IELTS Reading: Bảng Xếp Hạng Giáo Dục Toàn Cầu – Đề Thi Mẫu Có Đáp Án Chi Tiết

Mở bài

Chủ đề về bảng xếp hạng giáo dục toàn cầu và ảnh hưởng của chúng đến nhận thức văn hóa là một trong những đề tài xuất hiện thường xuyên trong IELTS Reading, đặc biệt ở phần Passage 2 và Passage 3 với độ khó trung bình đến cao. Đây là chủ đề thuộc lĩnh vực giáo dục – xã hội, yêu cầu thí sinh có khả năng phân tích sâu về các vấn đề học thuật, hiểu được mối quan hệ nhân quả phức tạp, và nắm vững từ vựng chuyên ngành.

Trong bài viết này, bạn sẽ được luyện tập với một đề thi IELTS Reading hoàn chỉnh gồm 3 passages theo đúng format thi thật, từ mức độ dễ đến khó. Cụ thể, bạn sẽ nhận được:

• Đề thi đầy đủ 3 passages (Easy → Medium → Hard) với tổng cộng 40 câu hỏi
• Các dạng câu hỏi đa dạng bao gồm Multiple Choice, True/False/Not Given, Yes/No/Not Given, Matching Headings, Summary Completion và nhiều dạng khác
• Đáp án chi tiết kèm giải thích rõ ràng về vị trí thông tin và kỹ thuật paraphrase
• Từ vựng chuyên ngành được tổng hợp theo từng passage kèm phiên âm và ví dụ
• Kỹ thuật làm bài thực chiến từ kinh nghiệm giảng dạy hơn 20 năm

Đề thi này phù hợp cho học viên từ band 5.0 trở lên, đặc biệt hữu ích cho những bạn đang nhắm đến band điểm 6.5-8.0 trong phần Reading.

1. Hướng Dẫn Làm Bài IELTS Reading

Tổng Quan Về IELTS Reading Test

IELTS Reading Test kéo dài 60 phút và bao gồm 3 passages với tổng cộng 40 câu hỏi. Mỗi câu trả lời đúng được tính là 1 điểm, không trừ điểm cho câu sai. Độ khó của các passages tăng dần từ Passage 1 đến Passage 3.

Phân bổ thời gian khuyến nghị:

• Passage 1: 15-17 phút (độ khó Easy, 13 câu hỏi)
• Passage 2: 18-20 phút (độ khó Medium, 13 câu hỏi)
• Passage 3: 23-25 phút (độ khó Hard, 14 câu hỏi)

Lưu ý dành 2-3 phút cuối để chuyển đáp án vào Answer Sheet một cách cẩn thận.

Các Dạng Câu Hỏi Trong Đề Này

Đề thi mẫu này bao gồm các dạng câu hỏi phổ biến nhất trong IELTS Reading:

1. Multiple Choice – Chọn đáp án đúng từ 3-4 lựa chọn
2. True/False/Not Given – Xác định thông tin đúng/sai/không được đề cập
3. Yes/No/Not Given – Xác định quan điểm tác giả đồng ý/không đồng ý/không nêu
4. Matching Headings – Nối tiêu đề với đoạn văn phù hợp
5. Summary Completion – Điền từ vào chỗ trống trong đoạn tóm tắt
6. Sentence Completion – Hoàn thành câu với thông tin từ bài đọc
7. Matching Features – Nối thông tin với đối tượng tương ứng

2. IELTS Reading Practice Test

PASSAGE 1 – The Rise of International Education Rankings

Độ khó: Easy (Band 5.0-6.5)

Thời gian đề xuất: 15-17 phút

Over the past two decades, international education rankings have become increasingly influential in shaping how countries view their educational systems and how parents make decisions about their children’s schooling. These global league tables, such as the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) and the Times Higher Education World University Rankings, measure and compare the performance of students and institutions across different nations. While these rankings were initially designed as assessment tools to help countries identify areas for improvement, they have evolved into powerful instruments that influence public perception, government policy, and educational investment decisions.

The PISA assessment, conducted every three years by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), tests 15-year-old students in reading, mathematics, and science. When the results are published, they generate significant media attention worldwide. Countries that perform well, such as Singapore, Finland, and South Korea, are often praised for their educational excellence, while those with lower rankings face public scrutiny and political pressure to reform their systems. This phenomenon has led to what some researchers call “PISA shock” – a state of national concern triggered by unexpectedly poor results.

The impact of these rankings extends far beyond simple comparisons. They have fundamentally altered how societies perceive the quality of education in different cultural contexts. For instance, East Asian countries consistently ranking at the top have been viewed as having superior educational models, leading Western nations to study and sometimes adopt their teaching methods. The Finnish education system, renowned for its student-centred approach and minimal testing, has attracted thousands of educational tourists and researchers eager to understand its success.

However, critics argue that these rankings create a narrow definition of educational success. By focusing primarily on measurable outcomes such as test scores, they may overlook other important aspects of education, including creativity, critical thinking, and social-emotional development. Furthermore, the rankings can reinforce cultural stereotypes. When Asian students consistently outperform their Western counterparts in mathematics, it perpetuates the notion that Asians are naturally better at subjects requiring logical reasoning, ignoring the role of educational culture, teaching methods, and societal expectations.

