Mở Bài
Công nghệ blockchain đang tạo ra những thay đổi mang tính cách mạng trong nhiều lĩnh vực, đặc biệt là trong quản lý danh tính số – một chủ đề ngày càng xuất hiện thường xuyên trong các đề thi IELTS Reading gần đây. Theo thống kê từ British Council và IDP, các bài đọc về công nghệ và đổi mới số chiếm khoảng 15-20% tổng số đề thi IELTS Academic, với blockchain là một trong những chủ đề nổi bật nhất.
Bài viết này cung cấp một bộ đề thi IELTS Reading hoàn chỉnh với 3 passages từ dễ đến khó, giúp bạn:
- Làm quen với cấu trúc đề thi thực tế gồm 40 câu hỏi
- Luyện tập đa dạng dạng câu hỏi: Multiple Choice, True/False/Not Given, Matching, Summary Completion
- Nắm vững từ vựng chuyên ngành về công nghệ blockchain và danh tính số
- Hiểu rõ kỹ thuật paraphrase và xác định thông tin trong bài đọc học thuật
- Tự đánh giá năng lực thông qua đáp án chi tiết có giải thích
Đề thi này phù hợp cho học viên từ band 5.0 trở lên, với độ khó tăng dần qua từng passage để bạn có thể thử thách bản thân ở nhiều cấp độ khác nhau.
1. Hướng Dẫn Làm Bài IELTS Reading
Tổng Quan Về IELTS Reading Test
IELTS Reading Test kéo dài 60 phút với 3 passages và tổng cộng 40 câu hỏi. Mỗi câu trả lời đúng được tính 1 điểm, không bị trừ điểm khi sai.
Phân bổ thời gian khuyến nghị:
- Passage 1: 15-17 phút (độ khó Easy, band 5.0-6.5)
- Passage 2: 18-20 phút (độ khó Medium, band 6.0-7.5)
- Passage 3: 23-25 phút (độ khó Hard, band 7.0-9.0)
Lưu ý dành 2-3 phút cuối để chuyển đáp án vào Answer Sheet.
Các Dạng Câu Hỏi Trong Đề Này
Đề thi mẫu này bao gồm 7 dạng câu hỏi phổ biến nhất trong IELTS Reading:
- Multiple Choice – Trắc nghiệm nhiều lựa chọn
- True/False/Not Given – Xác định thông tin đúng/sai/không được đề cập
- Matching Information – Nối thông tin với đoạn văn
- Sentence Completion – Hoàn thành câu
- Summary Completion – Hoàn thành đoạn tóm tắt
- Matching Features – Nối đặc điểm với danh mục
- Short-answer Questions – Câu hỏi trả lời ngắn
2. IELTS Reading Practice Test
PASSAGE 1 – The Basics of Blockchain and Digital Identity
Độ khó: Easy (Band 5.0-6.5)
Thời gian đề xuất: 15-17 phút
In today’s digital world, our personal information is scattered across numerous online platforms, from social media accounts to banking systems. Each time we create a new account or sign up for a service, we provide sensitive data such as our names, addresses, birth dates, and even financial details. This fragmented approach to managing our digital identities has created significant problems, including data breaches, identity theft, and the inconvenience of remembering countless passwords.
Blockchain technology offers a revolutionary solution to these challenges. Originally developed as the underlying technology for cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, blockchain is essentially a digital ledger that records transactions across multiple computers in a way that makes it extremely difficult to alter or hack. Think of it as a chain of blocks, where each block contains information, and these blocks are linked together in a chronological order. What makes blockchain special is that it is decentralized – meaning no single entity controls it – and transparent, allowing all participants to view the recorded information.
When applied to digital identity management, blockchain can transform how we store and share our personal information. Instead of giving our data to multiple organizations that store it in their own databases, we could keep our information in a blockchain-based digital wallet. This wallet would act as a secure container for our identity credentials, certificates, and other important documents. We would have complete control over who can access our information and for how long, addressing one of the biggest concerns in today’s digital age: data privacy.
Several pilot projects around the world are already testing blockchain-based identity systems. The city of Zug in Switzerland has implemented a digital identity system that allows residents to access government services using blockchain technology. In Estonia, one of the most digitally advanced nations, the government has been using blockchain to protect citizens’ health records and other sensitive data since 2012. These early adopters have reported improved security and greater citizen satisfaction with digital services.
The benefits of blockchain for identity management extend beyond security. The technology can significantly reduce costs for businesses and governments by eliminating the need for multiple verification processes. Currently, when you apply for a loan, the bank must verify your identity, employment, and financial history – a process that can take days and involves contacting various institutions. With a blockchain-based identity system, you could grant the bank temporary access to your verified credentials, allowing for instant verification and faster service.
Interoperability is another key advantage. Different organizations often use incompatible systems for identity verification, making it difficult to transfer information smoothly. A standardized blockchain platform could enable seamless sharing of identity data across borders and between different sectors, from healthcare to education to finance. This would be particularly beneficial for refugees and migrants who often lack traditional forms of identification.
