Trong bối cảnh quan hệ quốc tế ngày càng phức tạp, chủ đề về các biện pháp trừng phạt kinh tế trong chiến lược địa chính trị xuất hiện thường xuyên trong đề thi IELTS Reading. Đây là một chủ đề mang tính học thuật cao, yêu cầu người học hiểu biết về kinh tế, chính trị và các mối quan hệ quốc tế. Theo thống kê từ các đề thi IELTS gần đây, chủ đề này thường xuất hiện ở Passage 2 hoặc Passage 3 với độ khó từ trung bình đến cao.
Bài viết này cung cấp một bộ đề thi IELTS Reading hoàn chỉnh với ba passages được thiết kế theo đúng format và độ khó của đề thi thật. Bạn sẽ được luyện tập với 40 câu hỏi đa dạng, từ cơ bản đến nâng cao, bao gồm tất cả các dạng câu hỏi phổ biến như True/False/Not Given, Matching Headings, Multiple Choice và Summary Completion. Đặc biệt, mỗi câu hỏi đều có đáp án chi tiết kèm giải thích cụ thể về vị trí thông tin trong bài, cách paraphrase và kỹ thuật làm bài hiệu quả.
Đề thi này phù hợp cho học viên từ band 5.0 trở lên, giúp bạn làm quen với chủ đề học thuật, mở rộng vốn từ vựng chuyên ngành và nâng cao kỹ năng đọc hiểu phân tích. Hãy chuẩn bị đồng hồ, tạo môi trường thi thật và bắt đầu làm bài ngay bây giờ.
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 từ 650-1000 từ và độ khó tăng dần. Điểm số được tính dựa trên số câu trả lời đúng, không trừ điểm cho câu sai.
Phân bổ thời gian khuyến nghị:
- Passage 1 (Easy): 15-17 phút
- Passage 2 (Medium): 18-20 phút
- Passage 3 (Hard): 23-25 phút
- Thời gian chuyển đáp án: 2-3 phút
Lưu ý quan trọng: Bạn nên đọc câu hỏi trước khi đọc passage để xác định thông tin cần tìm. Gạch chân từ khóa trong câu hỏi và chú ý đến các từ đồng nghĩa, trái nghĩa khi tìm kiếm trong bài.
Các Dạng Câu Hỏi Trong Đề Này
Đề thi mẫu này bao gồm 8 dạng câu hỏi phổ biến nhất trong IELTS Reading:
- Multiple Choice – Chọn đáp án đúng từ các phương án cho sẵn
- True/False/Not Given – Xác định thông tin đúng, sai hoặc không được nhắc đến
- Matching Headings – Nối tiêu đề phù hợp với các đoạn văn
- Sentence Completion – Hoàn thành câu với từ trong bài
- Summary Completion – Điền từ vào đoạn tóm tắt
- Matching Features – Nối thông tin với người/tổ chức được nhắc đến
- Yes/No/Not Given – Xác định ý kiến của tác giả
- Short-answer Questions – Trả lời câu hỏi ngắn
IELTS Reading Practice Test
PASSAGE 1 – The Evolution of Economic Sanctions
Độ khó: Easy (Band 5.0-6.5)
Thời gian đề xuất: 15-17 phút
Economic sanctions have become one of the most widely used tools in international diplomacy over the past century. These measures, which involve restricting trade and financial transactions with a target country, are designed to pressure governments into changing their policies or behavior without resorting to military action. The history of economic sanctions reveals a complex evolution from simple trade embargoes to sophisticated multilateral coordination involving numerous countries and international organizations.
The earliest recorded use of economic sanctions dates back to ancient Greece, when Athens imposed a trade ban on Megara in 432 BCE. However, the modern era of sanctions began after World War I, when the newly formed League of Nations incorporated economic sanctions into its charter as a means of maintaining international peace. The League’s first major attempt to use sanctions came in 1935, when it imposed measures against Italy following its invasion of Ethiopia. Unfortunately, these sanctions proved largely ineffective because key nations, including the United States, were not members of the League and continued trading with Italy.
The failure of early sanctions led to important lessons about their implementation. Experts recognized that for sanctions to work effectively, they needed broad international support and comprehensive coverage. Partial sanctions that allowed a target country to find alternative trading partners would simply fail to achieve their objectives. This realization became particularly important during the Cold War, when both the United States and the Soviet Union used economic sanctions as weapons in their ideological struggle, but often with limited success due to the divided nature of the international community.
The establishment of the United Nations in 1945 marked a new chapter in the use of economic sanctions. The UN Security Council was granted the authority to impose mandatory sanctions that all member states were obliged to follow. This represented a significant advancement because it created a legal framework for coordinated international action. The first comprehensive UN sanctions were imposed against Southern Rhodesia in 1966, followed by a landmark arms embargo against South Africa in 1977 due to its apartheid policies.
During the 1990s, the use of economic sanctions expanded dramatically. The end of the Cold War created opportunities for greater international cooperation, and the UN imposed sanctions on countries including Iraq, Yugoslavia, Libya, and Haiti. However, this period also revealed significant problems with comprehensive sanctions that targeted entire economies. The humanitarian consequences of such measures became increasingly apparent, particularly in Iraq, where sanctions contributed to widespread suffering among ordinary citizens while the ruling regime remained largely unaffected. Children and vulnerable populations bore the disproportionate burden of these policies, leading to serious ethical questions about their use.
