Mở bài
Chủ đề về vai trò của tiền tệ kỹ thuật số trong việc mở rộng khả năng tiếp cận tài chính (financial inclusion) đang trở thành một trong những đề tài được quan tâm hàng đầu trong các kỳ thi IELTS Reading gần đây. Với sự phát triển vượt bậc của công nghệ blockchain, cryptocurrency và các giải pháp thanh toán số, chủ đề này xuất hiện với tần suất ngày càng cao trong các đề thi IELTS thực tế, đặc biệt từ năm 2020 trở lại đây.
Trong bài viết này, bạn sẽ được trải nghiệm một đề thi IELTS Reading hoàn chỉnh với 3 passages từ dễ đến khó, bao gồm đầy đủ 40 câu hỏi chuẩn format thi thật. Bạn sẽ học được cách xử lý các dạng câu hỏi phổ biến như True/False/Not Given, Multiple Choice, Matching Headings, và nhiều dạng khác. Đặc biệt, phần đáp án chi tiết kèm giải thích sẽ giúp bạn hiểu rõ tại sao một đáp án đúng và cách paraphrase thông tin từ passage sang câu hỏi.
Đề thi này phù hợp cho học viên có trình độ từ band 5.0 trở lên, đặc biệt hữu ích cho những bạn đang nhắm đến band 6.5-7.5 trong phần Reading. Hãy chuẩn bị đồng hồ, tạo môi trường thi thật và bắt đầu thử sức với đề thi này nhé!
1. 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 câu trả lời đúng được tính là 1 điểm, không có điểm âm cho câu trả lời sai. Điều quan trọng là bạn phải quản lý thời gian hiệu quả:
Phân bổ thời gian khuyến nghị:
- Passage 1 (Easy): 15-17 phút
- Passage 2 (Medium): 18-20 phút
- Passage 3 (Hard): 23-25 phút
Lưu ý rằng độ khó tăng dần từ Passage 1 đến Passage 3, vì vậy đừng dành quá nhiều thời gian cho phần đầu mà bỏ lỡ cơ hội hoàn thành toàn bộ bài thi.
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 – Câu hỏi trắc nghiệm nhiều lựa chọn
- True/False/Not Given – Xác định thông tin đúng/sai/không được nhắc đến
- Matching Information – Nối thông tin với đoạn văn tương ứng
- Matching Headings – Nối tiêu đề với đoạn văn
- Sentence Completion – Hoàn thành câu
- Summary Completion – Hoàn thành đoạn tóm tắt
- Short-answer Questions – Câu hỏi trả lời ngắn
Mỗi dạng câu hỏi yêu cầu kỹ năng đọc hiểu khác nhau, từ skimming (đọc lướt), scanning (đọc tìm kiếm thông tin cụ thể), đến reading for detail (đọc hiểu chi tiết).
2. IELTS Reading Practice Test
PASSAGE 1 – The Digital Revolution in Banking Access
Độ khó: Easy (Band 5.0-6.5)
Thời gian đề xuất: 15-17 phút
For billions of people around the world, accessing basic financial services remains a significant challenge. According to the World Bank, approximately 1.7 billion adults globally lack access to a bank account, with the majority living in developing countries. This financial exclusion prevents individuals from saving money securely, obtaining credit, or making digital payments, ultimately limiting their economic opportunities and ability to escape poverty.
Traditional banking infrastructure has failed to reach these populations for several reasons. Building and maintaining physical bank branches in remote rural areas is economically unviable for most financial institutions. The costs associated with Know Your Customer (KYC) regulations, minimum balance requirements, and transaction fees create barriers that low-income individuals cannot overcome. Additionally, many people in developing nations lack the formal identification documents required to open conventional bank accounts.
Digital currency and mobile money platforms are emerging as powerful tools to address this financial inclusion gap. Unlike traditional banking, these technologies require only a mobile phone and internet connectivity, both of which are increasingly available even in remote regions. In Kenya, the mobile money service M-Pesa has revolutionized financial access since its launch in 2007. The platform allows users to deposit, withdraw, and transfer money using simple text messages, without needing a bank account. By 2020, over 96% of Kenyan households were using mobile money services, demonstrating the transformative potential of digital financial solutions.
The advantages of digital currency for financial inclusion are manifold. First, transaction costs are significantly lower than traditional banking. Sending money through digital platforms typically costs a fraction of bank wire transfers or remittance services like Western Union. This is particularly important for migrant workers who regularly send money to their families in other countries. Second, digital currencies enable micro-transactions that would be impractical with traditional payment systems. Street vendors, small farmers, and informal sector workers can now accept payments digitally, increasing their business efficiency and customer base.
Cryptocurrency and blockchain technology represent the next frontier in digital financial inclusion. These decentralized systems operate without traditional banking intermediaries, potentially offering financial services to anyone with internet access regardless of their location or economic status. Bitcoin, Ethereum, and other cryptocurrencies can be stored in digital wallets on smartphones, allowing users to participate in the global economy without needing approval from financial institutions. Several countries, including El Salvador, have begun experimenting with cryptocurrency as legal tender, partly to increase financial inclusion among their unbanked populations.
However, challenges remain in leveraging digital currency for financial inclusion. Digital literacy is a significant barrier; many people in underserved communities lack the knowledge to use smartphones and digital financial platforms safely. Cybersecurity risks, including fraud and hacking, pose serious threats to users who may not understand how to protect their digital assets. Internet connectivity remains unreliable or unavailable in many remote areas, limiting the reach of digital financial services. Furthermore, the volatility of many cryptocurrencies makes them risky for people with limited financial resources who cannot afford to lose their savings.
