Đề Thi Toeic Mini - Practice Mini Test TOEIC Reading - BD3 - Test 03

Is there a way to prevent jet lag? Jet lag is a sleep disturbance. _____(141)_____ common symptoms of jet lag are fatigue and irritability. One of the most recommended ways of reducing its effects is to adjust to the new time zone of your destination. Research into the effects of natural light on the body _____(142)_____that light may help you become used to the area you visit. So, if you fly east to west, stay outside for several hours in the afternoon on the day you arrive to _____(143)_____ yourself to the sun and get out early the next morning.

Yesterday, November 10, at approximately 3 p.m. we had a temporary ____(144)____ of services. At the time, an electrician was setting up some electric outlets in the machine room, ____(145)____ various network servers are housed. When he was finishing up, he found a loose wire which he connected the other day, so he had to reconnect it. However, it appears that when reconnecting it, he made some mistakes. ____(146)____ the machines affected were the new NS3, one of the primary name servers, and Happer, which controls the new operating system. Thanks. Bill

You may wish to modify an employee’s contract of employment as the nature of your business changes or you undergo changing economic circumstances, whichever it may be for you. Please make sure you _____(147)____ yourself thoroughly with the details of the existing contracts before considering ____(148)____ modifications you want to make. And discuss any changes with your employees, fully explaining the reasons for any planned change and take into ____(149)____ the influence of the modifications on them. If an agreement isn’t reached on changes, you’d better try to negotiate a new contract

Dear donors, We are extremely grateful for your generous ____(150)____ to UNICEF. The money you donated will help UNICEF provide both immediate relief and long-term rehabilitation of essential services for children in need. Our review committee recently found that in 55 out of 80 villages, water systems have been severely damaged. Therefore, there’s an ____(151)____ need for expanding the distribution of bottled water and sanitation systems. Another major challenge includes the threat of landmines. Many children are presently receiving treatment in the hospitals for injuries resulting from remnants of bombs. So as to alleviate the problem, UNICEF is involved in a campaign to ____(152)____ people to the dangers of unexploded bombs. We are appealing to you, companies, and foundations for continuous support. Thanks again for your generosity

Telcorp in Trouble The CEO of Telcorp, Howard Ballantine, has been accused of using company money to invest in personal real estate deals. A private committee was hired to investigate Mr. Ballantine’s financial activity after Walter Scott, the senior accountant at Telcorp, noticed nearly 2 million dollars was missing from the company’s primary investment account. Mr. Scott discovered the problem three months ago and reported it to Richard Flint, Telcorp’s chief financial advisor. Howard Ballantine denies any wrongdoing, and is hiring his own team of financial officers to investigate the matter, a close friend of Ballantine’s said. Telcorp was the nation’s leading producer of cell phones until Softphone Inc. opened a factory in China six months ago, which enabled it to save nearly 10 million dollars in production costs. Mr. Ballantine’s alleged actions suggest that the company will face more trouble in the future.

18 Pine Hill Rd. Mulberry, MI 65489 22 October 2007 Dear Mr. Johnson, We received your request to change the dates of your reservation at the Glenwood Resort from April 15-22 to June 20-28. Unfortunately, I have checked the database and there are no rooms available for those dates. I sincerely apologize that we can not accommodate your request; unfortunately June, July, and August are our busiest months because we offer special summer discounts. I understand that your company is relocating you to London in July and therefore you can’t make a reservation for any other date. I would like to mention, however, that Phillip D. Humboldt, the owner of Glenwood Resort, recently opened another luxury resort, Woodshire Retreat, just thirtyminutes outside of Mulberry. If you would like to make a reservation at this resort, the number is 1-800-238-9648. Or you can make a reservation online at www.humboldthotels.com. Sincerely, Richard Kent Customer Services

Sim's Super Sale! To commemorate ten years of business, Sim's is having a giant sale. The sale starts at 8:oo a.m. on Saturday, July 9th, and ends at midnight on Sunday, July 10th. All sports equipment is 20 percent off.* All men's and women's sports apparel is 15 percent off, including the exclusive Swish brand running shoes and shorts.Customers who have a Sim's Super Savings Card will receive an additional 10 percent off their entire purchase. (If you want to become a Sim's member, please fill out the application on our website at www.simssavings.com). Also, please bring your children: Ron Barkley, the lead scorer for the L.A. Rockets, will be giving a special demonstration on how to dribble a basketball. All children over the age of 8 are welcome. Entrance is free, but all children must wear sneakers and bring their own basketball. *Offer does not apply to bikes, treadmills, or golf clubs.