These concerns prompted a shift toward what are known as “smart” or “targeted” sanctions. Rather than imposing blanket restrictions on entire economies, these newer approaches focus specifically on decision-makers and entities responsible for objectionable policies. Targeted sanctions typically include asset freezes, travel bans, and restrictions on specific sectors such as arms sales or luxury goods. The idea is to maximize pressure on those in power while minimizing harm to ordinary citizens. The European Union and the United States have become particularly adept at implementing such measures, using sophisticated financial tracking systems to identify and freeze assets of targeted individuals and organizations.
The effectiveness of economic sanctions remains a subject of intense debate among scholars and policymakers. Some studies suggest that sanctions achieve their stated objectives in only about one-third of cases. Success depends on numerous factors, including the economic vulnerability of the target country, the comprehensiveness of international participation, the clarity of demands, and the availability of alternative markets. Countries with diversified economies and multiple trading partners are generally more resistant to sanctions pressure than those heavily dependent on a few export products or trading relationships.
Technological advances have both enhanced and complicated the use of economic sanctions in recent decades. Modern financial surveillance systems make it easier to track and restrict international monetary flows, making sanctions more difficult to evade. However, the rise of cryptocurrency and other alternative payment systems has created new challenges for sanctions enforcement. Additionally, the increasing complexity of global supply chains means that sanctions can have unintended consequences, affecting third countries and creating humanitarian concerns even when measures are supposedly targeted.
Questions 1-13
Questions 1-5: Multiple Choice
Choose the correct letter, A, B, C, or D.
-
According to the passage, the League of Nations’ sanctions against Italy in 1935 were unsuccessful because
A. they were imposed too late
B. Italy had alternative trading partners
C. the measures were not severe enough
D. important countries were not League members -
What does the passage say about UN sanctions authority?
A. It is voluntary for member states
B. It only applies to military actions
C. All member states must comply
D. It requires unanimous agreement -
The shift to “smart sanctions” was primarily motivated by
A. economic efficiency concerns
B. technological limitations
C. humanitarian considerations
D. political disagreements -
According to the passage, sanctions are more likely to succeed when the target country
A. has a diversified economy
B. relies on few export products
C. has strong military capabilities
D. maintains diplomatic relations -
Cryptocurrency poses a challenge to sanctions because it
A. is widely accepted globally
B. provides alternative payment methods
C. is regulated by international law
D. increases transaction costs
Questions 6-9: True/False/Not Given
Do the following statements agree with the information given in the passage?
Write:
- TRUE if the statement agrees with the information
- FALSE if the statement contradicts the information
- NOT GIVEN if there is no information on this
- Ancient Greece was the first civilization to use economic sanctions.
- The United States was a founding member of the League of Nations.
- UN sanctions against South Africa were related to its apartheid system.
- Smart sanctions have completely eliminated humanitarian concerns.
Questions 10-13: Sentence Completion
Complete the sentences below using NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the passage for each answer.
- Economic sanctions restrict both trade and __ with target countries.
- The UN Security Council can impose sanctions that are __ for all member states.
- Modern sanctions often include __ to prevent targeted individuals from entering certain countries.
- The complexity of global __ can lead to unintended effects of sanctions on third countries.
PASSAGE 2 – The Mechanics and Impacts of Modern Sanctions Regimes
Độ khó: Medium (Band 6.0-7.5)
Thời gian đề xuất: 18-20 phút
The contemporary landscape of economic sanctions represents a sophisticated intersection of international law, financial systems, and diplomatic strategy. Understanding how modern sanctions function requires examining not only their legal foundations but also the complex mechanisms through which they are implemented and the multifaceted consequences they generate for target nations, sanctioning states, and the broader international community. Tương tự như các tác động của năng lượng tái tạo đến thương mại toàn cầu, các biện pháp trừng phạt kinh tế cũng tạo ra những thay đổi sâu rộng trong cấu trúc thương mại quốc tế.
Sanctions architecture has evolved considerably since the early 2000s, with increasing emphasis on precision targeting and adaptability. Modern sanctions regimes typically operate on multiple levels simultaneously. At the broadest level, comprehensive sanctions may prohibit virtually all trade and financial transactions with a target country, though such measures have become increasingly rare due to their humanitarian implications. More commonly, sectoral sanctions target specific industries deemed crucial to a regime’s power or particularly objectionable activities. For instance, sanctions might focus on a country’s energy sector, defense industry, or financial institutions while leaving other economic activities relatively unrestricted.
The implementation of sanctions relies heavily on the cooperation of financial institutions and multinational corporations. Banks and other financial service providers are required to screen transactions against constantly updated lists of sanctioned entities and individuals, known as Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) lists in the United States or similar designations in other jurisdictions. The compliance burden this places on the private sector is substantial. Major international banks employ thousands of compliance officers and invest hundreds of millions of dollars in sophisticated screening software and due diligence procedures. The risk of violating sanctions – even inadvertently – is severe, with penalties potentially reaching billions of dollars and including criminal prosecution of corporate executives.
This privatization of enforcement has become a defining characteristic of modern sanctions. Financial institutions, motivated by the threat of massive penalties and reputational damage, often implement measures that go beyond strict legal requirements, a phenomenon known as “de-risking”. Banks may choose to avoid entire categories of transactions or regions they perceive as high-risk for sanctions violations, even when such transactions are technically permitted. This creates what some analysts describe as a “sanctions shadow” – economic restrictions that extend beyond the formal scope of sanctions programs through the risk-averse behavior of private actors.
The economic impact of sanctions on target countries varies dramatically depending on their economic structure, international integration, and adaptive capacity. Countries heavily dependent on international trade and foreign investment are naturally more vulnerable to sanctions pressure. When sanctions cut off access to international financial systems, particularly the SWIFT network used for international banking transactions, the effects can be devastating. Target countries may experience currency devaluation, inflation, capital flight, and reduced economic growth. However, these economic hardships do not automatically translate into policy changes, as governments may be willing to endure substantial economic costs rather than compromise on issues they consider vital to their national security or political survival.