Regulatory frameworks also play a crucial role in determining whether digital currencies can effectively promote financial inclusion. Governments must balance innovation with consumer protection, ensuring that digital financial platforms are secure and reliable while not imposing regulations so strict that they stifle development or recreate the barriers of traditional banking. Some countries have embraced regulatory sandboxes, allowing fintech companies to test new digital financial products under supervision before full-scale launch.
The future of financial inclusion likely involves a hybrid approach combining various digital currency solutions with improved traditional banking services. Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs), which are digital versions of national currencies issued by central banks, may offer a middle ground. CBDCs could provide the accessibility benefits of digital currency while maintaining the stability and regulatory oversight of traditional money. Several countries, including China with its digital yuan and the Bahamas with its sand dollar, have already launched CBDC pilots.
Education and infrastructure development will be essential to realizing the full potential of digital currency for financial inclusion. Governments, NGOs, and private companies must invest in digital literacy programs that teach people how to use digital financial services safely. Expanding internet access and mobile network coverage to underserved areas will enable more people to participate in the digital economy. As these efforts progress, digital currency could help bridge the financial inclusion gap, bringing billions of people into the formal economy and unlocking new opportunities for economic development worldwide.
Questions 1-6: True/False/Not Given
Do the following statements agree with the information given in Passage 1?
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
- The majority of adults without bank accounts live in developed countries.
- Traditional banks find it unprofitable to establish branches in rural remote areas.
- M-Pesa requires users to have a smartphone to access its services.
- Digital currency transactions are generally cheaper than traditional bank transfers.
- El Salvador was the first country in the world to use cryptocurrency.
- All cryptocurrencies are too unstable to be used by low-income populations.
Questions 7-10: Multiple Choice
Choose the correct letter, A, B, C, or D.
-
According to the passage, which of the following is NOT mentioned as a barrier to traditional banking for low-income individuals?
- A. Minimum balance requirements
- B. Transaction fees
- C. Lack of formal identification
- D. Language barriers
-
What percentage of Kenyan households were using mobile money services by 2020?
- A. 70%
- B. 85%
- C. 96%
- D. 100%
-
The passage suggests that regulatory sandboxes allow:
- A. Complete freedom for fintech companies to operate
- B. Testing of new financial products under supervision
- C. Banks to avoid all government regulations
- D. Elimination of consumer protection laws
-
What does the passage suggest about Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs)?
- A. They have already been adopted by most countries
- B. They are less stable than traditional cryptocurrencies
- C. They combine benefits of digital currency with regulatory oversight
- D. They are only suitable for developed nations
Questions 11-13: Sentence Completion
Complete the sentences below. Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the passage for each answer.
-
Street vendors and small farmers can now conduct __ that would be impossible with traditional payment methods.
-
Bitcoin and Ethereum can be kept in __ on mobile phones.
-
Many people in underserved communities lack the necessary __ to safely use digital financial platforms.
PASSAGE 2 – Blockchain Technology and Financial Empowerment in Developing Economies
Độ khó: Medium (Band 6.0-7.5)
Thời gian đề xuất: 18-20 phút
The intersection of blockchain technology and financial inclusion represents one of the most consequential developments in contemporary economic policy. While traditional financial systems have perpetuated exclusion through structural barriers and geographic limitations, blockchain-based solutions offer a paradigm shift in how financial services can be delivered to underserved populations. This technological revolution is not merely about replacing existing systems but fundamentally reimagining the architecture of financial access in the 21st century.
A. The Architecture of Exclusion
Traditional banking systems were designed in an era when physical presence and paper documentation were essential. The resulting infrastructure inherently disadvantages populations in remote regions, those lacking formal employment, and individuals without government-issued identification. Correspondent banking relationships, which enable international money transfers, have become increasingly restrictive, with major banks withdrawing from high-risk markets, further isolating already marginalized communities. The de-risking phenomenon, driven by stringent anti-money laundering (AML) and counter-terrorist financing (CTF) regulations, has paradoxically pushed more transactions into informal channels, making financial flows less transparent and more difficult to monitor.
B. Blockchain as an Enabling Infrastructure
Blockchain technology offers a fundamentally different approach to financial infrastructure. As a distributed ledger system, blockchain records transactions across multiple computers, creating a transparent, immutable record that doesn’t require a central authority to verify or process transactions. This decentralization eliminates many intermediaries whose fees and requirements create barriers to financial access. Smart contracts—self-executing agreements with terms directly written into code—can automate complex financial transactions without requiring trusted third parties, dramatically reducing costs and processing times.
The implications for financial inclusion are profound. In regions where property rights are poorly defined or documented, blockchain can create immutable records of land ownership, enabling people to use property as collateral for loans for the first time. In the Philippines, a blockchain-based land registry project is helping to formalize informal settlements, giving residents legal title to their homes and access to financial services previously unavailable to them. Similarly, in Ghana, blockchain technology is being used to create transparent supply chain records for cocoa farmers, ensuring they receive fair payment and building credit histories that can support future borrowing.
C. Cryptocurrencies and Cross-Border Remittances
The remittance market illustrates both the potential and challenges of cryptocurrency for financial inclusion. Migrant workers sent an estimated $540 billion to low and middle-income countries in 2020, according to the World Bank, yet traditional remittance services charge average fees of 6-7% per transaction. Cryptocurrency-based remittance platforms promise to reduce these costs to below 3%, potentially saving billions of dollars annually for some of the world’s most vulnerable populations.