Attention All Employees! The executives at Juniper Insurance have decided to purchase mobile phones for all employees. They are hoping that the new phones will improve communication between members of different departments. The company will be purchasing forty-seven TM- 1 6 1 cell phones from Globalphone Inc. at the end of July. You will receive your new phone during the first week of August. Each employee will be given 200 minutes free each month. If you use more than your monthly limit, you will be charged an additional $25 each month. We understand that this is a new policy that may potentially be problematic, so we welcome any comments or suggestions you may have. To monitor the new phone system’s effectiveness, we will be asking employees to fill out a survey. The date for this survey has not been chosen yet. However, it will most likely take place during the third week of August. Also, employees with other suggestions about how to help employees communicate better should fill out an Employee Comments Form, which can be obtained from Betty Gill in the Human Resources Department.

Attn: All advertising associates The meeting with Gilman Electronics was rescheduled from Friday, April 22, to Monday, May 25. I received an e-mail from their CEO, Robert Towney, informing me that Gilman Electronics is not ready to introduce the new computers due to production delays. Apparently, technicians discovered a serious defect in one of the microchips and consequently all of the computers have to be re-evaluated.Therefore, we have about a month to work on the advertising campaign. I recommend that we meet early next week - perhaps Monday or Wednesday - to discuss the current ad campaign and determine whether or not we want to change it now that we have some extra time. Please e-mail me by 4 p.m. today with your comments or suggestions about the Gilman account. As you know, Gilman is our biggest client so it is critical that we provide the best service possible. Sincerely, Mark Johnson Director of Advertising

Opening Ceremony for New Research Wing Countydale Hospital is proud to announce that construction on the new 20 million dollar research wing has been completed. To celebrate the occasion, the hospital has decided to hold a special ceremony on Saturday, May 14, at 4 p.m. All hospital staff, patients, and city residents are welcome to attend. Below is a basic overview of the schedule of events: SL 4:00 p.m. - James Rosenthal, Director of Countydale Hospital, will give an introductory speech. S 5:00 p.m. - Dr. Merriam Way will discuss the research work that will take place in the new wing. 6:00 p.m. - Gary Paulson Jr., President of Wilson Pharmaceuticals, will talk about his 15 million-dollar contribution to the new wing. 7:00 p.m.- The children of City Elementary School willsing a few songs. 7:30 p.m. - Dr. Steven Fellows, Countydale Chief of Surgery, will cut the ribbon and open the doors. 8:00 p.m.- Patients and staff will be invited to enjoy cake and refreshments in the reception area of the new Paulson Research Wing.

To: John Miller From: Linda Tillman Subject: Photos Dear Mr. Miller, Your customer record stated that you preferred to be contacted by e-mail, so I am e-mailing you to say that your photographs will not be ready for Saturday at 3 p.m. as discussed. One of our processing machines broke down yesterday. The repairman said the new part has to be specially ordered, and probably won’t arrive for another four to five days. This means that the Belltown branch of Ace Photos only has one machine to process nearly 150 different orders. I noticed that you marked your order as “URGENT’ on the processing request form; however, due to the circumstances our 24 hour service is no longer available. Your photos will probably be ready by Tuesday morning at the earliest. If you would rather have your photos processed at another Ace Photos location, we would be happy to mail them for you. We will cover all the delivery charges, and have the photos mailed directly to you when they are finished. Also, we would like to offer you $15 off the total order cost to compensate for any inconvenience this problem may have caused. Please call me at 1-800-652-3156 to discuss this matter further. Sincerely, Linda Tillman Director Customer Relations

"The Grant Corporation plans to open a new factory by the end of 2008, a company spokesman said. The new factory is scheduled to be built in Dobson County and will create approximately 1,000 new jobs for the local community. The mayor of Dobson County, Frank Ploy, said the new factory will be a positive addition to the town, and that the town will support all efforts to construct the factory as planned. The Grant Corporation is the world’s largest producer of airplane parts, and is renowned for its strict environmental policies. In 2007, the company received the prestigious Better Business Award for implementing a new waste management program that decreased the amount of industrial waste it produced by nearly 25 percent. Currently, the company owns four other factories, and has been very successful at securing the support of all the communities it affects. Just last March, the factory in Trenton, New Jersey, sponsored a charity event that raised 2 million dollars for a local elementary school. The residents of Dobson County hope to receive the same benefits from the new factory. The Grant Corporation plans to build the new facility on the grounds of the old Milner Factory. Milner Automobiles abandoned the factory last year after it built a bigger factory in Michelan, a city about thirtyfive miles north of Dobson County. According to a company spokesman, the old factory will be demolished before construction on the new facility begins.