However, implementing blockchain-based identity systems is not without challenges. Technical barriers include the need for substantial computing power and the complexity of the technology, which many people find difficult to understand. There are also important questions about governance: who will set the standards for these systems, and how will they be regulated? User adoption remains another concern, as people must trust the new system and be willing to abandon familiar methods of identification.
Despite these obstacles, experts believe that blockchain technology will play an increasingly important role in how we manage our digital identities in the future. As the technology matures and becomes more user-friendly, and as concerns about data privacy continue to grow, blockchain-based identity solutions are likely to become more widespread. The key will be developing systems that balance security with convenience, ensuring that technological innovation serves the needs of ordinary citizens rather than creating new complications.
Cơ bản công nghệ blockchain trong quản lý danh tính số và bảo mật thông tin cá nhân
Questions 1-13
Questions 1-5: Multiple Choice
Choose the correct letter, A, B, C, or D.
1. According to the passage, what is the main problem with current digital identity management?
A. It is too expensive for most people
B. Personal information is spread across many platforms
C. It requires too much technical knowledge
D. It is controlled by governments
2. Blockchain technology was originally created for:
A. managing digital identities
B. storing medical records
C. cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin
D. government services
3. What makes blockchain particularly secure?
A. It is controlled by one central authority
B. It requires passwords for access
C. It is decentralized and transparent
D. It can only be accessed by governments
4. The city of Zug in Switzerland is mentioned as an example of:
A. a place with high rates of identity theft
B. an early adopter of blockchain identity systems
C. a city that rejected blockchain technology
D. a location with poor digital infrastructure
5. According to the passage, blockchain identity systems could help businesses by:
A. increasing the number of customers
B. eliminating verification processes entirely
C. reducing costs through faster verification
D. removing the need for employee training
Questions 6-9: True/False/Not Given
Write TRUE if the statement agrees with the information, FALSE if it contradicts, or NOT GIVEN if there is no information.
6. Blockchain technology makes it impossible to hack digital information.
7. Estonia has been using blockchain to protect citizens’ health records since 2012.
8. Blockchain-based identity systems are currently used by most European countries.
9. Refugees and migrants could benefit from blockchain identity systems due to lack of traditional identification.
Questions 10-13: Sentence Completion
Complete the sentences below. Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the passage for each answer.
10. In a blockchain-based system, users keep their identity information in a __.
11. The main concern that blockchain addresses in digital identity is __.
12. One challenge in implementing blockchain identity systems is the need for substantial __.
13. Experts believe blockchain will have a more important role as the technology becomes more __.
PASSAGE 2 – Blockchain Architecture and Identity Verification Systems
Độ khó: Medium (Band 6.0-7.5)
Thời gian đề xuất: 18-20 phút
The architectural foundation of blockchain technology presents a paradigm shift in how digital identity credentials can be issued, stored, and verified. Unlike conventional centralized databases, which operate under a single authority and represent single points of failure, blockchain employs a distributed ledger technology (DLT) where identical copies of the database are maintained across multiple nodes in a network. This redundancy ensures that even if several nodes fail or are compromised, the integrity of the stored information remains intact, providing unprecedented resilience against both technical failures and malicious attacks.
The process of identity verification on a blockchain network involves several sophisticated mechanisms. When an individual’s identity is first registered on the system, their information undergoes a cryptographic transformation known as hashing. This process converts the original data into a unique string of characters called a hash value, which acts as a digital fingerprint. Importantly, this transformation is one-way – while any change to the original data will produce a completely different hash, it is computationally infeasible to reverse the process and derive the original information from the hash alone. This characteristic provides both security and privacy, as the actual identity data can remain off-chain (stored separately) while only the hash is recorded on the blockchain.
Smart contracts represent another crucial innovation in blockchain-based identity management. These are self-executing programs with the terms of agreements directly written into code. In an identity context, smart contracts can automate the verification process and control access to personal information according to predefined rules. For instance, when a user needs to prove they are over 18 years old to access a service, a smart contract can verify this fact against their blockchain identity without revealing their actual birth date or any other extraneous information. This concept, known as zero-knowledge proof, allows one party to prove to another that a statement is true without conveying any information beyond the validity of the statement itself.
The implementation of Self-Sovereign Identity (SSI) frameworks represents perhaps the most transformative application of blockchain in this domain. SSI is a model where individuals have sole ownership and control over their digital identities without relying on any centralized authority. Users can create portable digital identities that persist across different services and platforms, eliminating the need to create separate accounts with redundant information for each service provider. This approach inverts the traditional model where organizations act as custodians of user data; instead, individuals become the custodians, granting selective disclosure of their credentials as needed.
