Mở bài
Chủ đề Cultural Diversity In Science And Technology Education (Đa dạng văn hóa trong giáo dục khoa học và công nghệ) đang ngày càng trở nên phổ biến trong các kỳ thi IELTS Reading gần đây. Đây là một chủ đề mang tính thời sự cao, phản ánh xu hướng toàn cầu hóa giáo dục và sự cần thiết phải tôn trọng sự khác biệt văn hóa trong môi trường học tập đa quốc gia.
Bài viết này cung cấp cho bạn một đề thi IELTS Reading hoàn chỉnh với ba passages tăng dần độ khó từ Easy đến Hard, bao gồm 40 câu hỏi đa dạng hoàn toàn giống với đề thi thật. Bạn sẽ được luyện tập với các dạng câu hỏi phổ biến như Multiple Choice, True/False/Not Given, Matching Headings, và nhiều dạng khác. Mỗi câu hỏi đều có đáp án chi tiết kèm giải thích, giúp bạn hiểu rõ cách tìm thông tin và kỹ thuật paraphrase.
Ngoài ra, bài viết còn cung cấp bảng từ vựng học thuật quan trọng theo từng passage với phiên âm, nghĩa tiếng Việt và ví dụ minh họa. Đây là tài liệu luyện tập lý tưởng dành cho học viên có trình độ từ band 5.0 trở lên, giúp bạn làm quen với format thi thật và nâng cao kỹ năng đọc hiểu một cách bài bản và hiệu quả.
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 có độ dài khoảng 700-900 từ và độ khó tăng dần. Điểm quan trọng là bạn phải tự quản lý thời gian hiệu quả vì không có thời gian bổ sung để chuyển đáp án sang answer sheet.
Phân bổ thời gian khuyến nghị:
- Passage 1 (Easy): 15-17 phút
- Passage 2 (Medium): 18-20 phút
- Passage 3 (Hard): 23-25 phút
Với đề thi này về cultural diversity in science and technology education, bạn sẽ gặp các passages kết hợp giữa nội dung giáo dục, khoa học xã hội và công nghệ – những chủ đề thường xuyên xuất hiện trong IELTS Academic Reading.
Các Dạng Câu Hỏi Trong Đề Này
Đề thi mẫu này bao gồm 7 dạng câu hỏi phổ biến:
- Multiple Choice – Câu hỏi trắc nghiệm nhiều lựa chọn
- True/False/Not Given – Xác định thông tin đúng/sai/không được đề cập
- Matching Information – Nối thông tin với đoạn văn tương ứng
- Matching Headings – Chọn tiêu đề phù hợp cho các đoạn
- Summary Completion – Hoàn thành đoạn tóm tắt
- Sentence Completion – Hoàn thành câu
- Short-answer Questions – Câu hỏi trả lời ngắn
Mỗi dạng câu hỏi đòi hỏi kỹ năng đọc khác nhau, từ scanning (đọc lướt tìm thông tin cụ thể) đến skimming (đọc nhanh nắm ý chính) và detailed reading (đọc kỹ hiểu sâu).
IELTS Reading Practice Test
PASSAGE 1 – Breaking Cultural Barriers in STEM Education
Độ khó: Easy (Band 5.0-6.5)
Thời gian đề xuất: 15-17 phút
In recent decades, science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education has become increasingly globalized, bringing together students from diverse cultural backgrounds. This cultural convergence presents both opportunities and challenges for educators worldwide. Understanding how different cultures approach scientific learning is crucial for creating inclusive educational environments that benefit all students.
Traditional Western approaches to STEM education often emphasize individual problem-solving, competition, and linear thinking processes. Students are encouraged to ask questions, challenge existing theories, and work independently on projects. This methodology has produced remarkable results in countries like the United States, the United Kingdom, and Germany. However, educators are now recognizing that this approach may not resonate with students from cultures that value collective learning and hierarchical respect for teachers.
In many Asian countries, for instance, STEM education traditionally focuses on mastering foundational knowledge through repetition and memorization before moving to application. Students often work in groups, sharing knowledge and supporting each other’s learning. The teacher is seen as an authority figure whose knowledge should be respected rather than questioned. This approach has led to consistently high performance in international assessments like PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment), particularly among students from Singapore, South Korea, and Japan.
Indigenous communities around the world have also contributed unique perspectives to science education. Many indigenous cultures possess deep ecological knowledge passed down through generations, which modern scientists are only beginning to appreciate. For example, Aboriginal Australians have used sophisticated astronomical observations for navigation and seasonal planning for thousands of years. Incorporating such traditional knowledge systems into modern STEM curricula not only validates indigenous perspectives but also enriches the learning experience for all students.
The challenge for contemporary educators is to create culturally responsive teaching methods that draw on the strengths of different approaches. Some schools have adopted hybrid models that combine rigorous content knowledge with collaborative problem-solving. These programs recognize that scientific inquiry can be both individual and collective, and that respect for teachers doesn’t preclude critical thinking.