D. Challenges and Limitations
However, the practical implementation of blockchain solutions for financial inclusion faces substantial obstacles. The technical complexity of cryptocurrency creates a steep learning curve for populations with limited digital literacy. Private cryptographic keys—essentially passwords that control access to digital assets—must be managed carefully; if lost, funds become permanently irretrievable. This represents a stark contrast to traditional banking, where forgotten passwords can be reset and lost cards can be replaced.
The regulatory ambiguity surrounding cryptocurrency creates additional challenges. Many countries lack clear legal frameworks for digital assets, creating uncertainty for both users and service providers. Some governments view cryptocurrency as a threat to monetary sovereignty and capital controls, leading to restrictive regulations or outright bans. China’s prohibition on cryptocurrency trading, despite its parallel development of a central bank digital currency, exemplifies this tension between innovation and control.
E. The Environmental and Economic Sustainability Question
The environmental impact of cryptocurrency, particularly Bitcoin’s energy-intensive proof-of-work consensus mechanism, raises questions about sustainability. Bitcoin mining consumes more electricity annually than many countries, with much of that energy coming from fossil fuels. This environmental cost seems disproportionate when weighed against the benefits for financial inclusion, particularly when alternative, more energy-efficient blockchain technologies exist. Proof-of-stake systems, used by newer cryptocurrencies like Ethereum 2.0, consume 99% less energy while maintaining security and decentralization.
F. Financial Literacy and Infrastructure Requirements
Even when digital financial services are available, their effectiveness depends on users understanding how to access and use them safely. Comprehensive financial literacy programs must accompany the introduction of digital currency solutions. In Rwanda, organizations like BankableFrontier Associates combine technology deployment with extensive community education, teaching people not only how to use mobile money but also basic financial concepts like saving, budgeting, and understanding interest rates.
G. The Path Forward: Inclusive Design and Hybrid Models
The future of blockchain-based financial inclusion likely lies in hybrid models that combine the benefits of decentralized technology with appropriate regulatory oversight and user protections. Stablecoins—cryptocurrencies pegged to stable assets like the US dollar—offer price stability while maintaining the efficiency benefits of blockchain. Layer 2 solutions, which process transactions off the main blockchain and periodically settle to it, can dramatically increase transaction capacity and reduce costs, making micropayments economically viable.
Ultimately, technology alone cannot solve financial exclusion. Socioeconomic factors, including poverty, inequality, and lack of education, must be addressed holistically. Digital currency represents a powerful tool in the financial inclusion toolkit, but its effectiveness depends on thoughtful implementation, appropriate regulation, robust user education, and integration with broader development strategies. As blockchain technology matures and regulatory frameworks evolve, its potential to transform financial access for billions of people may gradually be realized, though likely not in the revolutionary timeframe some early advocates predicted.
Questions 14-19: Matching Headings
The passage has seven sections, A-G. Choose the correct heading for each section from the list of headings below.
List of Headings:
- i. The necessity of education alongside technology
- ii. Environmental concerns about digital currency systems
- iii. How traditional banking systems exclude populations
- iv. The fundamental structure of blockchain technology
- v. Practical applications in property rights and agriculture
- vi. Legal and governmental uncertainties
- vii. The cost-saving potential for international money transfers
- viii. Combining different approaches for better results
- ix. The complete replacement of traditional banking
- Section A
- Section B
- Section C
- Section D
- Section E
- Section F
Questions 20-23: Yes/No/Not Given
Do the following statements agree with the claims of the writer in Passage 2?
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
- The de-risking phenomenon has made international financial transactions more transparent.
- Smart contracts can reduce the cost of financial transactions by eliminating intermediaries.
- Cryptocurrency-based remittance services are currently used by the majority of migrant workers.
- Bitcoin’s energy consumption is justified by its benefits for financial inclusion.
Questions 24-26: Summary Completion
Complete the summary below. Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the passage for each answer.
Blockchain technology creates a (24) __ across multiple computers that doesn’t need a central authority. In the Philippines, a blockchain project helps residents of informal settlements obtain (25) __ to their homes. However, users must carefully manage their (26) __, as losing them means permanently losing access to their digital funds.
PASSAGE 3 – The Socioeconomic Ramifications of Digital Financial Ecosystems in Marginalized Communities
Độ khó: Hard (Band 7.0-9.0)
Thời gian đề xuất: 23-25 phút
The advent of digital currency as a mechanism for advancing financial inclusion has engendered considerable scholarly debate regarding its efficacy in addressing entrenched economic disparities. While proponents tout the technology’s capacity to circumvent traditional banking infrastructure and provide unprecedented access to financial services, critics argue that such techno-optimism obscures the multifaceted nature of financial exclusion and may inadvertently exacerbate existing inequalities. A nuanced examination of digital currency’s role necessitates grappling with complex questions of technological determinism, socioeconomic agency, and the structural conditions that underpin financial marginalization.
The theoretical framework for understanding financial inclusion through digital currency draws on multiple disciplines, including development economics, institutional theory, and innovation studies. Sen’s capability approach provides a particularly salient lens, suggesting that financial inclusion should be evaluated not merely by access to services but by individuals’ substantive freedoms to utilize those services to achieve valued functionings. From this perspective, providing cryptocurrency wallets to unbanked populations represents a necessary but insufficient condition for genuine financial empowerment. The agency to effectively use digital financial tools depends on antecedent capabilities—literacy, numeracy, technological proficiency, and understanding of financial concepts—that are themselves unevenly distributed along lines of class, gender, education, and geography.