Several technical standards and protocols have emerged to facilitate interoperability between different blockchain identity systems. The Decentralized Identifiers (DIDs) specification, developed by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), provides a standardized way to create globally unique identifiers that are fully under the control of the identity owner. Verifiable Credentials, another W3C standard, defines a format for expressing credentials such as driver’s licenses, degrees, or certifications in a way that is cryptographically secure, privacy-respecting, and machine-verifiable. Together, these standards create an ecosystem where identity information can flow seamlessly between different systems while maintaining security and user control.
The practical implications for various sectors are substantial. In healthcare, blockchain identity systems could enable secure sharing of medical records between different healthcare providers while ensuring patient privacy and consent. A patient could grant their specialist temporary access to relevant portions of their medical history stored by their primary care physician, with the access automatically expiring after a specified period. In education, academic credentials stored on a blockchain become tamper-proof and easily verifiable, eliminating the problem of fraudulent qualifications and reducing the administrative burden of credential verification for employers and educational institutions.
Financial services represent another domain poised for transformation. Know Your Customer (KYC) and Anti-Money Laundering (AML) compliance currently require banks and financial institutions to conduct extensive verification processes for each new customer, resulting in duplicated efforts across the industry and significant costs. A blockchain-based identity system could enable a “verify once, use everywhere” model, where initial verification by one trusted institution creates a reusable credential that other institutions can rely upon. This would not only reduce costs but also improve the customer experience by streamlining account opening and other financial processes.
Nevertheless, several technical and governance challenges must be addressed before widespread adoption can occur. Scalability remains a concern, as many blockchain networks struggle to process the high transaction volumes that would result from millions of users constantly accessing and updating their identity information. Various solutions are being developed, including layer-two protocols that handle transactions off the main blockchain and sharding techniques that divide the network into smaller, more manageable pieces. Energy consumption is another issue, particularly for blockchains that use proof-of-work consensus mechanisms, though newer proof-of-stake systems are significantly more efficient.
The question of governance – determining who sets standards, resolves disputes, and manages the evolution of these systems – presents perhaps the most complex challenge. While blockchain’s decentralized nature is appealing, some level of coordination is necessary to ensure interoperability, prevent fragmentation, and establish trust. Multi-stakeholder governance models involving governments, private sector organizations, and civil society groups are emerging as potential solutions, though finding the right balance between central coordination and distributed control remains an ongoing challenge.
Kiến trúc blockchain và hệ thống xác minh danh tính số với smart contracts và mã hóa
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. Centralized databases are more secure than distributed ledger systems.
15. The hashing process used in blockchain can be reversed to obtain original data.
16. Smart contracts can verify someone’s age without revealing their exact birth date.
17. Self-Sovereign Identity systems are currently the most widely used form of digital identity management.
18. The W3C has created standards that help different blockchain identity systems work together.
Questions 19-23: Matching Information
Match the following benefits (A-F) with the correct sector (Questions 19-23). You may use any letter more than once.
Sectors:
19. Healthcare
20. Education
21. Financial services
22. Healthcare
23. Education
Benefits:
A. Reduces duplicated verification processes
B. Enables temporary access to information
C. Eliminates fraudulent qualifications
D. Streamlines account opening procedures
E. Ensures patient privacy and consent
F. Reduces administrative burden
Questions 24-26: Summary Completion
Complete the summary below. Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the passage for each answer.
Blockchain identity systems face several challenges before widespread adoption. One major concern is (24) __, as many networks cannot handle high transaction volumes. The (25) __ of some blockchain systems, particularly those using proof-of-work, is problematic. Additionally, establishing appropriate (26) __ to coordinate standards while maintaining decentralization remains complex.
PASSAGE 3 – The Socio-Economic Implications and Future Trajectories of Blockchain-Based Digital Identity
Độ khó: Hard (Band 7.0-9.0)
Thời gian đề xuất: 23-25 phút
The epistemological shift engendered by blockchain-based digital identity systems extends far beyond mere technological innovation, fundamentally challenging established paradigms of trust, institutional authority, and the very nature of identity in late-modern society. This transformation intersects with broader sociological trends, including the datafication of social life, the asymmetric power dynamics inherent in digital platforms, and the ontological uncertainties surrounding selfhood in an increasingly virtualized existence. Understanding these dynamics requires not only technical literacy but also a critical engagement with the philosophical underpinnings of identity, privacy, and autonomy in the digital age.
From a political economy perspective, the current data capitalism regime is characterized by what scholar Shoshana Zuboff terms “surveillance capitalism” – an economic order that claims human experience as free raw material for translation into behavioral data, which is then used to predict and influence behavior. Technology corporations and data brokers accumulate vast repositories of personal information, creating asymmetric information advantages that they monetize through targeted advertising, algorithmic manipulation, and sale to third parties. This extractive model treats individuals as passive subjects from whom value is derived, rather than as autonomous agents with inalienable rights over their personal information. Blockchain-based identity systems, by contrast, propose a counter-hegemonic architecture wherein individuals retain custodial rights over their data and can selectively disclose information on their own terms, potentially disrupting the rent-seeking behavior that characterizes much of the digital economy.