The competitive atmosphere generated by these rankings has also influenced how countries allocate resources and design curricula. Some nations have implemented intensive test preparation programmes specifically aimed at improving their PISA scores, potentially at the expense of broader educational goals. Teachers in several countries report feeling increased pressure to “teach to the test“, focusing on areas that will be assessed rather than providing a well-rounded education. This has sparked debates about whether the pursuit of higher rankings is compromising educational quality.

Despite these concerns, proponents of international rankings argue that they serve valuable purposes. They provide objective data that allows countries to identify weaknesses in their educational systems and learn from best practices elsewhere. The rankings have also democratised information about educational quality, making it accessible to parents, students, and policymakers who previously lacked comparative benchmarks. Moreover, they have encouraged international dialogue about education and fostered collaboration between countries seeking to improve their systems.

The way different cultures respond to these rankings reveals interesting patterns. In some countries, particularly in East Asia, educational achievement is closely tied to national pride and cultural identity. High rankings are celebrated as evidence of societal success, while poor performance is seen as a collective failure. In contrast, some Western nations take a more critical approach, questioning whether the rankings truly capture the essence of quality education or simply measure students’ ability to perform well on standardised tests.

As international education rankings continue to evolve, they are likely to maintain their influence on global perceptions of educational quality. Understanding their impact is crucial for educators, policymakers, and parents who must navigate the complex relationship between quantifiable metrics and the broader goals of education in preparing students for an increasingly interconnected world.

Bảng xếp hạng giáo dục toàn cầu PISA và ảnh hưởng đến nhận thức văn hóa quốc tế

Questions 1-13

Questions 1-5: Multiple Choice

Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D.

1. According to the passage, international education rankings were originally intended to:

   • A) Generate media attention
   • B) Help countries improve their education systems
   • C) Create competition between nations
   • D) Influence government spending decisions

2. The term “PISA shock” refers to:

   • A) Excitement about good results
   • B) Surprise at unexpected findings
   • C) National anxiety caused by poor performance
   • D) Criticism of the testing system

3. The Finnish education system has attracted international interest because of its:

   • A) Intensive testing procedures
   • B) Focus on student needs and limited examinations
   • C) Similarity to Asian teaching methods
   • D) High ranking in mathematics

4. Critics of education rankings believe they:

   • A) Are too expensive to conduct
   • B) Give too much attention to unmeasurable skills
   • C) Focus excessively on test scores
   • D) Favour Western countries

5. The passage suggests that teaching to the test:

   • A) Improves overall educational quality
   • B) Is encouraged by education experts
   • C) May harm broader educational objectives
   • D) Only occurs in Asian countries

Questions 6-9: True/False/Not Given

Do the following statements agree with the information given in the passage?

Write:

• TRUE if the statement agrees with the information
• FALSE if the statement contradicts the information
• NOT GIVEN if there is no information on this

6. PISA tests are conducted annually by the OECD.
7. Western countries have attempted to implement teaching methods from high-performing East Asian nations.
8. International rankings have made educational performance data more widely available.
9. All countries spend the same amount preparing students for PISA tests.

Questions 10-13: Sentence Completion

Complete the sentences below.

Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the passage for each answer.

10. The rankings may strengthen existing __ about different cultures.
11. Some teachers feel pressured to concentrate on subjects that will be __.
12. Supporters claim the rankings facilitate __ between countries wanting to enhance education.
13. In East Asian cultures, educational success is often linked to __ and cultural identity.

---

PASSAGE 2 – Cultural Bias in Global Education Metrics

Độ khó: Medium (Band 6.0-7.5)

Thời gian đề xuất: 18-20 phút

The proliferation of international education rankings has sparked considerable debate among academics, educators, and policymakers about whether these assessment frameworks can truly provide objective measurements of educational quality across diverse cultural contexts. While proponents argue that standardised testing offers valuable comparative data, critics contend that these rankings often contain inherent cultural biases that privilege certain educational philosophies while marginalising others. This controversy raises fundamental questions about the nature of educational excellence and whether it can be universally defined and measured.

At the heart of this debate lies the issue of cultural epistemology – the ways in which different societies understand, value, and transmit knowledge. Western educational traditions typically emphasise individual achievement, critical questioning, and analytical thinking, while many Eastern pedagogical approaches prioritise collective harmony, respect for authority, and memorisation of foundational knowledge. When international rankings predominantly reflect Western educational values in their assessment criteria, they may inadvertently disadvantage educational systems built on alternative philosophical foundations.

The PISA framework, despite its claims to cultural neutrality, has been criticised for embedding Western assumptions about what constitutes meaningful learning. For example, the assessment places significant weight on students’ ability to solve novel problems and apply knowledge in unfamiliar contexts – skills highly valued in individualistic societies that emphasise innovation and independent thinking. However, educational systems in more collectivist cultures might focus on developing different competencies, such as the ability to work harmoniously within groups, show deference to established knowledge, or maintain social cohesion – attributes that are difficult to measure through standardised tests and thus remain invisible in global rankings.

Furthermore, the linguistic and contextual elements embedded within test questions can create systematic advantages for students from certain cultural backgrounds. Research has shown that reading comprehension passages featuring culturally specific references, idioms, or scenarios familiar to Western students may pose additional cognitive challenges for students from non-Western contexts, who must simultaneously decode both the linguistic content and unfamiliar cultural contexts. This phenomenon, known as “cultural loading“, can artificially deflate the measured performance of students whose actual cognitive abilities may be equal to or superior to their Western peers.