Cơ chế vận hành của các biện pháp trừng phạt kinh tế trong chiến lược địa chính trị hiện đại
Moreover, sanctioned countries often develop countermeasures to mitigate the effects of economic restrictions. These may include import substitution strategies, development of alternative trading partnerships, use of barter arrangements or cryptocurrency for international transactions, and creation of parallel financial systems. Russia’s response to Western sanctions following its 2014 annexation of Crimea illustrates this adaptation. The country developed its own payment card system to reduce dependence on Visa and MasterCard, increased trade with Asian partners, particularly China, and worked to de-dollarize its economy by conducting more transactions in other currencies. Such adaptation can make sanctions progressively less effective over time, a dynamic that poses challenges for long-term sanctions strategies.
The extraterritorial application of sanctions – particularly by the United States – represents one of the most contentious aspects of modern sanctions policy. U.S. sanctions often claim jurisdiction over transactions conducted entirely outside American territory if they involve U.S. dollars, pass through American financial institutions, or involve any U.S. connection. This aggressive assertion of jurisdiction derives from the dollar’s status as the world’s primary reserve currency and the centrality of American banks in the global financial system. While this gives U.S. sanctions unprecedented reach, it also generates significant friction with other countries, including close allies, who view such extraterritoriality as an infringement on their sovereignty and an inappropriate weaponization of the financial system.
The effectiveness of sanctions in achieving foreign policy objectives remains empirically contested. Academic studies produce widely varying success rates, depending partly on how “success” is defined and measured. Some scholars argue that sanctions succeed in only 20-30% of cases, while others claim higher success rates by using different criteria. What is clear is that sanctions work best under specific conditions: when objectives are limited and clearly defined, when the target country has significant economic vulnerabilities, when international cooperation is strong, when the sanctioning coalition can maintain pressure over time, and when target governments face domestic political pressures responsive to economic hardship.
However, even unsuccessful sanctions may serve important purposes beyond their stated objectives. They can signal resolve to domestic and international audiences, impose costs on adversaries even without changing their behavior, and provide a middle ground between diplomatic protests and military action. Some analysts argue that this expressive function of sanctions – their role in norm enforcement and international signaling – may be as important as their coercive effects, even when they fail to achieve specific policy changes. Critics counter that this perspective risks normalizing the permanent imposition of sanctions whose costs fall primarily on civilian populations while providing convenient political cover for inaction.
Questions 14-26
Questions 14-18: Yes/No/Not Given
Do the following statements agree with the views of the writer in the passage?
Write:
- YES if the statement agrees with the views of the writer
- NO if the statement contradicts the views of the writer
- NOT GIVEN if it is impossible to say what the writer thinks about this
- Comprehensive sanctions are now more common than sectoral sanctions.
- The financial sector’s compliance measures sometimes exceed legal requirements.
- Economic hardship from sanctions reliably produces policy changes in target countries.
- U.S. extraterritorial sanctions create tension even with allied nations.
- Sanctions that fail to achieve stated objectives serve no useful purpose.
Questions 19-22: Matching Headings
Choose the correct heading for paragraphs C-F from the list of headings below.
List of Headings:
i. The role of private sector in sanctions enforcement
ii. Measuring sanctions effectiveness
iii. Historical development of sanctions
iv. How target countries respond to economic pressure
v. The structure of contemporary sanctions programs
vi. Controversial aspects of sanctions jurisdiction
vii. Financial technology and sanctions evasion
- Paragraph C
- Paragraph D
- Paragraph F
- Paragraph G
Questions 23-26: Summary Completion
Complete the summary below using words from the box.
Word Box: cooperation, currency, diversified, enforcement, humanitarian, institutions, legislation, military, substitution, technology, transactions, vulnerabilities
Sanctions are most effective when several conditions align. The target country must have economic (23) __ that make it susceptible to pressure. Strong international (24) __ is essential to prevent the target from finding alternative trading partners. The sanctioning coalition must maintain pressure over time, and objectives should be clearly defined rather than seeking regime change or other ambitious goals. Target governments must also face domestic political pressures that make them responsive to economic hardship. When these conditions are absent, sanctions may still serve important purposes such as signaling resolve or imposing costs on adversaries, even without achieving policy changes. The dollar’s role as a reserve (25) __ gives U.S. sanctions particular reach, though this also creates friction with other nations. Modern financial **(26) __ allows for more sophisticated targeting but also enables new forms of evasion.
PASSAGE 3 – Sanctions, International Order, and the Future of Economic Statecraft
Độ khó: Hard (Band 7.0-9.0)
Thời gian đề xuất: 23-25 phút
The proliferation of economic sanctions as instruments of foreign policy in the twenty-first century raises profound questions about the nature of international order, the evolution of state sovereignty, and the long-term sustainability of current approaches to coercive diplomacy. As sanctions have become increasingly central to Western, particularly American, geopolitical strategy, their cumulative effects are reshaping not only the immediate relationships between sanctioning and sanctioned states but also the fundamental architecture of the global economic system. This transformation warrants critical examination from multiple analytical perspectives, including international relations theory, institutional economics, and normative political philosophy.
From a realist perspective in international relations, the contemporary sanctions regime reflects the unipolar moment following the Cold War and America’s corresponding ability to leverage its economic preponderance as a tool of statecraft. The centrality of the U.S. dollar in international finance, the dominance of American financial institutions, and the extensive network of bilateral and multilateral alliances provide Washington with unprecedented capacity to impose economic costs on adversaries while minimizing direct military engagement. This sanctions-centric approach aligns with what some scholars term “economic warfare” – the systematic use of economic instruments to achieve strategic objectives traditionally pursued through military means. However, realist analysis also suggests inherent limitations and potential counterproductive consequences of over-reliance on this tool.