Empirical evidence from early adopter contexts reveals a heterogeneous landscape of outcomes that defies simplistic narratives of either unqualified success or categorical failure. Research conducted by Suri and Jack on M-Pesa in Kenya demonstrates statistically significant improvements in consumption smoothing and resilience to economic shocks among users, with particularly pronounced effects for female-headed households. The study found that access to mobile money services enabled households to maintain consumption levels during unexpected adverse events, such as illness or crop failure, by facilitating rapid money transfers from extended family networks. This finding supports the proposition that digital financial services can enhance economic resilience even in contexts of persistent poverty.
However, longitudinal studies examining the distributional effects of digital financial platforms reveal troubling patterns of differential access and utilization. A comprehensive analysis of mobile money adoption across Sub-Saharan Africa by researchers at the International Monetary Fund identified systematic variations in uptake correlated with pre-existing socioeconomic stratification. While middle-income users quickly integrated digital financial services into sophisticated financial strategies—including investment, insurance, and wealth accumulation—the poorest users primarily employed these services for basic transactions, replicating rather than transcending their marginal economic position. This pattern suggests that digital financial tools may be subject to skill-biased adoption, where those with greater financial capability derive disproportionate benefits, potentially widening rather than narrowing the financial inclusion gap.
The cryptocurrency ecosystem presents even more pronounced challenges regarding equitable access and utilization. The valorization of cryptocurrency in developed economies has been driven largely by speculative investment rather than utilitarian payment functions, creating price volatility that renders these assets ill-suited for the transaction needs and risk tolerance of economically precarious populations. Moreover, the technical prerequisites for secure cryptocurrency management—including understanding of public-key cryptography, blockchain mechanics, and wallet security protocols—presuppose a level of technological sophistication that is unrealistic for many populations experiencing financial exclusion. The irreversibility of blockchain transactions, often cited as a feature enhancing security and reducing fraud, becomes a liability in contexts where user error, misunderstanding, or exploitation by malicious actors is more probable.
The governance architecture of digital currency systems carries profound implications for financial inclusion that extend beyond technical considerations. Decentralized blockchain networks, lacking centralized authorities that can intervene in disputes or reverse fraudulent transactions, place full responsibility on individual users to safeguard their assets and navigate the system correctly. This libertarian ethos of self-sovereignty and personal responsibility may be philosophically appealing but is fundamentally at odds with the protective frameworks that vulnerable populations require. Traditional banking, for all its exclusionary characteristics, provides institutional recourse through deposit insurance, fraud protection, and regulatory oversight—safeguards that are either absent or nascent in cryptocurrency ecosystems.
Intersectional analysis reveals that the benefits and risks of digital currency for financial inclusion are mediated by overlapping identity categories and power structures. Gender represents a particularly significant axis of differentiation. Research from the GSMA indicates that women in low and middle-income countries are 8% less likely than men to own a mobile phone and 20% less likely to use mobile internet, creating a foundational barrier to digital financial access. Cultural norms in many contexts circumscribe women’s autonomy in financial decision-making, meaning that even when women have nominal access to digital financial services, their actual control over these resources may be constrained by patriarchal household structures. Digital financial platforms that fail to account for these gendered dynamics risk reinforcing existing patterns of economic disempowerment.
The regulatory landscape surrounding digital currency presents a fundamental paradox for financial inclusion efforts. Stringent regulation—including KYC requirements, transaction monitoring, and licensing regimes—may undermine the very accessibility advantages that make digital currency attractive for underserved populations. Conversely, regulatory forbearance or permissive frameworks may facilitate broader access but expose vulnerable users to fraud, exploitation, and market manipulation. The challenge for policymakers lies in calibrating regulatory approaches that balance innovation and accessibility with adequate consumer protection—a task complicated by the cross-border nature of digital currency and the heterogeneity of national regulatory capacities.
The macroeconomic implications of widespread digital currency adoption in developing economies warrant careful consideration. While financial inclusion is generally regarded as conducive to economic development, the displacement of domestic currencies by cryptocurrencies or foreign stablecoins could undermine monetary sovereignty and complicate macroeconomic management. Central banks rely on control of the money supply to implement monetary policy, manage inflation, and respond to economic shocks. If substantial portions of economic activity migrate to cryptocurrency platforms beyond central bank oversight, policymakers’ capacity to stabilize economies and mitigate crises may be significantly impaired. This concern has catalyzed interest in Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs) as a means of reconciling the benefits of digital currency with the imperatives of monetary policy.
The question of environmental sustainability introduces an ethical dimension that is often marginalized in discussions of financial inclusion. The carbon footprint of proof-of-work blockchains like Bitcoin is staggering, with annual energy consumption rivaling that of medium-sized countries. Climate change disproportionately affects the very populations that financial inclusion initiatives aim to serve, creating a troubling irony: technologies promoted as mechanisms for economic empowerment may simultaneously exacerbate the environmental conditions that perpetuate vulnerability and poverty. The emergence of more energy-efficient consensus mechanisms offers potential mitigation, yet the dominance of energy-intensive cryptocurrencies in the market suggests that environmental considerations have thus far been subordinated to financial speculation and technological novelty.