The implications for financial inclusion are particularly profound, especially in developing economies where significant populations remain unbanked or underbanked. According to World Bank estimates, approximately 1.7 billion adults globally lack access to formal financial services, often because they cannot provide the documentation required to establish their identity within conventional banking systems. This exclusionary dynamic perpetuates poverty cycles and limits economic participation. Blockchain-based identity solutions offer a potential pathway to financial enfranchisement by enabling individuals to construct verifiable digital identities using alternative evidence sources such as mobile phone records, biometric data, or community attestations. The immutability and cryptographic assurance provided by blockchain can make such credentials trustworthy even without endorsement from traditional gatekeeping institutions, thereby democratizing access to financial services.
However, critical scholars warn against technological determinism and utopian narratives that elide the complex socio-technical entanglements through which technologies are implemented and appropriated. The promise of self-sovereign identity presupposes certain conditions – reliable internet access, digital literacy, possession of compatible devices – that are unevenly distributed along lines of socioeconomic status, geography, age, and other axes of inequality. Without deliberate inclusive design and compensatory policies, blockchain identity systems risk reproducing or amplifying existing disparities, creating what could be termed a “digital identity divide” parallel to the well-documented digital divide in internet access. Furthermore, the libertarian ideologies that animate much blockchain advocacy often downplay the legitimate roles of states and institutions in providing social protections, adjudicating disputes, and ensuring accountability – functions that become problematic in purely decentralized architectures.
The tension between transparency and privacy presents another philosophical and practical conundrum. While blockchain’s transparency ensures auditability and prevents unauthorized alterations, it also raises concerns about surveillance and the permanence of recorded information. Even when personal data is stored off-chain with only hashes recorded on the blockchain, metadata and transaction patterns can reveal sensitive information through network analysis and correlation attacks. The “right to be forgotten” enshrined in regulations such as the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) conflicts with blockchain’s core characteristic of immutability. Various technical workarounds have been proposed, including encrypted blockchain systems where decryption keys can be destroyed, and proxy re-encryption schemes that allow selective disclosure, yet these solutions introduce additional complexity and potential vulnerabilities.
Governance frameworks for blockchain identity systems must navigate the competing imperatives of state sovereignty, individual autonomy, and cross-border interoperability. Different national jurisdictions maintain distinct legal frameworks concerning identity, data protection, and digital transactions, creating jurisdictional ambiguity when identity information traverses borders. The prospect of supranational governance structures raises questions about democratic accountability and the erosion of national sovereignty, while purely polycentric governance risks fragmentation and regulatory arbitrage. The European Blockchain Services Infrastructure (EBSI) initiative and similar regional efforts represent attempts to establish coordinated governance at intermediate scales, though their ultimate effectiveness remains uncertain.
The environmental ethics of blockchain technology cannot be overlooked in comprehensive assessments. Although proof-of-stake and other energy-efficient consensus mechanisms are increasingly adopted, the computational infrastructure required for widespread blockchain identity systems still entails significant carbon footprints and resource extraction for hardware manufacturing. These environmental externalities must be weighed against the purported benefits, particularly given the urgency of climate change and the need to decarbonize digital infrastructure. Some theorists advocate for “degrowth” approaches to digital technology that prioritize minimalism and sustainability over expansive technological deployment.
Looking toward future trajectories, the convergence of blockchain identity systems with other emerging technologies – artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, augmented reality, and biometrics – portends both opportunities and risks. Biometric blockchain systems that use fingerprints, iris scans, or facial recognition for identity verification could provide robust authentication while raising profound concerns about bodily autonomy, biometric surveillance, and the potential for discriminatory algorithms. AI-driven analytics applied to blockchain identity data could enable sophisticated pattern recognition for fraud detection but also facilitate predictive policing and social credit systems with chilling effects on freedom and dissent.
The normative question of whether blockchain-based digital identity represents emancipatory potential or merely a reconfiguration of control mechanisms remains open. The answer likely depends not on the technology itself but on the social, political, and economic contexts in which it is deployed, the power relations it reinforces or challenges, and the regulatory frameworks that govern its use. As societies navigate this technological transition, it is imperative to ensure that innovation serves humanistic values – dignity, equality, freedom – rather than subordinating these values to technological imperatives or commercial interests. This requires inclusive deliberation, robust regulation, and continuous critical scrutiny of how blockchain identity systems shape individual lives and collective futures.
Ảnh hưởng kinh tế xã hội của blockchain đến quản lý danh tính số và bảo mật dữ liệu
Questions 27-40
Questions 27-31: Multiple Choice
Choose the correct letter, A, B, C, or D.
