EXAM PRACTICE 31

II. GRAMMAR AND LEXICAL ITEMS

Part 1. Choose the correct word or phrase to complete each sentence. Write your answer A, B, C
or D in the numbered boxes.
1. At around two years of age, many children regularly produce sentences _______ three or four
words.
A. are containing B. containing C. contained D. contains
2. The Disney amusement park in Japan is _______ Florida or California.
A. the largest than the ones in   B. larger than the ones in 
C. larger the ones in   D. the largest of the ones 
3. Less moderate members of Congress are insisting that changes in the social security system
_______ made.
 A. will   B. are   C. being   D. be 
4. I saw the children _______ parents are looking for a babysitter.
A. who they B. whose C. whom D. who
5. That television show always makes me _______.
A. laugh B. to laugh C. laughing D. to be laughing
6. The most important question _______ when buying a car is not necessarily its price.
A. asks B. to ask C. is asked D. be asked
7. I _______ to the party if I had known Susan was going to be there.
A. will be going B. will go C. would go D. would have gone
8. You think she is coming to the meeting tonight, _______ ?
A. don’t you B. won’t you C. isn’t she D. doesn’t she
9. The fishermen released all _______ the fish.
A. but two B. but two of C. of but two D. of but two of
10. _______ all day cleaning the house, she was upset when the children made a mess.
A. Spending B. She has spent C. Having spent D. To spend
11. They decided to build a new school _______ than repair the old building.
A. other B. rather C. instead D. besides
12. There wasn’t enough rain, so my plants _______ to grow.
A. lost B. failed C. stopped D. finished
13. Most flowers are pretty, but this one is the _______ to the rule.
A. exception B. affirmation C. exemption D. adaptation
14. Lisa has a _______ range of interests. She likes sports and art.
A. deep B. thick C. heavy D. broad
15. - Do you think that our school should hold a monthly English speaking contest? - _______.
A. You can say that again B. You’re very welcome
C. Yes, thanks D. You can’t say like that
16. Those peaches we bought are not quite _______ yet.
A. substantial B. delicate C. steady D. ripe
17. The salesman _______ me my order would be ready by tomorrow.
A. settled B. secured C. assured D. proved
18. With regard to the car accident, the court determined that Jerry was at _______.
A. guilt B. fault C. risk D. purpose
19. I want all of you to hand in your paper by next Sunday _______.
A. without failure B. without fail C. without failures D. without fails
20. Competitive _______ is an essential requirement for success in entertainment industry.
A. mind B. thought C. spirit D. soul

Mark the letter A, B, C, D on your answer sheet to indicate the word or phrase that is CLOSEST in
meaning to the underlined part in each of the following questions
Question 26. Many people have pointed out the harmful effects that a working mother may have on
the family, yet there are many salutary effects as well.
A. well-known B. beneficial C. hurtful D. negative
 Question 27. Trying to control everything your teens do can impede their growth. To advance their
development, allow them to make some decisions on their own.
A. block B. predict C. improve D. promote

Mark the letter A, B, C, D on your answer sheet to indicate the word or phrase that is OPPOSITE
in meaning to the underlined part in each of the following questions:
Question 28. Many politicians do not give succinct answers. They prefer long ones that help them
avoid the point.
A. brief B. accurate C. complete D. lengthy
Question 29. Although investments in the stock market can be lucrative, they can also result in great
financial loss.
A. required B. financially rewarding C. risky D. profitable
Question 30. To keep healthy, older people need to stay active. Remaining stagnant results in loss of
strength and health.
A. inactive B. lively C. unhealthy D. passive

Part 2. Fill in the gaps the most suitable preposition or particle. Write your answers in the
corresponding numbered boxes.
1. My son has recently taken ________ stamp collecting as a hobby.
2. She came _______ a fortune when her uncle died.
3. He made _______ a rather unconvincing excuse for the work being late.
4. The company can't expect me to move my home and family _______the drop of a hat.
5. You shouldn’t eat that soup. It has gone _______.
6. This measure inevitably means higher taxes _______ the long run.
7. No one could ever accuse this government _______ not caring about the poor.
8. He invented a new game, but it never really caught _______.
9. I must apologize ______ cancelling our meeting at such short notice.
10. Most children don’t like being kept at home _______ June 1st, do they?

Your answers:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

Part 3. Use the word given in CAPITAL to form a word that fits in the text. Write your answers
in the numbered space provided in the column on the right.
 Of all the sports that originated in England, I am most impressed by the
Boat race. The first Boat race was a memorable occasion and took place
in 1829. One of the first (1) FOUND of the race was Charles 1…………………………..
Wordsworth who had (2) SUCCESS established the university cricket 2………………………….
match in 1827. Today, almost two centuries later, one of the most (3) 3………………………….
AMAZE things about the race is its worldwide (4) POPULAR. In fact, 4………………………….
there is even a Boat race society which is responsible for the annual (5) 5………………………….
DISTRIBUTE of videos of the race to all its members. The race is
rowed on the River Thames in London over a (6) LONG of about four 6………………………….
miles. Thousands stand on the banks to watch, however (7) PLEASE 7………………………….
and cold weather might be. Just (8) OCCASION if weather is very 8………………………….
windy, a boat may fill with water and sink a (9) DRAMA sight and 9………………………….
obviously a great (10) EMBARRASS to the boat’s crew. 10………………………….