The exercise of sanctions power inevitably generates balancing behavior among targeted states and those concerned about their own vulnerability to similar measures. We observe this dynamic in efforts by Russia, China, and other nations to develop sanctions-resistant financial infrastructure, including alternative payment systems, increased use of non-dollar currencies in bilateral trade, accumulation of gold reserves, and creation of institutions like the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank that operate outside Western-dominated frameworks. Diese efforts represent not merely tactical responses to specific sanctions but strategic initiatives to restructure the international economic order in ways that reduce American leverage. The long-term trajectory of these developments could fundamentally alter the distribution of power in the international system, potentially accelerating the transition toward multipolarity more rapidly than would otherwise occur.
Chiến lược địa chính trị và tương lai của các biện pháp trừng phạt kinh tế toàn cầu
From an institutionalist perspective, sanctions represent an interesting case of decentralized enforcement of international norms within an anarchic international system lacking centralized authority. The United Nations Security Council provides the most legitimate framework for sanctions, deriving authority from the UN Charter’s provisions for maintaining international peace and security. However, the vast majority of sanctions are imposed unilaterally or by ad hoc coalitions outside the UN framework, raising questions about their normative foundations and consistency with international law. Proponents argue that such measures are justified as countermeasures under customary international law, responses to breaches of jus cogens norms such as genocide or crimes against humanity, or necessary acts of self-defense broadly construed. Critics contend that unilateral sanctions, particularly those with extraterritorial reach, violate principles of sovereign equality and non-intervention, effectively substituting the rule of power for the rule of law in international affairs.
The humanitarian dimensions of sanctions policy present perhaps the most ethically troubling aspects of contemporary practice. While the shift from comprehensive to targeted sanctions was explicitly motivated by concerns about civilian suffering, evidence suggests that even supposedly “smart” sanctions generate significant humanitarian costs. Secondary sanctions – penalties imposed on third parties for doing business with sanctioned entities – can effectively function as comprehensive sanctions by deterring humanitarian trade and investment. Over-compliance by risk-averse financial institutions often blocks legitimate humanitarian activities, including medical supplies and food imports. The banking sector’s de-risking in response to sanctions complexity has left entire regions, including parts of Syria and Yemen, virtually cut off from the international financial system, impeding humanitarian aid delivery even when such aid is explicitly exempted from sanctions.
Moreover, the distributional consequences of sanctions within target societies raise serious ethical concerns. Economic hardship falls disproportionately on vulnerable populations – children, the elderly, the sick, and the poor – who have the least capacity to shield themselves from macroeconomic shocks and typically exercise minimal influence over the government policies that sanctions aim to change. Meanwhile, political elites and economically connected individuals often benefit from sanctions through control of black market operations, monopolization of scarce goods, and opportunities for corruption. This regressive distributional effect not only raises questions about the moral acceptability of sanctions but also undermines their political effectiveness, as the population segments most affected have the least capacity to pressure governments toward policy changes. Điều này có những điểm tương đồng với cách biến đổi khí hậu ảnh hưởng đến nguồn nước ngọt, khi cả hai đều tác động bất cân đối đến các nhóm dân cư dễ bị tổn thương.
The proliferation of sanctions also raises concerns about normative degradation and institutional legitimacy. As sanctions become routine tools of foreign policy applied to an expanding range of situations, their connection to serious violations of international norms becomes attenuated. When sanctions are imposed for relatively minor policy disagreements or as expressions of general disapproval rather than responses to specific, serious violations, the normative signal they send becomes diluted. This instrumental overuse risks transforming sanctions from exceptional measures reserved for grave situations into ordinary expressions of diplomatic displeasure, thereby diminishing their stigmatizing effect and communicative power. Furthermore, the perception that sanctions are applied selectively, with similar violations treated differently based on the target’s geopolitical importance or relationship with powerful states, undermines the principle of equal application of international norms and contributes to perceptions of hypocrisy that damage the credibility of rule-based international order.
Looking forward, the trajectory of sanctions policy appears increasingly unsustainable in its current form. The technical feasibility of sanctions enforcement faces challenges from financial innovation, including cryptocurrency, decentralized finance (DeFi) systems, and central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) designed to bypass Western financial infrastructure. The political sustainability is challenged by growing resistance from major powers to what they perceive as weaponization of economic interdependence, leading to defensive fragmentation of the global economy into competing economic blocs. The normative sustainability is questioned by humanitarian concerns and perceptions of selective application that undermine legitimacy.
These challenges suggest several possible futures for economic statecraft. One scenario involves gradual erosion of sanctions effectiveness as target states successfully implement circumvention strategies and alternative financial architecture matures, potentially leading to a multipolar sanctions regime where different economic blocs maintain separate systems with limited overlap. Another possibility is recalibration toward more narrowly targeted, time-limited sanctions accompanied by serious diplomatic engagement and clearer pathways for sanctions relief, emphasizing the coercive but also communicative functions of sanctions. A third scenario involves continued expansion of sanctions use despite diminishing returns, potentially accelerating the fragmentation of global economic governance and the decline of liberal international economic order.