27. According to the passage, surveillance capitalism is characterized by:
A. government monitoring of citizens’ online activities
B. treating human experience as raw material for behavioral data
C. individuals controlling their own personal information
D. transparent data collection practices
28. The passage suggests that 1.7 billion adults lack access to financial services primarily because:
A. they live in countries without banks
B. they cannot afford banking fees
C. they lack required documentation to establish identity
D. they prefer to use cash for transactions
29. What does the author mean by “technological determinism”?
A. The belief that technology alone will solve social problems
B. The process of developing new technologies
C. The control of technology by governments
D. The study of how technology works
30. The “right to be forgotten” conflicts with blockchain because:
A. blockchain companies refuse to delete data
B. blockchain’s core characteristic is immutability
C. users don’t want their information deleted
D. it is too expensive to remove data from blockchain
31. According to the passage, the environmental impact of blockchain systems:
A. is completely negligible
B. has been eliminated by new technologies
C. must be considered when assessing overall benefits
D. is the main reason to avoid using blockchain
Questions 32-36: Matching Features
Match each concern (Questions 32-36) with the correct category (A-F).
Concerns:
32. Unevenly distributed access to technology
33. Metadata revealing sensitive information
34. Different legal frameworks across countries
35. Carbon footprints from computational infrastructure
36. Discriminatory algorithms in biometric systems
Categories:
A. Privacy issues
B. Environmental concerns
C. Inequality and access
D. Governance challenges
E. Future technology risks
F. Financial concerns
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 does Shoshana Zuboff use to describe the current economic order based on behavioral data?
38. What alternative evidence sources might be used to construct digital identities in developing economies?
39. What type of approaches do some theorists advocate that prioritize sustainability over technological expansion?
40. What three humanistic values does the author say innovation should serve?
3. Answer Keys – Đáp Án
PASSAGE 1: Questions 1-13
- B
- C
- C
- B
- C
- FALSE
- TRUE
- NOT GIVEN
- TRUE
- digital wallet
- data privacy
- computing power
- user-friendly
PASSAGE 2: Questions 14-26
- NO
- NO
- YES
- NOT GIVEN
- YES
- E (hoặc B)
- C (hoặc F)
- A (hoặc D)
- B (hoặc E)
- F (hoặc C)
- scalability
- energy consumption
- governance models
PASSAGE 3: Questions 27-40
- B
- C
- A
- B
- C
- C
- A
- D
- B
- E
- surveillance capitalism
- mobile phone records / biometric data / community attestations (bất kỳ một trong ba)
- degrowth
- dignity, equality, freedom (cả ba từ)
4. Giải Thích Đáp Án Chi Tiết
Passage 1 – Giải Thích
Câu 1: B
- Dạng câu hỏi: Multiple Choice
- Từ khóa: main problem, current digital identity management
- Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 1, dòng 1-4
- Giải thích: Câu đầu tiên nói rõ “our personal information is scattered across numerous online platforms” (thông tin cá nhân của chúng ta bị phân tán trên nhiều nền tảng trực tuyến). Đây được paraphrase thành “Personal information is spread across many platforms” trong đáp án B. Các đáp án khác không được đề cập như là vấn đề chính.
Câu 2: C
- Dạng câu hỏi: Multiple Choice
- Từ khóa: originally created for
- Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 2, dòng 2-3
- Giải thích: Bài đọc nói rõ “Originally developed as the underlying technology for cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin” (Ban đầu được phát triển như công nghệ cơ bản cho tiền điện tử như Bitcoin). Đây là paraphrase trực tiếp cho đáp án C.
Câu 6: FALSE
- Dạng câu hỏi: True/False/Not Given
- Từ khóa: impossible to hack
- Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 2, dòng 3-5
- Giải thích: Bài đọc nói blockchain “makes it extremely difficult to alter or hack” (làm cho việc thay đổi hoặc hack cực kỳ khó), không phải “impossible” (không thể). Đây là sự khác biệt quan trọng giữa “extremely difficult” và “impossible”, do đó câu trả lời là FALSE.
Câu 7: TRUE
- Dạng câu hỏi: True/False/Not Given
- Từ khóa: Estonia, health records, since 2012
- Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 4, dòng 3-5
- Giải thích: Bài văn nói chính xác: “In Estonia… the government has been using blockchain to protect citizens’ health records and other sensitive data since 2012.” Câu này khớp hoàn toàn với thông tin trong câu hỏi.
Câu 10: digital wallet
- Dạng câu hỏi: Sentence Completion
- Từ khóa: keep identity information
- Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 3, dòng 3-4
- Giải thích: “We could keep our information in a blockchain-based digital wallet” – từ “digital wallet” xuất hiện trực tiếp trong bài và phù hợp với giới hạn hai từ.
Câu 13: user-friendly
- Dạng câu hỏi: Sentence Completion
- Từ khóa: technology becomes more
- Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 8, dòng 2-3
- Giải thích: “As the technology matures and becomes more user-friendly” – cụm từ “user-friendly” là đáp án chính xác cho câu hỏi về việc công nghệ trở nên như thế nào.
