Bài Tập Lexico - Wordform - Cloze Test

CHAPTER 1: LEXCICO – IDIOMS – PHRASAL VERB
PRACTICE TEST 1
1. She ________ agreed to go with him to the football match although she had no interest in the game at
all.
A. apologetically B. grudgingly C. shamefacedly D. discreetly
2. On the way to Cambridge yesterday, the road was blocked by a fallen tree, so we had to make a
________.
A. deviation B. digression C. detour D. departure
3. Tom’s normally very efficient but he’s been making a lot of mistakes ______.
A. of late B. for now C. in a while D. shortly
4. I know it’s difficult but you’ll just have to ________ and bear it.
A. laugh B. smile C. grin D. chuckle
5. I didn’t want to make a decision ________, so I said I’d like to think about it.
A. in one go B. there and then C. at a stroke D. on and off
6. We are not in a ________ hurry so let’s have another coffee.
A. dashing B. racing C. rushing D. tearing
7. She’s a bit down in the________ at the moment – her husband has just lost his job.
A. world B. dumps C. heart D. bottom
8. “How did you know that he was lying?” – “It was just a ________ feeling.”
A. faint B. gut C. slight D. vain
9. The new company had been________with one problem after another and looked as if it were about to
go under.
A. glorified B. tainted C. fraught D. bewildered
10. Mike decided that election to the local council would provide a ________ to a career in national
politics.
A. milestone B. springboard C. highway D. turning point
11. As a poet, I think she ________ comparison with the greatest this century. .
A. stands B. makes C. leads D. matches
12. We all have to follow the rules, and none of us is ________ the law.
A. beyond B. over C. above D. onto
13. When disaster ______, organisations such as Oxfam quickly provide help.
A. comes B. approaches C. arrives D. strikes
14. The number of people traveling by air has been growing _______.
A. by leaps and bounds B. from time to time
C. slow but sure D. by hook and crook
15. Drug-taking is a crime which society simply cannot _________.
A. approve B. acknowledge C. consent D. condone
16. I was scared ____________ when I looked down from the top of the cliff.
A. tight B. stiff C. hard D. solid
17. The whereabouts of the exiled president remains a _________guarded secret.
A. highly B. closely C. deeply D. entirely
18. We should all_________when advertisers attempt to use unfair practices.
A. make a stand B. make a comeback
C. make amends D. make a deal
19. The company cannot accept_________for injuries resulting from improper use of rental equipment
A. validity B. liability C. compensation D. privilege
20. Jack never cheats or tricks anybody when he plays. He always goes by the_________
A. book B. instructions C. principles D. method
21. Recent defeats have _________his confidence in himself as a player
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A. undermined B. disable C. impeded D. hampered
22. People turned out in_________to watch the parade on the Independence Day.
A. volume B. mass C. force D. bulk
23. Not being able to find my phone number is a pretty_________excuse for not contacting me.
A. fragile B. frail C. faint D. feeble
24. We were under no _________ about how difficult it would be to achieve our aims.
A. fantasies B. daydreams C. illusions D. deceptions
25. The pollution problems in the town have been ___________ by mass tourism in the summer months.
A. exacerbated B. developed C. augmented D. contributed
26. I'm in a bit of a _________ as to what to wear to the wedding.
A. loss B. quandary C. problem D. bewilderment
27. The problem _________because neither side was prepared to compromise.
A. amassed B. escalated C. proliferated D. enhanced
28. The Red Cross is ___________ an international aid organization.
A. intriguingly B. intrusively C. intrinsically D. intrepidly
29. I couldn't stop myself from _________ with boredom during the lecture.
A. sighing B. gasping C. panting D. blowing
30. My brother found it impossible to _________his anger and started shouting.
A. restrict B. inhibit C. reserve D. contain
31. Fitting together the thousands of fragments of the broken vase was a long and ___________ task.
A. minute B. careful C. painstaking D. minuscule
32. You’ll just have to _________ yourself to the fact that you can’t always have what you want.
A. acknowledge B. reconcile C. concede D. allow
33. The students had no money left and took out a loan to _________ him over until the end of term.
A. last B. tend C. keep D. tide
34. Money was short and people survived by _________and saving.
A. scrimping B. scavenging C. scouring D. scrounging
35. Jane was terribly nervous before the interview but she managed to pull herself ________ and act
confidently.
A. through B. over C. together D. off
36.This is the _________timetable for the conference. It may change later
A. conditional B. indefinite C. provisional D. indeterminate
37. She didn’t show even a _________of emotion when the court found her guilty.
A. gleam B. wink C. flicker D. flash
38. Few people can do creative work unless they are in the right _________ of mind.
A. trend B. frame C. attitude D. tendency
39. It was decided that the cost of the project would be _________.and so it was abandoned.
A. repressive B. prohibitive C. restrictive D. exclusive
40. I didn't really feel like memorizing all these definitions. It was only the risk of getting another bad
mark that made me _________myself.
A. exert B. absorb C. endeavour D. deploy
41. In times of _________ unemployment figures usually rise dramatically.
A austerity B severity C sobriety D. gravity
42. The delight in treasure finding doesn’t always ________acquiring tremendous amounts of valuables.
A. dwell on B. poke around C. lay about D. hinge upon
43. Let’s _________ the place, it looks so gloomy and unpleasant .
A. miss B. abandon C. depart D. disappear
44. She used the map to discover where she was in ________to her surroundings.
A. connection B. affinity C. relation D. reference
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45. He let it __________ that the Prime Minister was a close friend of his.
A. announce B. talk C. drop D. infer
46. 1. It was a fantastic film. I enjoyed it _________.
A. endlessly B. unendingly C. without end D. no end
47. When the children _________ their toys, I donated them to charity.
A. outlasted B. outdated C. outgrew D. outwore
48. I was in the ______ of despair before I heard the good news.
A. depths B. profundities C. bottoms D. holes
49. When are we going to get rid of all these empty cartons? They've been _________ up the office for
weeks now.
A. buttering B. clutching C. cluttering D. botching
50. The luxurious office accentuated the manager's position _________. It enhanced his power and his
sense of his own worth. And it made other people feel small.
A. on the pecking pole B. in the nibbling line
C. at the nipping post D. in the pecking order
51. The architect has designed a building of immaculate _____ in everything. Every detail is matched on
each side.
A evenness B contrast C symmetry D contradiction
52. The vegetation on the island was _________.
A. exuberant B. chivalrous C. overcast D. ingenious
53. We had been looking for the nest for hours before we _________ lucky.
A. hit B. made C. struck D. came
54. We don’t have a secretary _________, but we do have a student who comes in to do a bit of filing.
A. as such B. the least bit C. whatsoever D. little more
55. Despite ____________ appearances, he wasn't as crazy as people thought.
A. inward B. outward C. external D. strange
56. I really need some vacations now so that when I come back I can _________ in the operating theatre.
A. thrive B. grow C. proliferate D. spread
57. The first _________ of the ladder is important in your career.
A. step B. grade C. push D. rung
58. After hours and hours trying to solve the problem, I was at my _________ end.
A. nerves' B. wits' C. humours' D. tethers'
59. Her punky hairstyle showed she was not one for following the _________.
A. flock B. herd C. swarm D. group
60. There wasn't a _________ of truth in what he said.
A. ray B. lump C. grain D.pinch
61. Ask David to give you a hand moving the furniture. He’s strong as ______.
A. an elephant B. a mountain C. a gorilla D. a horse
62. He didn’t have a _________ of evidence to support his claims.
A. sign B. scrap C. sense D. state
63. It’s the __________ of stupidity to go walking in the mountains in this weather.
A. height B. depth C. source D. matter
64. I know you’re upset about breaking up with Tom, but there are plenty more ______.
A. horses in the stable B. cows in the shed
C. tigers in the jungle D. fish in the sea.
65. It must be true. I hear it straight from the _________ mouth.
A. dog’s B. horse’s C. camel’s D. cat’s
66. It's normal for salaries to be paid monthly in______, meaning you'll need to work four weeks first.
A. advance B. full C. arrears D. debt
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67. She is so ______ skinned that nothing offends her.
A. hard B. thick C. strong D. heavy
68. I’ve only met Stephen in a social context - he’s an unknown _________ where work’s concerned.
A. option B. type C. category D. quantity
69. The competition he set up for young musicians is another _________ of his life-long support for the
arts.
A. exposition B. manifestation C. token D. exhibition
70. Windows go __________ towards defining the character of a house.
A. a long way B. far out C. all the way D. far away
71. Even the most _________ drivers feel an urge to break the speed-limit occasionally.
A. lawful B. legitimate C. law-abiding D. judicial
72. I am not sure I can answer that. I have only thought about it in the _______ before.
A. general B. hypothetical C. indefinite D. abstract
73. The opposition protests against the government now threaten to get out of _______ and the security
forces are likely to make arrests around the country today.
A. reach B. kilter C. hand D. ordinary
74. I really don’t want to get involved in your problems. Why are you _______me into it?
A. pulling B. dragging C. wrenching D. towing
75. Everybody was busy with the spring cleaning, except Stanley, who always refused to pull his ______
.
A. shocks B. weight C. finger D. share
76. At the time, Mexico was in the _____of its worst economic recession on record.
A. grip B. tug C. hug D. grab
77. Harry was offered a scholarship to study in Japan and he _____ the opportunity with both hands.
A. grasped B. grabbed C. held D. passed
78. A full scholarship to Harvard and you are worried about leaving your job? You’d be a fool to _____
up a chance like that.
A. turn B. brush C. pass D. cast
79. He admitted taking a bribe and he doesn’t think he’s _______ his chances of getting re-elected?
A. pulled B. wiped C. thrown D. blown
80. The matter has been left in _______ until the legal ramifications have been explored.
A. recess B. suspension C. abeyance D. waiting
81. It was an extremely hostile article which cast _______ on the conduct of the entire cabinet.
A. criticism B. aspersions C. disapproval D. abuse
82. Simon's business has been on the _______ for some time and I understand he's going into
liquidation.
A. fire B. rocks C. wave D. clouds
83. We've made some great improvements over the past three months, but we're still not out of the
_______ .
A. jungle B. bush C. dark D. woods
84. If you had never seen a telly ad, you would be all at ______ with popular culture.
A. crossroads B. distance C. sea D. length
85. I'd been living in this country for a few years, but it wasn't until I had kids that I felt like I had really
put down ______ here.
A. roots B. seeds C. nuts D. fruits
86. The party was already ______ by the time we arrived. Everyone was singing and dancing.
A. in full swing B. up in the air
C. over the moon D. under a cloud
87. The entire staff was thrown off ______ when the news of the takeover was announced.
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A. composure B. disarray C. stable D. balance
88. I know you have a good voice and have ambitions to be an opera singer but do not give up your day
______ yet.
A. situation B. work C. job D. place
89. We at Buyrite throw down the ______ to competitors to match us for price, quality and service.
A. mitten B. gauntlet C. sword D. hat
90. Sometimes, we don't appreciate the ______ pleasures of life such as a beautiful sky, a cup of coffee
with a friend or seeing a good film at the cinema.
A. sheer B. simple C. normal D. plain
91. Various ecological issues have come to the ______ since the discovery of the hole in the earth's
ozone layer.
A. front B. back C. side D. fore
92. The full horror of the war only hit ______ when we started seeing the television pictures of it.
A. base B. down C. home D. back
93. The most important parts of your job may seem difficult now but they will become second ______ to
you within a couple of weeks.
A. instinct B. thought C. nature D. mind
94. I'm about to start my long-planned swimming regime. But I've got really terrible cellulite, which
makes me feel rather ______
A. self-assured B. self - centred
C. self-conscious D. self-evident
95. The inconsiderate driver was ______ for parking his vehicle in the wrong place.
A. inflicted B. harassed C. condemned D. confined
96. From football to fashion, from TV to stage, we name the ______ stars whose careers are likely to
rocket in the future.
A. out and about B. up and coming
C. down and out D. in and out
97. Obama expressed regret as a US drone strike has______ killed innocent hostages.
A. incongruously B. vehemently C. inadvertently D. graciously
98. How do you calculate the distance to the horizon? As a _____, it’s 7 miles + 1 mile per 100 ft above
sea level.
A. trick of the trade B. golden rule C. free hand D. rule of thumb
99. Just because we’ve had a good year, this does not mean that we cannot do better: we must not
______
A. have our head in the clouds B. bury our heads in the sand
C. count our blessings D. rest on our laurels
100. The headmaster at my last school was was a stern disciplinarian and made sure we ______ the line.
A. drew B. faced C. touched D. toed
PRACTICE TEST 2
1. The designer was given free _____ to produce any design he wanted.
A rein B range C ride D rope
2. They were _____ over by his kindness and didn’t know what to say.
A turned B knocked C hooked D bowled
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3. The office was closed for a week for refurbishment and now the staff have to deal with the _____ that
built up during their absence.
A backstage B backlash C backlog D backdrop
4. Even though there have been setbacks, because of their determination I’m sure they’ll achieve their
goals, _____ .
A suffice to say B be that as it may C so be it D come what may
5. John and Sarah lived in the back of _____ and it always took us a whole day to drive there.
A the country B isolation C nowhere D beyond
6. My parents looked back with _____ on the days when all of us lived at home and which, they said,
were the best years of their lives.
A nostalgia B reminiscence C homesickness D recollection
7. I don’t trust him and it really goes against the ________to give him the money.
A. cloak B. grain C. rice D. grapevine
8. It’s time we had a ________talk with each other in an effort to clear the air.
A. heart to heart B. eye to eye C. face to face D. cheek to cheek
9. As she didn’t understand the teacher’s question, she merely gave him a _______ look.
A. clear B. dim C. blank D. hopeless
10. Sister Morrison might take _______ with me on that matter.
A. words B. discussion C. issue D. matter
11. I don't think that revealing your past to your boyfriend scared him _______.
A. back B. down C. off D. through
12. There were probably moments when you wondered if anyone spoke the truth or was ______
A. spolit for choice B. below par C. off the beg D. on the level
13. Substantial members of the ______members ignored the union advice.
A. all and sundry B. flesh and blood
C. head and shoulders. D. rank and file
14. Many victims of the earthquake pay ______ to the ones who took them out of rubble.
A. respects B. homage C. tributes D. deference
15. The movie takes considerable liberties ______the novel that it is based on.
A. to B. out of C. at D. with
16. Don’t believe Samuel. He just ______an act that he is the most miserable person in the world.
A. puts on B. puts into C. settles up D. settles in
17. Diagnosed with tumor in the brain, she refused to meet her ______but turned to religion for help.
A. paleontologist B. oncologist C. entomologist D. seismologist
18. Their father was a hero in World War II, whose account has awakened ______memories of the old
days.
A. down-in-the-dumps B. disconsolate
C. poignant D. grief-stricken
19. I don't like intellectual novels, serious music or films; my tastes are quite ______
A. flat-topped B. lowbrow C. shamefaced D. slow-witted
20. The sixth time he called me at night was the _________.
A. lost cause B. last straw C. touch and go D. hot air
21. There’s no doubt about the outcome of the trial. The man is a ______ criminal.
A. self-conscious B. self-contained C. self-confessed D. self-centered
22. Rebecca ______on our conversation to tell us that James had just been rushed to hospital.
A. cut in B. faced up C. got ahead D. broke up
23______ her job, her sons and the housework, she doesn’t have a minute for herself.
A. What with B. If it weren’t for C. Barring D. Given
24. It’s ______that he never mentioned our argument; I wonder why he didn’t.
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A. special B. rare C. curious D. eccentric
25. He praised his wife for her dignity under the ______of the tabloid press.
A. onslaught B. assault C. onset D. offensive
26. Brain cancer requires ______ treatment such as surgery.
A. aggressive B. confrontational C. malignant D. rigorous
27. The government has been forced into a ________ after the revelation of a cover-up.
A. climbdown B. getaway C. outbreak D. breakout
28. I don’t know if Ash would be right for the job; he’s a bit of an unknown ________.
A. quality B. qualification C. quantity D. identity
29. Searching for one man in this city is like looking for a _________.
A. salt of the earth B. sand in the desert
C. needle in a haystack D. drop in the ocean
30. The Conservatives declared their intention of______the whole Act once they came into power.
A. repulsing B. repelling C. impelling D. repealing
31. The growth of psychobiology owes ______to major conceptual advances in the way people think
about the brain.
A. much B. as much as C. much which D. there is so much
32. The class went to see the performance of Macbeth because it ______ in well with the project they
were doing on Scottish history.
A. crammed B. stood C. tied D. booked
33. I have tried every product on the market and still I can't rid these curtains of the ______of cigarette
smoke.
A. fumes B. fragrance C. stench D. aroma
34. Her condition seems to be ______. We’ll have to take her to intensive care.
A. ameliorating B. deteriorating C. amputating D. imitating
35. Not only is little Jonny’s grammar incoherent and his spelling atrocious but also his
pronunciation______.
A. slothful B. sluggish C. hazard D. haphazard
36. I need to ______ your offer very carefully before I make a decision.
A. look over B. see out C. figure out D. mull over
37. There’s nothing to ______ as it’s a general knowledge quiz.
A. come round to B. face up to C. swot up on D. come up with
38. The account of their journey has been ______ together from personal letters and diaries.
A. pieced B. set C. pulled D. got
39. The noise from the unruly fans celebrating their team’s victory didn’t _____ until early in the
morning.
A. shut off B. give away C. let up D. fall over
40. Following years of intense training, the accomplished athlete ______ the medal triumphantly.
A. took off B. went off C. ran off D. carried off
41. We’d been working hard for a month and so decided to go out and ______.
A. paint the town red B. face the music
C. read between the lines D. steal the show
42. The country is an economic ______ with chronic unemployment and rampant crime.
A. lost cause B. basket case C. false dawn D. dark horse
43. You’ve got to ______ to succeed in advertising.
A. go to your head B. have your wits about you
C. have your head in the clouds D. gather your wits
44. The Prime Minister will decide whether to release the prisoner or not; that’s his ______.
A. prerogative B. derogatory C. abdication D. humanity
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45. The Secretary of State handled the matter ______ and prevented a war.
A. adroitly B. intensely C. abjectly D. slightly
46. The robbery was carried out in ______ daylight and with hundreds of witnesses present.
A. open B. wide C. broad D. clear
47. Most of the examination is written but there is also a(n) ______ part which I am really worried
about.
A. vocal B. verbal C. oral D. wordy
48. ______ with anger, Mr. Jensson stormed into the local tax office and demanded to see someone
about his case which had dragged on for nearly three years.
A. Brimming B. Pouring C. Stewing D. Seething
49. When I say I want you to be here at six o'clock, I mean six o'clock ______.You cannot be late under
any circumstances!
A. on the edge B. at the moment C. on the dot D. in detail
50. The opposition protests against the government now threaten to get out of ______ and the security
forces are likely to make arrests around the country today.
A. reach B. kilter C. hand D. the ordinary
51. Fingerprints are the most ______ types of evidence used in criminal cases because it’s one of the
most reliable forms of identification
A. culpable B. incriminating C. liable D.offending
53. Another, perhaps inspired by the nursery rhyme, is that a(n) ______ for sweet things during
pregnancy makes you more likely to be having a girl, while a boy will make you crave savoury, salty
foods, meat and cheese in particular.
A. inspiration B. affinity C. predilection D. propensity
54. Most of the old road has been ______ by the great interstate highways
A. overdone B. superseded C. excelled D. overwhelmed
55. She got very ______working such long hours
A. tumble-down B. downcast C. run-down D. down - and – out
56. Just because we’ve had a good year, this does not mean that we cannot do better: we must not
______
A. have our head in the clouds B. bury our heads in the sand
C. count our blessings D. rest on our laurels
57. As soon as the problem at work blew up, he instantly thought about how he could come out of it
looking good. He is such a ______person.
A. self-evident B. self-conscious C. self-centred D. selfless
58. We carried on down the path, ______of the notice warning of avalanche risk.
A. careless B. carefree C. heedless D. blind
59. The judge declared a ______today due to unfair media coverage and the trial will be restarted again
early next year.
A. postponement B. annulment C. cancellation D. mistrial
60. His performance was so spectacular that he was ______out for praise by the team manager at the end
of the game.
A. singled B. filtered C. distinguished D. selected
61. He's just getting up my ______ so much at the moment.
A. feet B. chest C. nose D. mind
62. Something's wrong with this room, but I can't quite ______what it is.
A. put my finger on B. know off-hand
C. give my right arm to D. lay eyes on
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63. Group E is now wide open with all four teams ______ a chance of qualifying for the knock-out phase
going into the final group matches.
A. in with B. up for C. in for D. up with
64. There's so much good theatre and cinema in London, really one is ______for choice.
A. overcome B. ruined C. spoilt D. overwhelmed
65. The structure parameters of these chucks are ______ those of K11 3-jaw self-centring chucks.
A. much the same as B. nearly as
C. nothing like as D. nowhere near as
66. There are ten prisoners on the ______.
A. loose B.run C. track D. go
68. They dismissed him as "disrespectful, very arrogant and ______ rude".
A. totally B. downright C. outright D. heavily
69. The statement from the ministers contrasts ______ with comments by European Commission
President Jean-Claude Juncke
A. sharply B. heavily C. utterly D. flatly
70. I know how to use computers, but I don't really understand the ______of how they work.
A. ins and outs B. odds and ends C. dribs and drabs D. waifs and strays
71. The doctor says that it's ______whether Mary will be okay.
A. prim and proper B. spick and span C. touch and go D. up and coming
72. Our staff take pride in providing ______ service.
A. mundane B. atrocious C. impeccable D. lousy
73. It was a ______move to buy your house just before property prices started to rise.
A. astute B. crafty C. shrewd D. wily
74. They adopted a sensible, ______ policy on defence spending.
A. state-of-the-art B. trick-of-the-trade
C. run-of-the-mill D. middle-of-the-road
75. He'd be ______if he found out what you're doing
A. annoyed B. irritated C. livid D. cross
76. A lot of older people are ______ because they've been complaining all their lives
A. irate B. crotchety C. indignant D. infuriated
77. She had a ______ row with Eddie and stormed out of the house.
A. blazing B. heated C.firing D. smouldering
78. Intimate relationships were limited to a stack of old nudie magazines with ______ pages, which he
kept on the floor beneath his cot.
A. head-on B. nail-biting C. narrow-minded D. well-thumbed
79. He awoke with a ______ heart, sweating with fear
A. plucking B. flexing C. gritting D. pounding
80. We reached ______in the meeting and failed to come to a solution
A. standstill B. gridlock C. standoff D. stalemate
81. He was ______aware of his lack of experience
A. widely B. painfully C. deeply D. heavily
82. As an average retail investor I consider myself ______ capable of understanding the operation of
crossing networks
A. perfectly B. bitterly C. widely D. highly
83. The littlest thing tends to anger my mother, so I feel like I have to walk on ______ whenever I'm at
her house.
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A. eggshells B. nutshells C. bombshells D. seashells
84. Students can be expelled at the ______ of the principal
A. disposition B. dispersal C. discretion D. disposal
85. He became emotionally ______from his friends and family after the illness.
A. distant B. faint C. secluded D. far-away
86. The sound of his footsteps gradually ______ away.
A. died B. passed C. vanished D. dwindled
87. He is disliked because of his sly and ______ways of getting what he wants.
A. calculating B. callous C. inquisitive D. meticulous
88. She dismissed him with a ______nod of the head.
A. blunt B. curt C. reckless D. ruthless
89. His performance is described in the paper as "a ______ display of physical agility".
A. breathtaking B. gripping C. harrowing D. piercing
90. The police are sometimes more ______with female offenders.
A. lax B. lenient C. easygoing D. withdrawn
91. Don’t be taken in by his lying, ______ words
A. slack B. scrupulous C. treacherous D. feeble
92. With the amount of traffic nowadays, even a trip across town is ______with dangers.
A. beset B. surrounded C. assaulted D. devoid
93. He was forced to ______ control of the company.
A. discard B. relinquish C. quit D. surrender
94. Getting up at 8 o’clock was early by her ______
A. reasons B. standards C. limits D. levels
95. The passion of Argentinian football fans ______no bounds
A. recognizes B. holds C. sees D. knows
96. My library books are a week ______
A. undue B. overdue C. unpunctual D. belated
97. Every shelf is ______with ornaments.
A. muddled B. bundled C. cluttered D. burdened
98. There was a danger of the country reverting to its ______ sin of complacency
A. redeeming B. overriding
C. besetting D. overwhelming
99. Police are investigating a(n) ______ of burglaries in the Kingsland Road area.
A. rate B. influx C. tide D. spate
100. He kept telling us about his operation, in the most ______ detail.
A. elaborate B. knotty C. graphic D. burning
PRACTICE TEST 3
1. The war in Iraq is a ______ debated issue.
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A. deeply B. hotly C. profoundly D. heavily
2. He will be remembered by the staff with great ______.
A. fondness B. fancy C. passion D. crush
3. He carefully ______ his sunflower plants.
A. tended B.attended C. grew D. maintained
4. She already has a couple of good wins ______.
A. under her collar B. under her belt
C. up her sleeve D. in her shoes
5. Whenever she refused, he'd beat her ______.
A. black and blue B. black and white
C. blue in the face D. out of the blue
6. Their qualifications ______them to a higher salary.
A. enable B. entitle C. entail D. envisage
7. Since he is not polite, he often makes ______ remarks.
A. immaterial B. impertinent C. impervious D. implausible
8. He had failed because of a lack of talent for ______ speaking
A. impeccable B. impressive C. imposing D. impromptu
9. I get ______ pains up my spine whenever I try to move.
A. splitting B. thumping C. shooting D. stinking
10. Dealing with the failed waste incinerator project is a ______ issue in west Norfolk
A. burning B. heating C.boiling D. firing
11. He had the ______ to blame me for his mistake!
A. valour B. chivalry C. gracefulness D. audacity
12. He had always been ______ by his elder sister.
A. overtaken B. overstated C. overshadowed D. overwhelmed
13. He remained loyal to me through ______
A. null and void B. life and soul C. thick and thin D. up and coming
14. The long-standing dispute about working conditions finally came ______when the workforce voted
for strike action
A. to a head B. to the point C. to a standstill D. out of its shell
15. If you're caught stealing you'll be ______.
A.in black books B. for the high jump C. in a quandary D.in the doghouse
16. Such a questionable assertion is sure to ______ criticism.
A. commence B. instigate C. launch D. provoke
17. Such people ______an indistinct anger and hatred.
A. exude B. exclude C. expunge D. extricate
18. In a culture where knockoffs are normal, from sportswear to DVDs, it will not be easy to
______deep-rooted academic habits
19. I tried to ______myself from the situation but it was impossible.
20. She is ______grateful to her family for their support
A. continually B. continuously C. perpetually D. eternally
21. The child's ______talking started to irritate her.
A. constant B. incessant C. steady D. ongoing
22. She had a(n) ______ parade of young men coming to visit her.
23. They were able to respond swiftly because they already have a secret ballot strike mandate over a(n)
______pay dispute.
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24. The police have expressed ______concern about the missing child's safety.