Synthesizing these multifaceted considerations suggests that digital currency’s contribution to financial inclusion is best understood as contingent rather than deterministic—dependent on contextual factors, implementation approaches, and complementary interventions that address the broader ecosystem of financial exclusion. Technology serves as an enabler, but its transformative potential can only be realized through deliberate policy choices that prioritize equity, sustainability, and genuine empowerment over narrow metrics of account penetration or transaction volume. The path forward demands interdisciplinary collaboration, participatory design processes that center the needs and perspectives of marginalized communities, and ongoing evaluation that interrogates both intended and unintended consequences. Only through such comprehensive and reflexive approaches can digital currency fulfill its promise as a tool for inclusive and sustainable economic development.
Minh họa vai trò tiền tệ kỹ thuật số trong việc mở rộng khả năng tiếp cận tài chính toàn diện cho cộng đồng vùng sâu vùng xa
Questions 27-31: Multiple Choice
Choose the correct letter, A, B, C, or D.
-
According to the passage, Sen’s capability approach suggests that financial inclusion should be measured by:
- A. The number of people with bank accounts
- B. The transaction volume of digital currency
- C. Individuals’ ability to use services to achieve valued outcomes
- D. The availability of cryptocurrency wallets
-
The research by Suri and Jack on M-Pesa found that:
- A. All users benefited equally from mobile money services
- B. Female-headed households showed particularly strong improvements
- C. Mobile money had no effect on economic resilience
- D. Only wealthy users could afford the service
-
The passage suggests that the poorest users of digital financial services primarily:
- A. Use them for investment and wealth accumulation
- B. Employ sophisticated financial strategies
- C. Use them for basic transactions only
- D. Benefit more than middle-income users
-
According to the passage, the irreversibility of blockchain transactions is:
- A. Always beneficial for users
- B. A liability when user error or fraud is likely
- C. Not relevant to financial inclusion
- D. Only important in developed countries
-
The passage indicates that women in low and middle-income countries are:
- A. Equally likely as men to own mobile phones
- B. More likely than men to use mobile internet
- C. 20% less likely than men to use mobile internet
- D. Not interested in digital financial services
Questions 32-36: Matching Features
Match each statement (32-36) with the correct concept (A-H) from the passage.
Statements:
32. May prevent central banks from managing inflation and responding to economic crises
33. Can maintain consumption levels during unexpected adverse events like illness
34. Places full responsibility on users without institutional safeguards
35. Consumes energy comparable to medium-sized countries
36. Prevents development of financial capabilities needed by vulnerable populations
Concepts:
- A. Consumption smoothing
- B. Decentralized governance
- C. Environmental impact of proof-of-work
- D. Skill-biased adoption
- E. Monetary sovereignty concerns
- F. Regulatory paradox
- G. Intersectional analysis
- H. Techno-optimism
Questions 37-40: Short-answer Questions
Answer the questions below. Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the passage for each answer.
-
What type of approach does the passage suggest is necessary for understanding digital currency’s role in financial inclusion—deterministic or another type?
-
According to the passage, what type of design processes should center the needs of marginalized communities?
-
What percentage less likely are women to own mobile phones compared to men in low and middle-income countries?
-
What type of consensus mechanisms offer potential mitigation for environmental concerns about cryptocurrency?
3. Answer Keys – Đáp Án
PASSAGE 1: Questions 1-13
- FALSE
- TRUE
- NOT GIVEN
- TRUE
- NOT GIVEN
- FALSE
- D
- C
- B
- C
- micro-transactions
- digital wallets
- digital literacy
PASSAGE 2: Questions 14-26
- iii
- iv
- vii
- vi
- ii
- i
- NO
- YES
- NOT GIVEN
- NO
- distributed ledger
- legal title
- cryptographic keys
PASSAGE 3: Questions 27-40
- C
- B
- C
- B
- C
- E
- A
- B
- C
- D
- contingent
- participatory design
- 8%
- energy-efficient consensus mechanisms (hoặc: consensus mechanisms)
4. Giải Thích Đáp Án Chi Tiết
Passage 1 – Giải Thích
Câu 1: FALSE
- Dạng câu hỏi: True/False/Not Given
- Từ khóa: majority, adults without bank accounts, developed countries
- Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 1, dòng 2-3
- Giải thích: Passage nói rõ “approximately 1.7 billion adults globally lack access to a bank account, with the majority living in developing countries” (phần lớn sống ở các nước đang phát triển), ngược lại với câu hỏi nói về developed countries (các nước phát triển). Do đó đáp án là FALSE.
Câu 2: TRUE
- Dạng câu hỏi: True/False/Not Given
- Từ khóa: traditional banks, unprofitable, branches, rural remote areas
- Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 2, dòng 2-3
- Giải thích: Passage nói “Building and maintaining physical bank branches in remote rural areas is economically unviable for most financial institutions.” Từ “economically unviable” được paraphrase thành “unprofitable” trong câu hỏi, ý nghĩa hoàn toàn khớp.
Câu 4: TRUE
- Dạng câu hỏi: True/False/Not Given
- Từ khóa: digital currency transactions, cheaper, traditional bank transfers
- Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 4, dòng 2-3
- Giải thích: Passage nêu rõ “transaction costs are significantly lower than traditional banking” và “Sending money through digital platforms typically costs a fraction of bank wire transfers.” Đây là bằng chứng trực tiếp cho thấy giao dịch tiền kỹ thuật số rẻ hơn.
