điểm | intersection of neuroscience | at the intersection, intersection of ideas |
| multidisciplinary | adj | /ˌmʌltɪˈdɪsɪplɪnəri/ | liên ngành | multidisciplinary perspective | multidisciplinary team, multidisciplinary research |
| nuanced | adj | /ˈnjuːɑːnst/ | tinh tế, có nhiều sắc thái | more nuanced undertaking | nuanced understanding, nuanced approach |
| illuminated | v | /ɪˈluːmɪneɪtɪd/ | làm sáng tỏ | illuminated the neural substrates | illuminate issue, illuminate path |
| substrates | n | /ˈsʌbstreɪts/ | chất nền, cơ sở | neural substrates | biological substrate, chemical substrate |
| prospective | adj | /prəˈspektɪv/ | tương lai, tiềm năng | prospective planning | prospective study, prospective client |
| variance | n | /ˈveəriəns/ | sự khác biệt, phương sai | variance in abilities | variance in data, high variance |
| susceptibility | n | /səˌseptəˈbɪləti/ | tính dễ bị ảnh hưởng | susceptibility to procrastination | susceptibility to disease, genetic susceptibility |
| devalued | v | /ˌdiːˈvæljuːd/ | bị giảm giá trị | future rewards are devalued | devalue currency, devalue contribution |
| hyperbolic | adj | /ˌhaɪpəˈbɒlɪk/ | thuộc hypebol, cường điệu | hyperbolic function | hyperbolic curve, hyperbolic discounting |
| fluctuates | v | /ˈflʌktʃueɪts/ | dao động, biến đổi | relative influence fluctuates | fluctuate widely, fluctuate between |
| circadian | adj | /sɜːˈkeɪdiən/ | thuộc nhịp sinh học 24 giờ | circadian rhythms | circadian clock, circadian system |
| ethnographic | adj | /ˌeθnəˈɡræfɪk/ | thuộc dân tộc học | ethnographic research | ethnographic study, ethnographic method |
| precarious | adj | /prɪˈkeəriəs/ | bấp bênh, không ổn định | precarious employment | precarious situation, precarious position |
| marginalised | adj | /ˈmɑːdʒɪnəlaɪzd/ | bị gạt ra lề | marginalised populations | marginalised groups, marginalised communities |
| chronobiology | n | /ˌkrɒnəʊbaɪˈɒlədʒi/ | sinh học nhịp điệu | chronobiology research | study chronobiology, chronobiology field |
| oscillations | n | /ˌɒsɪˈleɪʃənz/ | dao động, sự rung | 24-hour oscillations | regular oscillations, oscillation pattern |
| phenomenological | adj | /fɪˌnɒmɪnəˈlɒdʒɪkəl/ | thuộc hiện tượng học | phenomenological time | phenomenological approach, phenomenological study |
| colonised | v | /ˈkɒlənaɪzd/ | thuộc địa hóa | clock-time has colonised | colonise space, colonise minds |
| instrumental | adj | /ˌɪnstrəˈmentəl/ | công cụ, có tính phương tiện | instrumental relationship | instrumental role, instrumental value |
| spontaneity | n | /ˌspɒntəˈneɪəti/ | tính tự phát | devalues spontaneity | lack spontaneity, encourage spontaneity |
| contemplative | adj | /ˈkɒntəmplətɪv/ | thiền định, trầm tư | contemplative traditions | contemplative practice, contemplative life |
| iteratively | adv | /ˈɪtərətɪvli/ | một cách lặp đi lặp lại | iteratively refining strategies | work iteratively, develop iteratively |
| algorithmically | adv | /ˌælɡəˈrɪðmɪkli/ | theo thuật toán | algorithmically-assisted agency | algorithmically generated, algorithmically determined |
| convergence | n | /kənˈvɜːdʒəns/ | sự hội tụ | convergence of perspectives | convergence of ideas, technological convergence |
| generative | adj | /ˈdʒenərətɪv/ | có tính sinh sản, sáng tạo | more generative questions | generative process, generative thinking |
| reductive | adj | /rɪˈdʌktɪv/ | đơn giản hóa, rút gọn | reductive prescriptions | reductive approach, reductive argument |
Kết bài
Chủ đề quản lý thời gian không chỉ là một kỹ năng thực tế quan trọng trong cuộc sống mà còn là một chủ đề phổ biến trong bài thi IELTS Reading. Qua bộ đề thi mẫu hoàn chỉnh này với 3 passages, bạn đã được trải nghiệm đầy đủ các mức độ khó từ Easy đến Hard, giúp bạn chuẩn bị toàn diện cho kỳ thi thực tế.
Passage 1 giới thiệu các kỹ thuật quản lý thời gian cơ bản như Eisenhower Matrix và Pomodoro Technique với ngôn ngữ dễ hiểu, phù hợp với học viên band 5.0-6.5. Passage 2 đi sâu vào các rào cản tâm lý của quản lý thời gian với nội dung phức tạp hơn, yêu cầu kỹ năng phân tích cao hơn. Passage 3 mang tính học thuật cao với các khái niệm về thần kinh học, triết học và sinh học nhịp điệu, thách thức học viên ở mức band 7.0-9.0.
Các đáp án chi tiết đã được cung cấp kèm giải thích cụ thể về vị trí thông tin, kỹ thuật paraphrase và cách xác định đáp án đúng. Điều này không chỉ giúp bạn tự đánh giá kết quả mà còn hiểu rõ logic làm bài để áp dụng cho các đề thi khác. Bộ từ vựng được tổng hợp theo từng passage với đầy đủ phiên âm, nghĩa và collocation sẽ giúp bạn nâng cao vốn từ học thuật một cách có hệ thống.
Hãy luyện tập đề thi này nhiều lần, chú ý đến thời gian làm bài và phân tích kỹ những câu trả lời sai để cải thiện. Việc hiểu rõ các dạng câu hỏi và chiến lược làm bài cho từng dạng là chìa khóa để đạt band điểm cao trong IELTS Reading. Chúc bạn ôn tập hiệu quả và đạt kết quả như mong muốn trong kỳ thi sắp tới!