The optimal path forward likely requires reconceptualizing sanctions not as substitutes for diplomacy but as complements to serious engagement, acknowledging both their utility as policy tools and their inherent limitations and costs. This would entail more rigorous assessment of humanitarian impacts, stronger multilateral frameworks to enhance legitimacy, clearer connections between sanctions and specific, achievable objectives, and genuine mechanisms for sanctions relief when target behavior changes. Without such reforms, the proliferation of economic sanctions risks not only failing to achieve stated policy objectives but also inadvertently accelerating the fragmentation of global economic governance and the deterioration of international cooperation on which long-term prosperity and security ultimately depend. The challenge for policymakers is to preserve sanctions as effective tools for addressing serious threats to international peace and security while avoiding their degradation into mere instruments of geopolitical competition that undermine the rules-based order they ostensibly serve to protect.
Questions 27-40
Questions 27-31: Multiple Choice
Choose the correct letter, A, B, C, or D.
-
According to the passage, realist theory suggests that America’s sanctions power derives primarily from
A. military superiority
B. moral authority
C. economic dominance
D. diplomatic skill -
The development of alternative payment systems by countries like Russia and China represents
A. tactical responses to specific sanctions
B. strategic restructuring of international order
C. efforts to improve financial efficiency
D. compliance with international regulations -
The passage suggests that unilateral sanctions are controversial because they
A. are always ineffective
B. violate UN Charter provisions
C. challenge principles of sovereign equality
D. require unanimous international support -
According to the passage, “smart” sanctions
A. have eliminated all humanitarian concerns
B. still generate significant humanitarian costs
C. only affect political elites
D. are more effective than comprehensive sanctions -
The passage suggests that overuse of sanctions may lead to
A. immediate policy changes in target countries
B. stronger international cooperation
C. diminished normative signal and credibility
D. increased effectiveness over time
Questions 32-36: Matching Features
Match each characteristic (32-36) with the correct perspective (A-C).
Perspectives:
A. Realist perspective
B. Institutionalist perspective
C. Humanitarian perspective
Characteristics:
32. Concerns about civilian suffering from sanctions
33. Analysis of power distribution in international system
34. Questions about normative foundations of unilateral sanctions
35. Focus on balancing behavior among targeted states
36. Emphasis on regressive distributional effects within target societies
Questions 37-40: Short-answer Questions
Answer the questions below using NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the passage for each answer.
-
What term does the passage use to describe the routine use of sanctions for minor policy disagreements rather than serious violations?
-
What type of financial systems are mentioned as potential challenges to sanctions enforcement in the future?
-
What does the passage suggest sanctions should be viewed as, rather than substitutes for diplomacy?
-
What kind of order might be undermined by the proliferation of sanctions, according to the conclusion?
Answer Keys – Đáp Án
PASSAGE 1: Questions 1-13
- D
- C
- C
- B
- B
- NOT GIVEN
- FALSE
- TRUE
- FALSE
- financial transactions
- mandatory
- travel bans
- supply chains
PASSAGE 2: Questions 14-26
- NO
- YES
- NO
- YES
- NO
- i
- i
- iv
- vi
- vulnerabilities
- cooperation
- currency
- technology
PASSAGE 3: Questions 27-40
- C
- B
- C
- B
- C
- C
- A
- B
- A
- C
- instrumental overuse
- decentralized finance / cryptocurrency / digital currencies
- complements to engagement
- liberal international (economic order) / rules-based order
Giải Thích Đáp Án Chi Tiết
Passage 1 – Giải Thích
Câu 1: D
- Dạng câu hỏi: Multiple Choice
- Từ khóa: League of Nations, sanctions, Italy, 1935, unsuccessful
- Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 2, dòng 5-7
- Giải thích: Bài văn nói rõ “these sanctions proved largely ineffective because key nations, including the United States, were not members of the League and continued trading with Italy”. Đây là paraphrase của đáp án D: “important countries were not League members”. Các đáp án khác không được đề cập trong bài.
Câu 2: C
- Dạng câu hỏi: Multiple Choice
- Từ khóa: UN sanctions authority
- Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 4, dòng 2-3
- Giải thích: Bài viết chỉ rõ “The UN Security Council was granted the authority to impose mandatory sanctions that all member states were obliged to follow”. Từ “obliged” (bắt buộc) được paraphrase thành “must comply” trong đáp án C.
Câu 3: C
- Dạng câu hỏi: Multiple Choice
- Từ khóa: smart sanctions, motivated by
- Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 6, dòng 1-2
- Giải thích: Đoạn 5 đề cập đến “humanitarian consequences” và “widespread suffering among ordinary citizens”, sau đó đoạn 6 nói “These concerns prompted a shift toward what are known as ‘smart’ or ‘targeted’ sanctions”. Từ “concerns” ở đây chỉ các mối lo ngại về nhân đạo, nên đáp án C là chính xác.
Câu 6: NOT GIVEN
- Dạng câu hỏi: True/False/Not Given
- Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 2, dòng 1
- Giải thích: Bài viết nói “The earliest recorded use of economic sanctions dates back to ancient Greece” nhưng không khẳng định Greece là nền văn minh đầu tiên sử dụng biện pháp này. “Earliest recorded” khác với “first civilization”, vì có thể có những trường hợp trước đó không được ghi chép.
Câu 8: TRUE
- Dạng câu hỏi: True/False/Not Given
- Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 4, dòng cuối
- Giải thích: Bài viết nói rõ “arms embargo against South Africa in 1977 due to its apartheid policies”, hoàn toàn khớp với câu hỏi.
Câu 10: financial transactions
- Dạng câu hỏi: Sentence Completion
- Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 1, dòng 2-3
- Giải thích: Câu gốc: “These measures, which involve restricting trade and financial transactions with a target country”. Cần điền hai từ sau “trade and”.
Câu 13: supply chains
- Dạng câu hỏi: Sentence Completion
- Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn cuối, dòng 4-5
- Giải thích: Bài viết nói “the increasing complexity of global supply chains means that sanctions can have unintended consequences, affecting third countries”. Đây là paraphrase trực tiếp.