Giải thích đáp án chi tiết bài thi IELTS Reading về blockchain và quản lý danh tính số
Passage 2 – Giải Thích
Câu 14: NO
- Dạng câu hỏi: Yes/No/Not Given
- Từ khóa: centralized databases, more secure
- Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 1, dòng 2-6
- Giải thích: Bài viết mô tả centralized databases là “single points of failure” (điểm lỗi duy nhất), trong khi blockchain cung cấp “unprecedented resilience” (khả năng phục hồi chưa từng có). Điều này cho thấy quan điểm của tác giả là blockchain an toàn hơn, do đó câu trả lời là NO.
Câu 15: NO
- Dạng câu hỏi: Yes/No/Not Given
- Từ khóa: hashing process, reversed
- Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 2, dòng 5-7
- Giải thích: Bài viết nói rõ “this transformation is one-way” và “it is computationally infeasible to reverse the process” (không thể đảo ngược quá trình này). Điều này mâu thuẫn trực tiếp với câu hỏi.
Câu 16: YES
- Dạng câu hỏi: Yes/No/Not Given
- Từ khóa: verify age, without revealing birth date
- Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 3, dòng 5-8
- Giải thích: Đoạn văn giải thích: “a smart contract can verify this fact… without revealing their actual birth date or any other extraneous information.” Điều này khớp chính xác với câu hỏi.
Câu 24: scalability
- Dạng câu hỏi: Summary Completion
- Từ khóa: networks cannot handle high transaction volumes
- Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 8, dòng 1-3
- Giải thích: “Scalability remains a concern, as many blockchain networks struggle to process the high transaction volumes” – từ “scalability” là đáp án trực tiếp.
Câu 25: energy consumption
- Dạng câu hỏi: Summary Completion
- Từ khóa: proof-of-work, problematic
- Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 8, dòng 5-7
- Giải thích: Bài viết đề cập “Energy consumption is another issue, particularly for blockchains that use proof-of-work consensus mechanisms” – “energy consumption” là cụm từ phù hợp.
Passage 3 – Giải Thích
Câu 27: B
- Dạng câu hỏi: Multiple Choice
- Từ khóa: surveillance capitalism, characterized by
- Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 2, dòng 2-5
- Giải thích: Bài viết định nghĩa surveillance capitalism là “an economic order that claims human experience as free raw material for translation into behavioral data” (một trật tự kinh tế coi trải nghiệm con người như nguyên liệu thô miễn phí để chuyển đổi thành dữ liệu hành vi). Đây là paraphrase của đáp án B.
Câu 28: C
- Dạng câu hỏi: Multiple Choice
- Từ khóa: 1.7 billion adults, lack access, primarily because
- Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 3, dòng 2-5
- Giải thích: Đoạn văn nói rõ họ thiếu quyền truy cập “often because they cannot provide the documentation required to establish their identity” (thường vì họ không thể cung cấp tài liệu cần thiết để thiết lập danh tính). Đáp án C paraphrase điều này.
Câu 30: B
- Dạng câu hỏi: Multiple Choice
- Từ khóa: right to be forgotten, conflicts
- Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 5, dòng 4-6
- Giải thích: “The ‘right to be forgotten’… conflicts with blockchain’s core characteristic of immutability” (quyền được quên đi… mâu thuẫn với đặc tính cốt lõi của blockchain là tính bất biến). Đáp án B là paraphrase trực tiếp.
Câu 37: surveillance capitalism
- Dạng câu hỏi: Short-answer
- Từ khóa: Shoshana Zuboff, term
- Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 2, dòng 2
- Giải thích: Bài viết nói rõ “what scholar Shoshana Zuboff terms ‘surveillance capitalism'” – đây là thuật ngữ cụ thể mà bà sử dụng.
Câu 39: degrowth
- Dạng câu hỏi: Short-answer
- Từ khóa: approaches, prioritize sustainability
- Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 7, dòng 5-7
- Giải thích: “Some theorists advocate for ‘degrowth’ approaches to digital technology that prioritize minimalism and sustainability” – từ “degrowth” là đáp án chính xác.