The rankings also tend to undervalue educational outcomes that are prioritised in non-Western cultures but are challenging to quantify. For instance, many Asian educational philosophies emphasise moral education, character development, and the cultivation of virtues such as perseverance, humility, and filial piety. Similarly, Indigenous educational systems often focus on connection to land, intergenerational knowledge transfer, and community responsibility – dimensions of education that are virtually absent from international assessments. By concentrating exclusively on measurable academic achievement, these rankings present an incomplete picture of educational success that reflects a narrow, culturally specific definition of what it means to be educated.

The impact of this cultural bias extends beyond mere measurement issues. When countries strive to improve their rankings, they often reform their educational systems to align more closely with the competencies assessed in international tests. This can lead to a phenomenon called “educational convergence“, whereby diverse educational traditions gradually homogenise towards a Western model. Countries may de-emphasise aspects of their traditional pedagogy that, while culturally valuable, do not contribute to improved test scores. This process represents a form of cultural imperialism in which dominant educational paradigms are exported globally, potentially eroding educational diversity and the unique cultural knowledge embedded in local systems.

Several scholars have documented specific instances of this cultural displacement. In Japan, traditional moral education (dotoku) has faced marginalisation as schools increasingly focus on subjects assessed in international rankings. In Norway, concerns have been raised about the declining emphasis on outdoor education and nature connection – historically central to Norwegian childhood – as educational priorities shift towards academic performance metrics. These examples illustrate how the global prestige associated with high rankings can inadvertently undermine locally meaningful educational practices.

However, the relationship between rankings and cultural perception is not entirely unidirectional. Some countries have successfully challenged dominant narratives by achieving high rankings while maintaining distinctive cultural approaches to education. Finland’s success, for instance, has forced international observers to recognise that student-centred pedagogies, minimal standardised testing, and teacher autonomy can produce excellent results, contradicting the assumptions that high performance requires intensive examination and rigid accountability systems. Similarly, Shanghai’s top rankings have prompted discussions about the value of effort-based rather than ability-based educational cultures, challenging Western assumptions about innate talent.

Moving forward, there is growing recognition of the need for culturally responsive assessment frameworks that acknowledge diverse educational philosophies and outcomes. Some researchers advocate for complementary metrics that capture a broader range of educational dimensions, including creativity, social-emotional learning, ethical development, and cultural competence. Others propose locally contextualised benchmarks that allow countries to measure success according to their own educational values while still enabling meaningful international comparisons. These alternative approaches aim to preserve educational diversity while maintaining the benefits of cross-national learning and accountability.

The challenge lies in balancing the desire for comparable data with respect for cultural pluralism in education. As international rankings continue to shape global perceptions of educational quality, critical engagement with their underlying assumptions and cultural limitations becomes essential for ensuring they serve rather than constrain the diverse educational needs of students worldwide.

Ảnh hưởng của yếu tố văn hóa trong bảng xếp hạng giáo dục quốc tế

Questions 14-26

Questions 14-18: Yes/No/Not Given

Do the following statements agree with the views of the writer in the passage?

Write:

• YES if the statement agrees with the views of the writer
• NO if the statement contradicts the views of the writer
• NOT GIVEN if it is impossible to say what the writer thinks about this

14. Standardised testing can provide completely objective measurements across all cultures.
15. Western educational values are reflected in the criteria used for international rankings.
16. Students from collectivist cultures perform worse than those from individualistic cultures.
17. International rankings ignore important educational outcomes valued in non-Western cultures.
18. Finland’s educational success has challenged some common assumptions about effective teaching.

Questions 19-22: Matching Headings

Choose the correct heading for paragraphs C-F from the list of headings below.

List of Headings:

• i. The problem of language in international assessments
• ii. Financial implications of education rankings
• iii. How rankings promote cultural homogenisation
• iv. Different cultural approaches to knowledge and learning
• v. The future of educational assessment
• vi. Success stories that challenge ranking assumptions
• vii. Missing dimensions in current evaluation systems
• viii. Teacher training in different countries

19. Paragraph C (starting with “The PISA framework…”)
20. Paragraph D (starting with “Furthermore, the linguistic…”)
21. Paragraph E (starting with “The rankings also tend…”)
22. Paragraph F (starting with “The impact of this…”)

Questions 23-26: Summary Completion

Complete the summary below.

Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the passage for each answer.

International education rankings have been criticised for containing cultural biases that favour certain educational systems. The concept of 23. __ describes how test questions may include content more familiar to Western students, creating unfair advantages. When countries modify their education to improve rankings, it can lead to 24. __, where different educational traditions become more similar. Some countries like 25. __ have successfully maintained their unique approaches while achieving high rankings. Experts now call for 26. __ that recognise diverse educational values and outcomes.