Technology has emerged as a powerful tool for bridging cultural gaps in STEM education. Online learning platforms allow students to access resources from multiple cultural perspectives, while virtual laboratories enable hands-on experimentation regardless of physical location. Video conferencing connects classrooms across continents, allowing students to work on joint projects and learn directly from peers with different cultural backgrounds.
However, technology itself is not culturally neutral. The way students interact with educational technology often reflects their cultural values. Research shows that students from collectivist cultures prefer collaborative online tools, while those from individualistic cultures may gravitate toward independent learning modules. Effective educational technology must therefore be flexible enough to accommodate different learning preferences.
Gender diversity represents another critical dimension of cultural variation in STEM education. In some cultures, women face significant barriers to pursuing science and technology careers due to traditional gender roles. Progressive educational institutions are working to counter these barriers through targeted outreach programs, female mentorship initiatives, and curriculum reforms that highlight contributions of women scientists throughout history.
The globalization of higher education has created unprecedented opportunities for cultural exchange in STEM fields. International students now comprise significant portions of graduate programs in science and engineering at leading universities. This diversity brings fresh perspectives to research but also requires institutions to provide cultural competency training for faculty and support services for students adjusting to new educational systems.
Looking forward, the future of STEM education lies in embracing cultural diversity as a strength rather than an obstacle. By learning from different cultural approaches to science and technology education, we can develop more robust and inclusive pedagogical methods that prepare all students for success in our increasingly interconnected world. The key is recognizing that there are multiple valid pathways to scientific understanding, each shaped by cultural context yet all contributing to the universal pursuit of knowledge.
Questions 1-13
Questions 1-5: Multiple Choice
Choose the correct letter, A, B, C, or D.
1. According to the passage, traditional Western STEM education emphasizes:
A) Group work and collective problem-solving
B) Respect for authority and memorization
C) Individual work and questioning theories
D) Indigenous knowledge systems
2. The passage suggests that Asian STEM education traditionally:
A) Discourages group collaboration
B) Focuses on application before theory
C) Uses repetition to build foundational knowledge
D) Challenges the teacher’s authority
3. Indigenous communities contribute to science education through:
A) Modern laboratory techniques
B) Traditional ecological knowledge
C) Western scientific methods
D) Online learning platforms
4. According to the text, educational technology:
A) Is culturally neutral
B) Works the same way in all cultures
C) Reflects cultural values in how students use it
D) Is only effective in individualistic cultures
5. The main point of the passage is that STEM education should:
A) Follow only Western methods
B) Reject traditional approaches
C) Embrace cultural diversity as a strength
D) Focus exclusively on technology
Questions 6-9: True/False/Not Given
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. Asian students consistently perform well in international assessments like PISA.
7. Aboriginal Australians used astronomical observations primarily for religious purposes.
8. All schools worldwide have adopted hybrid teaching models.
9. International students make up a large percentage of graduate STEM programs at top universities.
Questions 10-13: Sentence Completion
Complete the sentences below. Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the passage for each answer.
10. Technology can help overcome __ __ in STEM education through online platforms and virtual labs.
11. Students from collectivist cultures tend to prefer __ __ tools when learning online.
12. Some institutions offer __ __ programs to encourage women to pursue STEM careers.
13. The passage concludes that there are __ __ pathways to understanding science.
PASSAGE 2 – Pedagogical Approaches to Culturally Inclusive Science Teaching
Độ khó: Medium (Band 6.0-7.5)
Thời gian đề xuất: 18-20 phút
The imperative to create culturally inclusive science and technology education has gained considerable momentum in academic discourse over the past two decades. As migration patterns intensify and educational institutions become increasingly cosmopolitan, educators face the complex task of reconciling diverse epistemological frameworks while maintaining academic rigor. This challenge extends beyond simple accommodation of different learning styles; it requires a fundamental reconceptualization of how scientific knowledge is constructed, transmitted, and validated across cultural boundaries.
Epistemological diversity – the recognition that different cultures have distinct ways of knowing and understanding the world – lies at the heart of culturally responsive STEM pedagogy. Western science education has traditionally operated within a positivist paradigm, which assumes that objective truth can be discovered through systematic observation and experimental validation. This framework, while immensely productive, represents only one approach to understanding natural phenomena. Many indigenous knowledge systems, by contrast, employ holistic and relational approaches that emphasize interconnectedness between humans and nature, viewing scientific understanding as contextual rather than universal.
Research in educational psychology has demonstrated that students’ cultural schemas – their internalized frameworks for organizing and interpreting information – significantly influence how they engage with scientific content. Students from cultures that emphasize deductive reasoning may struggle with inquiry-based learning methods that require inductive hypothesis formation. Conversely, students trained in algorithmic problem-solving may find conceptual physics challenging when it demands qualitative reasoning about abstract principles. Tương tự như cultural differences in learning styles and student success, these variations in cognitive approaches reflect deep-seated cultural values about the nature of knowledge itself.