Câu 40: dignity, equality, freedom
- Dạng câu hỏi: Short-answer
- Từ khóa: humanistic values, innovation should serve
- Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 9, dòng 3-4
- Giải thích: Bài viết liệt kê cụ thể ba giá trị: “dignity, equality, freedom” mà đổi mới nên phục vụ. Đây là đáp án ba từ chính xác.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| fragmented | adj | /ˈfræɡmentɪd/ | phân mảnh, rời rạc | fragmented approach to managing digital identities | fragmented system/data/information |
| underlying | adj | /ˌʌndərˈlaɪɪŋ/ | cơ bản, nền tảng | the underlying technology for cryptocurrencies | underlying technology/principle/cause |
| decentralized | adj | /diːˈsentrəlaɪzd/ | phi tập trung | blockchain is decentralized | decentralized system/network/platform |
| credentials | n | /krɪˈdenʃlz/ | thông tin xác thực, chứng chỉ | identity credentials and certificates | security credentials/login credentials |
| verification | n | /ˌverɪfɪˈkeɪʃn/ | sự xác minh | multiple verification processes | identity verification/verification process |
| interoperability | n | /ˌɪntərˌɒpərəˈbɪləti/ | khả năng tương tác | interoperability is another key advantage | system interoperability/data interoperability |
| incompatible | adj | /ˌɪnkəmˈpætəbl/ | không tương thích | incompatible systems | incompatible systems/formats/technologies |
| standardized | adj | /ˈstændədaɪzd/ | được chuẩn hóa | a standardized blockchain platform | standardized platform/process/format |
| adoption | n | /əˈdɒpʃn/ | sự chấp nhận, áp dụng | user adoption remains a concern | technology adoption/user adoption |
| user-friendly | adj | /ˈjuːzə ˈfrendli/ | thân thiện với người dùng | becomes more user-friendly | user-friendly interface/design/system |
| blockchain | n | /ˈblɒktʃeɪn/ | chuỗi khối (công nghệ) | blockchain technology offers solutions | blockchain technology/network/platform |
| digital ledger | n | /ˈdɪdʒɪtl ˈledʒə/ | sổ cái kỹ thuật số | blockchain is a digital ledger | digital ledger technology/system |
Passage 2 – Essential Vocabulary
| Từ vựng | Loại từ | Phiên âm | Nghĩa tiếng Việt | Ví dụ từ bài | Collocation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| architectural | adj | /ˌɑːkɪˈtektʃərəl/ | thuộc về kiến trúc | architectural foundation of blockchain | architectural design/framework/structure |
| paradigm shift | n | /ˈpærədaɪm ʃɪft/ | sự chuyển đổi mô hình | presents a paradigm shift | paradigm shift in thinking/approach |
| distributed ledger | n | /dɪˈstrɪbjuːtɪd ˈledʒə/ | sổ cái phân tán | distributed ledger technology (DLT) | distributed ledger technology/system |
| cryptographic | adj | /ˌkrɪptəˈɡræfɪk/ | thuộc về mật mã | cryptographic transformation | cryptographic keys/algorithms/security |
| hash value | n | /hæʃ ˈvæljuː/ | giá trị băm | produces a unique hash value | hash value/function/algorithm |
| computationally | adv | /ˌkɒmpjuˈteɪʃənəli/ | về mặt tính toán | computationally infeasible | computationally expensive/intensive |
| smart contracts | n | /smɑːt ˈkɒntrækt/ | hợp đồng thông minh | smart contracts automate verification | smart contract execution/deployment |
| self-executing | adj | /self ˈeksɪkjuːtɪŋ/ | tự thực thi | self-executing programs | self-executing code/contract/program |
| zero-knowledge proof | n | /ˈzɪərəʊ ˈnɒlɪdʒ pruːf/ | bằng chứng tri thức bằng không | concept of zero-knowledge proof | zero-knowledge protocol/verification |
| Self-Sovereign Identity | n | /self ˈsɒvrɪn aɪˈdentəti/ | danh tính tự chủ | implementation of Self-Sovereign Identity (SSI) | SSI framework/model/system |
| tamper-proof | adj | /ˈtæmpə pruːf/ | chống giả mạo | credentials become tamper-proof | tamper-proof system/record/seal |
| streamlining | n/v | /ˈstriːmlaɪnɪŋ/ | sự tinh giản, tối ưu | streamlining account opening processes | streamlining operations/processes |
| scalability | n | /ˌskeɪləˈbɪləti/ | khả năng mở rộng | scalability remains a concern | system scalability/network scalability |
| consensus mechanisms | n | /kənˈsensəs ˈmekənɪzəm/ | cơ chế đồng thuận | proof-of-work consensus mechanisms | consensus mechanism/algorithm/protocol |
| multi-stakeholder | adj | /ˈmʌlti ˈsteɪkhəʊldə/ | đa bên liên quan | multi-stakeholder governance models | multi-stakeholder approach/engagement |
Passage 3 – Essential Vocabulary