Passage 2 – Giải Thích
Câu 14: NO
- Dạng câu hỏi: Yes/No/Not Given
- Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 2, dòng 3-5
- Giải thích: Bài viết nói “comprehensive sanctions may prohibit virtually all trade… though such measures have become increasingly rare”. Điều này mâu thuẫn với câu hỏi cho rằng comprehensive sanctions phổ biến hơn sectoral sanctions.
Câu 15: YES
- Dạng câu hỏi: Yes/No/Not Given
- Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 4, dòng 2-4
- Giải thích: Bài viết mô tả hiện tượng “de-risking” khi các ngân hàng “implement measures that go beyond strict legal requirements”. Đây chính xác là ý kiến của tác giả về việc các biện pháp tuân thủ vượt quá yêu cầu pháp lý.
Câu 16: NO
- Dạng câu hỏi: Yes/No/Not Given
- Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 5, dòng cuối
- Giải thích: Bài viết nói “these economic hardships do not automatically translate into policy changes”, điều này trực tiếp mâu thuẫn với quan điểm trong câu hỏi về việc khó khăn kinh tế “reliably” (đáng tin cậy) tạo ra thay đổi chính sách.
Câu 19: i
- Dạng câu hỏi: Matching Headings
- Đoạn C (Paragraph 3): Nói về vai trò của các tổ chức tài chính và công ty đa quốc gia trong việc thực thi sanctions, với từ khóa “compliance burden”, “private sector”, “screening software”. Tiêu đề i “The role of private sector in sanctions enforcement” phù hợp nhất.
Câu 21: iv
- Dạng câu hỏi: Matching Headings
- Đoạn F (Paragraph 6): Tập trung vào các biện pháp đối phó của các quốc gia bị trừng phạt, với từ khóa “countermeasures”, “import substitution”, “alternative trading partnerships”, “adaptation”. Tiêu đề iv “How target countries respond to economic pressure” phù hợp.
Câu 23-26: Summary Completion
- Câu 23: vulnerabilities – Từ khóa “economic vulnerabilities” xuất hiện trong đoạn 8
- Câu 24: cooperation – Từ “international cooperation” được nhắc đến như điều kiện quan trọng
- Câu 25: currency – “Reserve currency” trong đoạn 7 về vai trò của đồng đô la
- Câu 26: technology – “Financial technology” được đề cập trong context về screening và enforcement
Passage 3 – Giải Thích
Câu 27: C
- Dạng câu hỏi: Multiple Choice
- Từ khóa: realist theory, America’s sanctions power
- Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 2, dòng 2-4
- Giải thích: Bài viết nói “the contemporary sanctions regime reflects… America’s corresponding ability to leverage its economic preponderance”. Từ “economic preponderance” là paraphrase của “economic dominance” trong đáp án C.
Câu 28: B
- Dạng câu hỏi: Multiple Choice
- Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 3, dòng 3-5
- Giải thích: Bài viết nói rõ “Diese efforts represent not merely tactical responses to specific sanctions but strategic initiatives to restructure the international economic order”. Đáp án B paraphrase chính xác ý này.
Câu 30: B
- Dạng câu hỏi: Multiple Choice
- Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 5, dòng 2-3
- Giải thích: “Evidence suggests that even supposedly ‘smart’ sanctions generate significant humanitarian costs” – đáp án B phản ánh chính xác quan điểm này.
Câu 32-36: Matching Features
- Câu 32: C – “Civilian suffering” là mối quan tâm nhân đạo
- Câu 33: A – “Power distribution” là trọng tâm của realist perspective
- Câu 34: B – “Normative foundations” thuộc phân tích institutionalist
- Câu 35: A – “Balancing behavior” là khái niệm realist
- Câu 36: C – “Distributional effects” là mối quan tâm nhân đạo
Câu 37: instrumental overuse
- Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 7, dòng 4
- Giải thích: Bài viết sử dụng chính xác cụm từ “instrumental overuse” để mô tả việc lạm dụng sanctions cho những bất đồng chính sách nhỏ.
Câu 38: decentralized finance / cryptocurrency / digital currencies
- Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 8, dòng 2-3
- Giải thích: Ba thuật ngữ này được liệt kê cùng nhau như các thách thức về mặt kỹ thuật đối với việc thực thi sanctions.
Câu 40: liberal international / rules-based order
- Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn cuối, câu cuối cùng
- Giải thích: “The rules-based order” hoặc “liberal international economic order” được đề cập như thứ có thể bị phá hoại bởi sự gia tăng của sanctions.