A. critical B. essential C. significant D. grave
25. Naylor was one of those men who ______ to the challenge of danger.
A. raise B. rise C. ride D. arise
26. Like more and more women, she believes marriage would ______her style.
A. restricts B. impedes C. obstructs D. cramps
27. He's not nearly such a good writer as he's ______up to be.
A. creased B. cracked C. lined D. valued
28. During the bad weather we experienced a few disasters and events, but they were of little ______.
A. consequence B. result C. care D. circumstance
29. The costs of gathering the initial data are relatively small in ______to the costs of the research itself.
A. reference B. affinity C. relation D. connection
30. The design is ______ from Japanese porcelains of the fourteenth century.
A.imitated B. copied C. emulated D. faked
31. ‘Will you stay for lunch?’ ‘No, but thanks ______’
A. all along B. all in all C. all the same D. all told
32. I might be going on a training course next week, but it's still ______
A. in the air B. on the air C. off the air D. up in the air
33. I don't want to sound ______, but I thought my picture was the best.
A. big-headed B. blue-eyed C. narrow-minded D. thick-skinned
34. The whole team were ______ at winning the competition.
A. up in the arms B. on the up and up C. on the cards D. over the moon
35. If you use credit cards to pay off a debt, you're jumping out of the frying pan into the ______.
A. fire B. flame C. heat D. blaze
36. Some people let their under-fives ______ riot.
A. run B. go C. make D.take
37. He's of no fixed ______and we found him on the streets.
A. residence B. abode C. home D. domicile
38. The project is being held in ______until agreement is reached on funding it.
39. I wouldn't want to cast ______ on your honesty.
40. I need a new French dictionary. Can I pick your ______about the best one to buy?
A. brains B. mind C. head D. intellect
41. This is not to ______ questions of strategy and tactics, merely to place them in an appropriate
context.
A. evade B. shirk C. duck D. dodge
42. You can't ______, it's your duty. You are so lazy!
A. evade B. shirk C. duck D. dodge
43. The speed at which you eat strongly ______how much you want to eat.
A. sways B. affects C. influences D. impresses
44. Many tourists cannot tell the difference between ______ Indian craftwork and imported imitations.
A. real B. authentic C. valid D. natural
45. They put forward many ______ reasons for not exporting.
A. real B. authentic C. valid D. natural
46. She always showed ______concern for others
A. genuine B. authentic C. valid D. natural
47. We had all the usual problems ______upon starting a new business.
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A. subsequent B. consequent C. attendant D. relevant
48. She did not tolerate press ______into her private life.
A. invasion B. intrusion C. infringement D. interference
49. They resent foreign ______in the internal affairs of their country
50. These phone calls are a gross ______of privacy.
51. They were sued for ______ of copyright.
52. He was thorough and ______, rather than brilliant.
A. pedantic B. laborious C. particular D. conscientious
53. Don't be so ______ - does it really matter if I don't pronounce it right?
54. Collecting the raw materials proved a long and ______task
55. Don't expect to have me at your beck and ______.
A. cry B. ring C. need D. call
56. The ______from the sale will be used to repay the loan.
A. produce B. proceeds C. receipts D. returms
57. Sometimes even well-meaning interviewers will throw you a really ______question.
A. awkward B. risky C. unpleasant D. touchy
58. We must ______ this notion that you can rely on the state for everything.
A. peter out B. dispel C. disperse D. annihilate
59. Just one of these bombs could ______a city the size of New York.
A. peter out B. dispel C. disperse D. annihilate
60. Already there were indications that the contest had helped some of those ______writers emerge from
total obscurity.
A. hopeful B. aspiring C. striving D. wishful
61. Vlasov showed great energy and leadership ______, transforming his division into a conspicuous
example of efficiency.
A. attributes B. features C. values D. qualities
62. The difference is scarcely perceptible to the ______reader.
A.common B. medium C. average D. middle
63. Kids today are ______on a constant diet of pop music and television.
A. fostered B. raised C. nurtured D. grown
64. They feel strongly that their religion is ______with the political system.
A. incongruous B. inconsistent C. incidential D. incompatible
65. These findings are ______with those of previous studies.
A. incongruous B. inconsistent C. incidental D. incompatible
66.Such traditional methods seem ______in our technical age.
A. incongruous B. inconsistent C. incidental D. incompatible
67. Eye problems can indicate an unhealthy lifestyle with ______suppression of the immune system
A. subsequent B. consequent C. attendant D. relevant
68. This is by no means an ______list but it gives an indication of the many projects taking place
A. exhaustiveB. exorbitant C. execrable D. exalted
69. She was the only woman to rise to such an ______position
A. exhaustive B. exorbitant C. execrable D. exalted
70. Sharon became involved with music in the time-honoured ______-- through her family.
A. protocol B. way C. fashion D. procedure
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71. My sisters don't see ______with me about the arrangements.
A. face to face B. at loggerheads C eye to eye D. on tenterhooks
72. The Chancellor is ______with the Prime Minister over public spending.
73. He was still on pins and needles waiting for his directors' decision about the job.
74. The principles of democracy are sometimes in ______with political reality.
A. conflict B. rivalry C. odds D. friction
75. She gave him a sweet smile, totally at ______with the look of dislike in her eyes.
A. conflict B. rivalry C. odds D. friction
76. Their conclusions run ______to any simple proletarianisation thesis about the effects of new
technology on skill.
A. counter B. against C. opposed D. opposite
77. She was ______ to tears by their criticisms.
A. brought down B. diminished C. reduced D.belittled
78. Don't ______her piano playing just because you're jealous.
A. bring down B. diminish C. reduce D.belittle
79. On his wanderings he's picked up Spanish, Italian, French and a(n) ______of Russian
A. command B. smattering C.knowing D. acquaintance
80. She's a ______vegetarian and refuses to eat any poultry or fish
A. firm B. devout C. staunch D. strict
81. He has been a ______supporter of the Liberal Party for over thirty years.
82. She was a ______Catholic and, so far as I am aware, morally unassailable.
83. I'm a ______believer in'where there's a will , there's a way.
84. She must know the play ______by now.
A. forwards B. backwards C. sideways D. upside down
85. You need to become fully ______with the company's procedures.
A. conversant B. mindful C. answerable D. attuned
86. The whole venture has been an ______disaster.
A. unmatched B. unmitigated C. undiluted D. unmindful
87. She dealt with the problem with ______skill.
A. consummate B. comprehensive C. confirmed D. compulsive
88. The aim of the repetitions of the same commercial on television is nothing but to brainwash
consumers into ______consumption.
A. consummate B. comprehensive C. confirmed D. compulsive
89. On the rampant black market prices were particularly ______.
A. exhaustive B. exorbitant C. execrable D. exalted
90. The durable goods orders report should help to ______ fears of a marked slowdown in factory
activity.
A. avert B. restore C. allay D.hit
91. UN troops intervened to ______ a threat of violent conflict.
A. avert B. restore C. allay D.hit
92. The recent proposals made by the Royal College of Psychiatrists are unjustified, unnecessary and
______
A. incompatible B. unavoidable` C. unworkable D. insurmountable
93. Lack of money has proved an almost ______obstacle.
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A. incompatible B. unavoidable` C. unworkable D. insurmountable
94. This history book is completely ______to me.
A. illegible B. impenetrable C. impermeable D. incorrigible
95. Because he was an ______criminal, he was sentenced to life imprisonment.
A. illegible B. impenetrable C. impermeable D. incorrigible
96. The current cuts in public expenditure will inevitably ______ this situation.
A. exacerbate B. deepen C. sharpen D. fulfill
97. The lecturer wanted to lay ______on the importance of education.
A.mention B. point C. highlight D. stress
98. The President is clearly in a ______about/over how to tackle the crisis.
A. dilemma B. puzzle C. loss D. problem
99. The government is at a ______to know how to tackle the violence.
A. dilemma B. puzzle C. loss D. problem
100. He's studied in the US and has a good ______ of English.
A. command B. smattering C.knowing D. acquaintance
PRACTICE TEST 4
1. The money was taken out of the bank in small amounts so as not to ______suspicion.
A. awake B. arouse C. instigate D. incite
2. Hopes of a peaceful settlement have been ______
A. torn B. tarnished C. dashed D. smashed
3. The motor industry is ______at the cut in car tax.
A. cheering B. relishing C. rejoicing D. enjoying
4. He's very understanding: if I'm ______by the middle of the week he'll always let me have a few
groceries on tick till Friday.
A. hard up B. pricey C. indebted D. bankrupt
5. The sales assistants were so rude to me, I decided to take my ______elsewhere.
A. income B. custom C. capital D. fortune
6. The police are going to ______down on illegal stock exchange activities in the streets.
A. dragging B. kicking C. dumbing D. clamping
7. She had a strong desire to be a dancer but failed to make the ______.
A. grade B. term C. mark D. degree
8. The sexual scandal will ______from the president's fame.
A. ruin B. detract C. spoil D. impair
9. There isn't a ______of truth in those rumours.
A. pinch B. grain C. trace D. speck
10. Every ______of emotion seemed to have drained from his face.
A. pinch B. grain C. trace D. speck
11. Here I sit ______ - no food, no money, no anything
A. high and dry B. thick and thin
C. huff and puff D. wear and tear
12. The media regarded Gorbachev as the ______favorite to dethrone the old champ
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A. last-minute B. odds-on C. so-called D. well –earned
13. The research has ______implications for medicine as a whole.
A. far-fetched B. far-reaching
C. long-winded D. nerve-wrecking
14. Jacques launched into a ______explanation that left us just as confused as before
A. far-fetched B. far-reaching
C. long-winded D. nerve-wrecking
15. We ______ deny that we have ever cheated or tampered illegally with any match ball in any game
during our careers.
A. categorically B. fully C. distinctly D. highly
16. All personal details are treated as ______confidential and remain on computer file.
A. severely B. strictly C. sharply D. harshly
17. The people in that company always talk ______, even on the weekends.
A. dirty B. shop C. turkey D. money
18. It took me ages to ______up the courage to ask for a promotion
A. pick B. hurl C. yield D. pluck
19. They still ______enormous influence in politics.
A. possess B. utilize C. brandish D. wield
20. I don't know where he is but I could ______a guess.
A. hazard B. conjecture C. expose D. imperil
21. Don't ______a hard bargain over such a little thing .
A. make B. push C. drive D. bring
22. His patience began to wear ______ during the long wait.
A. thin B. rusty C. empty D. perished
23. And undoubtedly, their mysterious, indefinable quality is the source of their ______ power.
A. disconcerting B. disembodied
C. dismissive D. discordant
24. The depths of this understanding - which I had not at all expected - put me in a ______.
A. doubt B. quandary C. hitch D. complexity
25. He walked out after a ______row with his wife.
A. blazing B. heated C. stormy D. smouldering
26. I am ______ to listen to your pathetic excuses.
A. sick and tired B. in no mood C. having enough D. sick to death
27. Anyone who breaks the law does so at their ______
A. peril B. interest C. stake D. doubt
28. Thousands of lives will be at ______if emergency aid does not arrive in the city soon.
A. peril B. interest C. stake D. doubt
29. Sandra will be at least 15 minutes late - that's a ______
A. must B. definite C. deal D. given
30. The researchers determined that concentration effects are applicable to overrepresented minorities
living in ______ impoverished ghettos.
31. She's been told that her husband is being______ treated in prison.
32. Alcohol is ______ forbidden on school premises.
33. These results contrast ______with other medical tests carried out in Australia.
34. I felt a bit _______ and seemed to have more aches and pains than usual.
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A. out of sorts C. on the mend
B. over the worst D. under the fever
35. A: ‘Oh, I’m exhausted! I’ve been doing homework all day.’
B: ‘Come and put your _______ up for 5 minutes and I’ll make you a cup of tea.’
A. hands B. hair C. heart D. feet
36. I overslept this morning and caught the last bus to school by the skin of my _______.
A. mouth B. leg C. neck D. teeth
37. If you want a flat in the centre of the city, you have to pay through the _______ for it.
A. teeth B. head C. nose D. arm
38. You will be putting your life on the _______ if you take up skydiving.
A. ground B. line C. way D. lane
39. As far as her future goes, Olivia is _______. She hasn't got a clue what career to follow.
A. on the level B. all at sea
C. behind the scenes D. in the know
40. Your husband was a bit out of control at the party, to _______ mildly.
A. take it B. put it C. say D. tell
41. There is a large effort ________ to rebuild arts education in the New York city public schools.
A. under way B. a long way C. out of the way D. in the way
42. A woman who appears to be a __________person who lives under bridges, turns out to be has a
metamorphose into a princess and has a regal personage.
A. tumble-down B. downcast C. run-down D. down-and-cast
43. It included 105 job losses and a _____________ in shift work, with some of the large staff numbers
recruited in the past year expected to be let go first
A. breakdown B. layout C. cutback D. out-take
44. I was so tired that I just ______ in the armchair
A. flaked out B. broke up C. dropped out D. fell over
45. Our teacher tends to ______ certain subjects which she finds difficult to talk about
A. boil down B. string along C. skate over D. track down
46. It’s a good idea to ______ people before taking them into your confidence
A. tumble to B. root out C. bank on D. size up
47. Some people can just ______ a cold,but my colds seem to linger for weeks
A. shrug off B. cough up C. pull through D. stamp out
48. The man in the market was selling leather coats very cheaply: they were such bargains that were
soon ______ .
A. cleared off B. done for C. bought out D. snapped up
49. I couldn’t remember where I had left my car, when it suddenly ______ me that I didn’t have a car
any longer!
A.dawned on B.ran into C.went through D.tumbled to
50. After years of working together, the partners found themselves _______ linked.
A. permanently B. indelibly C. perpetually D. inextricably
51. The medicine takes one hour to _______.
A. bear with B. kick in C. make out D. get by
52. Jennifer _______ the invitation to join us for dinner.
A. called on B. come out C. got out of D. passed on
53. It takes a very determined person to achieve results as good as this; you really have to put
your______ to it.
A. mind B. head C. brain D. thoughts
54. There's a______ balance between success and failure.
A. small B. narrow C. fine D. light
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55. The manager hesitated to assign the job to the newcomer as he was__________ .
A. wet behind the ears B. feeling your ears burning
C. ringing in your ears D. keeping your ears open
56..I’m afraid Jennifer’s very ______ . She believes everything she’s told.
A. gullible B. trustworthy C. credible D. honest
57. I slept badly last night and am feeling particularly ______ this morning.
A. slow-witted B. far-reaching C. off-hand D. top-heavy
58. Unanswered, the demands for nuclear deterrents have _______ fears of civil war.
A. flashed up B. prognosticated C. sidetracked D. stoked up
59. A new computer has been produced, which will ______ all previous models
A.overdo B.supersede C.excel D.overwhelm
60. My cousin was nervous about being interviewed on television, but she rose to the _____
wonderfully.
A. event B. performance C. incident D. occasion
61. My decision to drop out of university after a year is one I now _____ regret.
A. painfully B. harshly C. heavily D. keenly
62. Both the favourite and then the second favourite pulled out. Naturally, we thought we were ______ a
chance.
A in with B up for C in for D up with
63. Don’t quote me. What I am about to say is ______ the record.
A. on B. off C. without D. above
64. I’m not sure if I’m doing it right, but I’ll try to ___________ahead with it anyway.
A. drive B. bang C. touch D. press
66. He wants to pay the bill himself, but I won’t hear _________ it.
A. from B. about C. of D. for
67. When his manager went on a business trip, Smith stepped into the _____ and chaired the meeting.
A. hole B. pool C. breach D. crack
68. James didn’t take _____ to your suggestion that she was mean with money.
A. kindly B. pleasantly C. cheerfully D. agreeably
69. We need a more _______ assessment of the chances of ending this war.
A. moral B. sober C. plain D. vivid
70. Mark Stringly is rarely interviewed as he hates being in the ______.
A. flashlight B. limelight C. headlight D. floodlight
71. I tried to push my way through the standing passengers to get to the door and, failing to keep my
____ about me.
A. head B. soul C. wits D. mind
72. Steve used to be easy to work with, but since his promotion he’s begun to______ .
A. throw his weight around B. throw in the towel
C. throw him off balance D. turn up trumps
73. The new regime determined to ________ compulsory military service.
A. stop of B. end up C. phase out D. break off
74. As their bookshop wasn’t doing well, they decided to branch ______and sell compact discs and
cassettes as well.
A. out B. over C. down on D. out for
75. I’d been cooped ______in my office all morning so I went out for a walk and a spot of fresh air.
A. over B. by C. down D. up
76. Why don’t you get your homework ______with so you can enjoy the rest of the evening?
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A. around B. over C. by D. away
77. Morag is very good at ______off the teacher in her school.
A. sending B. calling C. taking D. putting
78. The class went to see the performance of Macbeth because it ______in well with the project they
were doing on Scottish history.
A. crammed B. stood C. tied D. booked
79. I was sitting in a train looking out of the window, when my mind suddenly ______back to that
amazing trip we made to India.
A. put B. flashed C. stirred D. associated
80. Roberto should try not to let his regrets for what he has done ______away at him.
A. come B. eat C. stick D. flood
81. I wish he wouldn’t make such unkind and ______remarks.
A. lapse B. disparaging C. inconsolable D. rough
82. Could you lend me some money to ______ me over to the end of the month?
A. hand B. tide C. get D. make
83. Lisa attempted to ______ herself with her new boss by volunteering to take on extra work.
A. ingratiate B. please C. gratify D. command
84. Before they open the new factory, a lot of the young people round here were ________the dole.
A. in B. under C. on D. at
85. The factory paid ________nearly a million pounds to their employees who were injured in the
explosion.
A. off B. out C. for D. into
86. Harry blew a ________ when his holiday was cancelled.
A. switch B. fuse C. plug D. socket
87. I know you have a good voice and have ambitions to be an opera singer but don’t give up your
day________ yet.
88. Not only is little Johnny's grammar incoherent and his spelling atrocious but alsohis punctuation
______
A. slothful B. sluggish C. hazard D. haphazard
89. The media are always keen on reporting ______
A. mishaps B. calamities C. reverses D. hardships
90. They continued fighting despite all the ______they met with.
A. adversities B. amenities C. properties D. liabilities
91. I was informed by the police officer that he would be forced to take me into______
A. guardianship B. bail C. custody D. protection
92. By being rude to his superiors he is considered to have __________ the mark.
A. transcended B. outrun C. surpassed D. overstepped
93. I have been back to the doctor three times and he still hasn't ____________ the reason for all the pain
I have been suffering from recently.
A. indicated B. highlighted C. pinpointed D. looked up
94. As soon as the bomb was discovered by one of the cleaning staff, the police had the area
___________ off and no-one was allowed within two blocks of the cafe.
A. fenced B. cordoned C. walled D. isolated
95. A couple of boys were _____________ in the pool.
A. impinging on B. larking about C. ploughing ahead D. floating out
96. We were ____________ the task of writing a report of the college´s games.
A. assigned to B. taken over C. run up D. saddled with
97. Anti-terrorist squad officers _________ the area to search for possible bombs.
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A. sealed off B. set off C. come through D. split up
98. The secretary dashed ___________ the weekly report to his director
A. up B. off C. of D. for
99. I __________ an important deal yesterday and she was so thrilled!
A. came across B. mucked up C. shot down D. gunned for
100. There’s been a slight improvement in his heallth, but he’s not out of the _______ yet.
A. bush B. wood C. hand D. reach
PRACTICE TEST 5
1. Be realistic! You can’t go through life looking at the world through _______.
A. rosed-coloured spectacles B. bright sights
C. magnificent spectacles D. green fingers
2. I realized ______ that he was a thief.
A. sooner of later B. all along
C. at the beginning D. eventually
3. The minister made no _______ of any further negotiations.
A mention B. comment C. indication D. remark
4. I don't think Jones and Marlowe should work together on this project. They have shown us before that
they are quite _________ as partners.
A. rebellious B. disinterested C. disagreeable D. incompatible
5. Let me ______ over the matter and give you my decision in a few days.
A. bite B. munch C. chew D. gnaw
6. Find someone who will let you talk things through, or _____ that, write down your thoughts.
A. except B. failing C. for all of D. given
7. They will need time to _________ the proposals we have submitted.
A. lash out B. scroll over C. shrivel up D. mull over
8. Karen was terribly nervous before the interview but she managed to pull herself ________ and act
confidently.
A. through B. over C. together D. off
9. I don't agree with his policies but I'm going to ______ them for now.
A. play along with B. play cat and mouse with
C. play havoc with D. play down
10. His promise is as good as ______. We can rely on him.
A. gold B. gem C. diamond D. jewel
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11. These days the castle is swamped with ________ of tourists.
A. hordes B. cliques C. mobs D. assemblies
12. His flat looks so ______ that it is difficult to believe he just had a party last night.
A. spick and span B. by and large C. safe and sound D. sick and tired
13. I am not able to go anywhere this weekend because I am up to my ______ in work.
A. neck B. nose C. waist D. ankle
14. Brain cancer requires ______ treatment such as surgery.
A. aggressive B. confrontational C. malignant D. rigorous
15. He praised his wife for her dignity under the ______of the tabloid press.
A. onslaught B. assault C. onset D. offensive
16. The old man led a _______ existence after she left and refused even to see his children.
A. reclusive B. deserted C. remote D. vacant
17. I thought I had made it_____ that I didn’t wish to discuss this matter.
A. distinct B. plain C. frank D. straight
18. We work too much. Our teacher keeps our noses to the ________ .
A. stone B. mill stone C. stonemill D. grindstone
19. He is a simple fellow. He usually wears his heart on his _________ .
A. arm B. sleeve C. face D. brow
20. This is the straw that breaks the _________ back.
A. horse’s B. mule’s C. donkey’s D. camel’s
21. The juvenile delinquent was place on ___________ for a year.
A. trial B. charge C. probation D. surveillance
22. I soon got the ____________ of the new machine.
A. hang B. sway C. string D. drift
23. Harry was offered a scholarship to study in Japan and he _____ the opportunity with both hands.
A. grasped B. grabbed C. held D. passed
24. A full scholarship to Harvard and you are worried about leaving your job? You’d be a fool to _____
up a chance like that.
A. turn B. brush C. pass D. cast
25. He admitted taking a bribe and he doesn’t think he’s _______ his chances of getting re-elected?
A. pulled B. wiped C. thrown D. blown
26. Given the appalling weather conditions on top of the mountain, I’d say the chances of their finding
any survivors are very _______ indeed.
A. narrow B. lean C. remote D. shallow
27. I suppose there is a _______ chance that he could win, but I can’t see it happening, myself.
A. thin B. slim C. meagre D. short
28. If someone offered me a posting in South Africa, I’d _______ at the chance.
A. bound B. jump C. grab D. seize
29. During winter the shelters are full of people of no fixed _______.
A. residence B. abode C. home D. domicile
30. Until your finances are in the _______, it is not a good idea to take out a loan.
A. credit B. funds C. profit D. black
31. The matter has been left in _______ until the legal ramifications have been explored.
32. It was an extremely hostile article which cast _______ on the conduct of the entire cabinet.
33 Could I pick your _______ on the subject before the meeting?
21
34. Simon's business has been on the _______ for some time and I understand he's going into
liquidation.
A. fire B. rocks C. wave D. clouds
35. She wouldn’t have heard anything. She is _______ deaf.
A. stone B. rock C. post D. bat
36. We've made some great improvements over the past three months, but we're still not out of the
_______ .
A. jungle B. bush C. dark D. woods
37. We need a process that ______ corrupt police officers.
A. tides over B. beats about C. barks up D. weeds out
38. If you had never seen a telly ad, you would be all at ______ with popular culture.
A. crossroads B. distance C. sea D. length
39. Kristina felt on top of the ______ when she won the beauty pageant.
A. world B. earth C. sky D.universe
40. Mary is the black ______ of the family. She's always in trouble with the police.
A. dog B. cat C. sheep D. horse
41. His fee is a drop in the ______ compared with the real cost of broadcasting.
A. bucket B. ocean C. lake D. sea
42. I'd been living in this country for a few years, but it wasn't until I had kids that I felt like I had really
put down ______ here.
A. roots B. seeds C. nuts D. fruits
43. I'm absolutely ______ under with work at the moment.
A. snowed B. iced C. rained D. fogged
44. I have been ______ by ill health ever since I left university.
A. hounded B. wormed C. ducked D. dogged
45. It was a very wild winter. I think we had one ______ of snow and that was it.
A. gust B. flurry C. drop D. patch
46. I always clean the flat before my mom comes round, but she always find at least one ______ of dust
and says it’s filthy.
A. scrap B. gust C. speck D. blade
47. As winter ends, I always seem to feel a ______ of energy.
A. charge B. spring C. revival D. burst
48. The entire staff was thrown off ______ when the news of the takeover was announced.
49. Gavin will ______ to the challenge of his new promotion.
A. raise B. rise C. ride D. arise
50. I know you have a good voice and have ambitions to be an opera singer but do not give up your day
______ yet.
51. I am in the ______ as to where Chris was last night.
A. shade B. dark C. pink D. black
52. Breaking his leg dealt a ______ to his chances of becoming a professional footballer.
A. thump B. strike C. hit D. blow
53. Let’s make a dash for the train now as the rain seems to be ______ off.
A. easing B. slowing C. reducing D. running
54. Our firm is so successful because it is at the cutting ______ of compoter technology.
A. limit B. fringe C. verge D. edge
55. Monsoon Wedding was described as a cinematic jewel when it hit the _____________ screen.
A. golden B. silver C. bronze D. diamond
22
56. For busy people in today’s society, lifestyle management is gaining ______ .
A. points B. speed C. ground D. terrain
57. We at Buyrite throw down the ______ to competitors to match us for price, quality and service.
A. mitten B. gauntlet C. sword D. hat
58. This time she's leaving for ______. She will never return.
A. all B. always C. good D. once
59. The old house was ______furnished and we had to buy almost everything new.
A. thinly B. sparsely C. mildly D. rarely
61. That old house hasn't been lived in for nearly thirty years, hence the fact that it looks so ______ .
A. decrepit B. trashed C. rotten D. derelict
62. Despite harsh criticism, she's sticking to her ______ on this issue.
A. weapons B. guns C. thumb D. neck
63. If traffic increases beyond a certain level, the city grinds to a ______
A. halt B. stop C. pause D. end
64. Various ecological issues have come to the ______ since the discovery of the hole in the earth's
ozone layer.
A. front B. back C. side D. fore
65. I've seen her perform on television, but never in the ______
A. meat B. flesh C. blood D. vein
66. The full horror of the war only hit ______ when we started seeing the television pictures of it.
A. base B. down C. home D. back
67. She's always ______ to me about how badly she's treated at work.
A. grumbling B. whining C. objecting D. complaining
68. I didn't mean to leave her name off the list; it was a(n) ______ .
A. neglect B. disregard C. insult D. oversight
69. The most important parts of your job may seem difficult now but they will become second ______ to
you within a couple of weeks.
A. instinct B. thought C. nature D. mind
70. The winning team were roundly criticised by the local media for the way in which they had ______
over the losing team. It was considered very unsporting.
A. gloated B. relished C. showed up D. dominated
71. Jack was disappointed not to be promoted as he was given to ______ that the job would be his.
A. know B. understand C. realize D. say
72. I retired three years ago and didn't know what to do with myself. Getting this dog has given me a
new ______of life.
A. burst B. loan C. lease D. extension
73. I found the last scene extremely ______ and particularly well - directed.
A. pathetic B. sympathetic C. pitiful D. moving
74. I'm about to start my long-planned swimming regime. But I've got really terrible cellulite, which
makes me feel rather ______
A. self-assured B. self - centred
C. self-conscious D. self-evident
75. What can we do to persuade drivers that alcohol can turn a car into a ______weapon?
A. lethal B. fatal C. mortal D. venal
76. Large UK-owned companies are ______ their European rivals when it comes to creating wealth, a
study has concluded.
23
A. outstripping B.. catching up
C. overruning D. exceeding
77. Donald Trump’s pledge to rip up existing trade deals with Mexico would ______ substantial damage
on the US economy and kill the region’s competitiveness on the world stage, according to the Mexican
economist who led the country’s trade talks with the US.
A. induce B. inflict C. impose D. wreak
78. Another, perhaps inspired by the nursery rhyme, is that a(n) ______ for sweet things during
pregnancy makes you more likely to be having a girl, while a boy will make you crave savoury, salty
foods, meat and cheese in particular.
A. inspiration B. affinity C. predilection D. propensity
80. The proposal would ______ a storm of protest around the country
A. spark B. sparkle C. ignite D. trigger
81. She refused to answer questions that ______ her private affairs
A. infringed on B. imprinted in C. impinged on D. indulged in
82. The book is such a ______ that I can not put it down
A. page-turner B. best-seller C. duvet-cover D. mind-reader
83. The European Parliament has called for a humanitarian conference to be ______ to discuss how to
tackle the growing crisis.