| Từ vựng | Loại từ | Phiên âm | Nghĩa tiếng Việt | Ví dụ từ bài | Collocation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| epistemological | adj | /ɪˌpɪstɪməˈlɒdʒɪkl/ | thuộc về nhận thức luận | epistemological shift | epistemological framework/approach |
| paradigms | n | /ˈpærədaɪmz/ | mô hình, khuôn mẫu | challenging established paradigms | paradigm shift/dominant paradigm |
| datafication | n | /ˌdeɪtəfɪˈkeɪʃn/ | số hóa dữ liệu | datafication of social life | datafication process/trend |
| asymmetric | adj | /ˌeɪsɪˈmetrɪk/ | bất đối xứng | asymmetric power dynamics | asymmetric information/relationship |
| ontological | adj | /ˌɒntəˈlɒdʒɪkl/ | thuộc về bản thể luận | ontological uncertainties | ontological questions/assumptions |
| surveillance capitalism | n | /səˈveɪləns ˈkæpɪtəlɪzəm/ | chủ nghĩa tư bản giám sát | what Zuboff terms surveillance capitalism | surveillance capitalism model/system |
| extractive model | n | /ɪkˈstræktɪv ˈmɒdl/ | mô hình khai thác | this extractive model treats individuals | extractive industries/practices |
| counter-hegemonic | adj | /ˈkaʊntə ˌheɡɪˈmɒnɪk/ | chống bá quyền | counter-hegemonic architecture | counter-hegemonic discourse/movement |
| custodial rights | n | /kʌˈstəʊdiəl raɪts/ | quyền giám hộ | retain custodial rights over data | custodial rights/services |
| unbanked | adj | /ʌnˈbæŋkt/ | không có tài khoản ngân hàng | significant populations remain unbanked | unbanked population/individuals |
| underbanked | adj | /ˌʌndəˈbæŋkt/ | thiếu dịch vụ ngân hàng | unbanked or underbanked | underbanked communities/households |
| immutability | n | /ɪˌmjuːtəˈbɪləti/ | tính bất biến | the immutability of blockchain | data immutability/blockchain immutability |
| technological determinism | n | /ˌteknəˈlɒdʒɪkl dɪˈtɜːmɪnɪzəm/ | chủ nghĩa quyết định công nghệ | warn against technological determinism | technological determinism view/critique |
| utopian narratives | n | /juːˈtəʊpiən ˈnærətɪvz/ | tường thuật không tưởng | utopian narratives that elide complexities | utopian vision/ideals |
| socio-technical | adj | /ˌsəʊsiəʊ ˈteknɪkl/ | xã hội-kỹ thuật | complex socio-technical entanglements | socio-technical systems/framework |
| libertarian ideologies | n | /ˌlɪbəˈteəriən ˌaɪdiˈɒlədʒiz/ | hệ tư tưởng tự do chủ nghĩa | the libertarian ideologies | libertarian philosophy/principles |
| metadata | n | /ˈmetədeɪtə/ | siêu dữ liệu | metadata and transaction patterns | metadata collection/analysis |
| jurisdictional ambiguity | n | /ˌdʒʊərɪsˈdɪkʃənl æmbɪˈɡjuːəti/ | sự mơ hồ về thẩm quyền | creating jurisdictional ambiguity | jurisdictional issues/conflicts |
Kết Bài
Bài thi IELTS Reading về chủ đề “How Is Blockchain Technology Influencing Digital Identity Management?” mà chúng ta vừa hoàn thành là một ví dụ điển hình cho xu hướng ra đề hiện đại của IELTS – tập trung vào các chủ đề công nghệ có tính ứng dụng cao và tác động sâu rộng đến xã hội. Blockchain và quản lý danh tính số không chỉ là chủ đề thời sự mà còn thể hiện đầy đủ các kỹ năng đọc hiểu mà IELTS muốn kiểm tra: từ hiểu thông tin cơ bản đến phân tích sâu các khía cạnh kỹ thuật, kinh tế và xã hội.
Ba passages trong đề thi này đã được thiết kế với độ khó tăng dần một cách khoa học. Passage 1 giúp bạn làm quen với khái niệm cơ bản về blockchain và ứng dụng trong quản lý danh tính, với từ vựng và cấu trúc câu ở mức trung bình. Passage 2 đi sâu vào các khía cạnh kỹ thuật như smart contracts, Self-Sovereign Identity, và các tiêu chuẩn quốc tế, đòi hỏi khả năng hiểu các thuật ngữ chuyên ngành và mối quan hệ nhân quả phức tạp. Passage 3 thách thức bạn với những phân tích triết học, kinh tế chính trị và các vấn đề đạo đức xã hội, sử dụng từ vựng học thuật cao cấp và cấu trúc câu tinh vi.
Thông qua đáp án chi tiết và giải thích kỹ lưỡng, bạn không chỉ biết được câu trả lời đúng mà còn hiểu được cách định vị thông tin trong bài, nhận diện paraphrase, và phân biệt giữa thông tin được nêu rõ và thông tin cần suy luận. Những kỹ năng này là nền tảng để đạt band điểm cao trong IELTS Reading.
Bảng từ vựng toàn diện với hơn 40 từ và cụm từ quan trọng sẽ giúp bạn không chỉ cho bài thi này mà còn cho nhiều chủ đề liên quan đến công nghệ, bảo mật thông tin, và chuyển đổi số – những chủ đề xuất hiện thường xuyên trong IELTS. Hãy dành thời gian học và áp dụng các từ này vào writing và speaking để tối đa hóa hiệu quả ôn tập.
Chúc bạn ôn tập hiệu quả và đạt band điểm như mong muốn trong kỳ thi IELTS sắp tới!