Từ Vựng Quan Trọng Theo Passage
Passage 1 – Essential Vocabulary
| Từ vựng | Loại từ | Phiên âm | Nghĩa tiếng Việt | Ví dụ từ bài | Collocation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| economic sanctions | n | /ˌiːkəˈnɒmɪk ˈsæŋkʃənz/ | biện pháp trừng phạt kinh tế | Economic sanctions have become one of the most widely used tools | impose sanctions, lift sanctions |
| trade embargo | n | /treɪd ɪmˈbɑːɡəʊ/ | lệnh cấm vận thương mại | Athens imposed a trade ban on Megara | impose embargo, lift embargo |
| multilateral coordination | n | /ˌmʌltɪˈlætərəl kəʊˌɔːdɪˈneɪʃən/ | phối hợp đa phương | sophisticated multilateral coordination | achieve coordination, require coordination |
| comprehensive sanctions | n | /ˌkɒmprɪˈhensɪv ˈsæŋkʃənz/ | trừng phạt toàn diện | comprehensive sanctions that targeted entire economies | impose comprehensive sanctions |
| targeted sanctions | n | /ˈtɑːɡɪtɪd ˈsæŋkʃənz/ | trừng phạt có mục tiêu | smart or targeted sanctions | implement targeted sanctions |
| asset freezes | n | /ˈæset friːzɪz/ | phong tỏa tài sản | Targeted sanctions typically include asset freezes | impose asset freezes |
| travel bans | n | /ˈtrævəl bænz/ | cấm đi lại | asset freezes, travel bans, and restrictions | impose travel bans |
| financial transactions | n | /faɪˈnænʃəl trænˈzækʃənz/ | giao dịch tài chính | restricting trade and financial transactions | conduct transactions, monitor transactions |
| international diplomacy | n | /ˌɪntəˈnæʃənəl dɪˈpləʊməsi/ | ngoại giao quốc tế | widely used tools in international diplomacy | engage in diplomacy |
| humanitarian concerns | n | /hjuːˌmænɪˈteəriən kənˈsɜːnz/ | mối quan ngại nhân đạo | creating humanitarian concerns | address concerns, raise concerns |
| supply chains | n | /səˈplaɪ tʃeɪnz/ | chuỗi cung ứng | complexity of global supply chains | disrupt supply chains |
| alternative payment systems | n | /ɔːlˈtɜːnətɪv ˈpeɪmənt ˈsɪstəmz/ | hệ thống thanh toán thay thế | rise of cryptocurrency and other alternative payment systems | develop alternative systems |
Passage 2 – Essential Vocabulary
| Từ vựng | Loại từ | Phiên âm | Nghĩa tiếng Việt | Ví dụ từ bài | Collocation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| sanctions architecture | n | /ˈsæŋkʃənz ˈɑːkɪtektʃə/ | kiến trúc trừng phạt | Sanctions architecture has evolved considerably | design architecture, develop architecture |
| precision targeting | n | /prɪˈsɪʒən ˈtɑːɡɪtɪŋ/ | nhắm mục tiêu chính xác | increasing emphasis on precision targeting | achieve precision targeting |
| sectoral sanctions | n | /ˈsektərəl ˈsæŋkʃənz/ | trừng phạt theo ngành | More commonly, sectoral sanctions target specific industries | impose sectoral sanctions |
| compliance officers | n | /kəmˈplaɪəns ˈɒfɪsəz/ | nhân viên tuân thủ | banks employ thousands of compliance officers | hire compliance officers |
| due diligence | n | /djuː ˈdɪlɪdʒəns/ | thẩm định cẩn trọng | invest in sophisticated screening software and due diligence procedures | conduct due diligence |
| de-risking | n | /diː ˈrɪskɪŋ/ | giảm thiểu rủi ro | a phenomenon known as de-risking | engage in de-risking |
| sanctions shadow | n | /ˈsæŋkʃənz ˈʃædəʊ/ | bóng đổ trừng phạt | creates what some analysts describe as a sanctions shadow | cast a shadow |
| currency devaluation | n | /ˈkʌrənsi dɪˌvæljuˈeɪʃən/ | phá giá tiền tệ | may experience currency devaluation | cause devaluation, prevent devaluation |
| capital flight | n | /ˈkæpɪtəl flaɪt/ | dòng vốn tháo chạy | currency devaluation, inflation, capital flight | trigger capital flight |
| import substitution | n | /ˈɪmpɔːt ˌsʌbstɪˈtjuːʃən/ | thay thế nhập khẩu | import substitution strategies | pursue import substitution |
| extraterritorial application | n | /ˌekstrəˌterɪˈtɔːriəl ˌæplɪˈkeɪʃən/ | áp dụng ngoại lãnh thổ | extraterritorial application of sanctions | assert extraterritorial application |
| reserve currency | n | /rɪˈzɜːv ˈkʌrənsi/ | đồng tiền dự trữ | dollar’s status as the world’s primary reserve currency | maintain reserve currency status |
| weaponization | n | /ˌwepənaɪˈzeɪʃən/ | vũ khí hóa | inappropriate weaponization of the financial system | prevent weaponization |
| norm enforcement | n | /nɔːm ɪnˈfɔːsmənt/ | thực thi chuẩn mực | their role in norm enforcement | ensure norm enforcement |
| international signaling | n | /ˌɪntəˈnæʃənəl ˈsɪɡnəlɪŋ/ | phát tín hiệu quốc tế | international signaling may be as important | engage in signaling |
Passage 3 – Essential Vocabulary
| Từ vựng | Loại từ | Phiên âm | Nghĩa tiếng Việt | Ví dụ từ bài | Collocation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| geopolitical strategy | n | /ˌdʒiːəʊpəˈlɪtɪkəl ˈstrætədʒi/ | chiến lược địa chính trị | increasingly central to Western geopolitical strategy | develop strategy, implement strategy |
| coercive diplomacy | n | /kəʊˈɜːsɪv dɪˈpləʊməsi/ | ngoại giao cưỡng bức | current approaches to coercive diplomacy | engage in coercive diplomacy |