Part 4. Each line of the passage below contains a mistake. Find the mistakes and correct them.

Passage Line

Any supermarket you walk into those days have got at least one aisle dedicated to 1
organic foods. Nowadays we are seeing more and most ‘organic only’ supermarkets opening 2
too. Is this because of the owners of these chains are determined to improve consumers’ 3
choice and protect them from the harmful effects of food addition? I decided to sample some 4
meats, dairy products and fruit and vegetables marketing as organic whole foods. Therefore, 5
after some research, I discovered that none of the foods were grown local. They also claim 6
that preservatives are not used in their products-so, given that these same products are 7
transported over long distances before they reach them destination on the supermarket 8
shelves, just how ‘fresh’ do they? I’m not sure I really want to pay twice the price of regular 9
supermarket product and go the risk of getting food poisoning into the bargain. 10

Your answers:
Mistakes Corrections
Corrections
1........................................ -> .................................
2. .......................................-> ................................
3. ...................................... -> ................................
4. ...................................... -> ................................
5. ...................................... -> .................................
Mistakes
6...................................... -> ..............................
7...................................... -> ..............................
8...................................... -> ..............................
9...................................... -> ..............................
10.....................................-> ..............................

III. READING
Part 1. Read the following passage and decide which answer (A, B, C, or D) best fits each gap.
Write your answers in the numbered boxes.
Manufacturing fame
Britain is star struck. Fascination with celebrities has no equal anywhere else in the world. Walk
into any newsagent’s in Britain and you will be confronted by a huge range of magazines that (1)
_______ a public hunger for celebrity gossip.
 Britons buy more celebrity magazines than Americans,(2) _______ having a population that is
only one-fifth the size. Celebrity news often makes the (3) _______ page of British tabloid
newspapers. However, celebrity gossip was once a cheap and nasty business, and its journalists were
(4) _______ down on as a second- and third-rate. But it now has turned into its own entertainment
industry.
Many celebrities are famous due to the celebrity industry created (5) _______ the press and not
for any particular talent. The celebrity depends on the press to (6) _______ money. The press needs the
celebrities to (7) _______ more copies. Celebrities and their agents, (8) _______ and editors have
found that the best way to create an endless supply of celebrity news is to work together. Many people
would be surprised to learn that a large proportion of the celebrity pictures that look like an invasion of
(9) _______ are in fact staged. It’s an arrangement that keeps all involved very happy indeed. And the
public, ignorant of what goes on behind the (10) _______, remains very hungry for more gossip.

1. A. cater to B. live up to C. nose about D. go around

2. A. but B. in spite C. however D. despite
3. A. first B. front C. main D. big
4. A. looked B. caught C. watched D. seen
5. A. with B. by C. of D. at
6. A. take B. make C. do D. find
7. A. sell B. buy C. read D. dictate
8. A. photographers B. photographic C. photography D. photographically
9. A. private B. personal C. publicity D. privacy
10. A. secrets B. scenes C. stages D. curtains

Your answers:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
6. 7. 8 9 10.

Part 2. For questions 1–10, read the text below and think of the word which best fits each gap.
Use only one word in each gap. Write your answers in the numbered boxes.
The world’s first cities
Archaeological research (1) _______ shown that the Sumerians established the world’s first cities in
Mesopotamia, the region between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers in the Middle East. They learnt to
control the flood of the two rivers and (2) _______ able to grow crops such as barley, wheat, and
sesame, and many different kinds of fruit and vegetables. As a result, they had a constant food supply.
Thus, people could settle (3) _______ in one place and, eventually settlements that had been little
villages grew into self-governing city-states. At (4) _______ centre of each city-state (5) _______ a
religious temple surrounded (6) _______ law courts and public buildings. The homes of the most
important people, such as priests and merchants, were closest (7) _______ the centre; then came the
homes of government officials, shopkeepers and craftsmen, and, finally, the homes of the lower classes
(8) _______ farmers, unskilled workers, and fishermen. The city-state also included the fertile
farming land outside the city wall. Each city-state was (9) _______ pressure to protect its farming land
from invaders, who were usually neighboring city-states. The citizens had to defend themselves and
protect their cities. Without a(n) (10) _______, this led to the establishment of the first organized
armies.