A. gathered B. collected C. assembled D. convened
84. The rates of extreme poverty have halved in recent decades. But 1.2 billion people still live ______
A. on the house B. on the tenterhooks
C. on the breadine D. on the cards
85. From football to fashion, from TV to stage, we name the ______ stars whose careers are likely to
rocket in the future.
A. out and about B. up and coming
C. down and out D. in and out
86. Obama expressed regret as a US drone strike has______ killed innocent hostages.
A. incongruously B. vehemently C. inadvertently D. graciously
87. You never know whether to take Vic seriously or whether his remarks are tongue in ______ .
A. cheek B. mouth C. tooth D. face
88. Applications for the course are coming in thick and ______.
A. thin B. quick C. fast D. skin
89. Mike ______ the tone of the formal dinner by appearing in a pair of ripped jeans and an old T-shirt.
A. set B. lowered C. degraded D. put
90. The exercise routine works in ______ with the diet.
A. tandem B. league C. hand D. cooperation
91. The audience were in ______ as they watched the latest Aykebourne comedy.
A. stitches B. pleats C. tears D. shreds
92. Do not mention work to Ray, as it is a sore ______ with him at the moment.
A. finger B. point C. place D. thumb
93. It is hard to get back into the ______ of things after a long holiday.
A. pace B. way C. swing D. rhythm
94. The trouble with socializing with colleagues is that they usually end up talking ______
A. sense B. shop C. back D. safe
95. Take your mobile phone with you just to be on the ______ side.
A. sunny B. secure C. straight D. safe
96. Dealing with the failed waste incinerator project is a ______ issue in west Norfolk
24
A. burning B. heating C.boiling D. firing
97. With the amount of traffic nowadays, even a trip across town is ______ with dangers.
A. beset B. surrounded C. assaulted D. devoid
98. He was forced to ______ control of the company.
A. discard B. relinquish C. quit D. surrender
99. Getting up at 8 o’clock was early by her ______
A. reasons B. standards C. limits D. levels
100. He kept telling us about his operation, in the most ______ detail.
A. elaborate B. knotty C. graphic D. burning
PRACTICE TEST 6
1. I knew my mother would ________ a face the minute she saw my new hair cut.
A. drag B. lift C. pull D. race
2. When she started borrowing my clothes without asking, I had to put my ______ down.
A. stamp B. show C. fish D. foot
3. If you are going to town, keep your eyes ________ for that book I was telling you about.
A. peeled B. clean C. wide D. fresh
4. He was a tall, intimidating persson, with a firm tone of voice and a very short ______ .
A. fuse B. line C. patience D. temperament
5. Peter was ______ of revealing the company’s future plans to the reporter.
A. circumspect B. wary C. prudent D. cautious
6. I'd just met his parents for the first time so I was on my best ______ .
A. manners B. conduct C. behaviour D. demeanour
7. As his whole family were doctors, it was in his ______ to take up that profession
A. blood B. spirit C. soul D. heart
8. Though we'd all been close on the school trip, we parted ______ with one another once we were back
home.
A. views B. frienship C. company D. opinions
9. It pays to be above ______ in your dealings with the Inland Revenue.
A. board B. timber C. plank D. panel
10. Excuse me if I'm speaking out of ______, but what you are proposing is quite wrong.
A. mind B. line C. turn D. order
11. Dr Johnson managed to ensure that the scientists in his research team were the ______ of the crop.
A. top B. catch C. cream D. blend
12. Larry displayed the courage of his ______ by saying no to his supervisor.
A. convictions B. certainties C. principles D. opinions
13. At 69 he is as firmly in the ______ seat of the company as ever.
A. front B. driving C. leading D. foremost
14. Now, 10 days since the hurricane made landfall, residents are struggling to pick up the ______.
A. bits B. parts C. pieces D. slices
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15. I believe he really does want to work for us, but he’s playing hard to ______ so that we offer more
money.
A. catch B. get C. grab D. give
16. Some people try to ______ the myth that women are weak.
A. maintain B. preserve C. perpetuate D. disseminate
17. It’s a ______ for decent jobs these days, so you need every qualification you can get.
A. scramble B. jumble C. jostle D. flurry
18. It’s been a ______ winter this year, with temperatures as low as -15°
A. fervent B. sharp C. bitter D. fetid
19. Keith is a ______ of knowledge when it comes to computers.
A. stream B. fountain C. pool D. spring
20. It’s a modern city, full of ______ tower blocks
A. rising B. heaving C. ascending D. soaring
21. A narrow path winds its ______ down from the mountain.
A. course B. route C. way D. direction
22. Try to ______ count of how many calories you eat over a week.
A. have B. make C. keep D. hold
23. There's still a ______ bit of work to be done on the house.
A. decent B. fair C. big D. large
24. The extra payments are a ______for most single mothers.
A. lifeline B. lifequard C. lifeboat D. lifebelt
25. I arrived early for the meeting so I was twiddling my ______for half an hour.
A. fingers B. toes C. hands D. thumbs
26. The film's only ______ grace is the excellent cinematography.
A. winning B. rescuing C. saving D. giving
27. A full-sized tripod is far too ______ to carry around. I find this pocket – sized one is much handier.
A. overweight B. inept C. unwieldy D. outsize
28. Many diseases that used to be considered ______ of mankind are now easily treatable with
antibiotics
A. scourges B. tortures C. blights D. thorns
29. She knows ahe needs exercise, but finds going to the gym a ______.
A. job B. toil C. work D. chore
30. The special effects were quite good, but that’s more than could be ______ for the acting.
A. mentioned B. spoken C. said D. told
31. There are some safety ______ in connection with the new building that still need to be addresssed.
A. worries B. cares C. troubles D. corners
32. After the earthquake, the entrance hall was turned into a ______ casualty ward.
A. mainstay B. makeshift C. piecework D. wayside
33. Tears ______ up out of the baby's eyes.
A. raised B. mounted C. welled D. filled
34. She went under ________as a waiter to write an article on tipping.
A. mask B. act C. pose D. cover
35. There is a new _____ to our family. My mother has just given birth to a baby.
A. growth B. admission C. topping D. addition
36. I don’t want to burden my daughter with my problems; she’s got too much _____
A. up her sleeve B. in her mind C. in effect D. on her plate
37. We live in a _____ society where shopping is all-important.
A. customer B. consumer C. consumption D. civil
38. That human rights are _____ is unacceptable in a civilized society.
26
A. infringed B. impeached C. abrogated D. quashed
39. He set one alarm-clock for five o’clock and the other for five past so as to _____ that he did not
oversleep.
A. assure B. ensure C. insure D. reass
40. Improving the overall environmental quality is a long-term battle in which we do want the
participation of everyone in society in order to ________ results.
A. realize B. reap C. bear D. generate
41. While backpacking in a quiet, traditional region, I came across the seemingly __________ fast food
ads typical of my hometown.
A. invasive B. infuriating C. irritating D. ubiquitous
42. I dislike him so much that I find it difficult even to be _______ to him.
A. civil B. tactful C. diplomatic D. well-mannered
43. Leili said she found learning languages as easy as __________. She had a gift for it.
A. sliding off a branch B. falling off a log
C. diving off a climb D. branching off a bough
44. You are going to need her help. If I were you, I’d ___________ a bit. I’d try to get her on my side,
you know what I mean.
A. soap her down B. oil her over
C. butter her up D. grease her out
45. That woman sees nothing _________ in letting her children run around as they wish.
A. awry B. amiss C. afraid D. alike
46. It looks like she’s really _________ with her successful new business.
A. closing a deal B. moving on up C. breaking it even D. raking it in
47. There is a great deal of pressure in the newspaper industry; editor might work a 12-hour day with no
_________.
A. come-down B. letdown C. crackdown D. let-up
48. It was Alice’s year: a new home, a better job - everything just clicked into _________.
A. spot B. position C. place D. spaceholes
49. The professor’s _________theory is that singing preceded speech.
A. fancied B. fond C. pet D. prefer
50. It took me several seconds to grasp the meaning of her statement but finally the ________ dropped.
A. penny B. axe C. hammer D. stone
51. Somebody who is foolish or stupid is________ .
A. soft in the head B. riding high
C. over the moon D. pushing up daisies
52. The government is doing all it can to _______ war on dangerous driving.
A. launch B. wage C. stage D. battle
53. Take care that your love for him doesn't _______ your judgment.
A. cloud B. darken C. shadow D. topple
54. Although the twins look identical, they have widely _______ opinions on almost every topic under
the sun.
A. distinct B. dissimilar C. divergent D. distinguished
55. The children's interest in playing the game soon _______.
A. flagged B. stumbled C. tottered D. thawed
56. The princess's nanny's autobiography really gives the _______ on life among the royals.
A. show-down B. know-how C. low-down D. look-out
57. A(n) ________ attempt by the army was quickly foiled.
A. coup B. overthrow C. overtake D. mutiny
27
58. Having gained a ________ victory in the general elections, they proceeded with their ambitious
programme.
A. galloping B. staunch C. landslide D. close-up
59. It was the most boring, long-________speech I have ever had the misfortune to hear.
A. lasting ` B. winded C. standing D. running
60. The journey would take ________ fifty minutes.
A. give or take B. about
C. anywhere between D. in rough
61. There’s no need to get so ________ about being turned down. There are other advertising agencies
out there, you know.
A. destitute B. despondent C. descendant D. despicable
62. Many companies have had to ________ their plans for expansion due to the economic recession.
A. scrap B. harbour C. refrain D. oust
63. I ________ you that this new job is a step up the ladder, but it will mean moving to another part of
the country.
A. divulge B. quibble C. heckle D. grant
64. The only thing that ________ the race was Kaba’s accident.
A. dismantled B. scrapped C. marred D. frayed
65. The whole situation is getting out of ________. Let’s do something before it turns into a bitter row.
A. capacity B. charge C. hand D. discipline
66. The weekend is over, so tomorrow morning it’s back to the________ .
A. grind B. labour C. drudgery D. toil
67. It takes time to get a financial system up and ________ after the introduction of a new currency.
A. walking B. proceeding C. running D. going
68. Life is so full of both good fortune and misfortunes that you have to learn to take the rough with
the________.
A. smooth B. ready C. calm D. tough
69. Stephen really lost his________ when his dental appointment was cancelled yet again.
A. head B. voice C. calm D. rag
70. Don’t take it as ________ that you’ll be promoted in your job; other colleagues stand a good chance
too
A. fixed B. standard C. read D. word
71. I don’t believe for a moment that if you play that record backwards, you’ll hear a ________ message
in the background.
A. subsiding B. sublingual C. subliminal D. telepathic
72. The festival audience were ________ each other in order to get as near to the stage as possible.
A. staggering B. jostling C. strolling D. fidgeting
73. -“They say that your wife tends to pry into other people private’s matters.”
- “ I don’t care. It’s no skin off my _______”
A. palm B. skull C. cheek D. nose
74. Take the doctor’s advice into consideration. He’s in ________ earnest about the epidemic.
A. mortally B. fatally C. gravely D. deadly
75. It’s important to keep your _____ about you when you are walking through the African bush.
A. wits B. heads C. brains D. minds
76. The science teacher asked the class to ______ the results of their experiment on a graph.
A. draw B. illustrate C. plot D. sketch
77. She's such a ______ of strength that everyone relies on her in a crisis.
A. tower B. pillar C. post D. support
78. Tom was able to ______ a pretty picture of the situation and impressed his manager.
28
A. paint B. draw C. present D. make
79. It is far too easy to lay the blame ______ on the shoulders of the management.
A. flatly B. willingly C. squarely D. perfectly
80. David has a(n) ______ to fainting at the sight of blood.
A. inclination B. predilection C. predisposition D. penchant
81. The school committee paid ______ to their famous former pupil by naming the new gym after her.
A. esteem B. homage C. honour D. respect
82. After his long illness, the old man appeared so thin and ______ that a gust of wind might have blown
him away.
A. flimsy B. faint C. withered D. frail
83. You could tell that she wasn't happy about the news by the way she ______ her face in disapproval.
A. came on B. brought round C. settled for D. screwed up
84. Going to the unemployment office and having to wait there for hours is a ______ experience.
A. soul-destroying B. heart-stopping
C. power-sharing D. thought-provoking
85. Mr. Newrich invited his guests to an expensive restaurant. However, he felt ______ at ease.
A. sick B. painful C. ill D. unwell
86. The gift, together with the flowers, was a ______of his gratitude and appreciation.
A. coupon B. memento C. remembrance D. token
87. If she doesn't get what she wants, she throws a ______, stamping her feet and screaming her head
off.
A. outburst B. tantrum C. steam D. rage
88. The ______workers were expecting thousands of refugees to turn up at the camps over the next few
weeks.
A. social B. concern C. relief D. agency
89. The police have been ______ the district for the murderer, leaving no stone unturned.
A. brainwashing B. penetrating C. ransacking D. scouring
90. Despite the fog, we were able to discern a ______of cottages in the distance.
A. cluster B. clutter C. congregation D. constellation
91. I'm afraid we got our ______crossed. I thought my husband would be picking up the children and he
thought I was doing it.
A. minds B. purposes C. fingers D. wires
92. Today many people find that the pressure they have at work makes their jobs ________ as they have
to put their families totally in the background.
A. untenable B. unforgivable C. unsustainable D. unreliable
93. The man’s choice to run away virtually ______ to an admission of guilt.
A. devoted B. came C. amounted D. added
94. I have to stress that the ______ is on you to bring up your own children.
A. duty B. charge C. onus D. liability
95. She was just an ordinary person before suddenly thrusting into the ______.
A. limelight B. floodlight C. headlight D. flashlight
96. Many people no longer trust their own _____ memories and commit every detail of their lives to
some digital device or other and are completely lost without it.
A. fallible B. susceptible C. vulnerable D. controllable
97. I associate public transport with one of the worst experiences of my life and the _____ of it is that I
will never catch a bus again.
A. hard and fast B. thick and thin
C. long and short D. ups and downs
98. Getting that job did a lot to ______his ego after having been turned down many times.
29
A. boost B. promote C. develop D. accelerate
99. My boss is a typical person who has to deal with ___________ activities every day.
A. miscellaneous B. multifarious C. assorted D. manifold
100. Fortunately, her parents were ______ unaware of what was happening to her.
A. rapturously B. exultantly C. blissfully D. jubilantly
PRACTICE TEST 7
1. I was promised a good job from January this year, but it’s April now and I’m afraid that they are just
____________ me along.
A. cheating B. swindling C. stringing D. bringing
2. Although we now believe this to be impossible, early scientists tried to produce ______ motion
machines, that is, machines which would never stop.
A. perpetual B. everlasting C. undying D. forever
4. Mr. Discontent wanted to complain to the waiter but was afraid of making a(n) ______.
A. act B. drama C. play D. scene
5. Is an inexperienced civil servant __________ to the task of running the company?
A. capable B. skilled C. eligible D. suited
6. After the concert, everyone had to ________ home through the snow.
A. trace B. tread C. trudge D. trickle
7. The students paid _________ attention to the distinguished professor.
A. respectable B. respected C. respectful D. respective
8. Jerry has been burning the midnight ________ over the last few days; his final exam is soon.
A. lamp B. light C. candle D. oil
9. Books taken from the short ________ section are due to be returned the next day.
A. borrowing B. credit C. loan D. return
10. You are bound to find information on the stock market crash of 1987 in the newspaper ________.
A. files B. archives C. records D. collections
11. I knew my mother would ________ a face the minute she saw my new haircut.
A. drag B. lift C. pull D. raise
12. There are a lot of computer programmes nowadays, but really good ones are few and far ________
A. between B. apart C. away D. amongst
13. He is such a kind and caring young boy - he wouldn’t hurt a ________ .
A. bird B. worm C. fly D. bug
14. In the last century, it was widely _______ that Indian fakirs were capable of superhuman feats.
A. held B. grasped C. kept D. shaken
15. You can buy goods on the Internet with a credit card, but there is a danger of _____ if someone else
obtains the number.
A. corruption B. fraud C. embezzlement D. disruption
16. As he accepted the award from the organization, his voice _____ with emotion.
A. quivered B. flinched C. cringed D. winced
17. You say that this small spare part cost you $100? I am sure you paid through the _____ for it.
A. eye B. nose C. ear D. lips
30
18. It was mindless of you to _____ Sam in the face. You should never have done it if you expect him to
love you.
A. slam B. clap C. slap D. clasp
19. The train service has been a _____ since they introduced the new schedules.
A. shambles B. rumpus C. chaos D. fracas
20. Fiona’s offered to help you. Don’t ask why – never look a gift _____ in the mouth.
A. horse B. cow C. deer D. dog
21. Sandra’s unpleasant _____ suggested that she knew about Amanda’s terrible secret.
A. grimace B. smirk C. wince D. snort
22. The altitude _______ his breathing, making him a bit spaced out and disorientated.
A. played downed B. played havoc with
C. played himself in D. played up to
23. These men share a tendency toward balladeering that _______ me the wrong way.
A. bothers B. provokes C. riles D. rubs
24. I’m afraid the results of the X-ray examination are quite ________.
A. undecided B. indecisive C. inconclusive D. irresolute
25. A lot of people who have had a ___________ deal in life will show surprising cheerfulness.
A. bad B. rough C. raw D. clean
26 . The accused man was released on _________ pending the hearing of the case.
A. deposit B. bond C. deposition D. bail
27. The main cause of the strike was the management’s refusal to give further consideration to the
question of pay ________.
A. differences B. differentials C. subsides D. dissimilarities
28. The Chairman ruled the speaker’s question ______.
A. out of line B. out of tune C. out of order D. out of condition
29. When several companies showed interest in buying the film rights to his novel, he knew he had
__________.
A. upped the ante B. scooped the bag
C. caught the fat one D. hit the jackpot
30. The tournament isn’t over yet, not by a long ___________.
A. talk B. chalk C. walk D. hawk
31. The rumour that his job was in jeopardy caused Pete to______ with concern.
A. frown B. beam C. grimace D. howl
32. Little did I imagine The Amazing Race would entail long-winded journey and ups and downs ____.
A. aplenty B. inexhaustibly C. profusely D. superabundant
33. It stands to reason that a touch of humor and optimism can work ____.
A. on all cylinders B. spectacles
C. wonders D. your fingers to the bone
34. Researchers have made a(n) ____ plea for more sponsorship so that they can continue their project.
A. compassionate B. dispassionate C. encompassed D. impassioned
35. At first, she was ____ dumbfounded to hear that he wanted to break up, and then came the stirring of
autohypnotic perturbation.
A. exceedingly B. out-and-out C. somewhat D. utterly
36. In the hands of a reckless driver, a car becomes a ____ weapon.
A. lethal B. fatal C. mortal D. venal
37. It’s a shame they did not pick you, but it does not ____ out the possibility that you might get a job in
a different department.
A. rule B. strike C. cancel D. draw
38. There’s a small hard ____ on my wrist. I think I’d better see the doctor.
31
A. swelling B. lump C. bruise D. rash
39. At first Tom insisted he was right, but then began to ____.
A. back down B. follow up C. drop off D. break up
40. The decision was ____to a later meeting.
A. cancelled B. arranged C. deferred D. delayed
41. Tempers began to ____ as the lorries forced their way through the picket lines.
A. break B. fray C. grate D. fire
42. The old ship will be towed into harbour and ____ .
A. broken up B. broken down C. broken in D. broken off
43. Making private calls on the office phone is severely____on in our department.
A. frowned B. criticised C. regarded D. objected
44. Apart from the ____ cough and cold. I’ve been remarkably healthy all my life.
A. odd B. opportune C. irregular D. timely
45. The company was declared bankrupt when it had ____ more debts than it could hope to repay.
A. inflicted B. incurred C. entailed D. evolved
46. Architectural pressure groups fought unsuccessfully to save a terrace of eighteenth century houses
from ____ .
A. disruption B. abolition C. demolition D. dismantling
47. Before I went to drama school, I had to ____ quite a lot of family pressure for me to study medicine.
A. resist B. restrain C. refuse D. reconcile
48. Strong protests were made ____ with demands for an international enquiry.
A. joined B. added C. coupled D. included
49. What her problems all seemed to ____ to was lack of money.
A. analyse B. condense C. boil down D. sum up
50. The picture looked very impressive but in fact it had been____________from another.
A. imitated B. emulated C. copied D. faked
51. The archaeologist was amazed to sse that the body hadn’t____________at all.
A. mouldered B. rotted C. wasted D. decomposed
52. We put some____________of bread out everyday for the birds.
A. chips B. crumbs C. cubes D. slivers
53. I found the information for the project in the encyclopedia but I couldn’t give ____________and
verse on it.
A. chapter B. unit C. poem D. extract
54. Speaking about his long battle with his illness struck a ____________with the audience.
A. wire B. string C. rope D. chord
55. He is not under arrest, nor have police placed any ____________on his movements.
A. obstacle B. restriction C. veto D. regulation
56. The entire staff was thrown off ____________when the news of the takeover was announced.
57. I’m not sure I can answer that. I’ve only thought about it in the ____________before.
A. general B. hypothetical C. indefinite D. abstract
58. The matter has been left in____________until the legal ramifications have been explored.
59. Could I pick your ____________on the subject before the meeting?
60. The modification has been the _______ on the cake for both of us, for a lot of hard work has gone
into the design and development of the course.
A. chilling B. cooling C. freezing D. icing
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61. Annabel and Insidious 3 are not James Wan’s best movies by far and those would be _______
between any of the other sequels on air, but they are pretty incredible.
A. kiss-offs B. summings-up C. tip-offs D. toss-ups
62. You shouldn’t have been _______ to your elders by raising those matters.
A. ill-mannered B. immaterial C. impertinent D. inapposite
63. Should you fail, the sacrifices made by your family would be meaningless and reside _______.
A. on your conscience B. at your wits’ end
C. off your own boat D. under your thumb
64. Many Americans refused to fall in with the idea that religion is a(n) _______ disreputable
anachronism.
A. academically B. cerebrally C. cognitively D. intellectually
65. She expects the political experience gained in this election will stand her in good _______ in her
future career, which, she suggests, could include another campaign.
A. footing B. grounding C. precedent D. stead
66, I ran into an unknown in the gap-filling exercise, but I did try and _______ the gap.
A. held on B. hang out C. pressed on D. stuck at
67. I was out of __________ with you on this matter, but let’s not quarrel about it.
A. empathy B. harmony C. keeping D. sympathy
68. Poor management brought village shops to teeter _______ of collapse although community-owned
shops, Internet retailing and home delivery schemes were becoming more popular.
A. in the teeth B. on the brink
C. on the razor’s edge D. on the threshold
69. Our lecturer _______ the importance of taking notes
A. reincarnated B. reiterated C. rehabilitated D. reciprocated
70. The contemporary dialogue for me struck a slightly _______ note.
A. disembodied B. discordant C. dismissive D. disconcerting
71. Both of the jobs I’ve been offered are fantastic opportunities – I’m in such _______!
A. a constituency B. a deviation C. an arrhythmia D. a quandary
72. Sharon is such a positive person – she _______ her problems, whatever they are.
A. goes light on B. throws light to C. makes light of D. sheds light upon
73. After hearing news of the attack, the general made plans for an immediate _______ against the
enemy.
A. compilation B. retaliation C. accumulation D. incantation
74. He didn’t mean to be offensive; it was quite an _______ remark.
A. innocuous B. indehiscent C. incendiary D. insidious
75. Serena is still _______ ignorant of the fact that she is about to be made redundant.
A. blissfully B. decorously C. jubilantly D. ecstatically
76. No decision has been taken about the building of the new airport. The authorities are still _______.
A. beating about the bush B. comparing apples and oranges
C. sitting on the fence D. holding all the aces
77. Oil spills will _______ even the healthiest of marine ecosystem.
A. play havoc on B. break ground with
C. pay the consequences for D. take their toll on
78. Congratulations on your success! How does it feel to be_______?
A. the man of the hour B. a word of honor
C. an egg on the face D. the top of the morning
79. She was so _____ about my ambition to be an actress that I really wish I hadn’t confided in her.
A. ridiculous B. ironical C. droll D. sarcastic
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80. The two men had a disagreement when they first met. That disagreement _______ the scene for the
lifelong hostility between them.
A laid B arranged C prepared D set
81. This will cause all sorts of problems. ~ I know. It’s a _______ for disaster.
A. recipe B. ingredient C. receipt D. reason
82. A: He thinks the exam will be easy.
B: Oh, _________.
A. if you like B. famous last words C. go ahead D. I wouldn't say no
83. We had to _______ in the back of the car for an hour to find the missing keys.
A. bed out B. ransack C. root around D. turn upside down
84. If the basket is removed with more citric acid added, it may be used to manufacture or _______
alcohol.
A. amend B. patch up C. rectify D. remedy
85. They spend so much time arguing that, when it comes to the _______, decisions are often deferred.
A. crunch B. outcry C. panic stations D. uproar
86. We were bitterly disappointed when our team were _______ to the second division from the first.
A. allocated B. designated C. relegated D. stipulated
87. Working night shifts at the weekend is _______ of any job in hospitality.
A. cut and thrust B. ebb and flow C. nuts and bolts D. part and parcel
88. Materialism traps us _______ in a world of possessions hag-ridden by irrational fears of likely loss
and lurking dangers.
A. impromptu B. off the cuff C. on a whim D. unawares
89. Although she had been told quite _______ to pull herself together, she simply couldn’t stop crying.
A. rigidly B. sternly C. unrelentingly D. unsympathetically
90. He was highly knowledgeable on the areas. Many would say he was something of a _______.
A. novice B. probationer C. tenderfoot D. veteran
91. The ______________ in our building often falls asleep at the front desk.
A. caretaker B. stockbroker C. undertaker D. bookmaker
92. Police blamed a small hooligan______ in the crowd for the violence which occurred.
A. constituent B. element C. division D. portion
93. He was arrested for trying to pass______ notes at the bank.
A. camouflaged B. fake C. counterfeitD. fraudulent
94. It was such a shock to receive a letter like that________
A.in the red B. out of the blue C.in the pink D. over the moon
95. Mr Wellbred went to a school which______ good manners and self-discipline.
A. blossomed B. planted C. harvested D. cultivated.
96. The smell of the burnt cabbage was so __________ that it spread to every room.
A. pervasive B. effusive C. extensive D. diffuse
97. If the terrorists are not sent to prison, there will be a public ______
A. attack B. onslaught C. recrimination D. outcry
98. She was in the office all of Wednesday and so has a ___________ alibi.
A. stale B. considerable C. broad D. cast-iron
99. Her dishonety served as a ____________ to the speedy termination of her employment.
A. catastrophe B. catharsis C. catalepsy D. catalyst
100. In his speech he made a flattering ______ to your work.
A. allusion B. appetite C. application D. applause
34
PRACTICE TEST 8
1. If we _________ over the details, we’ll never finish filming this episode by today.
A. niggle B. discuss C. huddle D. mob
2. The camel has adapted to survive in an _____________ environment like the desert for many days
without water.