People with a flexible schedule are needed to work at a local hotel. In order to keep up with the increase in customers we receive during the summer holidays Sparton Hotel is looking for individuals who can work in a variety of positions, including cleaning services, restaurant staff, and hotel reception. All candidates must be available to work seven days a week. No experience in the hospitality business is required, but a college degree and at least 2 years' work experience in the customer service industry is preferred. Interested individuals should fax a copy of their resume, along with a cover letter and one letter of recommendation, to our main offices. The fax number is 1-555-3269. Successful applicants will be contacted by telephone to schedule a personal interview. Compensation depends on the candidate's work experience and interview evaluation.

Advanced Financial 244 Harbor Rd. Portland, ME June 22, 2007 Dear Mr. Benson, I have written to you several times over the past two months requesting an explanation on why you have failed to bring your account with us up-to-date. By ignoring these requests, you are damaging the excellent credit record you had previously maintained with our company. In addition, every month that you fail to pay your account, you receive a $25 late payment fee. As of the date of this letter, your account balance is $235.04. Unless I hear from you within ten days, I will have no other choice but to turn your account over to a debt collection agency. I am sorry that we must take such drastic action but I am afraid you leave us no choice. You can preserve your credit rating by sending us a check for the amount stated above. Sincerely, Ross Gunter Director of Accounting Advanced Financial ________________________________ Advanced Financial 244 Harbor Rd. Portland, ME July 8, 2007 Dear Mr. Benson Thank you for your letter. You deserve an explanation for what went wrong in our accounting department, and I hope that this letter will help resolve our recent error. It has taken a lot of time to find out what happened, so please accept our apologies for the delay in this response. A thorough look at our records revealed that we did receive your April payment on time, as you stated in your letter of June 25. However, it was credited to an account which bears a similar name to yours. Therefore, we began sending you our standard notices requesting payment, in keeping with our routine policy. I am sorry for all the distress we have caused you. You have been a valued customer of ours for a long time and we appreciate your understanding. To express our sincerest apologies, we would like to send you a $175 gift certificate to The Wilson Spa and Massage Center. Sincerely, Ross Gunter Director of Accounting, Advanced Financial ____________________

To: Meghan Michaels From: Patty Gore Subject: Salary Inquiry I received your e-mail about your request for an increase in your salary, which you submitted to the Human Resources Department on February 22. We certainly appreciate the demands that this position places on you, and understand that other companies pay more for the same amount of work. As you know, however, Dataware is a small domestic company that just began operating in New York a year ago. Therefore, we do not have a large enough budget to comply with your request. As we discussed in our initial interview, there is a possibility that you will receive a promotion and a ten percent salary increase at the end of this year. Unfortunately, we can not offer you anything at this point. In fact, I was quite surprised that you were requesting a salary increase less than two months after the date you signed the contract. I understand that you are currently looking for other work. If you do not find this response acceptable, then I regretfully accept your resignation. Sincerely, Patty Gore Data Processors ______________________________ 67 Fleet Street London SWl 9AB March 17, 2007 Dear Mr. Humphrey, I am writing to confirm my acceptance of your employment offer of March 15 and to inform you how excited I am to be joining Data Processors in London. Software engineering is exactly what I went to school for and I feel confident that I will make a significant contribution to the corporation. I am thankful for the opportunity you have given me. As we talked about on the phone, I will report to work at 9:00 a.m. on March 22 and will have completed the medical examination and drug testing by the start date. Also, I will complete all the employment and insurance formsfor the new employee orientation on March 24. I look forward to meeting eveiyone and am grateful for your generous offer. Sincerely, Meghan Michaels ____________________________