Sociocultural theory, pioneered by psychologist Lev Vygotsky, provides valuable insights into how cultural context shapes learning. Vygotsky’s concept of the “zone of proximal development” emphasizes that learning occurs through social interaction and cultural mediation. In STEM education, this means that the cultural tools available to students – including language, symbolic systems, and technological artifacts – fundamentally shape their capacity to engage with scientific concepts. A Chinese student familiar with abacus-based calculation, for instance, may visualize mathematical operations differently than a student raised using digital calculators.
Language itself presents one of the most pervasive barriers to equitable STEM education. Scientific discourse employs specialized terminology and grammatical structures that may be unfamiliar even to native speakers. For multilingual learners, the challenge is compounded: they must simultaneously acquire content knowledge and linguistic proficiency while navigating potential conceptual mismatches between their first language and the language of instruction. Research by Lee and Fradd has shown that code-switching – alternating between languages – can actually facilitate deeper conceptual understanding when properly supported by educators.
Several pedagogical frameworks have emerged to address these challenges. Culturally Relevant Pedagogy (CRP), developed by Gloria Ladson-Billings, advocates for teaching approaches that affirm students’ cultural identities while promoting academic excellence and critical consciousness. In STEM contexts, CRP might involve using culturally familiar contexts for problem-solving (such as traditional architecture principles in engineering courses) or highlighting scientists from diverse backgrounds. Funds of Knowledge theory, articulated by Luis Moll, similarly encourages educators to leverage students’ household and community resources as pedagogical assets.
The practical implementation of culturally inclusive STEM pedagogy requires careful curriculum design. Contextualized learning – presenting scientific concepts within familiar cultural frameworks – has shown promising results. A study by McKinley found that Maori students in New Zealand demonstrated improved engagement with chemistry when lessons incorporated traditional food preservation techniques that illustrated key chemical principles. Tương tự, research on cultural diversity in the teaching of history and geography emphasizes how contextualization enhances comprehension and retention across disciplines.
Assessment practices also require recalibration to ensure cultural fairness. Traditional timed examinations may disadvantage students from cultures that value reflective processing over rapid response. Performance-based assessments – which evaluate students’ ability to apply knowledge in practical contexts – often provide more equitable measures of understanding. Some institutions have adopted portfolio assessments that allow students to demonstrate competency through diverse modalities, including written reports, oral presentations, and practical demonstrations.
Technology-enhanced learning environments offer unprecedented opportunities for differentiated instruction that respects cultural diversity. Adaptive learning systems can adjust content delivery based on individual learning patterns, while multimedia resources can present concepts through multiple representational formats – visual, auditory, kinesthetic – accommodating different cultural preferences. However, as how is technology transforming global education systems explores, the digital divide remains a significant equity concern, with students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds often lacking access to necessary technology.
Professional development for STEM educators represents a critical leverage point for systemic change. Teachers need training not only in multicultural awareness but also in specific pedagogical strategies for supporting diverse learners. This includes understanding how implicit bias may affect their interactions with students from different backgrounds and developing skills in formative assessment that can identify culturally-rooted misconceptions without penalizing students for different ways of thinking.
The path forward requires institutional commitment to diversity that extends beyond symbolic gestures. Universities and schools must invest in recruiting and retaining diverse faculty who can serve as role models and cultural brokers for students. Curriculum committees should include voices from multiple cultural backgrounds in decision-making processes. Most fundamentally, institutions must cultivate an intellectual climate that views cultural diversity not as a remedial concern but as an epistemological resource that enriches scientific inquiry for all participants.
Questions 14-26
Questions 14-18: Yes/No/Not Given
Do the following statements agree with the claims of the writer?
Write:
- YES if the statement agrees with the claims of the writer
- NO if the statement contradicts the claims of the writer
- NOT GIVEN if it is impossible to say what the writer thinks about this
14. Western science education’s positivist approach is the only valid method for understanding natural phenomena.
15. Students’ cultural backgrounds influence how they process scientific information.
16. Code-switching between languages always hinders scientific understanding.
17. Culturally Relevant Pedagogy aims to both respect cultural identity and promote academic achievement.
18. All STEM educators have received adequate training in culturally inclusive teaching methods.
Questions 19-22: Matching Information
Match the following theories or concepts (19-22) with the correct description (A-G).
19. Epistemological diversity
20. Zone of proximal development
21. Funds of Knowledge theory
22. Performance-based assessments
A) Evaluating students through practical application rather than written exams
B) The idea that different cultures have unique ways of understanding the world
C) Learning occurs through social interaction and cultural tools
D) Using students’ community and household knowledge in teaching
E) Teaching only in students’ native languages
F) Eliminating all cultural references from science curriculum
G) Testing students only through oral presentations
Questions 23-26: Summary Completion
Complete the summary below. Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the passage for each answer.
Creating culturally inclusive STEM education requires more than just accommodating different learning styles; it demands a fundamental (23) __ of how scientific knowledge is created and shared. Language presents a significant challenge, particularly for (24) __ who must learn both content and language simultaneously. In terms of assessment, (25) __ may unfairly disadvantage students from cultures that prefer thoughtful reflection. Finally, schools must demonstrate (26) __ to diversity through concrete actions like recruiting diverse faculty, not just symbolic measures.