A. acidic B. alkaline C. arid D. avid
3. My manager is a typical working mother who has to deal with ___________ activities every day.
A. miscellaneous B. multifarious C. many D. manifold
4. He'll have to buckle ________ to his work soon if he wants to pass his finals.
A. up B. in C. down D. for
5. He spoke well though it was his _________ speech.
A. first-hand B. maiden C. slurred D. prime
6. In his ___________days he was quite dandy.
A. salad B. green C. fruit D. vegetable
7. What ________ the smoke and the noise, the party made me feel quite ill.
A. if B. with C. through D. of
8. Speed limits on the road ________ to protect pedestrians as well as motorists.
A. serve B. prove C. succeed D. intend
9. Tax ________ deprives the state of several million pounds a year.
A. retention B. desertion C. escapism D. evasion
10. What are you going to do when all you money ________.
A. runs down B. runs deep C. runs dry D. runs short
11. Fred says that his present job does not provide him with enough ________ for his organising ability.
A. scope B. space C. capacity D. range
12. A few political extremists ________the crowd to attack the police.
A. animated B. agitated C. incited D. stirred
13. Some people can_________out of their shyness as soon as they are 20.
A. move B. change C. grow D. turn
13. Please don’t talk about the day – I want to__________it all behind me.
A. block B. stir C. summon D. put
14. Advertisers often aim their campaigns at young people as they have considerable
spending___________?
A. power B. strength C. force D. ability
15. The weather is usually mild, although we sometimes get a cold________at he beginning of the year.
A. spell B. term C. interval D. wave
16. He had a ___________ escape since the bullet came within inches of his head.
A. slender B. close C. near D. narrow
17. I can’t tell you the exact amount, but I can give you a ______ estimate.
A. smooth B. tidy C. rough D. similar
18. ______benefits include a new car and free health insurance.
A.Well B. Fringe C. Edge D.Verge
19. You haven’t heard all the facts so don’t________to conclusion.
A. walk B. go C. fly D. jump
20. I really cannot believe that anyone would ______ to such underhand tactics.
35
A. dabble B. stoop C. reach D. conceive
21. Dominant individuals may use ______ gestures to underline their power.
A. submissive B. expansive C. flirtatious D. nervous
22. Andrew’s ______ was to only tell his mother bad news when she was busy so that she would have
less chance to react.
A. tactics B. intent C. ploy D. threat
23. A sharp frost ______ the beginning of winter.
A. advertised B. predicted C. heralded D. showed
24. The old man led a ______ existence after she left and refused even to see his children.
A. reclusive B. deserted C. remote D. vacant
25. They’re having serious problems. Their relationship is on the _______.
A. cliffs B. rocks C. stones D. grass
26. The renewed interest in Elizabethan times is evident in the _______ of new Hollywood films set
during that period.
A. spate B. hypocrisy C. transience D. demise
27. Religion and politics interest him almost ________.
A. equally B. the same C. similarly D. alike
28. Our salesmen normally _______ their travel expenses from the company.
A. settle B. reimburse C. cover D. claim
29. A property company was making a take-over ________ for the supermarket site.
A. proposition B. bid C. tender D. proposal
30. At first the children enjoyed the game but quite soon the novelty ________.
A. went off B. died out C. wore off D. died down
31. The train _______ the bay and then turned inland for twenty miles.
A. coasted B. skirted C. edged D. sided
32. I’m not keen on _______ control of the project to a relative newcomer.
A. undertaking B. charging C. entrusting D. allotting
33. I’m _______to listen to your pathetic excuses,” She said.
A. sick and tired B. in no mood C. having enough D. sick to death
34. “There’s no need to stand on ceremony, _______in,” said a disembodied voice from the kitchen.
A. plough B. burrow C. fork D. dig
35. It was _______ by chance that we managed to find her.
A. sheerly B. purely C. plainly D. highly
36. I wish you would stop sitting on the_______and decide whose side you’re on.
A. fence B. crossroads C. wall D. middle
37. Within minutes the building was_______.in flames.
A. engulfed B. engrossed C. engaged D. entangled
38. The price of bread has just doubled, but with. _______ inflation what can you expect
A. rampant B. steadfast C. profuse D. staunch
39. He’s a nice guy, always already to do somebody a good _______.
A. present B. play C. turn D. pleasure
40. Young children often ask many questions because they are naturally _______.
A. intriguing B. inquisitive C. ingenious D. captivating
41. The rather humid climate in no way_______ from the beauty of place
A. subtracts B. protracts C. detracts D. attracts
42. Don’t thank me for helping in the garden. It was _______pleasure to be working out of doors.
A. plain B. mere C. simple D. sheer
42. My sunburnt nose made me feel rather _______for the first few days of the holiday.
A. self-effacing B. self-centred C. self- concious D. self-evident
36
43. The peace of the public library was _______by the sound of transistor radio
A. smashed B. fractured C. demolished D. shattered
44. Anticipating renewed rioting, the authorities erected _______to block off certain streets.
A. barrages B. barricades C. ditches D. dykes
45. With their modern, lightweight boat, they soon _______ the older vessels in the race
A. outstripped B. caught up C. overran D. exceeded
46. The accused man was able to prove his innocence at the trial and was ___.
A. absolved B. forgiven C. acquitted D. abandoned
47. Luckily my wallet was handed in to the police with all its contents ___.
A. preserved B. unscathed C. contained D. intact
48. According to a Government spokesman, further ___ in the public sector are to be expected.
A. cutbacks B. breakdowns C. outtakes D. layouts
49. Don’t get yourself ___ up over such a trivial matter
A. done B. worried C. whipped D. worked
50. There was a lot of ___ as throngs of people tried to see the famous actor walking through the mall.
A. stamina B. discipline C. counsel D. commotion
51. When the ship docked at Hamburg, they found a(n) ___ in the hold.
A. gate-crasher B. stowaway C. interloper D. trespasser
52. He wants to pay the bill himself, but I won’t hear ___ it.
A. from B. about C. of D. for
53. When his parents are away, his eldest brother ___.
A. kocks it off B. calls the shots
C. draws the line D. is in the same boat
54. They lived in a thatched cottage in a ________ village in the heart of the English countryside.
A. dense B. conventional C. lush D. quaint
55. As they travelled across the________ landscape, each one of them wondered how it was possible to
grow anything there.
A. barren B. bustling C. grimy D. mundane
56. Elena is a________ talented singer and has already had three successful albums.
A. deeply B. perceptibly C. remarkably D. absolutely
57. John and Sarah lived in the back of________ and it always took us a whole day to drive there.
A. the country B. isolation C. nowhere D. beyond
58. The new restaurant in town has a wonderfully relaxing ________.
A. ambience B. environment C. impression D. attitude
59. The manager was forced to make a________ decision while he was under pressure and it was one he
would live to regret.
A. fresh B. close C. snap D. bitter
60. The new company had been________ with one problem after another and looked as if it were about
to go under.
A. glorified B. tainted C. fraught D. bewildered
61. Don’t take your mobile phone with you to the exam, the examiners will ________ it if they find it
on you.
A. seize B. spurn C. confiscate D. toil
62. It’s best to meet your problems ________ and solve them before they get worse.
A. eye-on B. hair-on C. nose-on D. head-on
63. He will be sue for __________ of contract if he does not do what he promised
A. breach B. fracture C. crack D. rupture
64. When people live in such close __________ to each other, there are bound to be occasional problems
A. neighborhood B. vicinity C. position D. proximity
37
65. The __________ were stacked against them but they survived their ordeal.
A. fates B. hopes C. odds D. chances
66. Tragedy __________ yesterday when a man was swept out to sea by a freak wave.
A. struck B. sparked C. hit D. came
67. I always take my lucky _________with me into an exam.
A. sign B. item C. charm D. spell
68. Why are all your clothes in a __________on the floor?
A. bulk B. heap C. batch D. sum
69. Sending out e-mails that people haven’t asked for to ______addresses is often known.
A. sufficient B. countless C. widespread D. multiple
71. I’m not sure if I’m doing it right, but I’ll try to ___________ahead with it anyway.
A. drive B. bang C. touch D. press
72. The extensive winds that have been ________ Florida will move away as the weekend draws to a
close.
A. battering B. punching C. cracking D. thumping
73. Some great men have had an __________ school record.
A. undistinguished B. indistinguishable C. extinguished D. indistinct
74. She didn’t want me to go with her to the party in case I ________ her style.
A. restricted B. impeded C. obstructed D. cramped
75. ________ edge technology is a category of technologies so new that they could have a high risk of
being unreliable.
A. Cutting B. Bleeding C. Tearing D. Surging
76. You've got a whole week to yourself and you can read to your heart's ________.
A. happiness B. content C. contentment D. delight
77. We intend this to be a(n) ________ project, taking us into the next decade.
78. I'd like to reserve ________ until I see the report.
A. condemnation B. thought C. criticism D. judgement
79. After a few years in one place, I get ________ feet
A. itchy B. scratchy C. sore D. light
80. It seems like ________ justice that he should lose his house as well as his wife.
A. poetic B. only C. small D. rough
81. At the moment the election seems balanced on a ________ edge.
A. razor B. knife C. cliff D. chair
82. A gun battle broke out which ________ in the death of two police officers.
A. culminated B. erupted C. escalated D. concluded
83. The only ________ feature of the job is the salary.
A. saving B. redeeming C. recovering D. acquitting
84. Let me take care of the invitations—you've enough ________ with the caterers.
A. on your hands B. in hand C. at her hand D. at hand
85. I am sorry to have bothered you. I was under the ________ that you wanted me to call you.
A. mistake B. miscalculation
C. misconception D. misapprehension
86. If the work-force respected you, you wouldn’t need to ________ your authority so often
A. assert B. affirm C. maintain D. inflict
87. The economic situation makes many people unwilling to take the ________and open their own
businesses.
38
A. initiative B. bull C. plunge D. opportunity
88. Roy________the depths of despair when his wife left him
A. plumbs B. reaches C. fills D. achieves
89. I’ll keep you ________ on his progress.
A. noticed B. announced C. mailed D. posted
90. She has a(n) ________ mind which kept her alert and well-informed even in old age.
A. examining B. demanding C. enquiring D. querying
91. Rather than be ________ by complaints from others, you can learn how to deal with them with tact
and grace.
A. overrun B. overcome C. overwhelmed D. overhauled
92. Several of the advertising hoardings had been ________ by anti-sexist slogans.
A. deleted B. mutilated C. erased D. defaced
93. Only after buying the cottage did we discover that it was ________ with mice.
A. inflicted B. infested C. invaded D. infected
94. The protesters were ordered to ________ and calm was restored to the area.
A. dissolve B. scatter C. disperse D. dislocate
95. Rescuers cast a ________ to the drowning man and hauled him out of the sea.
A. lifeguard B. lifeboat C. lifeline D. lifesaver
96. In terms of loss of human life, the cost of a third world war is ________.
A. absurd B. bizarre C. uncanny D. unthinkable
97. Disagreements among party members have led to a major political ________.
A. tussle B. wrangle C. scrap D. squabble
98. I was ________ when I heard that the MP for Burnham had been arrested for fraud.
A. leveled B. floored C. hurled D. heaved
99. Trent’s theory rested on such a dubious scientific ________ that most rejected it outright.
A. footing B. grip C. balance D. traction
100. Fewer supporters attended the political ________ than had been expected.
A. gathering B. assembly C. ally D. convention
39
PRACTICE TEST 9
1. Their decision on whether I get the job or not will be based mostly on my academic ________.
A. reputation B. credits C. credentialsD. standing
2. Having sacked three employees, the boss was obliged to provide each with ________ pay.
A. retirement B. unemployment C. dismissal D. severance
3. James could no longer bear the ________ surroundings of the decrepit old house.
A. oppressiveB. pressing C. domineering D. overbearing
4. Critics agree that Trevor Richmond gave a particularly ________ performance as King Lear.
A. holding B. arresting C. apprehensive D. detaining
5. She found the novel absolutely ________ and impossible to put down.
A. riveting B. pinning C. enfastening D. nailing
6. Every room in the hotel was characterized by shabby furmiture and ________ lighting.
A. morose B. negative C. sullen D. glum
7. Having beaten all six challengers, he is now the ________champion of the world.
A. undisputed B. unchallenged C. unquestioned D. unaccosted
8. Ben thought it pointless to swim against the ________ as the vast majority of guests clearly wanted to
go to the party.
A. tide B. flow C. wind D. drift
9. Turning on his ________ lights would have alerted other drivers to his presence at roadside.
A. danger B. risk C. hazard D. peril\
10. She was very frustrated, but didn’s say anything because she didn’t want to ________ the boat.
A. shake B. rattle C. rock D. roll
11. I am sick of hearing the same old ________ in meetings.
A. plentitudes B. placidities C. pliabilities D. platitudes
12. She had a(n) ________ interest in holding a seperate bank account.
A. vested B. invested C. shadowed D. implied
13. The Prime Minister gave a(n) ________ response to the question.
A. evading B. invasive C. evasive D. invading
14. He didn’t mean to be offensive; it was quite a(n) ________ remark.
A. innocuous B. inaugural C. integral D. insidious
15. State pensions are currently at the centre of a(n) ________ debate.
A. scorching B. exploded C. fiery D. flamed
16. In the director’s opinion, it was high time the actress began to ________ her age.
A. be B. reach C. act D. perform
17. My hopes of becoming a lawyer ________ when I failed my A levels.
A. cracked B. crumbled C. crashed D. smashed
18. What ‘s done is done. It’s ________ wondering if you could have prevented it.
A. helpless B. valueless C. futile D. antiquated
19. He realized that his fondness for her was turning into a foolish ________.
A. fascination B. infection C. infatuationD. affliction
20. A special feature of the room is the huge picture window which ________ a splendid view of the
Quantock hills.
A. allows B. affords C. enables D. presents
21. Our plans to start our own business seem ________ to failure.
A. doomed B. fated C. compelled D. designed
22. He thought that if he admitted he was afraid of swimming, he would lose ________ with his friend.
A. weight B. nerve C. face D. regard
23. When I left the office, I was ________ with indignation at the treatment I had received.
A. seething B. overflowing C. stewing D. spinning
40
24. If he hadn’t shown such a(n) ________ disregard for company regulations by smoking while on
duty, he wouldn’t have been dismissed.
A. callous B. blatant C. dire D. abject
25. The new round of negotiations is hoped to ________ the deadlock in the Middle East.
A. break B. remove C. dispense D. unite
26. This savage war had ________ this beautiful country waste and left many of its inhabitants
homeless.
A. cast B. grown C. laid D. set
27. Your leftist ________ in the face of our party programme, so you d’ better drop them or find another
party for yourself.
A. fly B. run C. turn D. look
28. A lot of scorn has been ________ on the Canadian seal hunters for their merciless practices
A. blamed B. launched C. poured D. fixed
29. We ‘ve had to quit our coopertaion with this wholesaler as we could never ________ a bargain. He
asked for more than we could offer.
A. strike B. hit C. beat D. knock
30. The final decision has already been taken, so there’s no use in your ________ the toss.
A. arguing B. disapproving C. dismissing D. quarelling
31. One might think you were ________ liberties with me. I don't like it when you make free with my
lawn mower. You should at least ask when you want to borrow it.
A. placing B. making C. taking D. finding
32. What the secretary says doesn’t necessarily ________ much weight, but you should never disobey
your director’s instructions.
A. play B. carry C. hold D. mean
33. Environmentalists have no political ________ to grind - they just want to save the planet.
A. axe B. stone C. hammer D. tool
34. After spending weeks constructing my project, I was thrilled to ________ the day at the science fair.
A. succeed B. run C. carry D. take
35. I had ________ my hopes on this promotion, so I was crushed when I didn't get it.
A. clipped B. nailed C. stuck D. pinned
36. Thank you for paying me back—now we can ________ it quits.
A. name B. call C. consider D. state
37. She looked confused for a moment, then suddenly the ________ dropped.
A. pound B. coin C. quid D. penny
38. She said she was late because her flight was canceled, and we gave her the ________ of the doubt.
A. right B. point C. benefit D. value
39. Catherine ________ spots off the other kids in the spelling bee.
A. won B. knocked C. drew D. beat
40. I love these pants because they fit like a ________ and they're so comfortable.
A. suit B. sock C. glove D. shirt
41. You should know better than to wear a skirt like that to a formal dinner—it is simply not the
________ thing!
A. made B. found C. done D. held
42. A: "I'm getting paid to stay in my neighbour's mansion while they're on holiday.
" B: "Wow, that'll be money for old ________!"
A. rope B. wire C. string D. line
43. He’s had his ________ into me for months, and every time I make a mistake, he tells my boss.
A. dagger B. knife C. hatchet D. axe
44. Just ________ put with the suitcases, while I go and find a cab.
41
A. be B. hold C. keep D. stay
45. A: Sometimes this job frustrates me so much I could just break down in tears.
B.: Keep a ________ upper lip. Things are bound to improve.
A. hard B. tight C. stiff D. loose
46. I can't believe you ________ the gaff and talked about the plans for her surprise party right to her
face!
A. burst B. blew C. split D. banged
47. As computer technology improves, it's ironically getting harder and harder to find a piece of
equipment that can ________ the test of time.
A. stand B. live C. bear D. endure
48. I was worried when my boyfriend and uncle started arguing over their different political views, but
luckily they found common ________ when discussing their favorite TV shows.
A. base B. term C. ground D. field
49. I can't stand his behaviour. It is very easy for him to ________ off the handle.
A. rush B. jump C. move D. fly
50. I wish I could convey how much it means to me having you all here, but words ________ me at the
moment.
A. miss B.abandon C. leave D. fail
51. I had to set Stephen ________ after I realized that he'd been operating the machinery wrong this
whole time.
A. clear B. straight C. aware D. familiar
52. I didn't want to believe it, but in my ________ of hearts I knew that it was true.
A. depth B. bottom C. soul D. heart
53. Unions accept free accommodation and travel, yet they would scream ________ murder if the same
was received by politicians.
A. red B.blue C. yellow D. black
54. I grew up in California, so when I moved to Minnesota, I felt like I stuck out ________.
A. a kilometre B. an inch C. a yard D. a mile
55. I only caught a ________ glimpse of the driver of the getaway car, but I know I would recognize her
if I saw her again.
A. fleeting B. rushing C. rushing D. flying
56. Mary is completely hard and selfish—she doesn't have the ________ of human kindness in her.
A. cream B. oil C. milk D. water
57. Sorry, I can’t seem to get my brain into ________ this morning.
A. wheel B. starter C. clutch D. gear
58. Your jokes are perfect for your speech tonight. You'll have them ________ in the aisles!
A. falling B. rolling C. jumping D. turning
59. I've had some good winnings at blackjack, but I don't think I should ________ my luck any further.
A. press B. bend C. tease D. push
60. I don't care if I have to drive through a blizzard—we are getting to this wedding come hell or high
________!
A. wave B. iceberg C. water D. flood
61. I was all ready to tell him that the relationship was over when he greeted me with a big bunch of
flowers - that took the ________ out of my sails.
A. wind B. breeze C. air D. flow
62. I'm sure there's no real crisis—Janet is always crying ________ so that we'll do her work for her.
A. dog B. bear C. wolf D. donkey
63. My parents always taught me to reach for the ________ when I was growing up—that I could be
anything I set my mind to!
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A. stars B. moon C. sun D. galaxies
64. Look at that fool, all dressed up like a ________ dinner. Who told him that patterned suit was a good
idea?
A. tiger’s B. whale’s C. cow’s D. dog’s
65. You need to wear a life jacket because there's always a chance that the boat could turn ________.
A. beetle B. fish C. crab D. turtle
66. The fantastic performance by the Ugandan runner put his opponents in the ________.
A. shade B. bottom C. mud D. snow
67. The study has firmly put/set the cat among the ________by claiming that most of the therapeutic
effects of expensive antidepressant pills can be mimicked by dummy pills.
A. mice B. dogs C. pigeons D. ants
68. The police knew with certainty he had drugs in his car, so he became trapped between the devil and
the deep blue ________: either lie to the police, or admit that the drugs belonged to him.
A. heaven B. sea C. ocean D. sky
69. The teacher suspected that there had been some ________ business going on while she was out of
the room.
A. horse B. fox C. moose D. monkey
70. It won't be easy, but I'm sure we can run that jewelry to ________.
A. ground B. land C. soil D. grass
71. I didn't pursue it in detail because I'm afraid I had other ________ to fry at the time.
A. chickens B. fish C. shrimps D. snails
72. Tickets are hard to come by but I'll do my ________ best to get you one.
A. utmost B. level C. regular D. extreme
73. What you have just said will forever ________ heavy on your reputation. Nobody’s going to justify
an insult like this.
A. sit B. stand C. rest D. lie
74. The opening band totally ________ the show tonight—they were amazing.
A. stole B. grabbed C. robbed D. seized
75. At the end of her speech, she ________ a note of warning about the risks involved in the project.
A. hit B. punched C. struck D. beat
76. Our students are unprepared for the workforce, and we are ________ a harvest of lowered standards.
A. earning B. growing C. reaping D. gathering
77. You can't take the children out sailing in this weather! Have you completely taken leave of your
________?
A. mind B. brains C. senses D. logic
78. The way to be successful in business is always to stay one ________ ahead of your competitors.
A. jump B. thing C. act D. move
79. I feel just awful for Mary—she's been eating her ________ out ever since she found out she was
rejected by her top-choice school.
A. head B. tongue C. heart D. mouth
80. I was only five minutes late, but the boss ________ me packing nonetheless.
A. sent B. made C. let D. forced
81. If he has a great job but is always broke, it ________ the question of where the money is going?
A. pleases B. expects C. begs D. demands
82. I know voicing my opinion on this legislation may put my job in jeopardy, but it's time to take a firm
________against these discriminatory hiring.
A. line B. measure C. penalty D. strike
83. That car accident seems to have scared Janet out of her ________ — she's still shaken by it.
A. powers B. senses C. wits D. moods
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84. We've had to cut a few people ________ from the staff this year to reduce costs.
A apart B. free C. aside D. loose
85. Our ________ were in our mouths as we waited for them to announce the winner.
A. stomaches B. fingers C. hearts D. noses
86. These fanatics are in ________ earnest when they say they want to destroy all forms of government.
A. mortally B. fatally C. deadly D. gravely
87. Being late to a job interview ________ ill for you getting hired.
A. bodes B. stands C. points D. hints
88. It’s true I am late for meeting, but by ________ of excuse let me tell you that my plane was delayed
in Hannover.
A. means B. aid C. way D. reason
89. We ________ on hard times after my wife's restaurant closed down, so I had to take on a second job
to make ends meet.
A. moved B. landed C. dropped D. fell
90. As I said before, the report will be released in the ________ of time. I can't estimate when that will
be.
A. rightness B. fullness C. greatness D. correctness
91. I may seem confident when I'm leading a training seminar, but I'm really shaking in my ________
most of the time.
A. trousers B. suits C shirts D. shoes
92. I have to be dressed to ________ at this event tonight—a lot of important people will be there.
A. murder B. kill C. execute D. die
93. Mary was not feeling well, and she didn't give a good ________ of herself in last night's game.
A. performance B. display C. achievement D. account
94. What a bad day: I left my phone in the grocery store, my car broke down on the way home, and, to
________ it all off, my groceries broke through the bag as I was walking to the front door.
A. top B. sum C. total D. peak
95. It is difficult to get skips in this age group capable of keeping their ________ up at this level of
competition.
A. end B. self C. frame D. edge
96. The return on your investment will come in ________ at first, but you'll see a more steady flow of
income later.
A. bits and bobs B. dribs and drabs
C. fingers and thumbs D. bibs and tuckers
97. I know my brother has fought ________ to be re-elected, so his victory tonight is certainly well
earned.
A. doom and gloom B. life and death
C. rack and ruin D. tooth and nail
98. The Government is trying to ________when it says it will spend more on the health service without
raising taxes.
A. chew the fat B. wave the flag
C. square the circle D. put the lid
99. I didn't have time to organize my thoughts, so I just spoke ________.
A. beyond the pale B. in deep water
C. off the cuff D. on the hop
100. There is a big investigation ________, but I don't know when.
A. in the offfing B. off the peg
C. on the blink D. over the hill
44
PRACTICE TEST 10
1. You can try reformatting your computer, but once you open that ________, you'll probably be
working on it for days,
A. apple of discord B. can of worms
C. load of cobblers D. spot of bother
2. The film still ________with younger audiences, even after all these years.
A. beats the drum B. rings a bell
C. strikes a chord D. hits the right note
3. I had a ________this morning when a tractor trailer unexpectedly swerved into my lane.
A. deep end B. dead beat
C. close shave D. tight corner
4. Blake may seem bossy, but it's Lisa that really ________ in that relationship.
A. fills their boots B. puts a sock
C. gets their knickers D. wears the trousers
5. The government is using the taxes from the working class to bail out the banks that ruined the
economy? That really ________!
A. sows wild oats B. spills the beans
C. takes the biscuit D. upsets the apple cart
6. I've searched ________ for that old photo album, but I can't find it anywhere.
A. high and low B. long and short
C. straight and narrow D. thick and thin
7. Sheila swore that she would ________ after she figured out that I had started the rumor about her.
A. fight sight of me B. get even with me
C. lay heavy on me D. run afoul of me
8. Jacob thinks he's a big ________ now that he's been promoted to assistant manager.
A. bread B. apple C. cheese D. meat
9. I hope this doesn't ________ your style, but could you please not hum while you work?
A. restrict B. impede C. cramp D. obstruct
10. Fighting among rebel soldiers ________ last night and a curfew has now been imposed on the city.
A. enhanced B. aggravated C. heightened D. intensified
11. The judge’s ruling ________ a wave of protest campaigns across the country.
A. provoked B. instigated C. launched D. commenced
12. Although she was able to walk with the aid of crutches, having a broken ankle ________ her
movements considerably.
A. barred B. hindered C. intervened D. blocked
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13. Hopefully the boss ________ fit to give us some extra time off for the holidays.
A. sees B. looks C. shows D. appears
14. I'm flat ________ once again and don't know how I'm going to pay my rent.
A. shattered B. broke C. smashed D. torn
15. My grandmother was a lovely person who ________ pleasure from helping others.
A. gathered B. derived C. deduced D. collected
16. The designer refuses to gild the ________, preferring clean, simple lines for his creations.
A. lily B. flower C. rose D. daisy
17. During pioneer days a lot of land in the United States was up for ________.
A. gain B. promotion C. taking D. grabs
18. The prosecution is going to try to trip you up with your statement and your alibi, but so long as you
stick to your ________, there's nothing to worry about.
A. weapons B. guns C. thumb D. neck
19. After she found out about his latest relapse with drugs, she decided it was best to leave him for
________.
A. all B. always C. once D. good
20. I can’t tell you ________ the population of Prague, but there’s an encyclopedia in the cupboard.
A. in hand B. off – hand C. at hand D. on hand
21. Once at the skating rink, Ivan was allowed to skate to his heart’s ________.
A. happiness B. content C. contentment D. delight
22. Companies around the world are losing money hand over ________ as oil prices continue to
plummet.
A. finger B. wrist C. thumber D. fist
23. Even though you did not win the race, take ________ from the fact that you did your best.
A. heart B. courage C. consolation D. meaning
24. He managed to ________ the flow of blood by tightly bandaging the wound.
A. restrain B. curb C. check D. inhibit
25. I’ll reserve ________ on Ben Shipley’s latest novel until I ‘ve read it.
A. condemnation B. thought C. criticism D. judgement
26. The pensioners complained that they had received ________ justice when their claim for an increase
in benefits was rejected without discussion.
A. poetic B. only C. small D. rough
27. No further incidents have been reported today, but this remains a town on the ________ of conflict.
A. razor B. knife C. cliff D. chair
28. Giant sea turtles have been coming to this spot to mate since time ________.
A. immemorable B. immortal C. immemorial D. inumerable
29. This shoe repairer is so quick that he can sole and heel your shoe in a(n) ________.
A. moment B. hurry C. jiffy D. instant
30. If you notice that something isn't working, please take the ________ to fix it.
A. initiative B. risk C. biscuit D. isssue
31. The windscreen ________ into a thousand pieces when the car hit a lamp – post.
A. smashed B. shattered C. snapped D. cracked
32. Well, like it or ________ it, this old, falling-down hotel is the only one with rooms available this
weekend.