Câu 7: D
- Dạng câu hỏi: Multiple Choice
- Từ khóa: NOT mentioned, barrier, traditional banking, low-income individuals
- Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 2, toàn bộ
- Giải thích: Passage liệt kê các rào cản: minimum balance requirements (A), transaction fees (B), và lack of formal identification (C). Language barriers (D) không được nhắc đến trong bài.
Câu 8: C
- Dạng câu hỏi: Multiple Choice
- Từ khóa: percentage, Kenyan households, mobile money, 2020
- Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 3, dòng 6-7
- Giải thích: Passage nói rõ “By 2020, over 96% of Kenyan households were using mobile money services.” Đây là thông tin cụ thể, chính xác trong bài.
Câu 11: micro-transactions
- Dạng câu hỏi: Sentence Completion
- Từ khóa: street vendors, small farmers, impossible, traditional payment methods
- Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 4, dòng 5-6
- Giải thích: Passage nói “digital currencies enable micro-transactions that would be impractical with traditional payment systems. Street vendors, small farmers…” Từ cần điền là “micro-transactions”.
Passage 2 – Giải Thích
Câu 14: iii (Section A)
- Dạng câu hỏi: Matching Headings
- Giải thích: Section A có tiêu đề “The Architecture of Exclusion” và nội dung thảo luận về cách hệ thống ngân hàng truyền thống loại trừ các nhóm dân cư (disadvantages populations in remote regions, lacking formal employment…). Heading iii “How traditional banking systems exclude populations” khớp chính xác với nội dung này.
Câu 15: iv (Section B)
- Dạng câu hỏi: Matching Headings
- Giải thích: Section B giải thích “Blockchain as an Enabling Infrastructure” với các khái niệm như “distributed ledger system”, “decentralization”, “smart contracts”. Heading iv “The fundamental structure of blockchain technology” mô tả chính xác nội dung này.
Câu 20: NO
- Dạng câu hỏi: Yes/No/Not Given
- Từ khóa: de-risking phenomenon, international financial transactions, more transparent
- Vị trí trong bài: Section A, dòng 6-8
- Giải thích: Passage nói “The de-risking phenomenon… has paradoxically pushed more transactions into informal channels, making financial flows less transparent” (ít minh bạch hơn), ngược lại với câu hỏi nói “more transparent”.
Câu 21: YES
- Dạng câu hỏi: Yes/No/Not Given
- Từ khóa: smart contracts, reduce cost, eliminating intermediaries
- Vị trí trong bài: Section B, dòng 4-6
- Giải thích: Passage nói “Smart contracts… can automate complex financial transactions without requiring trusted third parties, dramatically reducing costs.” Đây chính là việc loại bỏ trung gian để giảm chi phí.
Câu 24: distributed ledger
- Dạng câu hỏi: Summary Completion
- Từ khóa: blockchain, creates, multiple computers, central authority
- Vị trí trong bài: Section B, dòng 1-2
- Giải thích: Passage nói “As a distributed ledger system, blockchain records transactions across multiple computers.” Cụm từ cần điền là “distributed ledger”.
Passage 3 – Giải Thích
Câu 27: C
- Dạng câu hỏi: Multiple Choice
- Từ khóa: Sen’s capability approach, financial inclusion, measured by
- Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 2, dòng 2-4
- Giải thích: Passage nói “Sen’s capability approach… suggesting that financial inclusion should be evaluated not merely by access to services but by individuals’ substantive freedoms to utilize those services to achieve valued functionings.” Đáp án C paraphrase ý này chính xác nhất.
Câu 28: B
- Dạng câu hỏi: Multiple Choice
- Từ khóa: Suri and Jack, M-Pesa, found
- Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 3, dòng 2-5
- Giải thích: Passage nói “statistically significant improvements… with particularly pronounced effects for female-headed households.” Từ “particularly pronounced effects” chỉ ra rằng các hộ gia đình do phụ nữ làm chủ có cải thiện đặc biệt mạnh.
Câu 32: E (Monetary sovereignty concerns)
- Dạng câu hỏi: Matching Features
- Statement: May prevent central banks from managing inflation and responding to economic crises
- Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 9, dòng 3-6
- Giải thích: Passage nói “If substantial portions of economic activity migrate to cryptocurrency platforms beyond central bank oversight, policymakers’ capacity to stabilize economies and mitigate crises may be significantly impaired.” Đây chính là mối lo ngại về chủ quyền tiền tệ (monetary sovereignty concerns).
Câu 37: contingent
- Dạng câu hỏi: Short-answer Questions
- Từ khóa: approach, understanding digital currency’s role, deterministic or another type
- Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn cuối, dòng 1-2
- Giải thích: Passage nói “digital currency’s contribution to financial inclusion is best understood as contingent rather than deterministic.” Từ cần điền là “contingent”.
Câu 39: 8%
- Dạng câu hỏi: Short-answer Questions
- Từ khóa: women, less likely, own mobile phones, compared to men
- Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 7, dòng 3-4
- Giải thích: Passage nói “women in low and middle-income countries are 8% less likely than men to own a mobile phone.” Con số cụ thể là “8%”.