PASSAGE 3 – Intersectionality and Power Dynamics in Global STEM Education Discourse
Độ khó: Hard (Band 7.0-9.0)
Thời gian đề xuất: 23-25 phút
The contemporary discourse surrounding cultural diversity in science and technology education operates within complex matrices of power that extend far beyond the pedagogical realm. Critical race theorists and postcolonial scholars have increasingly challenged the ostensible neutrality of scientific knowledge, arguing that hegemonic Western epistemologies continue to marginalize alternative ways of knowing despite superficial gestures toward inclusivity. This scholarly interrogation reveals that debates about culturally responsive STEM education cannot be disentangled from broader questions of epistemic justice, historical inequity, and the ongoing legacies of colonialism in global educational structures.
The concept of “epistemicide” – coined by Portuguese sociologist Boaventura de Sousa Santos – refers to the systematic destruction of non-Western knowledge systems through colonial domination and neocolonial practices in contemporary education. In STEM fields, this phenomenon manifests through the privileging of Western scientific methodologies while dismissing or appropriating indigenous scientific knowledge. The ethnobotanical expertise of Amazonian peoples, for instance, has been extensively exploited by pharmaceutical corporations, yet these communities rarely receive recognition within formal scientific education as legitimate knowledge producers. This asymmetry exemplifies how power differentials shape what counts as valid scientific knowledge.
Intersectionality – a framework developed by legal scholar Kimberlé Crenshaw – provides crucial analytical tools for understanding how multiple axes of identity (race, gender, class, nationality, language) intersect to shape students’ experiences in STEM education. A Black woman from a low-income background in the United States, for example, faces compounded barriers that cannot be understood by examining race, gender, or class in isolation. Research by Ong et al. demonstrates that such students encounter distinctive microaggressions and exclusionary practices that their white female or Black male peers may not experience. The discussion around the role of public health initiatives in disease prevention similarly recognizes how intersecting identities affect access to and outcomes in health education and interventions.
The geopolitics of scientific knowledge production further complicates efforts toward equitable STEM education. The Global North continues to dominate scientific output, with institutions in North America and Western Europe producing disproportionate shares of peer-reviewed publications, securing patent rights, and setting disciplinary norms. This concentration of scientific authority perpetuates what Paulin Hountondji terms “extraversion” – the orientation of African (and by extension, other Global South) intellectual production toward Northern audiences and priorities rather than addressing local concerns. STEM education in many developing nations thus becomes derivative, preparing students to contribute to research agendas defined elsewhere rather than cultivating scientific capacity to address indigenous challenges.
Language imperialism in STEM education represents a particularly insidious form of cultural domination. The predominance of English in scientific communication – with an estimated 80% of scientific journals published exclusively in English – creates structural barriers for non-native speakers. Canagarajah’s research reveals that non-Anglophone scientists must invest significantly more time in linguistic encoding of their research, and their work faces higher rejection rates due to perceived linguistic deficiencies regardless of scientific merit. This linguistic gatekeeping extends into STEM education, where students are often required to master scientific concepts through the medium of a foreign language, adding cognitive load that may obscure their genuine comprehension of material.
The notion of “universal science” – the assumption that scientific knowledge transcends cultural boundaries – has been problematized by sociologists of science who demonstrate that even supposedly objective scientific practice is culturally embedded. Laboratory protocols, experimental designs, and criteria for validity all reflect cultural assumptions about knowledge production. Bruno Latour’s ethnographic studies of scientific laboratories reveal how scientific facts are socially constructed through networks of human and non-human actors operating within specific institutional and cultural contexts. This constructivist perspective challenges STEM educators to interrogate how their teaching may inadvertently reproduce particular cultural frameworks as if they were universal truths.
Deficit-model thinking – which attributes underrepresentation of certain groups in STEM to supposed deficiencies in those groups rather than structural inequities – continues to pervade educational discourse despite extensive scholarly debunking. This orientation manifests in remedial programs that aim to “fix” students from underrepresented groups rather than examining how STEM gatekeeping mechanisms systematically exclude certain populations. Asset-based approaches, by contrast, recognize the sophisticated knowledge and problem-solving capabilities that all students bring to STEM learning, regardless of their conformity to dominant cultural norms. The principles underlying challenges in protecting marine biodiversity education similarly emphasize building on students’ existing environmental knowledge rather than assuming deficits.
Decolonizing STEM education requires more than multicultural content integration; it demands fundamental restructuring of curricula, pedagogies, and institutional practices. This includes foregrounding indigenous scientific methodologies, such as the iterative and holistic observation practices used in traditional ecological knowledge systems, as equally valid approaches to understanding natural phenomena. It also requires critically examining the historical development of scientific disciplines to reveal how racism, sexism, and colonialism have shaped which questions are considered worthy of investigation and whose contributions are recognized.