A. jump B. lump C. dislike D. loathe
33. She laid her job on the ________ when she told the boss that he was wrong.
A. ground B. way C. lane D. line
34. His friends and family left him in the ________ when he went bankrupt.
A. church B. lurch C. end D. street
46
35. Tara was really laying it on ________ about her accident at work.
A. fine B. broad C. thick D. thin
36. Jane ________ about the surprise party for Sheila and now the whole idea is ruined.
A. blabbed B. gossiped C. prattled D. chatted
37. We could hear the monkeys ________ long before we reached the cage.
A. chatting B. chattering C. prattling D. babbling
38. Your column must have ________ a nerve, because we are getting slammed with feedback from
readers—and they're not happy.
A. drilled B. had C. touched D. hit
39. I'm sure it's thrilling, but I'd rather not ________ my neck just for a bit of an adrenaline rush.
A. risk B. break C. twist D. endanger
40. A: "How's John doing?"
B: "He had a rough week of it with the flu, but he's on the ________ now, thank God."
A. run B. top C. go D. mend
41. Did I go ________ with the Christmas decorations? I'm worried I bought enough Christmas lights to
light up Times Square.
A. overboard B. overhead C. overload D. overskill
42. It was a tough act to follow, but the band rose to the ________ and played the best set of their career.
A. top B. occasion C. bait D. skill
43. You say you need new clothes but your wardrobe is full to ________ with dresses.
A. overflowing B. overfilling C. overlaying D. overstepping
44. I went to great ________ to get this party organized, so don't make some lame excuse about not
coming!
A. pains B. torment C. efforts D. difficulty
45. I'm really glad that pompous oaf lost his court case, maybe that will bring him down a ________ or
two.
A. step B. notch C. peg D. rung
46. The economic situation makes many people unwilling to take the ________ and open their own
businesses.
A. initiative B. bull C. plunge D. opportunity
47. The new soap opera on Channel 3 ________ new depths in terms of tastelessness.
A. plumbs B. reaches C. fills D. achieves
48. The Queen was present at the official ________ of the statue.
A. revealing B. unpacking C. unwrapping D. unveiling
49. The weekend is over, so tomorrow’s morning it’s back to the ________.
A. grind B. labour C. grudgery D. toil
50. Looking after a house, four children, a lazy husband and two dogs is real ________.
A. labour B. drudgery C. toil D. grind
51. Stephen really lost his ________ when his dental disappointment was cancelled yet again.
A. head B. voice C. calm D. rag
52. It only took me a few minutes to get the printer up and ________ after taking it out of the box.
A. walking B. proceeding C. running D. going
53. It was a hot summer day and ice cream salesmen were doing a ________ trade.
A. busy B. lucrative C. bustling D. roaring
54. Bob is so short-tempered; he should try to ________ his anger.
A. curb B. control C. temper D. stunt
55. If you ________ your demands, they may be accepted by others.
A. control B. temper C. stunt D. curb
56. As far as I can ________, she wasn't there on that occasion.
47
A. memorise B. reminisce C. recollect D. remind
57. I'm sure it won't rain, but I'll take an umbrella (just) to be on the ________ side.
A. sunny B. straight C. safe D. secure
58. I was in ________ at that comedy show. I could barely breathe it was so funny.
A. stitches B. pleats C. shreds D. tears
59. She tried to ________ Tom’s importance to the company in order to gain a promotion for herself.
A. diminish B. swindle C. reduce D. shrink
60. I hate the way Tony ________ around looking so self – important.
A. struts B. scampers C. slithers D. slinks
61. Most frequently, the earthquake lasts 30 to 60 seconds, so usually there is no time to avert the mortal
________ once the shaking starts.
A. upkeep B. upturn C. upshot D. upswing
62. They live under a constant pressure of being ________ and subsequently replaced by someone who
is younger, faster and more accomplished.
A. outcast B. outshone C. outstayed D. outgrown
63. My brother loves watching horror movies but I find them too ________ myself.
A. gruesome B. untimely C.ghostly D. sterile
64. There was a lot of _______ as throngs of people tried to see the famous actor walking through the
mall
A. stamina B. discipline C. counsel D. commotion
65. Luckily my wallet was handed in to the police with all its contents _______.
A. preserved B. unscathed C. contained D. intact
66. Serena is still _______ ignorant of the fact that she is about to be made redundant.
A. blissfully B. decorously C. jubilantly D. ecstatically
67. No decision has been taken about the building of the new airport. The authorities are still _______.
A. beating about the bush B. comparing apples and oranges
C. sitting on the fence D. holding all the aces
68. Oil spills will _______ even the healthiest of marine ecosystem.
A. play havoc on B. break ground with
C. pay the consequences for D. take their toll on
69. Don’t look so worried! You should take the boss’s remarks with a ________of salt.
A. teaspoon B. pinch C. grain D. dose
70. Rachel has an amazing ________ of jokes that she uses to good effect at parties.
A. body B. repertoire C. variation D. store
71. The old house was unable to withstand the ________of severe winter weather and suffered
considerable structural damage.
A. extremity B. onslaught C. outrage D. fury
72. I’m not surprised people are arguing- they are at the _________of their tether.
A. end B. limit C. finish D. termination
73. To get his proposal accepted, the Finance Manager had to _______ heavy pressure from colleagues.
A. fend off B. laugh off C. send off D. push off
74. At first the children enjoyed the game but quite soon the novelty ________.
A. went off B. died out C. wore off D. died down
75. My uncle pulled a few ________ and got me a job in the company where he works.
A. chords B. threads C. ropes D. strings
76. After congratulating his team, the coach left, allowing the players to ________ their hair down for a
while.
A. put B. get C. let D. take
77. The question of peace settlement is likely to figure ________ in the talks.
48
A. prominently B. prolifically C. proportionately D. properly
78. I thought I had made it ________ that I didn’t want to discuss this matter any more.
A. frank B. distinct C. plain D. straight
79. I went to see the boss about a pay rise and he ________ with a weak excuse about a business dinner
and left me standing there.
A. brushed me aside B. brushed me up
C. brushed me off D. brushed me down
80. She was very fortunate to ________ an excellent private tutor to help her with her study.
A. think through B. seek out C. pick up D. light upon
81. We had to _______ in the back of the car for an hour to find the missing keys.
A. bed out B. ransack C. root around D. turn upside down
82. They spend so much time arguing that, when it comes to the _______, decisions are often deferred.
A. crunch B. outcry C. panic stations D. uproar
83. James never really broke the rules but he did _______ them a little bit when it suited him.
A. twist B. curve C. move D. bend
84. Take care that your love for him doesn't _______ your judgement.
A. cloud B. darken C. topple D. shadow
85. It was so hot in the restaurant that, after half an hour, we were all starting to _______.
A. wilt B. shrivel C. fade D. weed
86. Maria and Jean had a _______ romance — they met and married within two months.
A. hurricane B. cyclone C. whirlwind D. typhoon
87. After the football match the crowds _______ out of the stadium into the nearest bars and cafes.
A. leaked B. poured C. trickled D. dripped
88. I'm afraid we got our _______ crossed — I thought my husband would be picking up the children
and he thought I was doing it.
A. minds B. purposes C. wires D. fingers
89. All sides have to accept that the arbitrator's decision will be _______
A. fixing B. tying C. binding D. compelling
90. Ever year many small companies get _______ up by large multinationals.
A. swallowed B. digested C. drowned D. burnt
91. Marlene is quite _______ - I don't know she manages to fit everything in.
A. inexhaustible B. tiresome C. inexorable D. indefatigable
92. I'd like to _______ my argument with an anecdote whose significance will soon become apparent.
A. predict B. announce C. herald D. preface
93. I felt an _______ with the writer from his descriptions of a world that seemed to have a great deal in
common with my own.
A. affection B. affinity
C. adherence D. acknowledgement
94. The princess's nanny's autobiography really gives the _______ on life among the royals.
A. show-down B. know-how C. low-down D. look-out
95. It's always nice to see Bella — she's such a _______ of sunshine.
A. light B. ray C. glow D. beam
96. I don't think Paul will ever get married — he's the stereotypical _______ bachelor.
A. settled B. confirmed C. fixed D. determined
97. The children's interest in playing the game soon _______
A. flagged B. stumbled C. tottered D. thawed
98. Do you have any figures showing the _______ of left-handedness is in the general population?
A. occurrence B. incidence C. persistence D. accidence
49
99. It's as if that silly argument we had has driven a _______ between us and we've lost all our old
closeness.
A. beam B. ledge C. plank D. wedge
100. Sources in France suggested that further _______ would be needed before they would agree to a
deal.
A. concessions B. consolations C. contractions D. contortions
101. It was a close _______ but we just made it to the airport on time for our flight.
A. run B. drive C. call D. go
102. The government is doing all it can to _______ war on dangerous driving.
A. launch B. wage C. stage D. battle
103. Not many people are good at assessing their own abilities and Mark must be _______ for
recognising that he would never become a great musician.
A. merited B. commended C. advocated D. talented
104. The country has few natural resources and its economy has been _______ for some time now.
A. ailing B. diseased C. unwell D. sickening
105. Anyone who lies under oath will be charged with _______ the course of justice.
A. perverting B. inverting C. converting D. diverting
106. My sister likes wearing tight tops and close-fitting dresses but I prefer _______; sweaters and jeans.
A. floppy B. baggy C. flabby D. shabby
107. There is a very strong movement now against _______ sports like hunting or shooting.
A. death B. killing C. blood D. terminal
108. I'm sure I was invited to join the committee as the _______ woman.
A. token B. sample C. representative D. coupon
109. One of the most powerful pressure groups in the country is the road and car _______, which
opposes any legislation that will increase taxes specifically for them.
A. branch B. folder C. segment D. lobby
110. Unfortunately, his report doesn't _______ with what we've learnt from other sources.
A. pally B. rally C. tally D. ally
CHAPTER 2: WORDFORM
PRACTICE TEST 1
1. Democracy died after a period of ________(cease) wars, imperial expansion abroad, and the rise of
demagoguery at home.
2. The consequences of ________ (compel) gambling are comparable to those of any other addictive
disease and are not simply those of financial loss.
3. The prison service has the twin goals of punishment and ________ (habit).
4. The first ________ (conceive) is that legal study at university is exclusively for students who intend
becoming solicitors or advocates.
5. Too late, she remembered the ________ (settle) effect such comments would have on Johnny.
6. Some economists are now predicting the danger of ________ (run) inflation.
7. The ________ (narrate) in this book plays second fiddle to the excellent photographs.
8. They were now faced with seemingly________(mount) technical problems.
9. When you come down on him too hard, you may only intensify his own ________ (critic)
10. Your speech should not have been ________ (lace) with these facts beside the point.
11. Their views lie outside the ________ (stream) of current medical opinion.
12. The teachers are fair and avoid ________ (favour) and scapegoating.
13. She has become ________(mesh) in a tangle of drugs and petty crime.
14. Do not set your goals too high or else you will always be failing and there is nothing more ________
(moral)
50
15. The demise of the industry has caused ________(tell) misery to thousands of hard-working
tradesmen.
16. Attracting the banks are the ________ (surge) economy and reforms that have opened up industries
to foreign capital.
17. The ordinary reader is impressed by the tone and manner of publication, and the words chosen to
________ (head) a story.
18. At all events, it was this group of the ________ (possess) that gave the first successful impetus to the
Revolution.
19. ________(prey) pricing by large supermarkets was threatening the livelihood of smaller businesses.
20. He is a ________(voice) critic of the president's stance on abortion.
21. She made several ________ (par) remarks about the manager she dislikes.
22. As women we tend to be ________ (face) and make light of what we have achieved.
23. GEW lamp dimming promise uptime at least 1500 hours, raised productivity and reduces ________
(time)
24. Would you mind if I took one of the pictures as a________(keep)?
25. Mania usually alternates with depression, to form a ________ (pole) disorder.
26. This was too wide a ________ (hole) for the tax planners: no wonder inheritance tax is called a
voluntary tax.
27. The teacher said that he found it difficult to cope with a class of ________ (affect) teenagers.
28. He is ________ (fail) polite and tries desperately to understand other people's views.
29. The court ________ (turn) that decision on the grounds that the Prosecution had withheld crucial
evidence.
30. Some of these statements are misleading and some downright ________ (amend)
31. The state ________ (fast) refused to settle this matter at any time.
32. What is illustrated by these photographs is as much the culture of shamelessness as the reigning
admiration for ________ (apology) brutality.
33. The judge found that in her case there were________(mitigate) circumstances.
34. He impressed his audience by the ________ (profound) of his knowledge.
35. The causes of social ________(stress) include inadequate housing.
36. He was in the ________ (envy) position of having to choose between imprisonment or exile.
37. He was ________ (capacity) by old age and sickness.
38. The bank is ________ (solve) and will be unable to live up to its obligations.
39. Natalie considered herself very ________ (virtue) because she neither drank nor smoked.
40. Their refusal to ________ (tail) spending plans and to increase the burden on poll tax payers is
expected.
41. Rather than a benevolent "socialist" super power China, whose population is made up over 90% Han
Chinese, will ________ (stride) the world as a racially homogeneous, and communalistic "Middle
Kingdom”.
42. Broadly speaking, on-line shopping experiences can be categorized into two distinct dimensions:
________ (use) and hedonic value.
43. It encouraged experimenters to propose ________ (beat) or novel approaches to problems.
44. It's a bustling ________ (eat) where the fishy fare is served in cones of butcher's paper.
45. Several spoke out against the harshly ________ (right) tone of the original motion.
46. Elections are essential for the ________ (sustain) of parliamentary democracy.
47. ________ (similar) is consequently difficult, particularly as the minority groups experience
considerable hostility.
48. Growth and ________ (mature) of vascular plants are often controlled by light, usually in
conjunction with temperature.
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49. The practice of meditation and ________ (temple) is life-long, reflecting this daily process of
repentance and change at heart.
50. The new policy only serves to ________ (accent) the inadequacy of provision for the homeless.
51. Pressure was applied with cool precision: women had discovered that to ________ (step) male
dominance was to avoid destructive rage.
52. I found your book absolutely ________ (thrall)!
53. Listen to both sides and you will be ________ (light), heed only one side and you will be ________
(night).
54. Bertha, exaggerating the seriousness of the affair, thought it ________ (charlatan) to undertake a post
without knowledge and without capacity
55. I write this down ________ (verb), for much the same reason I took notes in college.
56. She came to the party wearing a(n) ________ (land) costume and blond wig.
57. Opposition leaders said they would try to stage nationwide protests, but previous opposition rallies
have met only ________ (warm) support.
58. She gave me some friendly advice without a trace of ________ (descend)
59. It's that ________ (patron) tone of hers that I can't bear.
60. And then, to the audience's ________ (mystic), the band suddenly stopped playing.
61. The ________ (conspire) of the assissination of the president was brought to light in time.
62. The report is critical of attempts by________(official) to deal with the problem of homelessness.
63. The system of counties was essential to Frankish government, and a count could wield considerable
power, particularly in ________ (far) regions.
64. Jaubert had been a reasonable man to work for, had never asked her to do anything illegal or
________ (taste)
65. Darwin's theory of evolution was a(n) ________ (shed) dividing the old way of thinking from the
new.
68. For twenty-five years he ________ (pain) amassed evidence to support his hypothesis.
69. He felt out of place, a(n) ________ (conform) in a society where conformity was highly prized.
70. She unveiled the picture with a(n) ________ (ceremony) gesture.
71. Travellers may be ________ (inquire) about the world, but they also travel to make discoveries about
themselves.
72. Both Hathor and her potential victims became ________ (exceed) drunk and merry, so she failed at
her task.
73. Operation Rescue was an organization notorious for its ________ (front) tactics and its implacable
opposition to abortion under all circumstances.
74. A(n) ________ (face) approach to sustainable construction is required for use by policy - makers,
practitioners and civil society.
75. Wage control is the ________ (corner) of the government's economic policy.
76. She's ________ (fail) cheerful no matter what the circumstances.
77. Instead of just ________ (moan) your fate, why not do something to change it?
78. For users, they are still expensive ________ (add) features and come with their own set of
integration problems.
79. Foreign observers also accused the authorities of widespread ________ (practice)
80. ________ (type) images of women are used to legitimise male dominance.
81. It will ________ (legal) sex - far from helping girls resist pressure, it will help boys bully girls into
sex.
82. Mongolia, although poor, has considerable ________ (tap) resources of oil and minerals.
83. Towards the end of the ________(infant) period the child is becoming more perspicacious.
84. It would be ________ (ingenuity) on our part to pretend ignorance of our book's impact, both in sales
and controversy.
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85. I think I must have known ________(conscience) that something was going on between them.
86. If evolution has________ (wire) into us a belief that there are objective moral obligations, then we
will believe that there are
87. You want clothes that are stylish as well as practical, versatile, ________ (task) and low
maintenance.
88. His failures ________ (line) the difference between theatre and film direction.
89. In other words, subcultural cleavage has attenuated and cultural ________ (homogeneous) has
extended from structural orientation into policy orientation.
90. As the inspector and others came in, she regarded them ________ (disdain), seemingly unconcerned
about her capture.
91. The concert hall itself reminds one ________ (play) of reproduction art deco and is also acoustically
first-class and adaptable.
92. She didn't want to confront the ________ (escape) fact that she would have to sell the house.
93. He made a fortune buying ________ (run) houses and fixing them up to sell.
94. Business schools, who currently dominate entrepreneurship teaching and research, ________
(compartment) knowledge into functional boxes.
95. Idealism was deeply________ (credit) by the failure to prevent the outbreak of the Second World
War
96. We will reform principal local councils into a(n) ________ (unit) system based on natural
communities and the wishes of local people.
97. Since ________ (regulate), banks are permitted to set their own interest rates.
98. These years witnessed the ________ (integrate) and destruction of the English peasantry.
99. This was really a(n) ________thought, and I reproved myself often for the simplicity of it. (whim)
100. There seems to be a(n )________ (satisfy) demand for more powerful computers
PRACTICE TEST 2
1. A portion of the proceeds will be ________. for providing school fees for poor children for the
coming academic year. (mark)
2. The administration ropes in all educational institutions, government offices, public sector ________
and universities for the purpose of mobilising funds. (take)
3. Contraception is less ________ or affordable in South America. (cure)
4. Both toxic and ________ potentials are properties of all drugs. (cure)
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5. While learning has changed for students in this new century, we are ________ by the boundless
opportunity presented in our lifetime. (bold)
6. It does not become an economic ________ but it does become a ‘newly industrialized country’, like
Malaysia, Taiwan and South Korea. (power)
7. We believe that the most effective enforcement tool is self-policing and ________ (strain).
8. It is possible to humanely raise and slaughter a variety of food animals, including ________ poultry
and beef cattle. (range)
9. Most of this feature includes behind-the-scenes video ________ of the crew working and goofing off.
(foot)
10. Together they forged a(n) ________ intellectual climate that has profoundly shaped my career.
(vigour)
11. We will investigate the tradeoffs among data ________, data hiding capacity, and probabilities of
extraction errors in different applications. (perceive)
12. This is a(n) ________ thriller that promises to deliver. (page)
13. Death, from this perspective, seems unproblematically universal, a simple, irreducible fact of our
nature, ________ the same across all societies and throughout time (yield)
14. Of course there is a(n) ________ between such advantages of large cells and the disadvantages of
slower cell multiplication. (trade)
15. Today we look at claims that in Queensland, the regime that looks after the most vulnerable people,
the infirm elderly, and ________ adults, is failing. (capacity)
16. Scholars have tried to make a case for ________, competitiveness, and selfishness as innate human
trait. (acquire)
17. The judge ruled that Newman's comments were not a(n) ________offense. (act)
18. She was a very selfish, ________ bad-tempered little girl. (agree)
19. Before creating this sculpture, she studied all the masterpieces of classical ________ (antique)
20. He claims that the laws are ________ and have no contemporary relevance. (antique)
21. I fretted and sweated as they stalked in and stared around with that ________, accusatory look of all
cops everywhere. (approve)
22. A good teacher can encourage ________creativity. (art)
23. She's ________ and knows how to get round her parents. (art)
24. Most ________ or totalitarian regimes are nonconstitutional. (authority)
25. One encouraging feature of period-instrument performances in recent decades has been a growing
concern with reliable and ________editions. (authority)
26. It is essential that there is a(n) ________ (author) use of the confidential information.
27. He thought back to the ________ days of his childhood. (care)
28. They gave him a(n) ________ assurance that he would not be hurt.(category)
29. They are taking ________measures to safeguard their forces from the effects of chemical weapons.
(caution)
30. Their ________ greetings did not seem heartfelt. (ceremony)
31. The full costume is only worn on important ________ occasions. (ceremony)
32. Utilitarian notions in the social sciences are not enough for even providing a(n) ________ framework
for grasping what actually happens. (concept)
33. It once seemed ________ to everyone that men should travel to the moon. (conceive)
34. The procedure is in strict ________ with standard international practices.(conform)
35. The present economic policy is a(n) ________ of the earlier one. (continue)
36. An historical awareness also imparts a sense of________(continue).
37. Last month's elections saw a ________ in power of the country's socialist party. (continue)
38. It's very ________ to find out that your own team members have been lying to you. (courage)
39. Do you believe in the ________ powers of the local mineral water? (cure)
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40. She has an artist's ________ eye. (discriminate)
41. The government enacted laws to protect women from ________employment practices (discriminate)
42. Maria loved both the children. There was never a hint of ________ (favour)
43. They often are involved in the hiring and dismissal of employees but generally have no role in the
________ of personnel policy. (form)
44. An agreement on the ________ of a new government was reached on June 6. (form)
45. There are people who want to ________ you and grind you down. (humble)
46. The discussions reached a new level of ________ and by lunchtime the exchanges were becoming
very heated. (intense)
47. ________ and specialization in agriculture, especially in the vineyards, gave rise to commercial
exchange and opportunity for profit and saving. (intense)
48. Areas near the frontier were rough and ________ in the old days. (law)
49. It is ________ for a teacher to inflict corporal punishment on pupils. (law)
50. The relation of politics and economy is a ________ of historical gradual progress. (master)
51. A builder from South London, McAvoy was the ________ of the robbery (master)
52. Photographs and ________ that cover the walls and fill several display cases chronicle the foods this
area is famous for. (memory)
53. The three countries have signed a(n) ________ pledging to work together. (memory)
54. Olympic gold medalist Ekaterina Gordeeva is writing a(n) ________ about her life with Sergei
Grinkov, her late husband and figure-skating partner.(memory)
55. Her first defeat was an early lesson in ________ (humble).
56. They cannot forget the ________ they suffered at the hands of their oppressors. (humble).
57. Sales have slowed down quite ________ (mark).
58. To the untrained eye, the two flowers look ________ similar. (mark)
59. Always check the ________ before you buy a secondhand car (mile)
60. The invention of the wheel was a(n) ________ in the history of the world. (mile)
61. One ________ lapse in concentration could prove fatal. (moment)
62. It was in Glasgow, however, that many ________ events were taking place. (moment)
63. Guy was greedy, ________, obsessed with power and self-gratification. (moral)
64. Capital punishment was regarded as inhuman and ________ (moral)
65. Since their interest in the past was primarily ________, precise knowledge of actual events and when
they happened was not required. (moral)
66. A couple of victories would improve the team's ________enormously. (moral)
67. You become ________ when things are not going your way and you can't really see a way out of it.
(moral)
68. To the audience's ________, the band suddenly stopped playing. (mystical)
69. Electric-powered cars are still something of a ________ (novel)
70. Comparisons are simpler to make when ________ data is presented in diagrammatic form and
conclusions are easier to draw from it. (number)
71. ________ pictures have been deemed to contribute to a hostile environment (object)
72. Personal disinterest in a programme content will help your ________ in assessing its potential for
your public relations purposes. (object)
73. To say that the ________(observe) of this custom or law is sacrilegious or illicit must be regarded as
________ (error).
74. Recent developments in biology have made it possible to acquire more and more precise information
concerning our genetic ________ . Scientists can even today identify a number of genetic disorders that
may cause illness and disease. (make)
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75. Since 1990 the price of sugar has tended to fluctuate more wildly than any of the other four
commodity groups, and has almost ________ been the most expensive relative to 2002-2004 prices.
(vary)
76. A dozen international poverty and development organizations published a report last week on the
impact of building new coal power plants in countries where a large percentage of the population lacks
access to electricity. The report’s conclusions are strikingly ________: on the whole, building coal
power plants does little to help the poor, and often it can actually make them poorer. (intuition)
77. The scandal surely ________ the end of his political career. (sign)
78. He gained ________ for being difficult to work with as an actor. (notorious)
79. Tre Transformer is quite intriguing. It is ________ one of the best movies of the year. (doubt)
80. Her hip has been ________ for quite a while, and she'll probably need surgery on it. (trouble)
81. Her latest novel is a(n) ________ thriller, set some time in the late 21st century. (future)
82. The new policy only serves to ________ the inadequacy of help for the homeless. (accent)
83. Successful candidates will be required to ________ an induction programme. (take)
84. Radio 4 also announced a new ________ of Primo Levi’s short story collection The Periodic Table,
starring Henry Goodman and introduced by Janet Suzman, to be broadcast in 12 episodes of varying
lengths this spring. (drama)
85. In the UK, the ratio of people of working age to people over 65 could fall from 3.7 to 1 in 1999 to
2.1 to 1 in 2040. This suggests a very big increase in the ________ ratio and is consequently a cause for
concern because with current spending pension commitments, it will place a higher burden on the
shrinking working population. (depend)
86. The UK government has already made tentative steps to raise the retirement age and increase the role
of private sector pensions. These policies will make an ageing population more ________ (manage).
87. Ian Darkin of One Traveller, which specialises in offering holidays for mature single travellers, says:
“The new generation of ________ (retire) aren’t sitting at home knitting. Their keenness to experience
other countries and cultures is ________ (diminish) with age.”
88. The UN Security Council unanimously adopted a(n) ________ calling for a halt to hostilities. (solve)
89. Environmental degradation is ________ (character) as any change or aggravation to nature’s turf
seen to be pernicious or ________ (desire).
90. The United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction describes environmental
degradation as the ________ of the limit of the earth to meet social and environmental destinations, and
needs (less).
91. Humans have destroyed a tenth of Earth’s remaining ________ in the last 25 years and there may be
none left within a century if trends continue, according to an authoritative new study. (wild)
92. Technology has been lauded as a way to free up time for us, yet the reality of an all-consuming
medium often does the reverse. New innovations bring with them a host of ________ consequences,
ranging from the troubling to the downright depressing. Social media makes us lonely. Too much
screen-time makes teenagers fall behind their peers. And at the more feeble end of the spectrum, many
of us have walked into an obstacle while texting. (intend)
93. Zombies are archetypal monsters from the bottom of the uncanny valley, with their dead eyes and
________ faces (express).
94. The terrible scenes were indelibly ________ on his mind (print).
95. Phyllis Schlafly, the ________ conservative activist who helped defeat the Equal Rights Amendment
in the 1970s, has died. (speak)
96. The results ________ poor hygiene as one cause of the outbreak. (imply)
97. The country’s economic crisis had a(n) ________ effect on world markets. (settle)
98. The piece, which had been affected by centuries of ________ and grime, was brought back its
former glory by seven conservators from the museum's Hamilton Kerr Institute. (colour)
99. The company has established total ________ over its rivals. (supreme)
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100 Despite fighting between the government and SPLA rebels, citizens will be allowed ________
(hinder) access to humanitarian aid via "tranquility corrid.
PRACTICE TEST 3
1. With increasing numbers of people choosing to teach English as a foreign language, the need to gain
a(n) ________ (credit) qualification has never been more important.
2. A campaign is calling for the reversal of a decision to scrap A-level archaeology - saying it would
cause _______(revoke) harm to the development of future archaeologists.
3. Sir Adrian was a true gentleman. He was ________ (fail) polite to everyone he met within the
business and was on first name terms with many of them, regardless of where they worked.