5. Từ Vựng Quan Trọng Theo Passage
Passage 1 – Essential Vocabulary
| Từ vựng | Loại từ | Phiên âm | Nghĩa tiếng Việt | Ví dụ từ bài | Collocation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| financial exclusion | noun phrase | /faɪˈnænʃəl ɪkˈskluːʒən/ | sự loại trừ tài chính | This financial exclusion prevents individuals from saving money securely | combat/tackle financial exclusion |
| economically unviable | adjective phrase | /ˌiːkəˈnɒmɪkli ʌnˈvaɪəbl/ | không khả thi về mặt kinh tế | Building bank branches in remote areas is economically unviable | economically unviable project/solution |
| Know Your Customer (KYC) | noun phrase | /nəʊ jɔː ˈkʌstəmə/ | quy định xác minh khách hàng | The costs associated with KYC regulations create barriers | KYC compliance/requirements |
| mobile money | noun phrase | /ˈməʊbaɪl ˈmʌni/ | tiền di động | M-Pesa is a mobile money service | mobile money platform/service |
| manifold | adjective | /ˈmænɪfəʊld/ | đa dạng, nhiều mặt | The advantages are manifold | manifold benefits/advantages |
| transaction costs | noun phrase | /trænˈzækʃən kɒsts/ | chi phí giao dịch | Transaction costs are significantly lower | reduce/minimize transaction costs |
| micro-transactions | noun phrase | /ˈmaɪkrəʊ trænˈzækʃənz/ | các giao dịch nhỏ lẻ | Digital currencies enable micro-transactions | process/facilitate micro-transactions |
| informal sector | noun phrase | /ɪnˈfɔːməl ˈsektə/ | khu vực phi chính thức | Informal sector workers can now accept payments digitally | informal sector employment/economy |
| decentralized systems | noun phrase | /diːˈsentrəlaɪzd ˈsɪstəmz/ | hệ thống phi tập trung | These decentralized systems operate without intermediaries | implement/develop decentralized systems |
| digital literacy | noun phrase | /ˈdɪdʒɪtl ˈlɪtərəsi/ | hiểu biết về công nghệ số | Digital literacy is a significant barrier | improve/enhance digital literacy |
| volatility | noun | /ˌvɒləˈtɪləti/ | sự biến động | The volatility of cryptocurrencies makes them risky | price/market volatility |
| regulatory frameworks | noun phrase | /ˈreɡjələtəri ˈfreɪmwɜːks/ | khung pháp lý | Regulatory frameworks play a crucial role | establish/implement regulatory frameworks |
Passage 2 – Essential Vocabulary
| Từ vựng | Loại từ | Phiên âm | Nghĩa tiếng Việt | Ví dụ từ bài | Collocation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| consequential developments | noun phrase | /ˌkɒnsɪˈkwenʃəl dɪˈveləpmənt/ | sự phát triển quan trọng | One of the most consequential developments | consequential decision/impact |
| perpetuated exclusion | verb phrase | /pəˈpetʃueɪtɪd ɪkˈskluːʒən/ | duy trì sự loại trừ | Traditional systems have perpetuated exclusion | perpetuate inequality/discrimination |
| paradigm shift | noun phrase | /ˈpærədaɪm ʃɪft/ | sự thay đổi mô hình | Blockchain offers a paradigm shift | undergo/represent a paradigm shift |
| distributed ledger | noun phrase | /dɪˈstrɪbjuːtɪd ˈledʒə/ | sổ cái phân tán | Blockchain is a distributed ledger system | distributed ledger technology |
| immutable record | noun phrase | /ɪˈmjuːtəbl ˈrekɔːd/ | bản ghi không thể thay đổi | Creating a transparent, immutable record | maintain/create immutable records |
| smart contracts | noun phrase | /smɑːt ˈkɒntrækt/ | hợp đồng thông minh | Smart contracts can automate financial transactions | deploy/execute smart contracts |
| property rights | noun phrase | /ˈprɒpəti raɪts/ | quyền sở hữu tài sản | Where property rights are poorly defined | protect/establish property rights |
| collateral | noun | /kəˈlætərəl/ | tài sản thế chấp | Use property as collateral for loans | provide/offer collateral |
| remittance | noun | /rɪˈmɪtns/ | tiền kiều hối | The remittance market illustrates potential | send/receive remittances |
| cryptographic keys | noun phrase | /ˌkrɪptəˈɡræfɪk kiːz/ | khóa mã hóa | Private cryptographic keys must be managed carefully | manage/protect cryptographic keys |
| regulatory ambiguity | noun phrase | /ˈreɡjələtəri æmbɪˈɡjuːəti/ | sự mơ hồ trong quy định | The regulatory ambiguity creates challenges | reduce/eliminate regulatory ambiguity |
| proof-of-work | noun phrase | /pruːf əv wɜːk/ | cơ chế bằng chứng công việc | Bitcoin’s energy-intensive proof-of-work mechanism | proof-of-work consensus/algorithm |
| proof-of-stake | noun phrase | /pruːf əv steɪk/ | cơ chế bằng chứng cổ phần | Proof-of-stake systems consume 99% less energy | proof-of-stake blockchain/network |
| stablecoins | noun | /ˈsteɪblkɔɪnz/ | đồng tiền ổn định | Stablecoins offer price stability | issue/use stablecoins |
| holistically | adverb | /həˈlɪstɪkli/ | một cách toàn diện | Must be addressed holistically | approach/examine holistically |