25 Gunter Rd. Philadelphia, PA 06578 May 22, 2007 Mr. Daniel Gorman, Office Manager TSC Investments 76 Washington Rd. Philadelphia, PA Dear Mr. Gorman, Thisletter isto advise you that, for a limited period of time, Budget Office Supplies (BOS) is reducing prices on certain items in our catalog. Take a moment to review the enclosed catalog. I have circled in red ink the items that are temporarily reduced. You should really take advantage of these prices. If you wish to order large quantities or make special shipping arrangements, please give me a call and we will try to work out mutually acceptable terms and conditions. Did you know that Budget Office Supplies also offers an express delivery service, which means that you can order an item from the catalogue and receive it in less than two days? This service is free for all orders of $200 or more. Plus, you can feel safe placing an order with our company: we have never received a customer complaint. In any event, get your order in now, as these prices are only in effect until June 23. 1 hope you can benefit from these discounts. Sincerely, Scott Tuttle Sales Director ________________________________ Attn: All BOS employees On June 15 we received a negative letter from one of our most valued customers, GMS Printers. The company ordered two new SP Laser jet printers from our catalogue on May 29 and requested the free express delivery service. Unfortunately, the printers did not arrive until June 6. Due to the shipping delay, the company lost a deal with a key client because it was unable to produce a report on time. As you can imagine, GMS Printers is not very happy with our service. It has returned the printers and asked for a full refund. The managers have investigated the shipping delay and discovered that an employee failed to enter the order into our database correctly. To prevent this problem from happening in the future, the managers have decided to implement a system of double-checking orders. Starting immediately all orders must be entered into the database and then confirmed by a supervisor before they are sent. Let's make sure our work is as efficient and reliable as it can be.

G&G INC General and Green, Inc. One Security Drive Nicholasville, Kentucky 40356 Ned R. Urschel, Vice President and Managing Director October 29, 2006 Unisys Ltd. 2F, Bay Center Building Detroit, Michigan 70456 Attention: Mr. Stanley Cooper, Vice President Dear Mr. Cooper, General & Green will be conducting our annual training class for middle management staff between November 8 and 15, 2006 and would like to invite the members of your staff to attend. This year, we have invited some of the top managers of our industry to come and share their little secrets. Also, this is a reminder that all the attendees will need to travel to Lexington, Kentucky, a day before the start of the training. Once you provide us with confirmation of your attendance, we will forward the training agenda and accommodation information based on the number of managers you will be sending. I look forward to your positive response to this very important training offer. Best regards, Ned R. Urschel

Hi-Tech Zone Industries is pleased to announce the appointment of three new staff members this month. The quality of these appointments is an indicator of our commitment to technological innovation and expansion into world markets Firstly, we’d like to welcome Michael J. Slater to our Sales Department. Michael has been recruited directly from Nashville University’s well-known business faculty. He’ll be part of a new sales team and be put in charge of the important task of boosting our presence in Asian markets. Michael is a business graduate who speaks and writes fluent Chinese, and we’d like to welcome him aboard. Our Design and Testing Unit now has an extra engineer. Her name is Sonia Rubinstein, an engineering graduate from the Newport Institute of Technology, who has a postgraduate degree in testing engineering. We’re sure she’ll be a valuable asset. Sonia is married and has one child and has recently set up house in nearby Waterford Estate. And finally, we have managed to recruit a star in the area of business psychology: Dr. Janet Pearson, formerly a lecturer at Seattle University, who will be heading our Market Research Department. Of course, she is not just a brilliant academic but also has nine years of senior management experience at IBM. Welcome, Janet!

Nature’s Pantry: a Taste of Country-style Cooking By James Morrison Don’t let the very 1970s style name of this place discourage you. What it has to offer is a simple menu with a French and Italian emphasis, but the food is put together with the freshest of ingredients and a great deal of imagination. A dinner at Nature’s Pantry really is worth the drive (it’s around 40 minutes from downtown Brisbane). Located in a quiet, leafy neighborhood, you will be treated to stunning views of the city. Last Thursday was a fine evening, so we took our seats on the deck. The décor is pleasant and not at all overpowering, and the welcome was friendly and efficient. So far so good. My partner and I opted for a shared tray of appetizers. This was a beautifully presented selection of small quiches, slices of salami, and smoked meats served with the freshest of fresh tomato slices and whole basil leaves and a variety of olives. Now confident in the chef’s competence, we selected a set menu at $40 per head, which included wine. My partner chose a seafood soup as an entrée. There were plenty of generous pieces of crab, shrimp, and fish, all combined in a rich and creamy sauce once again lifted by fresh herbs. I had a wonderful slice of meatloaf served with crisp broccoli. As a main course, I could not resist the fillet steak, which was cooked to perfection and accompanied by a light sauce of cracked pepper, wine, and cream. My partner chose the veal served with a mushroom sauce. The chef’s choice of wines to accompany these dishes was excellent. My partner and I were both reduced to silence by the richness of the flavors. There is no finer compliment to make about a meal.