4. An eight-month inquiry by the all party group on ________ (mind) found frontline public servants
could be less likely to fall ill with stress, or quit altogether, if they engage in the increasingly popular
meditation practice.
5. ________ (absent) is an issue of growing concern among employers in the UK owing to changing
legislation, but there is virtually no robust data on its direct or indirect costs.
6. A decision to allow ________ (hear) evidence in disciplinary proceedings against a doctor linked to
child abuse claims was ________ (law).
7. Slavoj Žižek was born in communist Yugoslavia in 1949, and received a thorough grounding in
Marxism and the principles of ________ (dialect) materialism.
8. Can you make up a(n) ________ (four) for tennis tomorrow?
9. These wonderful books ________ (capsule) moments in history in truly unforgettable ways .
10. Proposals to protect the right of mentally ________ (capacity) people to be involved in important
decisions about their life have been published by the government.
11. Authorities in the US state of Michigan have charged a taxi driver with six counts of murder after he
went on a random shooting spree on Saturday. Jason Brian Dalton, 45, remained ________ (express) as
the charges were read in court on Monday.
12. Around 40% of jobseekers have been without work for more than one year, the report says, running
"significant risks of ________ (moral), loss of self-esteem and mental health problems"
13. A former migrant has returned home to Senegal after becoming ________ (heart) with life as an
illegal migrant in Spain. After six years, Babacar Dialor Faye never got his legal documents and had to
live on ________ (hand) from the Red Cross.
14. Kids have become ________ (sense) to violence. Someone's been shot, and kids are playing up and
down the streets on their bikes, because they're used to seeing it and that's also what you see in a war
zone.
15. Parents often favour one child over another and, at its worst, parental________ (favour) can be one
of the most profound and damaging emotional dynamics a child ever encounters. It can affect the rest of
their lives.
16. When Emma was widowed in 1879, she decided to leave her home in Koblenz, Germany, to start
________ (new) in Glasgow, and settled in the city by 1881
57
17. Anti-terrorism police patrol units are to be introduced across London boroughs. This tactic was
endorsed by Lord Harris in his review of London's ________ (prepare) for a terror attack, commissioned
by the mayor.
18. Reports of memory loss with long-term cannabis use are nothing new, and an influential paper
published last year provided evidence that smoking marijuana has a(n) ________ (delete) effect on
intelligence.
19. THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) is the primary psychoactive compound in cannabis and is what causes
the subjective "high". This includes changes in ________ (perceive) sensations, a feeling of ________
(content) and increased appetite .
20. Cyanide ________ (toxic) is experienced by humans at doses of around 0.5–3.5 milligrams per
kilogram of body weight .
21. She has become increasingly ________ (opinion) and verbalises her opinions forcefully without any
insight into their effect on others.
23. ________ who want to fund the restoration of a derelict arts centre in Cheltenham have pleaded with
other bidders to let it become community-run (benefit).
24. He was a bad influence on the child, who was at a(n) ________ (impress) age.
25. Membership talks were launched in 2005, but progress has been slow, as several EU states have
serious ________ about Turkish EU membership. (give)
26. He has such great power and yet talked with such ________(humble). There aren’t many people in
politics who are as charismatic as President Obama.
27. For many people Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) is the most influential figure in the history of
western classical music. His extraordinary talent was already clearly evident as a young man, ________
(mercy) surviving a somewhat unconventional upbringing during which his eccentric father would often
force him to take music lessons in the middle of the night.
28. How often have you seen rich people take to the stress, shouting that they are earning too much?
Protesters are typically blue-collar workers yelling that the minimum page has to go up, or that their jobs
should not go overseas. Concern about ________ (fair) is always ________(symmetry), stronger in the
poor than the rich. And the ________ (lie) emotions are not as ________(loft) as the ideal itself.
Children become thoroughly________ (indignation) as the slightest discrepancy in, say, the size of their
slice of pizza compared to their sibling’s.
29. Many teachers expressed serious ________ (give) about the new tests.
30. The price of property in the city is ________ (prohibit)
31. ________ is an economic theory which states that a progressively greater level of consumption is
beneficial to the consumers. (consume)
32. If your credit card debt is mounting and yet you can't stop spending, you could be a ________(shop).
33. The number of people suffering from shopping addiction has . ________ (TAKE) the number of
drug and drink addicts combined
34. Everyone has heard of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart; few of his son Franz Xaver. A new CD
collection ________ (title) The Other Mozart celebrates Franz's music - in all its haunting, ________
(melancholy) innocence. The 27 songs are brief slivers of ideas, ________ (develop) shadows of what
might have been, reaching a beautiful fulfillment in the later works. But it is clear that the music never
reaches the heights of his genius father. Franz was the youngest of Mozart's children, and his mother's
hopes and ambitions focused on him following the ________ (mature) death of his father. The very best
teachers were automatically available to Franz's, who made his public debut as a singer, aged five. The
songs bring to light Franz's ________. (piano) accomplishments; the piano parts are extremely
demanding. The songs hint at Franz's love for a woman; they speak time and again of unattainable love
and ________ (fulfil) longing.
________ (realist), however, the fact remains that this music, had it been written by a composure of any
other name, would probably have remained buried in the archives.
58
35. The region has several medium-sized towns and cities, but no major ________ (urban)
36. When you're on a cross-country flight, it's tough to tolerate the ________ crying of a baby. (cease)
37. Our ________ mind registers things which our conscious mind is not aware of. (conscious)
38. They were now faced with seemingly ________ technical problems (mount)
39. The report should distinguish clearly between ________ fact, firm opinion and mere speculation
(dispute)
40. They have become ________, with both sides refusing to compromise any further. (reconcile)
41. Finland’s metalworkers' union chief Riku Aalto has criticised government proposals to alter
nationwide labour conditions as ________and unprofessional (amateur).
42. His interpretation of the figures is far too ________ (simple)
43. The organization insists that it is ________ and does not identify with any one particular party
(politics)
44. The new regulations will be ________ for small businesses. (burden)
45. Solon replies that birds like peacocks are ________ in their beauty. (compare)
46. It is ________ to generalize from the results of a single experiment. (advise)
47. Try not to ________ to criticism. (react)
48. He was confused and ________ and I didn't get much sense out of him. (cohere)
49. Gradually she began to notice one or two little ________ in his character. (perfect)
50. They’re concerned about the ________ of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. (build)
51. Karen has always felt ________ by her famous elder sister. (shadow)
52. An increasing number of tests are available for detecting foetal ________ (normal).
53. He is currently standing trial for alleged ________ (practice)
54. All points on a circle are ________ (distant) from the centre.
55. The worsening situation forced the company to ________ (size) from 39 employees to 7.
56. The new version of the program comes with a much better user ________(face).
57. Who will be the main ________ of the cuts in income tax? (benefit)
58. The parents showed remarkable ________(bear) toward their defiant and unruly son.
59. A(n) ________(mean/menace) has been committed but the offender has not been caught.
60. I keep getting ________ (contrary) advice - some people tell me to keep it warm and some tell me to
put ice on it.
61. He gazed at her with ________ (smell) eyes, wishing she wasn't married.
smouldering/smoldering
62. He had a(n) ________ (rival) knowledge of south Arabian society, religion, law and customs.
63. The ship is an exact ________ (reply) of the original Golden Hind.
64. ________(provide) and expression as well as musical accompaniment of the exercises plays a central
role in the training programme of the Medau-Schule.
65. Ariadne herself personifies the passively courageous, endlessly ________(resource), and ________
(love) restorative element in every psyche.
66. ________ (brain) on creative tasks has been a major activity in the advertising business where it
began in the 1930s.
67. Abuses of the investigative process may ________(perceive) lead to abridgment of protected
freedoms
68. Their contributions to science have earned them a(n) ________ (last) place in history.
69. She appeared on television to make a(n) ________ (passion) plea for help.
70. No one will raise moral psychology of the question of obesity, for fear of sounding
________(passion) and ________(reaction).
71. We should take a more ________ (passion) view and consider the long-term effects of Briant's
work.
72. The solutions ________ (compass) a wide range of options to suit all tastes and pockets.
59
73. He was known to be a loud-mouthed, ________ (opinion) bigot.
74. The aim of the report is to ________ (lucid) the main points of the new regulations.
75. Some things are ________ (alien) true: Water is wet, gra is green (kind of), dogs bark and houses
prices rise
76. Jack tried to ________ (one) for his rudeness by sending her some flowers.
77. By 1980 the Republican Party platform had become antiabortion; and a president who pledged to
________ (law) abortion altogether had been elected.
78. Tootle seems to be essentially a(n) ________ (caution) tale, warning the child to stay on the narrow
road of virtue.
79. The country's great influence in the world is ________ (proportion) to its relatively small size.
80. In the US, a school ________ (intend) is in charge of the schools in a particular area.
81. The demonstrators ________ (brand) banners and shouted slogans.
82. He has a(n) ________(can) knack of being able to see immediately where the problem lies.
83. Mick was stubborn and ________ (dominate) with a very bad temper.
84. My profession had an important influence in the formation of my character and ________ (temper).
85. The final whistle was greeted with ________ (triumph) cheers from players and spectators.
86. She has never traced back her ________ (line), but believes her grandparents were from
Aberdeenshire.
87. She was a devout Catholic and, so far as I am aware, ________ (assail/salient) morally.
88. In the field of ________ (diet), standards of practice have been developed for practitioners in the
field.
89. I am afraid I have quite a(n) ________ (incline) to retire on a pension.
90. A(n) ________ (reach) and comprehensive strategy, carefully integrated with broader plans for
health care reform, is required.
91. They're making efforts to streamline their normally ________ (cumber) bureaucracy.
92. Trading can be characterized as a pure, ________ (cumber) personal choice with an immediate
outcome.
93. He's ________(centre), ________(manipulate), insensitive; classic signs of a personality problem.
94. Sometimes a sympathetic friend can be a constant source of discouragement, all ________ (know).
95. Some say he was reborn as an undead god, others that he was simply a(n) ________ (body) spirit.
96. This book is about people who claim to have ________ (normal) abilities such as ESP and mind-
reading.
97. The refugees slept in ________ (shift) tents at the side of the road.
98. The inheritance of ________ (mode) company structures from the past, reinforced by further
concentration, produced very rigid company organisation.
99. In the ________ (mingle) of news and commercials we have a struggle of sorts between two
different orientations.
100. Two hijackers used fake explosives to _______ (command) the airliner.
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PRACTICE TEST 4
A. There are a myriad of lifestyle issues affecting the youth of today. Such is the pressure heaped on
many school-goers to achieve academic excellence by their parents that these 1_______ (real)
expectations are causing children to become hopelessly depressed. Indeed, some, in their 2_______
(despair) to escape and their sense of guilt at being unable reach the levels of success demanded of them
by their 3_______ (push) parents, either rebel in what is 4_______ (amount) to a cry for help, or, worse
still, engage in 5_______ (harm). It is no coincidence that suicide rates, expecially amongst young
males, have been rising steadily for some time now. These are tough times to be a teen.
Then there are those who get hooked on the internet; the 6 _______ (virtue) world becomes their reality.
For these teens, their social circle shrinks 7_______ (drama) until, at last, their friendship sphere is
limited solely to their online 8_______ (bud). Not alone do they commonly suffer from sleep 9_______
(private) on account of their destructive addiction to game play and net-surfing, their behaviour may
become so _______ (err) and peculiar over time as to be considered 10_______ (social) . And while they
sit at their computer screens hidden away in splendid isolation from the real world, such is the lack of
exercise they get that their calorie intake far exceeds what is necessary for them to maintain a stable
weight. In essence, due to their sedentary lifestyle, their weight 11_______ (rocket) until such time as
they become morbidly obese.
B. The standard of television programming produced in this country is in terminal decline. The
1_______ (shed) has become a meaningless term confined in its 2_______ (apply) to 3_______ (go)
days when adult content felt the full force of censorship and was not allowed to appear on the box until
after 9:00 p.m. Nowadays, however, it seems anything goes any time. And, truth told, whatever anything
is, it seldom 'goes' for much longer than a half hour or so at any rate before it is interrupted by a
commercial break. And don't even get me started on those appalling 4_______ (inform) most of the
networks run right the way through the night, one after another, for up to thirty minutes at a time. lt is
truly painful. Terrestrial television is now, as far as I am concerned, a laughing stock. All the quality has
been bought up by the satellite networks, with their big-money weight behind them, but even here
5_______ (pick) are slim. In protest at the dire state of things, I have become a converted 6_______
(net). I look to the web now to find good content. There, I can find just enough 7_______ (run) of
quality programmes to prevent myself from falling into utter despair and pining for the good old days of
8_______ (year).
C. In January 2001, the 1_______ (govern) Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) issued its latest report on
climate change. Climate models worked out by giant super-computers had become far more reliable
since the previous report in 1995 and allowed them to 2_______ (praise) the earlier projections for
global warming. Their conclusions were that something very serious is happening and that it cannot be a
natural process. The 1990s was the hottest decade for 1,000 years and the Earth is warming faster than at
any time in the last 10,000 years. According to the report, human activities are 3_______ (equivocate) to
blame for the temperature rise. The burning of fossil fuels releases carbon dioxide and, due to
deforestation, there are fewer trees to absorb this gas and recycle it back into oxygen. Methane 4_______
(concentrate) have also gone up dramatically because of increases in rice culture and 5_______ (cattle),
both of which generate methane from 6_______ (compose) vegetation. These greenhouses gases trap
heat in the Earth’s atmosphere and cause the temperature to rise. In the worst case, the resulting melting
of ice-caps and glaciers would cause sea levels to rise by up to 88 cm, endangering the homes and
7_______ (lively) of tens of millions of people who live in low-lying regions.
Unfortunately, there is far greater 8_______ (unanimous) among the world’s scientists over the issue
than among politicians. As long ago as 1990, the IPCC recommended a 60% reduction in carbon dioxide
9_______ (emit), as the basic level required to return the planet’s climate to a healthy level.
Governments globally failed to 10_______ (act) these proposals. Now that the dangers have been
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reaffirmed by the latest report, it is high time that governments took an active interest in exploring
alternative, renewable energy sources.
D. People intuitively recognize the importance of self-esteem to their psychological health, so it isn't
particularly remarkable that most of us try to protect and enhance it in ourselves whenever possible.
What is remarkable is that attention to self-esteem has become a(n) 1_______ (commune) concern, at
least for Americans, who see a favorable opinion of oneself as the central psychological source from
which all manner of positive outcomes spring. The corollary, that low self-esteem lies at the root of
individual and thus 2_______ (society) problems and 3_______ (function), has sustained an ambitious
social agenda for decades. Indeed, campaigns to raise people's sense of self-worth abound. Consider
what transpired in California in the late 1980s. Prodded by State Assemblyman John Vasconcellos,
Governor George Deukmejian set up a task force on self-esteem and personal and social responsibility.
Vasconcellos argued that raising self-esteem in young people would reduce crime, teen pregnancy, drug
abuse, school 4_______ (achieve) and pollution. At one point, he even expressed the hope that these
efforts would one day help balance the state budget, a prospect predicated on the observation that people
with high 5_______ (regard) earn more than others and thus pay more in taxes. Along with its other
activities, the task force assembled a team of scholars to survey the relevant literature. The results
appeared in a 1989 volume 6_______ (title) The Social Importance of Self-Esteem, which stated that
"many, if not most, of the major problems plaguing society have roots in the low self-esteem of many of
the people who make up society." In reality, the report contained little to support that assertion.
E. An emerging discipline called neuroaesthetics is seeking to bring scientific 1_______ (objective) to
the study of art, and has already given us a better understanding of many 2_______ (master). The blurred
3_______ (image) of Impressionist paintings seems to stimulate the brain's amygdala, for instance. Since
the amygdala plays a crucial role in our feelings, that finding might explain why many people find these
pieces so 4_______ (move).
Could the same approach also shed light on abstract twentieth-century pieces, from Mondrian's
geometrical blocks of colour, to Pollock's 5_______(seem) haphazard arrangements of splashed paint on
canvas? 6_______ (sceptical) believe that people claim to like such works simply because they are
famous. We certainly do have an inclination to follow the crowd. When asked to make simple 7_______
(perceive) decisions such as matching a shape to its rotated image, for example, people often choose a
definitively wrong answer if they see others doing the same. It is easy to imagine that this 8_______
(mental) would have even more impact on a fuzzy concept like art appreciation, where there is no right
or wrong answer.
F. Pop art was a(n) 1_______ (convention) art style in which 2_______ (common) objects such as comic
strips, soup cans and road signs were used as subject matter, and were often incorporated into the work.
The pop art movement was largely a British and American cultural phenomenon of the late 1950s and
‘60s. Art critic Lawrence Alloway, referring to the prosaic 3_______ (icon) of its painting and sculpture,
named the movement pop art. It represented an attempt to return to a more objective and 4_______
(universe) accepted form of art after the dominance in both the United States and Europe of the highly
personal abstract 5_______ (express). The art form was iconoclastic, rejecting the 6_______ (supreme)
of the ‘high art’ of the past and the 7_______ (pretend) of other contemporary avant-garde art. Pop art
became a cultural institution because of its close reflection of a particular social situation and because its
easily 8_______ (comprehend) images were immediately exploited by the mass media. Although the
critics of pop art describe it as sensational and non-aesthetic, its proponents saw it as an art that was
democratic and not 9_______ (discriminate), bringing together both connoisseurs and untrained
inexperienced viewers. Even though public reaction to pop art was 10_______ (favour), it found critical
acceptance as a form of art suited to the highly technological, mass media-oriented society of western
countries.
G. The comedy Bringing Up Baby, on the other hand, presents practically non-stop dialogue delivered at
1_______ (neck) speed. This use of dialogue 2_______ (score) not only the dizzy quality of the
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character played by Katherine Hepburn, but also the 3_______ (absurd) of the film itself and thus its
humor. The audience is bounced from gag to gag and conversation to conversation; there is no time for
audience reflection. The audience is caught up in a(n) 4_______ (wind) of activity in simply managing
to follow the plot. This film presents pure 5______ (escape) - largely due to its frenetic.
1. This place is an ___________ zone, which is restricted to people who work in the Parliamentary
House only. (EXCLUDE)
2. He was ___________ by the darkness and got lost in the forest. (NIGHT)
3. He was ___________ with intelligence but he tried hard to make up for it. (ENDOW)
4. Any ___________ gimmicks are forbidden in this competition. (MALICE)
5. Surely all women must have ___________ instinct or the human race would die out. (MOTHER)
6. Putting up with noise coming from the neighbor is probably the most ____________ thing. (TO)
7. The leader was taken into custody, which brought an end to the _____________. (SURGE)
8. The spectacular view of Sa Pa has _____________ many visitors. (RAPTURE)
9. Andy has received such _____________ fame after he tried himself in the school’s play. (WONT)
10. The aridity in that area _____________ a poor crop. (TOKEN)
11. Some people argue that money has _____________ football. (BASE)
12. This remote village bore the _____________ of the storm. (PREDATOR)
113. “People” is a ____________ word. (SYLLABLE)
14. The young boy was _____________ by the two men who then asked the innocent for money.
(WAY)
15. Taking that old lady for a ride is _____________. (CONSCIENCE)
16. To achieve the _____________ logic, you have to employ certain techniques of using connectives
like ‘and’, ‘or’ in the right place within the sentence. (SENTENCE)
17. This chair is almost too ____________, so replace it with a new one! (ANNUAL)
18. Underground nuclear _____________ are believed to have been carried out. (NOTE)
19. The opponents of nuclear power may object to the scheme for some ______________ reasons.
(MENTION)
20. Every point in his speech is _____________, which allows the audience to follow easily.
(PERSPEX)
21. The ______________ is used to measured the smallest things! (MICRO)
22. His ______________ talking annoys the teachers a lot. (TERMINAL)
23. Many ______________ policies have come into force to boost the economic development.
(BUSINESS)
24. A(n) _____________ schedule assists me in passing the day smoothly. (ARRANGE)
25. Allowing yourself anything you like makes you a ____________ figure. (INDULGE)
26. Mary ______________ with her husband about his budget this month. (POSTULATE)
27. It is impossible to _______________ his excellence at work. (SAY)
28. People in coastal area live mainy on the ______________, which allows them to earn a great deal of
money from the sea products (CULTURE)
29. People felt a great pity for the time spent to see such a(n) _____________ film. (ABYSS)
30. Every book has a ______________ including what the authors say about their masterpiece. (WORD)
31. I cannot imagine why there are such ______________ people in this world. Don’t they feel any
sympathy for the homeless? (HEART)
32. I will bring my unbrella along on the _____________ that it rains. (CHANCE)
33. The dramatic decrease in the ________________ of this factory can be a direct result of
underpayment. (PUT)
34. The contaminated drinking water in Flint, Michigan can cause ______________ consequences.
(LIFE)
35. It is a _____________ fact that the vegeterian sausages were invented during World War I. (KNOW)
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36. His recent unpredictable mood ____________ him from his friends. (STRANGE)
37. I was ______________ and fell in love with her immediately at first sight. (LOVE)
38. The camera must be clean with a soft ____________ cloth. Otherwise, the water will permeate and
cause damage. (WRING)
39. His recent ups and downs made the criminal more ____________ than ever. (BITE)
40. John Cena used to be in his _____________ in WWE but since his dislocation, he had to leave for
operation and it would take him a long time to make a full recovery. (DAY)
41. Bats use ______________ to navigate in the dark when hunting prey. (LOCATION)
42. He was lying, indicated by the _______________ sign that his hands were shivering. (TELL)
43. Thanks to the _____________ at the bottom of the page, the Chinese-VietNamese poem becomes
more accessible. (NOTE)
44. The dog seems rather _______________; it must not have been fed for days. (SEE)
45. ________________ injection is the most common way to inject drugs. (VEIN)
46. _________________ medication brings about a quick relief but it is not recommended for long-term
treatment. (ACT)
47. Ivan’s camera now ________________ because he carelessly dropped it into the pool. (FUNCTION)
48. Mary told the doctor about her stomach’s ________________. It didn’t seem to work properly.
(FUNCTION)
49. A cock roach can continue to live for a few days even if it is ________________. (CAPITA)
50. Their house is decorated in such a _________________ way so that it fit in with other houses.
(DESCRIBE)
51. ________________ people are strong and healthy ones who can make a living on their own.
(BODY)
52. I spent the whole evening _______________ my messy house. (CLUTTER)
53. Remember to read every _______________ in the contract because it can be a trap for the unwary.
(PRINT)
54. I did my project in my own way, not in a ________________ one. (TREAD)
55. From six o’clock _______________, I’m home! (ON)
56. Some of the ________________ and __________________ regions in Somalia have adopted
distinctive symbols , including flags, while others continue to use the Somali flag.
(DEPEND/AUTONOMY)
57. A(n) _________________ disease is one that will gradually deteriorate the functioning of any one
part in your body. (GENERATE)
58. It is widely known that judges have _________________ powers. (DISCRETION)
59. The little boy left his hand-made boat _______________ on the river. (DRIFT)
60. The students are ________________ seperated into differnt classes. (QUALIFY)
61. He suffered from headaches as an _______________ of his accident. (AFFECT)
62. The renown that Michael Jackson gained for himself is almost ________________. (SUPERIOR)
63. Viet Nam used to be ________________ into two seperate areas, with the border being Gianh river.
(MASS)
64. The walls were _________________ with colors, which make it so beautiful. (STRIPE)
65. A bottle of cooled water had __________________ effects on us after a long walk. (VIGOR)
66. Hand ________________ is accused of including BBA, which can cause many health problems.
(SANITARY)
67. Their trouble is __________________. They themselves made the situation worse. (INFLICT)
68. The _________________ inside our bodies is a complex system. (MUSCLE)
69. I do not understand why Adriana was so ________________ at last night’s party. She is usually
clever and tactical when meeting people. (ADROIT)
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70. Viet Nam went through _________________ process and became an independent country.
(COLONY)
PRACTICE TEST 5
1. The act of _________ should be prohibited under any circumstances. Everyone all has equal rights to
vote. (FRANCHISE)
2. The boss ordered his staff to be ________ with each other in dealing with the company's end-of-year
burden. (LABOR)
3. It is such a _________ story that the mom lost her child when her family immigrated from Africa into
Europe. (LUCK)
4. The mayor was determined that he would do everything in his power to _________ the murder case.
(MYSTERY)
5. The government stressed it was not abandoning its tough __________ policies. (INFLATE)
6. The woman detected her ________ conditions soon after she felt ill in her body. (CANCER)
7. I cast my eyes ________ and saw the geese flying in V-line. (HEAVEN)
8. ________ programs are offered to those who want to do professional training while being paid to
work. (SERVICE)
9. It is inhumane to sell ________ limbs of the animals, such as rhinoceros or elephants, in the market
place. (MEMBER)
10. He was regarded as a _______ winner as he beat his opponents in three straight sets. (RUN)
11. Although some hold out hope for a sea wall and land reclamation programme, it is admittedly
nothing more than a mere ________ (STOP)
12. A(n) ________ is implanted in the body to prop up the heart. (MAKE)
13. She is ________ gorgeous in that gown. (DIE)
14. His behavior at the party was _________, which went beyond everyone's expectations. (ERR)
15. The advent of computers was one of the _________ milestones in the mankind's history. (NOTE)
16. His condition was so serious _________ as he had to stay in hospital for a month. (MUCH)
17. Pending the _________ of KFC, the manager had to catch up on a huge number of backlogs.
(TAKE)
18. It is __________ to be waken up by the noisy music from the neighbor's house. (IRK)
19. Like many other __________ of my age, I dread to use hi-tech gears. (TECHNICAL)
20. Bacteria derived from __________ disease can be contagious among people having reciprocal
contact. (MENINGES)
21. The woman is getting older. She is now in the __________ year of her age. (LIGHT)
22. Chemicals are easily __________ if they are laid open in the atmosphere for a long time. (ACTION)
23. The spectators booed as the referee did not disallow the _______ goal. (SIDE)
24. The government must work at full tilt to promote the economy and reduce the ________.
(EFFICIENT)
25. The Earth is experiencing a major ________ in the climate. (HEAVE)
26. My ________ is the unique thing that distinguishes me from others. (MARK)
27. Children who grow up in peace tend to be more ________ than those who grow up in war. (ADAPT)
28. My mother ________ me a great deal of encouragement after I got bad grades in my exam.
(VOUCH)
29. He is a(n) ________ man. He does not gain any ground in his family. (WILL)
30. You can look at the ________ of this Chinese book to see the elucidation of these new words.
(ADD)
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31. The reaction that occurs within the cell is called _________ reaction. (CELL)
32. He was ________ from the hustle and bustle of life since he moved to this rural area. (TANGLE)
33. I ________ over whether to go abroad or not. (SHALL)
34. Many people nowadays want to indulge themselves in ________ industries such as finance and the
like. (KNOW)
35. Please accept this ________ as a reminder of your stay here. (REMEMBER)
36. A(n) ________ is the one who turns into wolf during full moon. (WOLF)
37. Nitrogen oxide is a(n) ________ compound of oxygen and nitrogen. (ATOM)
38. The story broadens the horizon of the children about their _______. (BEAR)
39. I met my old friend at the supermarket this morning, which was quite ________. (FORTUNE)
40. The mall has intrigued a great number of visitors since it was ________ last month. (GRAND)
41. She cast her eyes ________ and saw a mysterious man looking at her. (STREET)
42. The girl excelled herself at the exam and came ________ to the two boys. (THREE)
43. Scientists from Russia, America and Japan have recently filled the periodic table’s seventh row with
four _________ chemical elements. (HEAVE)
44. It is a misconception that _________ human blood is blue. (OXYGEN)
45. The house is painted in such a(n) _________ style. (SAVOUR)
46. In this modern day, you have to keep yourself _________ so as not to lag behind others. (DATE)
47. This book is _________. You can find information about the varieties of plants around the world
here. (EMBRACE)
48. The little rainfall ________ a poor crop for farmers in this village. (BODE)
49. That word is such a(n) ________. It is not easy to pronouce at all. (JAW)
50. _________ and disinfectants are widely used in hospital to kill the bacteria. (SEPTIC)
51. Due to the prolonged _________, the goods arrived later than we had expected. (CONTAIN)
52. Found in ________ condition, the house is intended to be demolished. (DOWN)
53. ________ of violence has been possible by means of television. (DOCTRINE)
54. He laid his desk _________. It is untidily filled with all kinds of stuff. (HEAP)
55. It is ________ that he will press ahead with his project. Nothing can prevent him. (ODD)
56. X-rays, known as a form of ________, are widely utilized nowadays to diagnose medical conditions.
(RADIAL)
57. His misunderstanding of the situation resulted in his _________. Everyone could make out the
embarassing remarks on his face. (COMPOSE)
58. The minister _________ the fight against hunger in his opening speech. (ACCENT)
59. Even the most _________ equipment cannot replace the role of the teachers in the future. (ART)
60. America is considered one of the biggest _________ in the world. (POWER)
61. The water ________ in the building is of great concern. It can damage the walls if not managed
properly and timely. (FILL)
62. He took off his hat and a pigeon flew out. It was ________ a trick. (GUILE)
63. In a _________ manner, he stepped into the room and shouted at the top of his voice. (DOUBT)
64. You should not assess a situation from such a(n) ________ side. (LATERAL)
65. The homless woman pleaded for a shelter from the rain in a(n) _________ tone. (PASSION)
66. The man reported than he had seen a(n) _________ object, which might well be a UFO. (EGG)
67. The coal cellar needs to be equipped with _________ system in order to prevent suffocation.
(VENT)
68. The advent of Internet is an important __________ in human history. (MARK)
69. His face showed the remark of _________ even when we were talking about seriously. ( FLIP)
70. What you know is rather __________. And it is unfair to judge just through a cursory glance.
(FACIES)
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71. Moving _________ is moving in a direction opposite to the direction the hands of the clock moves.