The rise of digital technologies introduces new dimensions to these power dynamics. While proponents tout technology’s democratizing potential, critical scholars note how algorithmic bias, data colonialism, and the digital divide recreate existing inequalities in new forms. Artificial intelligence systems trained predominantly on data from Western contexts may encode cultural biases that disadvantage users from other backgrounds. Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) in STEM, initially heralded as universally accessible, have shown differential completion rates strongly correlated with students’ prior educational privilege and technological infrastructure.
Resistance to culturally inclusive STEM education often manifests through meritocratic rhetoric that posits a contradiction between diversity and excellence. This discourse falsely assumes that admitting students from underrepresented groups necessitates lowering standards, rather than recognizing how current standards themselves reflect particular cultural values and may not accurately assess diverse forms of scientific aptitude. Research by Posselt demonstrates how graduate admissions committees in STEM fields often employ subjective criteria that disadvantage non-traditional candidates while believing they are making purely merit-based decisions.
Moving toward genuine epistemic pluralism in STEM education requires what Santos calls an “ecology of knowledges” – a framework that recognizes multiple epistemologies as simultaneously valid and mutually enriching. This does not entail relativism that abandons critical evaluation of knowledge claims, but rather an expansion of evaluative criteria to accommodate different forms of systematic inquiry. The challenge for educators and institutions is to develop pedagogical and assessment practices that honor this epistemological diversity while maintaining intellectual rigor – a task that is fundamentally political as well as pedagogical, requiring continuous negotiation of power and meaningful inclusion of marginalized voices in decision-making processes that shape STEM education’s future.
Questions 27-40
Questions 27-31: Multiple Choice
Choose the correct letter, A, B, C, or D.
27. According to the passage, “epistemicide” refers to:
A) The creation of new knowledge systems
B) The systematic destruction of non-Western knowledge
C) A method of teaching science
D) The integration of multiple perspectives
28. Intersectionality as a framework helps us understand:
A) Only gender differences in STEM
B) How single identity factors affect education
C) How multiple identity factors combine to shape experiences
D) Why Western science is superior
29. The term “extraversion” describes:
A) Outgoing personality types in science
B) Scientific work oriented toward Northern audiences rather than local needs
C) A teaching methodology
D) The internationalization of STEM curricula
30. According to the passage, the concept of “universal science” has been:
A) Universally accepted by all scholars
B) Proven to be completely accurate
C) Challenged by sociologists who show science is culturally embedded
D) Adopted in all STEM education programs
31. Asset-based approaches to STEM education:
A) Focus on fixing students’ deficiencies
B) Recognize the knowledge all students bring to learning
C) Only work with privileged students
D) Reject all scientific standards
Questions 32-36: Matching Features
Match each problem (32-36) with the correct description (A-H).
32. Language imperialism
33. Deficit-model thinking
34. Algorithmic bias
35. Data colonialism
36. Meritocratic rhetoric
A) The assumption that current standards reflect pure excellence rather than cultural values
B) Digital systems that encode cultural biases
C) Blaming underrepresentation on supposed deficiencies in certain groups
D) The dominance of English creating barriers in scientific communication
E) Traditional teaching methods in science
F) The extraction and exploitation of data from developing regions
G) Teaching only in students’ native languages
H) Promoting only Western scientific methods
Questions 37-40: Short-answer Questions
Answer the questions below. Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the passage for each answer.
37. What percentage of scientific journals are published exclusively in English?
38. Which scholar’s ethnographic studies showed that scientific facts are socially constructed?
39. What term does Santos use for a framework recognizing multiple valid epistemologies?
40. What do MOOCs demonstrate about completion rates in relation to students’ backgrounds?
Answer Keys – Đáp Án
PASSAGE 1: Questions 1-13
- C
- C
- B
- C
- C
- TRUE
- NOT GIVEN
- FALSE
- TRUE
- cultural gaps
- collaborative online
- targeted outreach (hoặc female mentorship)
- multiple valid
PASSAGE 2: Questions 14-26
- NO
- YES
- NO
- YES
- NOT GIVEN
- B
- C
- D
- A
- reconceptualization
- multilingual learners
- timed examinations
- institutional commitment
PASSAGE 3: Questions 27-40
- B
- C
- B
- C
- B
- D
- C
- B
- F
- A
- 80% (hoặc eighty percent)
- Bruno Latour
- ecology of knowledges
- differential completion rates
Giải Thích Đáp Án Chi Tiết
Passage 1 – Giải Thích
Câu 1: C
- Dạng câu hỏi: Multiple Choice
- Từ khóa: traditional Western STEM education, emphasizes
- Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 2, dòng 1-3
- Giải thích: Bài đọc nói rõ “Traditional Western approaches to STEM education often emphasize individual problem-solving, competition, and linear thinking processes. Students are encouraged to ask questions, challenge existing theories…” Đáp án C (Individual work and questioning theories) paraphrase chính xác thông tin này.