Passage 3 – Essential Vocabulary
| Từ vựng | Loại từ | Phiên âm | Nghĩa tiếng Việt | Ví dụ từ bài | Collocation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| engendered | verb | /ɪnˈdʒendəd/ | gây ra, tạo ra | Has engendered considerable scholarly debate | engender debate/controversy |
| entrenched disparities | noun phrase | /ɪnˈtrentʃt dɪsˈpærətiz/ | sự chênh lệch ăn sâu | Addressing entrenched economic disparities | entrenched inequality/problems |
| circumvent | verb | /ˌsɜːkəmˈvent/ | vượt qua, lách | Capacity to circumvent traditional banking | circumvent regulations/restrictions |
| techno-optimism | noun | /ˈteknəʊ ˈɒptɪmɪzəm/ | sự lạc quan về công nghệ | Such techno-optimism obscures reality | excessive/blind techno-optimism |
| inadvertently | adverb | /ˌɪnədˈvɜːtəntli/ | vô ý, không chủ đích | May inadvertently exacerbate inequalities | inadvertently cause/create |
| nuanced examination | noun phrase | /ˈnjuːɑːnst ɪɡˌzæmɪˈneɪʃən/ | sự xem xét tinh tế | A nuanced examination necessitates | nuanced understanding/analysis |
| capability approach | noun phrase | /ˌkeɪpəˈbɪləti əˈprəʊtʃ/ | cách tiếp cận năng lực | Sen’s capability approach provides a lens | adopt/apply capability approach |
| substantive freedoms | noun phrase | /səbˈstæntɪv ˈfriːdəmz/ | các tự do thực chất | Individuals’ substantive freedoms to utilize services | enjoy/exercise substantive freedoms |
| antecedent capabilities | noun phrase | /ˌæntɪˈsiːdənt ˌkeɪpəˈbɪlətiz/ | các năng lực tiền đề | Agency depends on antecedent capabilities | develop/build antecedent capabilities |
| consumption smoothing | noun phrase | /kənˈsʌmpʃən ˈsmuːðɪŋ/ | làm mượt tiêu dùng | Improvements in consumption smoothing | enable/facilitate consumption smoothing |
| longitudinal studies | noun phrase | /ˌlɒndʒɪˈtjuːdɪnl ˈstʌdiz/ | nghiên cứu dọc | Longitudinal studies examining effects | conduct/undertake longitudinal studies |
| skill-biased adoption | noun phrase | /skɪl baɪəst əˈdɒpʃən/ | sự áp dụng thiên về kỹ năng | May be subject to skill-biased adoption | skill-biased technological change |
| valorization | noun | /ˌvæləraɪˈzeɪʃən/ | sự định giá | The valorization of cryptocurrency | economic/market valorization |
| economically precarious | adjective phrase | /ˌiːkəˈnɒmɪkli prɪˈkeəriəs/ | bấp bênh về kinh tế | Economically precarious populations | economically precarious position/situation |
| libertarian ethos | noun phrase | /ˌlɪbəˈteəriən ˈiːθɒs/ | đạo đức tự do chủ nghĩa | This libertarian ethos of self-sovereignty | libertarian philosophy/principles |
| intersectional analysis | noun phrase | /ˌɪntəˈsekʃənl əˈnæləsɪs/ | phân tích giao thoa | Intersectional analysis reveals patterns | conduct/apply intersectional analysis |
| patriarchal structures | noun phrase | /ˌpeɪtriˈɑːkl ˈstrʌktʃəz/ | các cấu trúc phụ hệ | Constrained by patriarchal household structures | challenge/dismantle patriarchal structures |
| macroeconomic implications | noun phrase | /ˌmækrəʊˌiːkəˈnɒmɪk ˌɪmplɪˈkeɪʃənz/ | các tác động kinh tế vĩ mô | The macroeconomic implications warrant consideration | assess/evaluate macroeconomic implications |
Sơ đồ minh họa công nghệ blockchain và cách thức giao dịch tiền tệ kỹ thuật số hoạt động trong hệ thống tài chính phi tập trung
Kết bài
Chủ đề về vai trò của tiền tệ kỹ thuật số trong tài chính toàn diện không chỉ là một đề tài thời sự mà còn phản ánh xu hướng toàn cầu hóa và số hóa đang diễn ra mạnh mẽ trong ngành tài chính. Việc nắm vững chủ đề này sẽ giúp bạn tự tin hơn không chỉ trong phần thi IELTS Reading mà còn trong việc hiểu biết về thế giới hiện đại.
Ba passages trong đề thi mẫu này đã cung cấp đầy đủ các mức độ khó từ Easy đến Hard, giúp bạn làm quen với cách thức thông tin được trình bày khác nhau trong đề thi thật. Passage 1 tập trung vào thông tin cơ bản và dễ xác định, Passage 2 yêu cầu kỹ năng paraphrase và suy luận cao hơn, trong khi Passage 3 đòi hỏi khả năng phân tích các khái niệm phức tạp và hiểu ngữ cảnh học thuật.
Phần đáp án chi tiết kèm giải thích đã chỉ ra cách xác định từ khóa, vị trí thông tin trong bài và kỹ thuật paraphrase – những kỹ năng cốt lõi để đạt band điểm cao trong IELTS Reading. Đừng chỉ kiểm tra đáp án đúng/sai mà hãy đọc kỹ phần giải thích để hiểu logic làm bài.
Bảng từ vựng với hơn 40 từ quan trọng được phân loại theo passage sẽ giúp bạn xây dựng vốn từ vựng học thuật cần thiết không chỉ cho Reading mà còn cho Writing và Speaking. Hãy thực hành sử dụng các collocation này trong các bài viết và bài nói của bạn.
Hãy nhớ rằng, luyện tập thường xuyên với các đề thi mẫu chất lượng như thế này là chìa khóa để cải thiện band điểm IELTS Reading của bạn. Chúc bạn ôn tập hiệu quả và đạt kết quả như mong muốn trong kỳ thi IELTS sắp tới!