---

PASSAGE 3 – The Geopolitics of Educational Prestige and National Identity

Độ khó: Hard (Band 7.0-9.0)

Thời gian đề xuất: 23-25 phút

The emergence of comprehensive international education rankings as arbiters of educational quality represents more than a technical development in comparative assessment methodology; it constitutes a fundamental transformation in the geopolitical landscape of knowledge production and national prestige. These quantitative instruments, while presented as objective metrics of educational efficacy, function as powerful discursive mechanisms that shape global hierarchies of cultural capital and influence the symbolic economies through which nations construct and project their identities in an increasingly interconnected world order. The ramifications of this phenomenon extend far beyond pedagogical concerns, intersecting with questions of soft power, economic competitiveness, and the contested terrain of cultural hegemony in the twenty-first century.

The instrumentalisation of education rankings in statecraft reflects a broader shift towards what scholars term “competitive cosmopolitanism” – a paradoxical condition wherein nations simultaneously embrace globalisation while engaging in intensified competition for position within transnational hierarchies. In this context, educational performance metrics serve as proxy indicators of national vitality, technological capacity, and future economic potential. Countries that achieve superior rankings accumulate reputational capital that transcends the educational domain, enhancing their attractiveness as destinations for international investment, skilled migration, and diplomatic partnerships. Conversely, underperformance in these assessments can trigger widespread social anxiety and precipitate political crises, as evidenced by the visceral reactions to disappointing PISA results in countries as diverse as Germany, France, and the United States.

This geopolitical significance is particularly evident in the strategic responses of East Asian nations, where educational achievement has been explicitly articulated as a pillar of national development and international standing. Singapore’s remarkable ascendancy to the apex of global education rankings is inextricably linked to the city-state’s broader nation-building project, which positions meritocratic excellence and human capital development as compensatory mechanisms for its lack of natural resources and limited territory. The government’s substantial investment in education – both materially and symbolically – reflects a calculated strategy to establish Singapore as a global knowledge hub and to legitimate its governance model through demonstrable outcomes in internationally recognised metrics.

Similarly, South Korea’s educational achievements must be understood within the post-colonial context of nation-building following the devastating effects of the Korean War. The country’s remarkable transformation from impoverished state to advanced economy has been substantively attributed to educational expansion and quality enhancement, creating a powerful national narrative that intertwines educational success with economic prosperity and national pride. High performance in international rankings thus serves not merely as empirical validation of policy effectiveness but as symbolic affirmation of the nation’s successful modernisation and rightful place among developed nations. This dynamic has created extraordinary pressure on students, teachers, and families, contributing to what critics describe as an educational arms race characterised by intense competition, shadow education systems, and concerning levels of youth stress and mental health challenges.

The Nordic countries, particularly Finland, present an alternative paradigm that complicates simplistic narratives about the relationship between education rankings and national identity. Finland’s exceptional PISA performance – achieved through an educational philosophy emphasising equity, teacher professionalism, and minimal standardised testing – has been mobilised both domestically and internationally to reinforce distinctive aspects of Nordic social democracy. The “Finnish miracle” has become a potent symbol in debates about educational reform, frequently invoked to challenge neoliberal orthodoxies regarding accountability, privatisation, and market-based mechanisms. However, this international acclaim has also created unintended consequences, including implementation fatigue among Finnish educators weary of international attention and domestic concern about recent declines in PISA scores threatening the country’s educational reputation.

The American response to international education rankings reveals the complex interplay between national exceptionalism and comparative anxiety that characterises contemporary U.S. identity. Despite the United States’ undisputed dominance in higher education – evidenced by the concentration of prestigious universities in American rankings – its mediocre performance in K-12 assessments has provoked considerable consternation. This apparent contradiction has fuelled debates about educational inequality, the federal role in education, and the sustainability of American economic leadership. Reform initiatives ranging from the Common Core standards to charter school expansion have been partially justified through rhetoric invoking international comparisons and the imperative to maintain national competitiveness. Yet critics argue these reforms reflect superficial responses to complex challenges, driven more by political necessity to “do something” about unfavourable rankings than by substantive engagement with underlying systemic issues.

The influence of education rankings on cultural perception extends to developing nations, where performance metrics intersect with post-colonial dynamics and struggles for international recognition. For many countries in the Global South, participation in international assessments represents both an opportunity and a risk: the potential for demonstrating progress and attracting development resources must be balanced against the possibility of unfavourable comparisons that might reinforce existing stereotypes about institutional capacity and educational quality. Some nations have strategically selected which assessments to participate in and which student populations to include, recognising that methodological decisions about sampling and implementation can significantly influence outcomes and subsequent international perception.

Resistance to ranking hegemony has emerged from various quarters. Some scholars and policymakers advocate for epistemological pluralism that recognises multiple forms of educational excellence irreducible to standardised metrics. The Bhutanese concept of “Gross National Happiness” includes educational dimensions that prioritise cultural preservation, environmental consciousness, and spiritual development – outcomes that remain peripheral to mainstream international assessments. Similarly, Indigenous educational movements worldwide have articulated alternative frameworks that centre ancestral knowledge, language revitalisation, and community-based pedagogy, challenging the universalist pretensions of global rankings.

Moving forward, the relationship between education rankings and cultural perception will likely become increasingly contested terrain. As emerging economies continue their ascendancy and demographic shifts reconfigure global power dynamics, the institutional architecture of international assessment – currently dominated by OECD countries and Western research traditions – may face pressure to become more inclusive and representative of diverse educational epistemologies. Whether this produces genuine pluralism or merely incorporates difference within existing frameworks remains an open question with profound implications for educational equity and cultural diversity in an interconnected global society.