Câu 2: C
- Dạng câu hỏi: Multiple Choice
- Từ khóa: Asian STEM education traditionally
- Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 3, dòng 1-2
- Giải thích: Câu “STEM education traditionally focuses on mastering foundational knowledge through repetition and memorization before moving to application” khớp với đáp án C.
Câu 6: TRUE
- Dạng câu hỏi: True/False/Not Given
- Từ khóa: Asian students, PISA
- Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 3, dòng cuối
- Giải thích: Bài viết khẳng định “This approach has led to consistently high performance in international assessments like PISA, particularly among students from Singapore, South Korea, and Japan” – đây là các quốc gia châu Á.
Câu 7: NOT GIVEN
- Dạng câu hỏi: True/False/Not Given
- Từ khóa: Aboriginal Australians, astronomical observations, religious purposes
- Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 4
- Giải thích: Bài đọc chỉ đề cập Aboriginal Australians dùng quan sát thiên văn cho navigation và seasonal planning, không nói gì về mục đích tôn giáo.
Câu 10: cultural gaps
- Dạng câu hỏi: Sentence Completion
- Từ khóa: Technology, bridging, STEM education
- Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 6, câu đầu
- Giải thích: Câu gốc là “Technology has emerged as a powerful tool for bridging cultural gaps in STEM education.”
Câu 13: multiple valid
- Dạng câu hỏi: Sentence Completion
- Từ khóa: pathways, understanding science
- Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn cuối, câu cuối
- Giải thích: Bài kết luận bằng “there are multiple valid pathways to scientific understanding.”
Passage 2 – Giải Thích
Câu 14: NO
- Dạng câu hỏi: Yes/No/Not Given
- Từ khóa: positivist approach, only valid method
- Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 2, giữa đoạn
- Giải thích: Bài viết nói “This framework, while immensely productive, represents only one approach to understanding natural phenomena” – tức là không phải cách duy nhất. Statement mâu thuẫn với quan điểm của tác giả.
Câu 15: YES
- Dạng câu hỏi: Yes/No/Not Given
- Từ khóa: cultural backgrounds, influence, process information
- Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 3
- Giải thích: Đoạn 3 khẳng định “students’ cultural schemas…significantly influence how they engage with scientific content”, đồng tình với statement.
Câu 16: NO
- Dạng câu hỏi: Yes/No/Not Given
- Từ khóa: Code-switching, always hinders
- Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 5, cuối đoạn
- Giải thích: Bài viết nói “code-switching…can actually facilitate deeper conceptual understanding” – trái ngược với “always hinders”.
Câu 19: B – Epistemological diversity
- Dạng câu hỏi: Matching Information
- Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 2, câu đầu
- Giải thích: Definition rõ ràng: “Epistemological diversity – the recognition that different cultures have distinct ways of knowing and understanding the world.”
Câu 23: reconceptualization
- Dạng câu hỏi: Summary Completion
- Từ khóa: fundamental, scientific knowledge
- Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 1, cuối đoạn
- Giải thích: Summary paraphrase từ “it requires a fundamental reconceptualization of how scientific knowledge is constructed, transmitted, and validated.”
Câu 26: institutional commitment
- Dạng câu hỏi: Summary Completion
- Từ khóa: demonstrate, diversity, concrete actions
- Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn cuối
- Giải thích: Đoạn cuối nhấn mạnh “The path forward requires institutional commitment to diversity that extends beyond symbolic gestures.”
Passage 3 – Giải Thích
Câu 27: B
- Dạng câu hỏi: Multiple Choice
- Từ khóa: epistemicide, refers to
- Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 2, câu đầu
- Giải thích: Definition rõ ràng: “The concept of ‘epistemicide’…refers to the systematic destruction of non-Western knowledge systems through colonial domination.”
Câu 28: C
- Dạng câu hỏi: Multiple Choice
- Từ khóa: Intersectionality, framework
- Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 3
- Giải thích: Bài viết giải thích intersectionality là “how multiple axes of identity (race, gender, class, nationality, language) intersect to shape students’ experiences.”
Câu 31: B
- Dạng câu hỏi: Multiple Choice
- Từ khóa: Asset-based approaches
- Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 7, cuối đoạn
- Giải thích: “Asset-based approaches…recognize the sophisticated knowledge and problem-solving capabilities that all students bring to STEM learning.”
Câu 33: C – Deficit-model thinking
- Dạng câu hỏi: Matching Features
- Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 7
- Giải thích: Đoạn văn định nghĩa “Deficit-model thinking – which attributes underrepresentation of certain groups in STEM to supposed deficiencies in those groups.”
Câu 37: 80% (hoặc eighty percent)
- Dạng câu hỏi: Short-answer Questions
- Từ khóa: scientific journals, English
- Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 5
- Giải thích: Câu chính xác là “with an estimated 80% of scientific journals published exclusively in English.”
Câu 39: ecology of knowledges
- Dạng câu hỏi: Short-answer Questions
- Từ khóa: Santos, framework, multiple epistemologies
- Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn cuối
- Giải thích: Đoạn cuối đề cập “Moving toward genuine epistemic pluralism…requires what Santos calls an ‘ecology of knowledges’.”