| state sovereignty | n | /steɪt ˈsɒvrɪnti/ | chủ quyền quốc gia | the evolution of state sovereignty | respect sovereignty, violate sovereignty |
| unipolar moment | n | /ˌjuːnɪˈpəʊlə ˈməʊmənt/ | thời khắc đơn cực | reflects the unipolar moment following the Cold War | experience unipolar moment |
| economic statecraft | n | /ˌiːkəˈnɒmɪk ˈsteɪtkrɑːft/ | nghệ thuật quản trị kinh tế nhà nước | the future of economic statecraft | employ statecraft, master statecraft |
| balancing behavior | n | /ˈbælənsɪŋ bɪˈheɪvjə/ | hành vi cân bằng quyền lực | inevitably generates balancing behavior | exhibit balancing behavior |
| sanctions-resistant infrastructure | n | /ˈsæŋkʃənz rɪˈzɪstənt ˈɪnfrəstrʌktʃə/ | cơ sở hạ tầng chống trừng phạt | develop sanctions-resistant financial infrastructure | build infrastructure, create infrastructure |
| multipolarity | n | /ˌmʌltɪpəʊˈlærəti/ | đa cực | accelerating the transition toward multipolarity | shift toward multipolarity |
| normative foundations | n | /ˈnɔːmətɪv faʊnˈdeɪʃənz/ | nền tảng chuẩn mực | questions about their normative foundations | establish foundations, question foundations |
| jus cogens norms | n | /dʒuːs ˈkəʊɡenz nɔːmz/ | chuẩn mực bắt buộc tuyệt đối | breaches of jus cogens norms such as genocide | violate jus cogens norms |
| secondary sanctions | n | /ˈsekəndəri ˈsæŋkʃənz/ | trừng phạt thứ cấp | Secondary sanctions imposed on third parties | impose secondary sanctions |
| over-compliance | n | /ˈəʊvə kəmˈplaɪəns/ | tuân thủ thái quá | Over-compliance by risk-averse financial institutions | lead to over-compliance |
| distributional consequences | n | /ˌdɪstrɪˈbjuːʃənəl ˈkɒnsɪkwənsɪz/ | hậu quả phân phối | the distributional consequences of sanctions | examine consequences, assess consequences |
| regressive distributional effect | n | /rɪˈɡresɪv ˌdɪstrɪˈbjuːʃənəl ɪˈfekt/ | tác động phân phối lũy thoái | This regressive distributional effect raises questions | create regressive effect |
| normative degradation | n | /ˈnɔːmətɪv ˌdeɡrəˈdeɪʃən/ | suy thoái chuẩn mực | concerns about normative degradation | prevent degradation, cause degradation |
| instrumental overuse | n | /ˌɪnstrʊˈmentəl ˌəʊvəˈjuːs/ | lạm dụng công cụ | This instrumental overuse risks transforming sanctions | avoid overuse, lead to overuse |
| decentralized finance | n | /diːˈsentrəlaɪzd ˈfaɪnæns/ | tài chính phi tập trung | including cryptocurrency, decentralized finance systems | develop decentralized finance |
| defensive fragmentation | n | /dɪˈfensɪv ˌfræɡmənˈteɪʃən/ | phân mảnh phòng thủ | leading to defensive fragmentation of the global economy | cause fragmentation, prevent fragmentation |
| circumvention strategies | n | /ˌsɜːkəmˈvenʃən ˈstrætədʒiz/ | chiến lược lách tránh | successfully implement circumvention strategies | develop strategies, employ strategies |
| multipolar sanctions regime | n | /ˌmʌltɪˈpəʊlə ˈsæŋkʃənz reɪˈʒiːm/ | chế độ trừng phạt đa cực | leading to a multipolar sanctions regime | establish regime, create regime |
Kết Bài
Chủ đề về các biện pháp trừng phạt kinh tế trong chiến lược địa chính trị không chỉ là một nội dung quan trọng trong IELTS Reading mà còn phản ánh những vấn đề cấp thiết của quan hệ quốc tế hiện đại. Qua bài thi mẫu này, bạn đã được tiếp xúc với ba passages có độ khó tăng dần, từ giới thiệu cơ bản về lịch sử và cấu trúc của sanctions, đến phân tích chi tiết về cơ chế hoạt động và tác động, cho đến những vấn đề triết học sâu sắc về tính bền vững và hệ quả đạo đức của các biện pháp này.
Bộ 40 câu hỏi đa dạng trong đề thi này bao gồm tất cả các dạng câu hỏi phổ biến nhất trong IELTS Reading: Multiple Choice, True/False/Not Given, Yes/No/Not Given, Matching Headings, Sentence Completion, Summary Completion, Matching Features và Short-answer Questions. Điều này giúp bạn làm quen toàn diện với format thi thật và phát triển kỹ năng xử lý từng dạng câu hỏi một cách hiệu quả.
Phần đáp án chi tiết không chỉ cung cấp đáp án đúng mà còn giải thích tỉ mỉ về vị trí thông tin trong bài, cách paraphrase giữa câu hỏi và passage, và những sai lầm thường gặp cần tránh. Đây chính là chìa khóa để bạn tự đánh giá năng lực, hiểu rõ điểm mạnh và điểm yếu, từ đó có kế hoạch cải thiện phù hợp.
Bảng từ vựng tổng hợp hơn 40 từ và cụm từ quan trọng, được phân loại theo độ khó và đi kèm phiên âm, nghĩa tiếng Việt, ví dụ cụ thể và các collocation thường dùng. Việc nắm vững những từ vựng học thuật này không chỉ giúp bạn hiểu bài đọc dễ dàng hơn mà còn nâng cao điểm số ở các phần thi khác, đặc biệt là Writing Task 2 khi viết về các chủ đề xã hội và chính trị.
Hãy nhớ rằng, thành công trong IELTS Reading không chỉ đến từ việc làm nhiều bài tập mà còn từ việc phân tích kỹ lưỡng các câu trả lời sai, hiểu rõ logic của người ra đề và rèn luyện kỹ năng skimming, scanning một cách có hệ thống. Tiếp tục luyện tập đều đặn với các chủ đề học thuật đa dạng, và bạn sẽ tự tin đạt được band điểm mục tiêu trong kỳ thi thực tế.