The fundamental challenge lies in developing mechanisms for cross-cultural learning and accountability that resist the reductionism of simplistic rankings while providing meaningful information to stakeholders. This requires critical reflexivity about the power relations embedded in assessment technologies, ongoing dialogue between diverse educational traditions, and commitment to preserving educational pluralism as a global public good rather than viewing educational systems through the narrow lens of international competition.

Chiến lược quốc gia trong bảng xếp hạng giáo dục toàn cầu và xây dựng bản sắc văn hóa

Questions 27-40

Questions 27-31: Multiple Choice

Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D.

27. According to the passage, international education rankings function primarily as:

• A) Technical tools for measuring student ability
• B) Mechanisms that influence global power structures
• C) Methods to improve teaching quality
• D) Systems to help parents choose schools

28. The term “competitive cosmopolitanism” refers to nations that:

• A) Reject globalisation entirely
• B) Embrace international cooperation without competition
• C) Simultaneously accept globalisation while competing internationally
• D) Focus only on domestic educational concerns

29. Singapore’s investment in education is described as:

• A) A response to poor PISA results
• B) Part of a broader strategy to establish international status
• C) An attempt to copy Western educational models
• D) A temporary policy initiative

30. The passage suggests that South Korea’s educational achievements:

• A) Have no connection to national history
• B) Are linked to the country’s post-war development narrative
• C) Only benefit wealthy students
• D) Have declined in recent years

31. The author’s view of the American response to education rankings is that it:

• A) Has been highly effective
• B) Reflects confidence in the education system
• C) Shows tension between international status and domestic performance
• D) Is unimportant to national identity

Questions 32-36: Matching Features

Match each country or region (32-36) with the correct characteristic (A-H).

Countries/Regions:
32. Singapore
33. Finland
34. United States
35. Bhutan
36. Indigenous communities

Characteristics:

• A) Emphasises spiritual development and environmental awareness
• B) Positions educational success as compensation for limited natural resources
• C) Has strong universities but moderate primary-secondary results
• D) Focuses on language preservation and ancestral knowledge
• E) Experiences educational fatigue from international attention
• F) Completely rejects participation in international rankings
• G) Uses education to demonstrate post-colonial development
• H) Has eliminated all standardised testing

Questions 37-40: Short-answer Questions

Answer the questions below.

Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the passage for each answer.

37. What term describes the situation where different educational systems become more alike in pursuit of higher rankings?
38. What type of capital do countries accumulate when they achieve high education rankings?
39. What concept has South Korea’s experience created among students and families?
40. What do scholars advocate for that would recognise multiple forms of educational excellence?

---

3. Answer Keys – Đáp Án

PASSAGE 1: Questions 1-13

1. B
2. C
3. B
4. C
5. C
6. FALSE
7. TRUE
8. TRUE
9. NOT GIVEN
10. cultural stereotypes
11. assessed
12. international dialogue / collaboration
13. national pride

PASSAGE 2: Questions 14-26

14. NO
15. YES
16. NOT GIVEN
17. YES
18. YES
19. iv
20. i
21. vii
22. iii
23. cultural loading
24. educational convergence
25. Finland
26. culturally responsive (assessment) frameworks / complementary metrics

PASSAGE 3: Questions 27-40

27. B
28. C
29. B
30. B
31. C
32. B
33. E
34. C
35. A
36. D
37. educational arms race
38. reputational capital
39. educational arms race
40. epistemological pluralism

---

4. Giải Thích Đáp Án Chi Tiết

Passage 1 – Giải Thích

Câu 1: B

• Dạng câu hỏi: Multiple Choice
• Từ khóa: originally intended
• Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 1, câu cuối: “While these rankings were initially designed as assessment tools to help countries identify areas for improvement…”
• Giải thích: Câu hỏi sử dụng “originally intended” được paraphrase từ “initially designed” trong bài. Đáp án B “Help countries improve their education systems” tương ứng với “help countries identify areas for improvement”. Các đáp án khác đề cập đến các tác động sau này của rankings, không phải mục đích ban đầu.

Câu 2: C

• Dạng câu hỏi: Multiple Choice
• Từ khóa: PISA shock
• Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 2, dòng 5-6: “This phenomenon has led to what some researchers call ‘PISA shock’ – a state of national concern triggered by unexpectedly poor results.”
• Giải thích: Thuật ngữ được định nghĩa rõ ràng là “national concern” (lo ngại quốc gia) khi có “unexpectedly poor results” (kết quả kém bất ngờ). Đáp án C “National anxiety caused by poor performance” paraphrase chính xác ý này.

Câu 6: FALSE

• Dạng câu hỏi: True/False/Not Given
• Từ khóa: PISA tests, annually
• Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 2, câu đầu: “The PISA assessment, conducted every three years…”
• Giải thích: Bài nói rõ PISA được tổ chức “every three years” (mỗi ba năm một lần), mâu thuẫn trực tiếp với “annually” (hàng năm) trong câu hỏi.