(CLOCK)
72. Reta is studying animal __________ at the Oxford university. (GENE)
73. The crews fortuitously dicovered a __________ in the ship’s cool chamber. (STOW)
74. The man was _________ on a medal for bravely taking a child out of the burning house. (STOW)
75. The report has _________ the cause of global warming in the past decades. (POINT)
76. It may take more than a month to deliver our car from Germany to VietNam as it is _________.
(SHIP)
77. “Titanic” is an example of _________ romance. (SHIP)
78. The machine cannot work properly as a direct result of _________. (ALIGN)
79. There used to be a __________ in Quang Tri, whose remains now become a historical site. (HOLD)
80. Andy was ___________ from the volunteer group due to his poor attitude. (COMMUNICATE)
81. I was so ____________ that even a spider scared me. (KNEE)
82. The government ____________ its responsibility in the leakage of confidential information.
(NEGATE)
83. Try not to be ___________ even if you are tremendously successful. (VAIN)
84. Bob is a(n) ___________ of an intelligent student. (TYPE)
85. The goverment’s policy to soothe the anger among people was ___________. It should have
happened earlier. (CHRONOLOGY)
86. Tom’s collection is such a(n) ___________. There is no connection between things. (MASH)
87. I was completely ___________ by the fact that he was going to get married. (MUSE)
88. Sleeping during day and working when night comes sounds seemingly __________. (SCIENCE)
89. I question whether a spectacle so fantastic and impressive was ever dealtwith, even in the pages of
__________ fiction. (SCIENCE)
90. Adam’s gait is a(n) __________ for his strong personality. (WORD)
91. The apricot blossom __________ during spring. (GERM)
92. In an _________ world, people have to change to get into the swing of the environment. (EVOLVE)
93. I __________ the distance from my house to the Ann’s hospital and arrived there rather late.
(RECK)
94. Harry Porter’s personality is successfully ___________ by J.K.Rowling throughout her series.
(LINE)
95. Your __________ saying last night could hurt other people’s feelings although you might not intend
to say so. (SENSE)
96. What Thuy Minh said has provoked violent __________ from critics as well as celebrities. (BLAST)
97. You are becoming a(n) ___________. Just go outside and see what happens. (LAY)
98. A ___________ is an instrument that separates light into a frequency spectrum and records the signal
using a camera. (SPECTRUM)
99. Cindy showed ___________ support at Josh’s project. She always believes him. (FALTER)
100. This place is an ___________ zone, which is restricted to people who work in the Parliamentary
House only. (EXCLUDE)
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CHAPTER 3: CLOZE TEST
Part 1. Cressida Cowell is the author of the widely-praised How to Train your Dragon series of
children’s books. She spent her own childhood holidays on a remote island, where she has left very
much to her own (1)________ . As a result, she became an avid reader, entertaining (2)________ with
books and developing a fervent imagination. She even (3)________ up her own secret languages.
Cowell believes that today’s children still have a real (4)________ for language, even though their
attention (5)________ may not be as great as in her day, (6)________ them less tolerant of descriptive
passages in stories. Her books are outlandish and exciting, with vivid imagery, cliffhangers and eye-
catching illustrations. Dragons seem to (7)________ to children of all nationalities, who also seem to
(8)________ with her protagonist, Hiccup, quite easily. Hiccup is a boy who battles his way through’s
life problems, often against the (9)________.
Cowell is currently planning an illustrated book for teenagers. In her own words, she enjoys breaking the
(10)________ and finds that kids are open-minded enough to (11)________ this.
Part 2. Recent research carried out in Ireland amongst chefs and consumers found that 48% of people
(1)________ to regularly over-ordering in restaurants. A campaign has been launched as a result calling
for the food-service industry to join (2)________ with chefs and consumers to address the issue of food
waste.
To bring the research findings to (3)________, the owner of a restaurant in Dublin is creating a "Great
Irish Waste" menu, reconsidering food ingredients that have been thrown away, rejected or (4)________
inedible and turning them into imaginative dishes that are both appetising and of a suitable (5)________
to serve his customers. He says that while there will always be some (6)________ of waste in the
kitchen due to elements such as bones or fat trimmings, there's an opportunity to minimize wastage in
the restaurant (7)________ through better communication. "Even though so much food comes back on
customers' plates and goes in the bin, the majority of diners aren't aware of the environmental or cost
(8)________ of that waste." Without consumers shifting their (9)________ restaurants will struggle to
reduce food waste significantly.
Tackling this problem as a consumer is straightforward. Ultimately, it (10)________ down to smart
shopping, clever cooking and shrewd storage.
Part 3. The relationship between the modern consumer and his or her rubbish is a complex one. Getting
rid of rubbish has come to mean a great deal more than simply consigning breakfast leftovers
(1)________ a plastic bag. With the (2)________ of recycling, rubbish has now invaded many people’s
personal lives to an unprecedented degree.
There was a time, in living (3)________, when rubbish collection was a simple matter – but today’s
household rubbish, (4)________ being discarded, has to be filed and sorted into colour-coded containers
according to its recycling category.
What is more, we are (5)________ out in a rash of irritation by the suggestion that, if rubbish
collections (6)________ to become more infrequent, people would then make the effort to cut down on
shopping and recycle more. We might be excused for wondering how this would be (7)________. Can
people realistically buy fewer eggs or tubes of toothpaste than their lives require?
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Recycling is (8)________ to be good for us. But for some, it’s just a (9)________ of rubbish.
Part 4. The environmental outlook for the future is mixed. Inspite of economic and political changes,
interest in and (1)________ about the environmental remains high. Problems such as acid deposition,
chlorofluorocarbons and ozone depletions still require (2)________and concerted action is needed to
deal with these. (3)________ acid deposition diminish, loss of aquatic life in nothern lakes and streams
will continue and forest growth may be affected. Water pollution will (4)________ a growing problem
as an increasing human population (5)________ untold stress on the environment. To reduce
environmental degradation and for humanity to (6)________ its habitat, societies must recognize that
resources are finite. Environmentalists believe that, as populations and their demands increase, the idea
of continuous growth must give (7)________ to a more rational use of the environment, but that this can
only be brought about by a dramatic (8)________ in the attitude of the human species.
Part 5. Just as a language may develop varieties in the (1)________ of dialects and argots, languages as
a whole may change (Latin, for example, evolved into the different Romance languages). Sometimes
rapid language change occurs as a result of (2)________ between people who each speak a different
language. In such circumstances a pidgin may arise. Pidgins are grammatically based on one language
but are also influenced, especially in vocabulary, by (3)________; they have relatively small sound
systems, reduced vocabularies, and simplified and altered grammars, and they rely heavily on context in
order to be (4)________. Pidgins are often the result of contact by traders with island and coastal
peoples. A pidgin has no native speakers; when speakers of a pidgin have children who learn the pidgin
as their first language, that language is then (5)________ a creole. Once the creole has enough native
speakers to form a speech community, the creole may (6)________ into a fuller language. Many creole
speakers think of their languages as dialects of some colonial languages. Linguists nearly always
disagree with this view - from our (7)________, creoles have independent grammars and all the
equipment of full, proper languages.
Part 6. The issues for emerging economies are a little more straightforward. The desire to build on
undeveloped land is not (1)________ out of desperation or necessity, but is a result of the relentless
(2)________ of progress. Cheap labour and a relatively highly-skilled workforce make these countries
highly competitive and there is a flood of inward investment, particularly from multinationals
(3)________ to take advantage of the low wages before the cost and standard of living begin to rise. It is
(4)________ such as these that are making many Asian economies extremely attractive when viewed as
investment opportunities at the moment. Similarly, in Africa, the relative (5)________ of precious
metals and natural resources tends to attract a lot of exploration companies and a whole sub-industry
develops around and is completely dependent on this foreign-direct investment. It is understandable that
countries that are the focus of this sort of attention can lose (6)________ of the environmental
implications of large-scale industrial development, and this can have devastating consequences for the
natural world. And it is a vicious (7)________ because the more industrially active a nation becomes, the
greater the demand for and harvesting of natural resources. For some, the environmental issues, though
they can (8)________ be ignored, are viewed as a peripheral concern. Indeed, having an environmental
conscience or taking environmental matters into consideration when it comes to decisions on whether or
not to build rubber-tree plantations or grow biofuel crops would be quite prohibitive in. For those
(9)________ in such schemes it is a pretty black-and-white issue. And, for vast (10)________ of land in
Latin America, for example, it is clear that the welfare of the rainforests (11)________ little to local
government when vast sums of money can be made from cultivating the land.
Part 7. It seems that a large percentage of today’s population is addicted to all forms of digital media
and no one seems (1)________ of the nagging phone that buzzes, rings or sings to its owners
incessantly. Many people no longer trust their own fallible memories and (2)________ every detail of
their lives to some digital device or (3)________ and are completely lost without it. Generally speaking,
it is the younger generation who are so addicted, but more and more people seem to be (4)________
their way of life eroded by the digital world. People ‘tweet’ the most mundane of (5)________ as well as
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the most interesting – in their world, having a cup of coffee is as exciting as climbing Mount Everest!
There is a grave danger that people are allowing technology to take (6)________ over everything else in
their lives. And in educational circles, concern is (7)________ over the influence of social media, which
seems to be adversely affecting students’ progress in some cases.
Part 8. Social networking is here to (1)________ and interaction between people all over the world
has never been (2)________. We can share our lives with our network friends who can help us solve
problems or offer advice. Although these sites can (3)________ as a kind of group therapy session with
people who seem to care and who will listen, there is little or no censorship, so cyber-bullying is a
growing problem. Perhaps there need to be more (4)________ on what people are allowed to say.
Nevertheless, social networking sites can be a great way to find people with shared (5)________. and
they can also be very informative if used wisely. For many people, it offers them a feeling of
(6)________ from the real world. Furthermore it gives them a chance to chat about anything and
(7)________, often quite meaningless, without fear of being rejected by others. (8)________ the
drivers, it has become a compelling activity for many, so it is hardly surprising that some people feel a
(9)________. of disconnectedness if they are unable to get online for any period of time. And when they
do get (10)________ online after a few hours of downtime, there is an unmistakable feeling of relief at
being a (11)________ of the world once more.
Part 9. It is hardly surprising, in light of their desperation, that the peoples of the developing world who
are on the very bottom (1)________ of the ladder have little time for the conservationists and
environmentalists who (2)________ bloody murder at what they perceive to be a total (3)________ for
the environment in some parts of the “Third World”. And while they – the nature campaigners, that is –
have, on the (4)________ of it, a very valid point after all, serious, and, in some cases, irrevocable,
(5)________ has been done to many precious habitats and the rare creatures that inhabit same – we must
understand that the rules of supply and demand are in (6)________ here in the developing world just as
much as anywhere else. For example, on the African plains, where (7)________ is still rife, and in the
mountain forests where rogue hunters patrol, ask yourself this; would they bother if there wasn’t a
market for their kill? Believe me, for every bull elephant slaughtered for its ivory (8)________, there is a
rich, greedy, fat-cat collector ready to pay a premium to acquire this ‘find’ – in fact, there are probably
ten of them. Similarly, for every mountain gorilla murdered, whose dismembered limbs appear in tourist
outlets (9)________ so-called ‘ornaments’ – ashtrays and jewellery boxes, if you don’t mind – there has
to be a willing buyer; an admirer of these grotesque trinkets. And there are plenty of them it
(10)________ out. It’s the same principle with rare animal furs and skins; who do you think buys the
crocodilian handbag? I doubt the local tribespeople could afford the price tag, don’t you? It is an
absolute tragedy that endangered species of animals are being (11)________ to the verge of extinction,
of this there can be no doubt. But we must try to understand the reasons why this is happening. The
reality is that poaching will continue while it is a lucrative occupation and while the (12)________ of
finding other forms of employment are very poor. Developing nations need our help, not our scorn.
(13)________ that for the few unscrupulous trophy hunters still out there; rich, spoilt, despicable
Western brats who get a (14)________ out of taking aim at some of the world’s most precious and
endangered species; it is a good thing for them that we live in a civilised world where the death penalty
has, by and large, been removed from the list of possible punishments our courts can (15)________
down. That said, since they have made themselves judge, jury and executioner for the innocent creatures
they have slain, perhaps nothing (16)________ than a capital sentence would be good enough for these
trigger happy delinquents.
Part 10. While the internet opens up a whole new (1)________ of knowledge and information for this
and future generations to explore, it also (2)________ a number of serious concerns for parents with
young, net-savvy children. For (3)________, it is exceptionally difficult to (4)________ your children's
net activity and keep (5)________ of whom they are interacting with online. Secondly, there is little
(6)________ any censorship of the internet, so parents must be willing to do the censoring themselves
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or rely on software products to do it for them. Even still, there are ways around the best-intentioned of
such programmes, and, besides, the alarming level of growth in cyber-bullying is (7)________ of a
trend parents should, perhaps, be far more concerned about. lt used to be that children were (8)________
from the bullies one they returned to the safe confines of their home, (9)________ escaped their
schoolyard tormentors, but not anymore. There is nowhere to (10)________ thanks to social networks
like Facebook, which, if anything, make the (11)________ far and wide of malicious rumours and the
like easier than ever before given the virulent (12)________ of the internet.
Part 11. Today many people find that the pressure they have at work makes their jobs untenable as they
have to put their families totally in the (1)________. So working from home, being more at the
(2)________ of your family rather than your current boss, has great appeal to many as they start up their
own businesses from bedrooms or garages. But don’t just think about it. Now is the time to start, so
(3)________ while the iron’s hot. Providing you are disciplined in what you do, and (4)________ the
idea of working mostly alone and without the team spirit (5)________ by working alongside others,
then what’s stopping you? You gain far more flexibility as you can choose the working hours that suit
you. You will still have to meet deadlines, but they are ones that you or customers have (6)________.
And if you are at a (7)________ end during quiet times, you can go out and do things you couldn’t do
before. But don’t get (8)________ away with the idea of making millions. You’ll need to be determined
and work hard to succeed, but it’ll pay off in the end.
Part 12. It is said that we never stop learning until the day we die. Broadening our horizons has never
been easier, as the twenty-first century (1)________ ever more opportunities for learning and developing
our skills. And if you don’t want to (2)________ out in the job market and (3)________ for a poorly-
paid, boring job, there’s no (4)________ these days. Thousands of online courses allow you to work at
your own (5)________, while you are doing a full-time job. Although be careful that you don’t
(6)________ off more than you can chew! Modern-day society puts a lot of pressure on people, many of
whom have had to take out (7)________ and run up enormous overdrafts, just to survive. The situation
they find themselves in is often not of their own (8)________ but rather that of the global economy.
Facing up to difficult situations by doing something about it rather than running away and coming up
with new ways of solving these problems is the (9)________ to survival, and ongoing education helps
you do this. Don’t (10)________ around complaining. Get out there and do something about it.
Remember, actions speak louder than words!
Part 13. According to some psychologists, we should examine our deeper (1)________ when we
attempt to help others who appear to be in need of our support. Helping others is clearly a good thing to
do, and it can have a therapeutic effect on both giver and (2)________. If, however, we begin to focus on
what we might (3)________ out of helping someone, rather than how that person might be helped, we
could be in (4)________ of adopting a somewhat calculating attitude. This would be to lend
(5)________ to the ideas of those psychologists who believe that, ultimately, we only do things for our
own (6)________ that no actions are truly altruistic. And, of course, we can all think of examples of
problems that have been exacerbated by the well-intentioned, but ill-considered intervention of third
parties. We should also (7)________ in mind that doing too much for people and protecting them from
the consequences of their actions can (8)________ their motivation and even rob them of the resources
to (9)________ things out for themselves
Part 14. We live in culture that values participation over ability: the karaoke culture. In broadcasting, it
seems we cannot (1)________ the vogue for “access TV”, “people shows” and “video diaries”.
(2)________ is our apparent obsession with documenting our own lives that, in future, programmes will
be replaced by cameras in every room, so that we can watch (3)________ endlessly on TV. In the
countless shows that (4)________ our daytime schedules, the audience has become the star. The public
make programmes, the public participate in programmes, the public become performers. Anybody can
do it!
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But there is a world of (5)________ between enjoying something and joining in. If we all join in, what
is the (6)________ of artists or experts? If everything (7)________, there can be no mystery, no
mystique. I love listening to a genius and learning from (or even just appreciating) his or her skill. To
assume then that I can “have a (8)________ at” their craft would be monstrous impudence on my part.
Part 15. Few inventions have had more scorn and praise (1)________ upon them at the same time than
television. And few have done so much to unite the world into one vast audience for news, sport,
information and entertainment. Television must be rated (2)________ printing as one of the most
significant inventions of all time in the field of communications. In just a few decades it has
(3)________ virtually every home in the developed world and an ever-increasing proportion of homes
in developing countries. It took over half a century from the first suggestion that television might be
(4)________ before the first flickering (5)________ were produced in laboratories in Britain and
America. In 1926 John Logie Baird’s genius for publicity brought television to the (6)________ of a
British audience. It has since reached such (7)________ of success and (8)________ on such a pivotal
function that it is difficult to imagine a world (9)________ of this groundbreaking invention.
Part 16- Concentration is good in exams, bad in orange juice. Concentration happens when you manage
to focus on one thing to the (1) ______ of all others, and concentrating on that one thing (2) ______ you
to stop worrying about a lot of other things. Sometimes, of course, your mind concentrates when you
don’t want it to. Maybe you can’t get something out of your head, such as a problem you have to (3)
______ up to, or an embarrassing situation you’ve been in. That’s why collecting things as a hobby is
popular; it (4) ______ your mind off other things. Indeed, some people seem to prefer looking after and
cataloguing their collections to actually (5) ______ anything with them, because this is when the
absorbing, single- minded concentration happens.
The natural span for concentration is 45 minutes. That’s why half an hour for a television programme
seems too short whilst an hour seems too long. But many people's lives are (6) ______ of concentration.
Modern culture is served up in small, easily digestible chunks that require only a short (7) ______ span
although young people can concentrate on computer games for days at a (8) ______.
Sticking out the tongue can aid concentration. This is because you can’t (9) ______ yourself with talking
at the same time and other people won’t (10) ______ to interrupt your thoughts, because you look like an
idiot!
Part 17. Television occupies a large portion of American children's time. Starting in preschool, children
spend more time watching television than participating in any other activity (1)________ sleeping.
Children also have extensive experience with television before being exposed to many socializing
(2)________, such as schools, peers, and religious institutions. (3)________ the central role of this
medium in most children's lives, it is important to understand its potential positive and negative effects
on a variety of cognitive, academic, social, behavioral, and attitudinal outcomes.
The results of recent research suggest that there is considerable overlap between the comprehension
processes that take place during reading and those in prereading television viewing. Thus, it may very
well be the (4)________ that children who learn these comprehension skills from television viewing
before they are able to read are equipped with some very important tools when they later start to read. If
(5)________, this has important implications for education, by opening the door for early childhood
education of some of these essential literacy skills.
Clearly, television viewing is not the sole (6)________ in which important cognitive precursors to
literacy may develop. For instance, children may be (7)________ to narratives through parental bedtime
reading and storytelling, particularly given that most parents have positive beliefs about the value of
such activities. Television, however, may be an especially ideal medium in which to cultivate some of
the skills and knowledge needed for later reading acquisition. For example, this medium involves
minimal print, and the decision to view can be controlled entirely by the preschooler. Television is also
partially a visual medium, and thus (8)________ information more concretely than do written and
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spoken text. This content difference across media seems to (9)________ for the fact that preschoolers
frequently are better at (10)________ televised stories than audiotaped ones.
Part 18. Television used to (1)______as a uniquely unifying national phenomenon. Never before had so
many people had so common (2)______ core of shared cultural experiences. People might not know the
names of their next-door neighbours, (3)_____ they probably watched many of the same programmes.
Thses days, however, with the vast (4)_____ of television programming, everyone can watch
(5)_______ different, just as each Internet user can explore a different selection of websites. Even so,
programmes (6)_______ at international markets generally (7)_______ to be less popular (with the
partial exception of those from America) and people still often choose to watch their own national
programmes. In (8)_______, if television develops along similar (9)_______to the movie business, with
a few blockbusters attracting vast international audiences, people may even (10)______ up watching a
narrower range of programmes.
But (11)______ patterns of viewing habits develop, television will almost certainly become a personal
(12)_______ of equipment, more (13)_______ a mobile phone than a communal source of
entertainment. Armed (14)_______ a credit card and a remote control, viewers will be able to pick their
programmes from wherever they choose. Television will then have become truly global. (15)______,
perhaps, will the cultural values it instils.
Part 19. Language is thought to be a mechanism for transmitting the information (1)________ thoughts.
One experiment used to demonstrate this idea (2)________ subjects to listen to a short passage of
several sentences. The subjects are then asked to repeat the passage. Most subjects accurately convey the
gist of the passage in the sentences they produce, but they do not come (3)________ to repeating the
sentences verbatim. It appears as if two transformations have occurred. Upon hearing the passage, the
subjects convert the language of the passage into a more abstract representation of its meaning, which is
more easily (4)________ within memory. In order to recreate the passage, the subject (5)________ this
representation and converts its meaning back into language.
This (6)________ of thought and language is less intuitive than it might be because many people find
language to be a powerful (7)________ with which to manipulate their thoughts. It provides a
mechanism to internally rehearse, critique, and (8)________ thoughts. This internal form of
communication is essential for a social animal and could certainly be, in (9)________, responsible for
the strong selective pressures for improved language use.
Part 20. There are solid reasons for supporting, preserving, and documenting endangered languages.
First, (1)________ and every language is a celebration of the rich cultural diversity of our planet;
second, each language is an (2)________ of a unique ethnic, social, regional or cultural identity and
world view; third, language is the repository (3)________ the history and beliefs of a people; and
finally, every language encodes. a particular subset of fragile human knowledge about agriculture,
botany, medicine, and ecology. Mother tongues are (4)________ of far more than grammar and words.
For example, Thangmi (known in Nepali as Thami), a Tibeto-Burman language spoken by an ethnic
community of around 30,000 people in eastern Nepal, is a mine of unique indigenous terms for local
flora and fauna that have medical and ritual (5)________. Much of this local knowledge is falling into
(6)________ as fluency in Nepali, the national language, increases. When children (7)________ to
speak their mother tongue, the oral (8)________ of specific ethnobotanical and medical knowledge also
comes to an end.
Part 21. Broadcasting has democratized the publication of language, often at its most informal, even
undressed. Now the ears of the educated cannot escape the language of the masses. It (1)_______ them
on the news, weather, sports, commercials, and the ever-proliferatinggame shows. This wider
dissemination of popular speech may easily give purists the (2)_______ that language is suddenly going
to hell in this generation, and may(3)_______ the new paranoia about it. It might also be argued that
more Americans hear more correct, even beautiful, English on television than ever before. Through
television more models of good usage (4)_______ more American homes than was ever possible in other
73
times. Television gives them lots of colloquial English too, some awful, some creative, but that is not
new.
Hidden in this is a (5)_______ fact: our language is not the special private property of the language
police, or grammarians, or teachers, or even great writers. The genius of English is that it has always
been the tongue of the common people, literate or not. English belongs to everybody: the funny
(6)_______ of phrase that pops into the mind of a farmer telling a story; or the travelling salesman's dirty
joke; or the teenager saying, 'Gag me with a spoon'; or the pop lyric — all contribute, are all as valid as
the tortured image of the academic, or the line the poet sweats over for a week. Through our collective
language (7)________ some may be thought beautiful and some ugly, some may live and some may die:
but it is all English and it (8)________ to everyone — to those of us who wish to be careful with it and
those who don't care.
Part 22. Little babies are not so innocent after all, it would seem. Infants as young as six months, new
research claims, are capable of lying to their doting parents, which they do (1)________ crying when
they are not truly (2)_________ pain or distress. They do it simply to draw attention to themselves, but
once they start receiving the loving hugs and cuddles they (3)_________ badly crave, the babies then do
(4)________ best to prolong this reward by offering fake smiles.
This has led to suggestions that human beings are 'born to lie' and that this is a unique quality of our
species. As someone who has devoted a lifetime to studying human and animal behaviour, I have to
report that this is actually (5)_________ from being the truth. Mankind may be the most adept species at
telling fibs, but we are far from alone.
A young chimpanzee in captivity, for example, is just as capable of 'lying', as I have witnessed on many
occasions, most commonly when human handlers, working with young chimps, have to leave them
alone. (6)________ human babies, the apes really hate (7)___________ left alone, and for this reason,
their handlers, (8)_________ have become their 'family', should ideally never be out of sight. Even
(9)_________ the handlers always do their best to avoid going away for too long, some absence is
unavoidable. In (10)__________ a situation, and as soon as the young ape knows it is going to be left
alone, it will start protesting vocally, and these protests can be heard as the handler leaves the building.
The screaming stops when the door is slammed, (11)__________ at this point the ape knows that the
handler can (12)________ longer hear him. It has total control (13)_________ its crying and can switch
it on and off whenever it likes. The crying is actually a deliberate signal, rather (14)________ an
uncontrollable outburst. But (15)________ this is a case of "real" lying rather depends on how you look
at it.
Part 23. Once children had ambitions to be doctors, explorers, sportsmen, artists or scientists. Now,
taking their (1)________ from TV, they just “want to be famous”. Fame is no longer a (2)________ for
gallant service or great, perhaps even selfless endeavour. It is an end in (3)________, and the sooner it
can be achieved, the sooner the lonely bedroom mirror can be replaced by the TV camera and flash gun,
the (4)________ Celebrity is the profession of the moment, a vain glorious vocation which, like some
18th-century royal court, seems to exist largely so that the rest of us might watch and be amazed while
its members live out their lives in public, (5)________ self-regarding members of some glittering soap
opera.