Từ Vựng Quan Trọng Theo Passage
Passage 1 – Essential Vocabulary
| Từ vựng | Loại từ | Phiên âm | Nghĩa tiếng Việt | Ví dụ từ bài | Collocation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| globalized | adj | /ˈɡləʊbəlaɪzd/ | toàn cầu hóa | STEM education has become increasingly globalized | globalized education, globalized economy |
| convergence | n | /kənˈvɜːdʒəns/ | sự hội tụ, sự gặp gỡ | This cultural convergence presents opportunities | cultural convergence, convergence of ideas |
| inclusive | adj | /ɪnˈkluːsɪv/ | bao gồm, toàn diện | creating inclusive educational environments | inclusive education, inclusive approach |
| resonate | v | /ˈrezəneɪt/ | vang lên, gây tiếng vang (ở đây là phù hợp) | may not resonate with students | resonate with audiences |
| hierarchical | adj | /ˌhaɪəˈrɑːkɪkl/ | có thứ bậc | hierarchical respect for teachers | hierarchical structure |
| foundational | adj | /faʊnˈdeɪʃənl/ | nền tảng, cơ bản | mastering foundational knowledge | foundational knowledge, foundational skills |
| indigenous | adj | /ɪnˈdɪdʒənəs/ | bản địa, địa phương | indigenous communities | indigenous knowledge, indigenous people |
| validate | v | /ˈvælɪdeɪt/ | xác nhận, công nhận | validates indigenous perspectives | validate data, validate findings |
| responsive | adj | /rɪˈspɒnsɪv/ | đáp ứng, phản hồi | culturally responsive teaching methods | responsive teaching, responsive design |
| hybrid | adj | /ˈhaɪbrɪd/ | lai, kết hợp | hybrid models | hybrid approach, hybrid system |
| pedagogy | n | /ˈpedəɡɒdʒi/ | phương pháp sư phạm | pedagogical methods | educational pedagogy, teaching pedagogy |
| interconnected | adj | /ˌɪntəkəˈnektɪd/ | kết nối lẫn nhau | interconnected world | interconnected systems |
Passage 2 – Essential Vocabulary
| Từ vựng | Loại từ | Phiên âm | Nghĩa tiếng Việt | Ví dụ từ bài | Collocation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| imperative | n | /ɪmˈperətɪv/ | điều bắt buộc, yêu cầu cấp thiết | The imperative to create culturally inclusive education | moral imperative, strategic imperative |
| momentum | n | /məˈmentəm/ | động lực, đà phát triển | gained considerable momentum | gain momentum, build momentum |
| epistemological | adj | /ɪˌpɪstɪməˈlɒdʒɪkl/ | thuộc về nhận thức luận | diverse epistemological frameworks | epistemological perspective |
| reconciling | v | /ˈrekənsaɪlɪŋ/ | hòa giải, dung hòa | reconciling diverse frameworks | reconciling differences |
| positivist | adj | /ˈpɒzɪtɪvɪst/ | theo chủ nghĩa thực chứng | positivist paradigm | positivist approach |
| holistic | adj | /həʊˈlɪstɪk/ | toàn diện | holistic approaches | holistic view, holistic understanding |
| schemas | n | /ˈskiːməz/ | sơ đồ, khuôn mẫu nhận thức | cultural schemas | cognitive schemas, mental schemas |
| deductive | adj | /dɪˈdʌktɪv/ | suy diễn, diễn dịch | deductive reasoning | deductive logic |
| inductive | adj | /ɪnˈdʌktɪv/ | quy nạp | inductive hypothesis formation | inductive reasoning |
| mediation | n | /ˌmiːdiˈeɪʃn/ | sự trung gian, điều hòa | cultural mediation | social mediation |
| pervasive | adj | /pəˈveɪsɪv/ | lan tràn, phổ biến | pervasive barriers | pervasive influence |
| multilingual | adj | /ˌmʌltiˈlɪŋɡwəl/ | đa ngôn ngữ | multilingual learners | multilingual education |
| facilitate | v | /fəˈsɪlɪteɪt/ | tạo điều kiện, hỗ trợ | facilitate deeper understanding | facilitate learning |
| contextualized | adj | /kənˈtekstʃuəlaɪzd/ | được đặt trong ngữ cảnh | contextualized learning | contextualized knowledge |
| recalibration | n | /ˌriːkælɪˈbreɪʃn/ | sự hiệu chỉnh lại | require recalibration | recalibration of standards |
Passage 3 – Essential Vocabulary
| Từ vựng | Loại từ | Phiên âm | Nghĩa tiếng Việt | Ví dụ từ bài | Collocation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| matrices | n | /ˈmeɪtrɪsiːz/ | ma trận (số nhiều) | complex matrices of power | power matrices |