Câu 7: TRUE

• Dạng câu hỏi: True/False/Not Given
• Từ khóa: Western countries, teaching methods, East Asian nations
• Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 3, dòng 3-4: “East Asian countries consistently ranking at the top have been viewed as having superior educational models, leading Western nations to study and sometimes adopt their teaching methods.”
• Giải thích: Bài văn khẳng định Western nations “study and sometimes adopt” (nghiên cứu và đôi khi áp dụng) teaching methods từ East Asian countries. Câu hỏi sử dụng “attempted to implement” là paraphrase của “adopt”.

Câu 10: cultural stereotypes

• Dạng câu hỏi: Sentence Completion
• Từ khóa: strengthen existing, different cultures
• Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 4, dòng 4: “Furthermore, the rankings can reinforce cultural stereotypes.”
• Giải thích: “Reinforce” trong bài được paraphrase thành “strengthen” trong câu hỏi, đáp án chính xác là “cultural stereotypes”.

Passage 2 – Giải Thích

Câu 14: NO

• Dạng câu hỏi: Yes/No/Not Given
• Từ khóa: completely objective measurements
• Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 1, dòng 2-3: “critics contend that these rankings often contain inherent cultural biases”
• Giải thích: Tác giả đồng ý với quan điểm của critics rằng rankings có “inherent cultural biases” (thiên vị văn hóa vốn có), điều này mâu thuẫn với “completely objective” trong câu hỏi.

Câu 15: YES

• Dạng câu hỏi: Yes/No/Not Given
• Từ khóa: Western educational values, criteria
• Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 2, câu cuối: “When international rankings predominantly reflect Western educational values in their assessment criteria…”
• Giải thích: Tác giả khẳng định rằng các tiêu chí đánh giá “predominantly reflect Western educational values”, đồng ý hoàn toàn với câu hỏi.

Câu 19: iv

• Dạng câu hỏi: Matching Headings
• Đoạn văn C: Bắt đầu với “The PISA framework…”
• Giải thích: Đoạn này thảo luận về cách PISA framework ưu tiên các kỹ năng được đánh giá cao trong individualistic societies (giải quyết vấn đề mới, tư duy độc lập) so với collectivist cultures (làm việc nhóm, duy trì hòa hợp xã hội). Heading iv “Different cultural approaches to knowledge and learning” phản ánh chính xác nội dung này.

Câu 20: i

• Dạng câu hỏi: Matching Headings
• Đoạn văn D: Bắt đầu với “Furthermore, the linguistic…”
• Giải thích: Đoạn này tập trung vào “linguistic and contextual elements” trong câu hỏi thi và khái niệm “cultural loading”, tạo lợi thế cho học sinh từ một số nền văn hóa. Heading i “The problem of language in international assessments” là phù hợp nhất.

Câu 23: cultural loading

• Dạng câu hỏi: Summary Completion
• Từ khóa: concept, test questions, content more familiar
• Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn D, câu cuối: “This phenomenon, known as ‘cultural loading’…”
• Giải thích: Summary mô tả hiện tượng mà test questions có content quen thuộc hơn với Western students. Đoạn D định nghĩa chính xác hiện tượng này là “cultural loading”.

Câu 24: educational convergence

• Dạng câu hỏi: Summary Completion
• Từ khóa: modify education, improve rankings, traditions become more similar
• Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn F, dòng 2-3: “This can lead to a phenomenon called ‘educational convergence’, whereby diverse educational traditions gradually homogenise…”
• Giải thích: Summary nói về việc các hệ thống giáo dục trở nên giống nhau (become more similar), chính xác là “educational convergence” được định nghĩa trong bài.

Passage 3 – Giải Thích

Câu 27: B

• Dạng câu hỏi: Multiple Choice
• Từ khóa: function primarily as
• Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 1, dòng 2-4: “function as powerful discursive mechanisms that shape global hierarchies of cultural capital and influence the symbolic economies…”
• Giải thích: Câu đầu tiên của bài viết thiết lập luận điểm chính rằng rankings không chỉ là công cụ kỹ thuật mà còn là “discursive mechanisms” ảnh hưởng đến “global hierarchies” và “cultural capital”. Đáp án B “Mechanisms that influence global power structures” paraphrase ý này chính xác nhất.

Câu 28: C

• Dạng câu hỏi: Multiple Choice
• Từ khóa: competitive cosmopolitanism
• Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 2, dòng 2-3: “competitive cosmopolitanism – a paradoxical condition wherein nations simultaneously embrace globalisation while engaging in intensified competition…”
• Giải thích: Thuật ngữ được định nghĩa rõ ràng là trạng thái nghịch lý (paradoxical) khi các quốc gia vừa “embrace globalisation” vừa tham gia “intensified competition”. Đáp án C là paraphrase chính xác.

Câu 29: B

• Dạng câu hỏi: Multiple Choice
• Từ khóa: Singapore’s investment
• Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 3, dòng 4-6: “The government’s substantial investment in education… reflects a calculated strategy to establish Singapore as a global knowledge hub…”
• Giải thích: Bài viết mô tả khoản đầu tư của Singapore là một “calculated strategy” (chiến lược có tính toán) để thiết lập vị thế quốc tế, không chỉ đơn thuần là cải thiện giáo dục.

Câu 32: B

• Dạng câu hỏi: Matching Features
• Singapore – Characteristic B: “Positions educational success as compensation for limited natural resources”
• Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 3, dòng 2-3: “positions meritocratic excellence and human capital development as compensatory mechanisms for its lack of natural resources and limited territory”
• Giải thích: Bài văn nói rõ Singapore sử dụng educational excellence như “compensatory mechanisms” (cơ chế bù đắp) cho việc thiếu tài nguyên thiên nhiên.