Your answers:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
6. 7. 8. 9. 10.
Part 3. Read the following four passages and choose the option A, B, C, or D that best answers
the questions. Write your answers in the numbered boxes.
Carnegie Hall, the famous concert hall in New York City, has again undergone a restoration.
While this is not the first, it is certainly the most extensive in the building’s history. As a result of this
new restoration, Carnegie Hall once again has the quality of sound that it had when it was first built.
Carnegie Hall owes its existence to Andrew Carnegie, the wealthy owner of a steel company in
the late 1800s. The hall was finished in 1891 and quickly gained a reputation as an excellent
performing arts hall where accomplished musicians gained fame. Despite its reputation, however, the
concert hall suffered from several detrimental renovations over the years. During the Great
Depression, when fewer people could afford to attend performances, the directors sold part of the
building to commercial businesses. As a result, a coffee shop was opened in one corner of the building,
for which the builders replaced the brick and terra cotta walls with windowpanes. A renovation in
1946 seriously damaged the acoustical quality of the hall when the makers of the film Carnegie Hall
cut a gaping hole in the dome of the ceiling to allow for lights and air vents. The hole was later
covered with short curtains and a fake ceiling, but the hall never sounded the same afterwards.
In 1960, the violinist Isaac Stern became involved in restoring the hall after a group of real
estate developers unveiled plans to demolish Carnegie Hall and build a high-rise office building on the
site. This threat spurred Stern to rally public support for Carnegie Hall and encourage the City of New
York to buy the property. The movement was successful, and the concert hall is now owned by the
city. In the current restoration, builders tested each new material for its sound qualities, and they
replaced the hole in the ceiling with a dome. The builders also restored the outer walls to their original
appearance and closed the coffee shop. Carnegie has never sounded better, and its prospects for the
future have never
looked more promising.
Question 1. This passage is mainly about
(A) changes to Carnegie Hall
(B) the appearance of Carnegie Hall
(C) Carnegie Hall’s history during the Great Depression
(D) damage to the ceiling in Carnegie Hall.
Question 2. In line 7, what is the meaning of the word “detrimental”?
(A) dangerous (B) significant (C) extreme (D) harmful
Question 3. What major change happened to the hall in 1946?
(A) The acoustic dome was damaged.
(B) Space in the building was sold to commer-cial businesses.
(C) The walls were damaged in an earthquake.
(D) The stage was renovated.
Question 4. Which of the following words could best replace the word “gaping” in line 11?
(A) small (B) round (C) vital (D) wide
Question 5. What was Isaac Stern’s relationship to Carnegie Hall?
(A) He made the movie “Carnegie Hall” in 1946.
(B) He performed on opening night in 1891.
(C) He tried to save the hall, beginning in 1960.
(D) He opened a coffeeshop in Carnegie Hall during the Depression.
Question 6. What was probably the most important aspect of the recent renovation?
(A) restoring the outer wall (B) expanding the lobby
(C) restoring the plaster trim (D) repairing the ceiling
Question 7. Which of the following is closest in meaning to the word “unveiled” in line 15?
(A) announced (B) restricted (C) overshadowed (D) located
Question 8. The author uses the word “spurred” in line 16 to show that Stern
(A) predicted the result (B) probed the plans
(C) was told in advance (D) was stimulated to act
Question 9. How does the author seem to feel about the future of Carnegie Hall?
(A) ambiguous (B) guarded (C) optimistic (D) negative
Question 10. Which of the following would most likely be the topic of the next paragraph?
(A) a scientific explanation of acoustics and the nature of sound
(B) a description of people’s reactions to the newly renovated hall
(C) a discussion of the coffee shop that once was located in the building
(D) further discussion about the activities of Isaac Stern in 1960

IV. WRITING
Part 1. Use the word given in brackets and make any necessary additions to write a new sentence
in such a way that it is as similar as possible in meaning to the original sentence. Do NOT change
the form of the given word.
1. I missed the match because I didn’t remember to set the alarm. (FORGOTTEN)
If I had_____________________________________________________not have missed the match.
2. A friend of ours fixed our car for us. (HAD)
We _______________________________________________________________our car.
3. Persuading Adrian to participate in your project was a bad thing to do . (TALKED)
You should __________________________________________________________ in your project.
4. Sally no longer bothers to encourage Joe to take exercise. (GIVEN)
Sally __________________________________________________________ Joe to take exercise.
5. I’d like to remind you that there are no circumstances in which employees are allowed to leave
early. (CIRCUMSTANCES)
I’d like to remind you that __________________________________________________ employees
allowed to leave early.
6. I felt as if she was trying to deceive us. (IN)
I had the _________________________________________________________________________
7. We were surprised to see that he got mad at our decision. (RED)
Much to _________________________________________________________________________
8. The house shouldn’t be left unlocked for any reason. (ACCOUNT)
On _____________________________________________________________________________
9. He is too irresponsible to run the department. (CHARGE)
He is not_________________________________________________________________________
10. Attendance at the additional evening lectures is not obligatory for students. (UNDER)
Students _________________________________________________________________________