| hegemonic | adj | /ˌheɡəˈmɒnɪk/ | bá quyền, thống trị | hegemonic Western epistemologies | hegemonic power |
| marginalize | v | /ˈmɑːdʒɪnəlaɪz/ | gạt ra lề, cô lập | marginalize alternative ways | marginalize groups |
| disentangled | v | /ˌdɪsɪnˈtæŋɡld/ | tách rời, làm rõ | cannot be disentangled from | disentangle issues |
| epistemicide | n | /ɪˌpɪstɪməˈsaɪd/ | sự tiêu diệt tri thức | the concept of epistemicide | commit epistemicide |
| privileging | v | /ˈprɪvəlɪdʒɪŋ/ | ưu tiên, ưu ái | privileging of Western methodologies | privileging certain views |
| asymmetry | n | /eɪˈsɪmətri/ | sự bất cân xứng | This asymmetry exemplifies | power asymmetry |
| intersectionality | n | /ˌɪntəˌsekʃəˈnæləti/ | tính giao thoa (về danh tính) | Intersectionality provides tools | study intersectionality |
| compounded | adj | /ˈkɒmpaʊndɪd/ | gộp lại, tăng thêm | compounded barriers | compounded effects |
| microaggressions | n | /ˌmaɪkrəʊəˈɡreʃnz/ | vi phạm nhỏ (hành vi phân biệt tinh vi) | distinctive microaggressions | racial microaggressions |
| geopolitics | n | /ˌdʒiːəʊˈpɒlətɪks/ | địa chính trị | geopolitics of knowledge | global geopolitics |
| disproportionate | adj | /ˌdɪsprəˈpɔːʃənət/ | không cân xứng | disproportionate shares | disproportionate impact |
| extraversion | n | /ˌekstrəˈvɜːʃn/ | hướng ngoại (ở đây là định hướng ra bên ngoài) | terms extraversion | intellectual extraversion |
| insidious | adj | /ɪnˈsɪdiəs/ | ngấm ngầm, âm hiểm | insidious form of domination | insidious influence |
| gatekeeping | n | /ˈɡeɪtkiːpɪŋ/ | kiểm soát cổng vào | linguistic gatekeeping | academic gatekeeping |
| transcends | v | /trænˈsendz/ | vượt qua, siêu việt | transcends cultural boundaries | transcend limitations |
| deficit-model | n | /ˈdefɪsɪt ˈmɒdl/ | mô hình thiếu hụt | deficit-model thinking | deficit-model approach |
| foreground | v | /ˈfɔːɡraʊnd/ | đưa lên hàng đầu | foregrounding indigenous methodologies | foreground issues |
| algorithmic | adj | /ˌælɡəˈrɪðmɪk/ | thuộc về thuật toán | algorithmic bias | algorithmic systems |
| meritocratic | adj | /ˌmerɪtəˈkrætɪk/ | theo chủ nghĩa thành tích | meritocratic rhetoric | meritocratic principles |
| epistemic | adj | /ˌepɪˈstiːmɪk/ | thuộc về tri thức | epistemic justice | epistemic violence |
Kết bài
Chủ đề Cultural diversity in science and technology education không chỉ phản ánh xu hướng toàn cầu hóa giáo dục mà còn là một trong những chủ đề thời sự được IELTS ưa chuộng trong những năm gần đây. Qua bộ đề thi mẫu này, bạn đã được trải nghiệm một bài thi IELTS Reading hoàn chỉnh với ba passages tăng dần độ khó, từ Easy (Band 5.0-6.5) đến Medium (Band 6.0-7.5) và Hard (Band 7.0-9.0).
Ba passages đã cung cấp góc nhìn toàn diện về chủ đề, từ những khái niệm cơ bản về đa dạng văn hóa trong giáo dục STEM, qua các phương pháp sư phạm ứng dụng, đến những phân tích học thuật sâu sắc về quyền lực và bất bình đẳng trong hệ thống giáo dục toàn cầu. Đáp án chi tiết với giải thích cụ thể về vị trí thông tin, kỹ thuật paraphrase và cách loại trừ đáp án sai sẽ giúp bạn hiểu rõ cách làm bài và tránh những sai lầm phổ biến.
Đặc biệt, bộ từ vựng học thuật được tổng hợp theo từng passage với đầy đủ phiên âm, nghĩa tiếng Việt, ví dụ thực tế và collocations sẽ là tài liệu quý giá cho việc mở rộng vốn từ của bạn. Hãy dành thời gian ôn tập kỹ những từ vựng này vì chúng thường xuyên xuất hiện trong các bài thi IELTS Reading, đặc biệt là những bài liên quan đến giáo dục, khoa học xã hội và công nghệ.
Để đạt kết quả tốt nhất, bạn nên thực hành đề thi này trong điều kiện giống thi thật: 60 phút liên tục không bị gián đoạn, sau đó đối chiếu đáp án và đọc kỹ phần giải thích để hiểu rõ logic của từng câu hỏi. Hãy nhớ rằng, thành công trong IELTS Reading không chỉ đến từ khả năng đọc hiểu mà còn từ việc nắm vững kỹ thuật làm bài và quản lý thời gian hiệu quả. Chúc bạn ôn tập tốt và đạt band điểm như mong muốn!