Câu 37: educational arms race

• Dạng câu hỏi: Short-answer Questions
• Từ khóa: educational systems become more alike, pursuit of higher rankings
• Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 4, câu cuối: “This dynamic has created extraordinary pressure on students, teachers, and families, contributing to what critics describe as an educational arms race…”
• Giải thích: Mặc dù đoạn F cũng đề cập “educational convergence”, nhưng câu hỏi này hỏi về tình huống được tạo ra ở South Korea với “extraordinary pressure”, chính xác là “educational arms race” được mô tả trong đoạn 4.

Câu 38: reputational capital

• Dạng câu hỏi: Short-answer Questions
• Từ khóa: countries accumulate, high education rankings
• Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 2, dòng 5-6: “Countries that achieve superior rankings accumulate reputational capital…”
• Giải thích: Đáp án được nêu trực tiếp trong bài, countries “accumulate reputational capital” khi đạt superior rankings.

Câu 40: epistemological pluralism

• Dạng câu hỏi: Short-answer Questions
• Từ khóa: scholars advocate, multiple forms of educational excellence
• Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 8, dòng 2: “Some scholars and policymakers advocate for epistemological pluralism that recognises multiple forms of educational excellence…”
• Giải thích: Câu hỏi paraphrase trực tiếp từ bài, với “recognises multiple forms of educational excellence” xuất hiện nguyên văn.

---

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
league tables	n	/liːɡ ˈteɪbəlz/	bảng xếp hạng	These global league tables measure and compare the performance	global league tables
assessment tools	n	/əˈsesmənt tuːlz/	công cụ đánh giá	initially designed as assessment tools	effective assessment tools
generate	v	/ˈdʒenəreɪt/	tạo ra, gây ra	generate significant media attention	generate interest/concern
scrutiny	n	/ˈskruːtəni/	sự xem xét kỹ lưỡng	face public scrutiny	under scrutiny, close scrutiny
fundamentally	adv	/ˌfʌndəˈmentəli/	về cơ bản, căn bản	fundamentally altered how societies perceive	fundamentally different
student-centred	adj	/ˈstjuːdənt ˈsentəd/	lấy học sinh làm trung tâm	student-centred approach	student-centred learning
reinforce	v	/ˌriːɪnˈfɔːs/	củng cố, tăng cường	reinforce cultural stereotypes	reinforce beliefs/ideas
measurable outcomes	n	/ˈmeʒərəbəl ˈaʊtkʌmz/	kết quả có thể đo lường	focusing primarily on measurable outcomes	achieve measurable outcomes
allocate resources	v	/ˈæləkeɪt rɪˈsɔːsɪz/	phân bổ nguồn lực	how countries allocate resources	efficiently allocate resources
well-rounded	adj	/wel ˈraʊndɪd/	toàn diện	providing a well-rounded education	well-rounded development
proponents	n	/prəˈpəʊnənts/	người ủng hộ	proponents of international rankings argue	proponents of change
democratised	v	/dɪˈmɒkrətaɪzd/	dân chủ hóa	democratised information about quality	democratise access

Passage 2 – Essential Vocabulary

Từ vựng	Loại từ	Phiên âm	Nghĩa tiếng Việt	Ví dụ từ bài	Collocation
proliferation	n	/prəˌlɪfəˈreɪʃən/	sự gia tăng nhanh chóng	the proliferation of international rankings	rapid proliferation
inherent	adj	/ɪnˈhɪərənt/	vốn có, cố hữu	contain inherent cultural biases	inherent problems/risks
privilege	v	/ˈprɪvəlɪdʒ/	ưu tiên, ưu ái	privilege certain educational philosophies	privilege one group over another
epistemology	n	/ɪˌpɪstəˈmɒlədʒi/	nhận thức luận	cultural epistemology	study of epistemology
pedagogical	adj	/ˌpedəˈɡɒdʒɪkəl/	thuộc về sư phạm	Eastern pedagogical approaches	pedagogical methods/strategies
inadvertently	adv	/ˌɪnədˈvɜːtəntli/	vô tình, không chủ ý	may inadvertently disadvantage	inadvertently cause harm
individualistic	adj	/ˌɪndɪˌvɪdʒuəˈlɪstɪk/	mang tính cá nhân	individualistic societies	individualistic culture/values
collectivist	adj	/kəˈlektɪvɪst/	tập thể chủ nghĩa	collectivist cultures	collectivist approach/society
deference	n	/ˈdefərəns/	sự tôn trọng, tuân theo	show deference to established knowledge	show deference to authority
cognitive	adj	/ˈkɒɡnətɪv/	thuộc về nhận thức	additional cognitive challenges	cognitive abilities/development
cultural loading	n	/ˈkʌltʃərəl ˈləʊdɪŋ/	tải văn hóa (thuật ngữ)	This phenomenon, known as cultural loading	reduce cultural loading
quantify	v	/ˈkwɒntɪfaɪ/	định lượng, đo lường	challenging to quantify	difficult to quantify
intergenerational	adj	/ˌɪntədʒenəˈreɪʃənəl/	liên thế hệ	intergenerational knowledge transfer	intergenerational relationships
homogenise	v	/həˈmɒdʒənaɪz/	đồng nhất hóa	educational traditions gradually homogenise	homogenise practices
marginalisation	n	/ˌmɑːdʒɪnəlaɪˈzeɪʃən/	sự biên giới hóa	faced marginalisation	social marginalisation

Passage 3 – Essential Vocabulary

Từ vựng	Loại từ	Phiên âm	Nghĩa tiếng Việt	Ví dụ từ bài	Collocation
arbiters	n	/ˈɑːbɪtəz/	trọng tài, người phân xử	arbiters of educational quality	final arbiters
geopolitical	adj	/ˌdʒiːəʊpəˈlɪtɪkəl/	địa chính trị	the geopolitical landscape	geopolitical tensions/strategy
discursive	adj	/dɪˈskɜːsɪv/	thuộc về diễn ngôn	powerful discursive mechanisms	discursive practices
hegemony	n	/hɪˈɡeməni/	quyền bá chủ, ưu thế	contested terrain of cultural hegemony	cultural/political hegemony
ramifications	n	/ˌræmɪfɪˈkeɪʃənz/	hậu quả, ảnh hưởng	The ramifications of this phenomenon	serious ramifications
instrumentalisation	n	/ˌɪnstrəmentəlaɪˈzeɪʃən/	sự công cụ hóa	instrumentalisation of education rankings	political instrumentalisation
statecraft	n	/ˈsteɪtkrɑːft/	nghệ thuật trị quốc	instrumentalisation in statecraft	art of statecraft
paradoxical	adj	/ˌpærəˈdɒksɪkəl/	nghịch lý	a paradoxical condition	paradoxical situation/nature
proxy indicators	n	/ˈprɒksi ˈɪndɪkeɪtəz/	chỉ số đại diện	serve as proxy indicators	use proxy indicators
reputational	adj	/ˌrepjuˈteɪʃənəl/	thuộc về danh tiếng	accumulate reputational capital	reputational damage/risk
visceral	adj	/ˈvɪsərəl/	mãnh liệt, bản năng	visceral reactions to results	visceral response/feeling
apex	n	/ˈeɪpeks/	đỉnh cao	Singapore’s ascendancy to the apex	reach the apex
meritocratic	adj	/ˌmerɪtəˈkrætɪk/	dựa trên năng lực	meritocratic excellence	meritocratic system/society
compensatory	adj	/kəmˈpensətəri/	mang tính bù đắp	compensatory mechanisms	compensatory measures
substantively	adv	/səbˈstæntɪvli/	một cách thực chất	substantively attributed to	substantively different
intertwines	v	/ˌɪntəˈtwaɪnz/	đan xen, gắn kết	intertwines educational success	closely intertwined
mobilised	v	/ˈməʊbəlaɪzd/	huy động, vận động	has been mobilised domestically	mobilise support/resources
orthodoxies	n	/ˈɔːθədɒksiz/	giáo điều, quan niệm cố định	challenge neoliberal orthodoxies	established orthodoxies
exceptionalism	n	/ɪkˌsepʃənəˈlɪzəm/	chủ nghĩa ngoại lệ	national exceptionalism	American exceptionalism

Chiến thuật ôn thi IELTS Reading hiệu quả với chủ đề giáo dục toàn cầu

---

Kết bài

Chủ đề “How Global Education Rankings Affect Cultural Perceptions” không chỉ phổ biến trong IELTS Reading mà còn vô cùng quan trọng trong bối cảnh toàn cầu hóa giáo dục hiện nay. Qua bài tập này, bạn đã được trải nghiệm một bài thi đầy đủ với ba passages có độ khó tăng dần, phản ánh chính xác cấu trúc của IELTS Reading Test thực tế.

Passage 1 giúp bạn làm quen với chủ đề qua văn phong dễ hiểu và thông tin rõ ràng, phù hợp cho band 5.0-6.5. Passage 2 nâng cao độ phức tạp với từ vựng học thuật và yêu cầu hiểu sâu hơn về cultural bias, phù hợp cho band 6.0-7.5. Passage 3 thách thức bạn với nội dung mang tính phân tích cao về geopolitics và national identity, đòi hỏi trình độ band 7.0-9.0.

Các đáp án chi tiết kèm giải thích đã chỉ ra cách xác định thông tin trong bài, kỹ thuật paraphrase và lý do tại sao các đáp án khác không chính xác. Đây là kỹ năng thiết yếu giúp bạn không chỉ tìm được đáp án đúng mà còn hiểu logic của người ra đề.

Bảng từ vựng được tổng hợp theo từng passage với hơn 40 từ quan trọng kèm phiên âm, nghĩa, ví dụ và collocations. Hãy học thuộc những từ này vì chúng xuất hiện thường xuyên trong các đề thi IELTS Reading liên quan đến education, society và culture.

Để đạt kết quả tốt nhất, hãy luyện tập bài này nhiều lần, mỗi lần tập trung vào một kỹ năng cụ thể: lần đầu làm theo đúng thời gian, lần sau phân tích kỹ thuật paraphrase, lần tiếp theo học từ vựng. Sự kiên trì và phương pháp đúng đắn sẽ giúp bạn tự tin chinh phục IELTS Reading!