Today, almost anyone can be famous. (6)________ has fame been more democratic, more ordinary,
more achievable. No wonder it s a modern ambition. It’s easy to see why people crave celebrity, why
generations reared (7)________ the instant fame offered by television want to step out of the limousine
with the flashlights (8)________ around them. It doesn’t want to be the (9)________ of attention at
some time in their lives?
Modern celebrity, peopled by (10)________ largely vain and vacuous, fills a need in our lives. It
peoples talks shows, sells goods and newspapers and rewards the famous for — well, being famous.
Part 24.
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In 1942, only a few months after the United States had entered World War II, as Hitler plunged deeper
into Russia and Japan was advancing victoriously throughout the Pacific, President Roosevelt, Secretary
of State Cordell Hull, and his deputy, Sumner Welles, along with many politicians, journalists, and
academics, were already involved in a debate on postwar arrangements. Many of the proposals were far-
reaching, (1)________ revolutionary. In no other country did the shock of war create such a
(2)________ at a time when the Nazis and the Japanese were still clearly winning. Such activities
(3)________ strikingly with the negativism and lack of verve that now, in our peaceful time,
characterize the discussion, when there is any, of international organization for the future.
At the end of the war, (4)________ from the usual xenophobes and isolationists, relatively few voices
questioned the need for the new international system. On the (5)________, there was a tendency to
oversell it and to create unrealistic hopes for its effectiveness. Thus when the cold war—along with the
usual tendency of sovereign states to quarrel and (6)________ to violence—shattered the dream of a
more rational world, public disillusion and hostility to the UN (7)________ all the fiercer. In fact, the
UN has never quite (8)________ from its failure to live up to its advance notices.
Already in 1942 there were warning (9)________. Professor Nicholas Spykman of Yale wrote that
“plans for far-reaching changes in the character of international society are an intellectual by-product of
all great wars,” but they have never altered “the fundamental power patterns.” Spykman predicted that
the new postwar order would remain “a world of power politics in which the interest of the United States
will continue to demand the preservation of a (10)________ of power in Europe and Asia.”
Part 25.
Thousands of tired, nerve-shaken, over-civilized people are beginning to find that we cannot
(1)________ without the wilderness and that mountain parks and reservations are useful not only as
fountains of timber and irrigating rivers, but as fountains of life. The national park movement, is seeing
to the worldwide protection of wild places, not only out of respect for their intrinsic natural
(2)________, but also for their capacity to (3)________ people’s lives with a depth of spiritual and
poetic inspiration, dicovery and adventure.
It is often in the (4)________ places, away from the dominating presence or evidence of human activity,
that thousands find spiritual and physical refreshment: on the downs, along the seashore or by the
mountain streams. It is a dislike of constraint and restriction which (5)________ us to wild places. We
aspire to wild landscapes because we aspire to freedom. In Britain our wild landscapes are now small in
(6)________ and ecologically (7)________ due to overgrazing, acid rain and nitrogen pollution. What
is (8)________ is doubly precious.
Part 26.
A few countries, mainly in the south, have large herds of elephants that are growing in number and are
rapidly exceeding the (1)________ of game reserves to sustain them. In most other countries, mainly in
the centre of the continent, elephants are (2)________ but extinct. The lines of conflict are (3)________
by this division. Countries with big and growing herds push for culling and trade in elephant products.
Those (4)________ favour a ban on trade in ivory.
For environmentalists, the answer is to (5)______ elephants from overpopulated to underpopulated
areas, can help to ease the pressures to cull and stops the bitter clashes (6)________ what to do.
However, this is often just too expensive.
The only real (7)________ lies in the opening up of large new elephant rangelands by dropping the
fences of game reserves and joining them up with other protected areas, including those in adjacent
countries. This would create new homelands for thousands of elephants at a (8)________ of the cost. In
fact, one such trans-frontier park was opened early this year. between South Africa and Botswana in the
Kalahari. The governments of South Africa, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Mozambique have agreed to
(9)________ up two more trans- frontier parks in areas (10) ________ high elephant congestion.
Part 27.
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The advertising industry is suffering from a brain drain because an increasing number of senior
executives find the strains of the job (1)_______ with family life, a survey shows. Stress counsellors say
more mature staff are voting with their (2)_______ because they are disillusioned by poorer pay and less
fun since the spendthrift heyday of the late Seventies. Rather than pursue a place on the board, many
choose alternative but less lucrative jobs as (3)_______ as furniture-making and alternative medicine,
which enable them to spend more time with their children.
Experts from the institute say their 2001 census of the 14,000 advertising employees in Britain raises
(4)_______ over a lack of experience in senior positions. There was a danger that unless companies
made greater efforts to retain experienced staff, they may lose (5)_______ with the "grey market" as the
population grew older.
Hamish Pringle, the institute's director general, says: "It bothers me that by definition this means the
industry has very few people with any significant business experience. There are people advising clients
on multimillion-pound decisions who are really very wet behind the (6)_______. You've got to ask
yourself whether that is really good for the business."
He says increasing numbers of men and women tired (7)_______ by the dual demands of desk work and
essential socialising in the London-dominated industry are leaving around the age of 40 to achieve a
healthier balance between work and home life.
Part 28.
Sports psychology is the science of behaviour (1)_______ to exercise and sport participation. With
levels of competition rising ever higher and differences between competing athletes being measured in
fractions of a second, increasing numbers of sportsmen and women are using sports psychologists to
help them gain a competitive (2)_______. During the past decade major national organizations
addressing the area of sports psychology have emerged. Parallel increases have been apparent in the
number of books on the topic, but there is a (3)_______ between the large amount of publicity about the
field and the relatively few trained professionals around. Until now it has been a comparatively unknown
area academically, however, in the (4)_______ of the next few years, with a rising number of
universities offering specialist training, this (5)_______ of affairs will be resolved as more and more
people take up the profession in earnest.
Part 29.
The research in the University of Leicester Department of Media and Communication examines interest
in celebrities and gossip about them. It was carried out by Dr Charlotte De Backer who (1)_______ in
her study to explain interest in celebrity culture.
She said: “Life is about learning, (2)_______ experience and in that process we have a tendency to
observe and mimic the actions of others. Ideally we mimic what makes others successful and (3)_______
unsuccessful actions others have trialed (and paid for).
“In reality, humans seem to have the tendency to mimic the overall behavior pattern of higher status or
more successful others.
“This explains why celebrities act as role models for broad (4)_______ of behaviour they display - good
or bad.”
Dr De Backer also examined another theory for interest in celebrity, known as the Parasocial
Hypothesis. In this (5)_______, the bonds are parasocial, or one-way because the celebrity reveals
private information (often involuntary), and the audience members respond emotionally to this, but there
is no feedback of the private life of the audience going to the celebrity (or hardly ever), and (6)_______
do celebrities display emotions towards their audience
Her study of 800 respondents and over 100 interviews confirmed that younger participants showed
greater interest in celebrity gossip, even if it was about celebrities who were a lot older than them and
even when they did not know the celebrities. They showed greatest interest in internationally (7)_______
celebrities, because they considered those as more prestigious.
76
Her study also found that older people were interested in celebrity gossip not because they wanted to
learn about the celebrities, but because it helped them to (8)_______ social networks with other people.
“We did find in the interviews that older people do not gossip about celebrities as (9)_______ because
they want to learn from them or feel befriended with them, but they use celebrity gossip to (10)_______
with real - life friends and acquaintances.
Part 30.
How far should members of the public have to run the risk of personal harm where scientific or
technological innovation is (1)_______? In some legal systems, incuding European Union law, the
(2)_______ of the precautionary principle is a statuory requirement. The precautionary principle advises
society to be cautious about a technology or practice where there is scientific uncertainty, ignorance,
gaps in knowledge or the likelihood of (3)_______ outcomes.
This runs (4)_______ to the optimistic notion that any adverse effects that arise unintentionally can be
addressed. (5)_______, some claim these may provide an opportunity to develop new solutions, and in
this way contribute to economic growth. For this reason, the US Chamber of Commerce dislikes the
precautionary approach and prefers the use of sound science, cost – benefit (6)_______, and risk
assessment when assessing a particular regulatory issue. Its strategy is therefore to : ‘Oppose the
domestic and international adoption of the precautionary principle (7)_______ a basis for regulatory
decision making.’ Yet history (8)_______ us that asbestos, halocarbons and PCBs seemed like miracle
substances at first, but turned out to be highly problematic for human and environmental health.
Part 31.
Our biological clocks govem almost every aspect of our lives. Our sensitivity to stimuli (1)_______ over
the course of the day, and our ability to perform certain functions is subjects to fluctuations.
Consequently, there is an (2)______ time for tasks such as making decision: around the middle of the
day. Anything that (3)_______ physical co-ordination, on the other hand, is best attempted in the early
evening. What is more , there is a dramatic drop in performance if these activities are carried out at other
times. The risk of accident in a factory, for example, is 20% higher during the night (4)________.
Primitive humans lived their lives in (5)_______ with the daily cycle of light and dark. Today we are
firmly convinced that we can impose schedules on our lives at (6)_______. Sooner or later, however, we
pay a price for ignoring our natural rhythms. A good example is jet lag, caused when we confuse our
body's biological clocks by (7)_______several time zones, people suffering from iet lag can take several
days to (8)_______ to new time zones, and have a reduced ability to make decisions, which is a wonying
thought, as serious (9)_______ of judgment can be made, And this may be just the tip of the iceberg. An
increasing number of people suffer from seasonal affective disorder (SAD), a form of depression that
can be triggered by living in artificial conditions. SAD can be serious, and sufferers, may (10)_______
need to take antidepressant drugs.
Part 32.
In cities around the world a wide range of schemes is being instigated to promote environmental
awareness. ‘It’s just as easy to (1)_______ of litter properly as it is to drop it on streets’, says the city
councillor, who has called on the government to mount a concerted campaign to deal with the problem
of litter. It’s just a question of encouraging people to do so as a (2)_______ of course. Once the habit is
ingrained, they won’t even (3)______ they are doing it. After all, think what we have achieved with
recyclable waste in the home. People have become accustomed to doing this, so it doesn’t (4) ______ to
them that they are spending any additional time in the process. Only if they have to carry this waste for
some appreciable distance to find a suitable container do they feel they are (5) ______. Most people
know they should behave in a responsible way and just need (8) (6)_______ to do so. So a quirky, light
– hearted gimmick might be enough to change behaviour. With this in (7) _____, the city of Berlin is
introducing rubbish bins that say ‘danke’, ‘thank you’ and ‘merci’. It might just (8)_______ the trick in
this city, too.
Part 33.
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One of the strongest influences on teenagers today is that of their peers. What their friends think, how
they dress and how they act in class and out of it (1)_______ the behaviour of nearly every teenager. In
their (2)_______ not to be different, some children go so (3)_______ as to hide their intelligence and
ability in case they are made fun of. Generally, teenagers do not want to stand out from the (4)_______.
They want to fit in, to be accepted. In psychological terms the importance of peer pressure can not be
overemphasized. There is a lot of evidence that it has great (5)_______ on all aspects of their lives, from
the clothes they wear, the music they listen to and their (6)_______ to studies, to their ambitions in life,
their relationships and their (7)_______ of self-worth. However, as adolescents grow up into young
adults, individuality becomes more acceptable and in their (8)_______ for their personal style, the
teenager and young adult will begin to experiment and be more willing to (9)_______ the risk of
rejection by the group. Concern about intellectual ability and achieving good exam results can dominate
as the atmosphere of competition develops and worries about the future (10)_______ any fears of
appearing too brainy.
Part 34.
As medical science progresses, we are becoming an increasingly elderly (1)_______ and, although
living to a ripe old age can only be a good thing, it brings with it a large number of problems that we
have yet to deal with properly. One (2)_______ problem is that the burden of financing care for the
elderly seems to be (3)_______ on a reduced percentage of the working population. The gradual but
steady trend (4)_______ smaller families is likely to result in a smaller number of people to pay for the
requirements of an increasingly elderly population. The services needed by the elderly appear to have
stretched to breaking (5)_______. Nursing homes, homecare, meals on (6)_______ and so on all need
more investment if we wish our elderly to live as fulfilled and independent a life as possible. Young
people today are encouraged to start saving with personal pension (7)_______ as early as possible to
ensure an adequately financed retirement, since it is predicted that state pension levels in the future will
not be enough to guarantee a (8)_______ of the lifestyle they have become accustomed to. But we still
have to cope with an expanding older population who are discovering too late that the (9)_______ they
had taken to guarantee an income for their later years were not sufficient. Obviously, the (10)_______ on
public funds to subsidize this shortfall is enormous.
Part 35.
Our ultimate escape from whatever life has thrown at us during our waking day is sleep. Nature’s healer
lowers our eyelids and (1)_______ us with the comforting blanket of unconsciousess. Every night we are
given a period in which our bodies and minds can recuperate and (2)_______ us for the trials and
demands of the following day. As we all know, our subconscious controls our quiet periods, taking our
(3)_______ on journeys consisting of events and half-remembered thoughts from our conscious hours.
Our journeys are usually fragmented patterns of sensations and pictures, sometimes pleasant, sometimes
harrowing.
These periods of (4)_______ and dreams are essential for our health and well-being but an increasing
number of people today suffer from an inability to enjoy this necessary form of escape. Insomnia affects
a high proportion of us and this frustrating, debilitating malady can have dire results. The insomniac
wades (5)_______ his waking hours in a fog. Creative thought can be deadened, reflexes slowed and
sensations dimmed. If this ability to sleep lasts for more than a week or two, what is known as chronic
insomnia (6)_______ in, sometimes causing severe depression and leaving the sufferer unable to cope
with daily life.
Part 36.
Throughout history people of all cultures have (1)_______ to their dreams as a means of finding
solutions to problems or answers to specific questions. Nowadays it may seem to be a forgotten art, but
controlled dreaming is increasingly being advocated as a means of tapping (2)_______ the causes of
deep – rooted problems. The procedure, known as “incubating a dream”, is not difficult and almost
anyone can develop the habit of focusing on a specific question before (3)_______ off, in the hope that
78
the subconscious will provide enlightment. Answers may come in the (4)_______ of symbols or events
and may not be immediately obvious, but with guidance and practice, almost anyone can do it.
Many dream enthusiasts have gone a step (5)_______ and perfected a technique known as ‘lucid
dreaming’. This (6)_______ training your mind to stay awake while dreaming in order to coherently
experience the dream and even control it. Most of us are familiar with the kind of dream where we know
we are dreaming, but being able to do it at (7)_______ and having the capacity to influence events in the
dream is a subtle art. This technique has been shown to be a useful way of facing up to one’s fears,
insecurities, doubts or negative (8)_______. Conversely, lucid dreaming can be a kind of wish
fulfilment, opening up unlimited (9)_______ within the imagination, empowering the dreamer in a way
that can be carried over into waking life as an additional (10)_______ to one’s self-esteem or feelings of
well-being.
Part 37.
Some current evidence (1)_______ that dreams may serve no useful psychological or physiological
function, and perform no adaptive role in maintaining our psychological health. In fact, some researchers
believe that dreams are merely an evolutionary by-product of sleep (2)_______ with a gradually
awakening consciousness in human beings – a developmental cognitive achievement assigned to the
healthy functioning of a complex neural network located in specific (3)_______ of the forebrain.
Nevertheless, the way dreams reflect our emotional preoccupations or run (4)_______ to our awakened
states of consciousness may explain why, throughout history, dreams have been (5)_______ to various
uses. For example, in many societies dreams would be used by shamans or witch doctors as a means to
diagnose or cure illnesses, or to (6)_______ off evil spirits. Occasionally, dreams would be used to
predict the weather or (7)_______ prophecies. In modern times dreams have been used by
psychotherapists as a means of understanding the patient’s (8)_______ of mind, or simply to induce him
or her to talk about repressed feelings. Dreams may (9)_______ be used socially, as an ice-breaker, or
as a way for some people to express fantasies. But there are emergent functions, coming (10)_______ as
a result of dreams rather than causing them.
Part 38.
A few generations ago, a university education could only be aspired (1)_______ by an elite minority. In
the last few decades, however, a change has slowly but (2)_______ been taking place and prospective
students who, a century ago, would have known that even a basic education was beyond their
(3)_______, can now look forward to gaining a degree in higher education. Universities have been
(4)_______ into places not only of learning, but also of business and are (5)_______ out on a regular
basis their finished product – the graduate.
However, degree – holders are still faced with a problem. What used to be a passport to employment is
no longer a (6)_______ of success. And (7)_______ so: there are so many graduates on the job market
these days that it would be impossible to employ them all. Were employers able to do (8)_______,
everyone would surely be a great deal happier. Consequenty, a number of schemes have been set up in
order to help and advise those (9)_______ who have been unable to find work. The matter of further
education is still (10)_______ that needs attention.
Part 39.
There has been a significant (1)_______ in entertainment trends over the last twenty years or so.
Entertainment used to be public; now it is becoming more and more (2)_______. Formerly, people
wanting to amuse themselves did so in groups; these days, people (3)_______ entertain themselves on
their own.
Long, long ago, there were storytellers. They used to travel around the country and their (4)_______ was
awaited with eager anticipation. In the more (5)_______ past, people used to have musical evenings,
they used to play games together, or simply sit around the fire and chat.
Nowadays, instead of playing board games in a group, children play video games alone or with one
(6)_______ person. People of all ages spend their evenings alone watching televisions, videos and
79
DVDs. And large numbers of young (and not so young) enthusiasts spend their free time surfing the net,
which, by its very (7)_______, tends to be a solitary activity.
Forms of entertainment have always been changing of course, but it could be said that these recent
changes – all products of technological development – (8)_______ a more fundamental shift. One could
(9)_______argue that this shift is symbolised by the earphones that are in evidence everywhere. Can this
deliberate attempt to (10)_______ out the rest of the world really be called entertainment?
Part 40.
An Italian academic, Giorgio Stabile, has (1)_______ to light the fact that the ubiquitous symbol of
Internet era communication, the @ sign used in email addresses, is (2)_______ a 500-year-old invention
of Italian merchants. He claims to have stumbled on the earliest known example of the symbol’s use, as
an (3)_______ of a measure of weight or volume. He said the @ sign (4)_______ an amphora, a measure
of capacity based on the terracotta jars (5)_______ to transport grain and liquid in the ancient
Mediterranean world. The first known (6)_______ of its use occurred in a letter written by a Florentine
merchant on May 4, 1536. The ancient symbol was uncovered in the (7)______ of research for a visual
history of the 20th century. Apparently, the sign had made its (8)_______ along trade routes to northern
Europe, where it took on its contemporary accountancy (9)_______: “at the price of”. According to
Professor Stabile, the oldest example could be of great value as it could be used for publicity
(10)_______ and to enhance the prestige of the institution that has it in their possession.
Part 41.
These days, there is a growing band of 'shoestring renovators' who, in a (1)_______ where finance is
hard to come by, are scaling (2)_______ their refurbishment plans and coming up with imaginative ways
to transform their homes. Extra money is in short (3)_______ so things are done (4)_______ the cheap -
not in a nasty way but in a way that makes use of materials that other people don't want. Sarah and her
husband are an example of this way of a (5)_______ budget: the loan on an old cottage they bought was
reduced by the bank so they had no choice but to do most of the work themselves.
Sarah spent every spare minute for a year painting and decorating. She sourced materials and furniture
from eBay and recycled friends' unwanted possessions. Do-It-Yourself, however, is not (6)_______ its
hazards: Steve, Sarah's husband, (7)_______ himself out cold for two hours by hitting his head on a low
beam above the front door. Another time, they only just (8)_______ to save their new kitchen furniture
from being ruined after a mains water pipe burst. However, the upside is that the project has opened up a
new (9)_______ for Sarah - people have seen her work and have suggested she start up her own home-
styling business. And the cottage next door is for sale so more creative furniture sourcing could lie just
around the (10)_______ !
Part 42.
Many students in the UK consider doing a gap year before going to university. Critics (1)_______
whether it is a just a long glorified holiday or if it's really worth doing. Does it actually help students in
their careers? Some educational establishments (2)_______ encourage students to take a gap year and
recommend that students take advantage of the opportunities (3)_______. However, most of them would
prefer it if the students did some (4)_______ of voluntary work instead of just having a holiday. There
are numerous organisations which organise these trips for students and it's a good idea to (5)_______
them out online. One of the main advantages is that it's a great way to get to know more about different
cultures and, for many, it is also a painless way to learn another language by speaking to local people.
Volunteers who stay in local homes say that they get the chance to experience local culture and customs
and, in (6)_______, to try a variety of food which they wouldn't (7)_______ have tried. When I was 18
years old, I had set my (8)_______ on going to work in Africa for a year, but unfortunately my parents
wouldn’t let me go and (9)_______ that I went to university immediately. I'm 49 years old and still
haven’t had my gap year! Maybe one day I'll get (10)_______ to doing it.
Part 43.
80
Violence is alive and well on television. Yet there appears to be a difference in the quality, variety, and
pervasiveness of today’s televised violence. Some observers believe that, as a result of more than three
decades of television, viewers have developed a kind of (1)_______ to the horror of violence. By the age
of 16, for example, the (2)_______ young person will have seen some 18,000 murders on television.
One extension of this phenomenon may be an appetite for more varied kinds of violence. On the basis of
the amount of exposure, certain things that initially would have been beyond the (3)_______ have
become more readily accepted.
Violence on TV has been more prevalent than in recent years, in (4)_______ measure because there are
fewer situation comedies and more action series. But also because some 25 million of the nation’s 85
million homes with television now receive one of the pay cable (5)_______ which routinely show uncut
feature films containing graphic violence as early as 8 in the evening.
The evidence is (6)_______ so overwhelming that just as witnessing violence in the home may
contribute to children learning and acting out violent behavior, violence on TV and in the movies may
lead to the same result. Studies have shown that a steady diet of watching graphic violence or sexually
violent films such as those shown on cable TV has caused some men to be more (7)_______ to accept
violence against women. Not only actual violence, but the kind of violence coming through the
television screen is causing concern. One of the principal developments is the increasing sophistication
of the weaponry. The simple gunfight of the past has been augmented by high-tech crimes like terrorist
bombings. Programs in the past used the occasional machine gun, but (8)_______ weapons as the M-60
machine gun and Uzi semi-automatic have become commonplace today on network shows.
Many people are no longer concerned about televised violence because they feel it is the (9)_______ of
the world. It is high time that broadcasters provided public (10)_______ on TV screens that would warn
viewers about the potentially harmful effects of viewing violence.
Part 44.
Over the last century the world has become increasingly smaller. Not geographically, of course, but in
the (1)_______ that media, technology and the opening of borders has enabled the world’s citizens to
view, share and gain access to a much wider range of cultures, societies and world views. In this
(2)______ pot that the world has become, today’s child is privy (3)_______ facets of the human
experience that his immediate predecessors had no inkling even existed. It (4)_______ to reason that in
order to absorb, configure and finally form opinions about this information-laden planet, children must
be supplied with certain tools. (5)______ in this list of ‘tools’ are: education, social skills, cultural
awareness and the acquisition of languages, the most important of these being the latter. Until recently, a
child who had the ability to speak more than one language would have been considered a very (6)______
entity. This one-language phenomenon could be attributed to a combination of factors. One of them is
that the monolingual environment in which a child was raised played a strong role, (7)_______ did the
limited, biased education of the past. With regard to immigrants, the sad fact was that non-native parents
tended to withhold the teaching of the mother tongue so that the child would acquire the ‘more
prestigious’ language of the adopted country. Nowadays, the situation has (8)_______ an almost
complete reversal. In the majority of North American and European countries, most children are given
the opportunity to learn a second or even a third language. Children acquire these foreign languages
through various and diverse means. In many countries, learning a foreign language is a compulsory
subject in the state school (9)_______. Other children rely on language schools or private tuition to
achieve their goal. In other instances, children are (10)_______ to bilingual parents, who, if they so
desire, may teach the children two languages.
Part 45.
Our daily lives are largely made up of contacts with other people, during which we are constantly
making judgments of their personalities and accommodating our behavior to them in (1)_______ with
these judgments. A casual meeting of neighbors on the street, an employer giving instructions to an
employee, a mother telling her children how to behave, a journey in a train where strangers eye one
81
another without exchanging a word - all these involve (2)_______ interpretations of personal qualities.
Success in many vocations largely depends on skill in (3)_______ up people. It is important not only to
such professionals as the clinical psychologist, the psychiatrist or the social worker, but also to the
doctor or lawyer in dealing with their clients, the businessman trying to outwit his rivals, the salesman
with potential customers, the teacher with his pupils, (4)_______ to speak of the pupils judging their
teacher. Social life, indeed, would be (5)_______ if we did not, to some extent, understand, and react to
the motives and qualities of those we meet; and clearly we are sufficiently accurate for most practical
purposes, although we also recognize that misinterpretations easily (6)_______ - particularly on the part
of others who judge us! Errors can often be corrected as we go (7)_______. But whenever we are
(8)_______ down to a definite decision about a person, which cannot easily be revised through his 'feed-
back', the inadequacies of our judgments become apparent. The hostess who wrongly thinks that the
Smiths and the Joneses will get on well together can do (9)_______ to retrieve the success of her party.
A school or a business may be saddled for years with an undesirable member of staff, because the
selection committee which interviewed him for a quarter of an hour (10)_______ his personality.
Part 46.
Can you feel your anxiety and stress levels increasing every time you get caught in a traffic jam? Do you
find it difficult to control your tongue when your boss points out your shortcomings yet again? Do you
(1)_______ for state-of-the-art technology in your home that you haven’t had to pay for? If you are
shouting an enthusiastic “Yes!” in answer to these questions, then it could be (2)_______ to make a
career and life change that may not even require you to quit your job.
Working from home is a relatively new phenomenon, but is becoming an increasingly popular
(3)_______ with both businesses and employees. The technology available to us means that we no
longer need to be in the same office building as our colleagues to communicate effectively with each
other. Companies may choose to employ a proportion of their staff as home-based workers, as, of course,
a workforce set up in such a way requires far less office (4)_______ and fewer parking facilities. The
fixed costs of a business can be dramatically reduced. Employees can enjoy the added benefits of
freedom to schedule the day as they choose and freedom to spend more time at home with their families.
We can even go so far as to say that the working-from-home phenomenon could be one of the answers to
the pollution problems which the modern world has inflicted upon (5)_______. Fewer people travelling
to work every day equals fewer cars. Fewer cars, of course, (6)_______ to lower CO2 levels in the
atmosphere.
But what are the drawbacks to working at home? For many of us, work is a means of (7)_______ our
nearest and dearest and making our own mark on the world. The relationships we have with our
colleagues are a significant part of our life - after all, full-time workers spend a third of their day in their
workplace. Some people who work from home feel that they are actually much more (8)_______ and
can get tasks done in a much shorter time than in an office environment. Others, however, may be
demotivated by the isolation and find it difficult to get down to tasks which have a more intangible
deadline.
As with most aspects of life, a (9)_______ is probably the best solution for the majority of workers – a
job based at home which requires regular contact with colleagues at regular meetings. Management
surveys show that successful business is easier if we operate as a (10)_______: brainstorming and
sharing ideas and offering support and motivation to each other. After all, we are only human and we
need others to complain to if we have a bad day at work!
Part 47.
Beauty is the (1)_______ of a thing or person that gives you pleasure. Inner beauty refers to
psychological factors, such as intelligence, kindness, compassion, and honesty. Outer beauty, or physical
attractiveness, refers to factors such as looks, health, youthfulness, and symmetry.
Is the ability to define physical or psychological attractiveness innate or learned ? Is beauty objective or
subjective? There is some (2)_______ that the sense of beauty is subjective and culturally relative. The
82
popular saying “beauty is in the eye of the (3)_______” tells us that different people have different
opinions about what is beautiful. For example, most Westerners consider a woman with a wide mouth
attractive, while many Chinese regard a woman with a small mouth as beautiful. During part of China’s
history, women with big feet were considered to be ugly. Traditional Chinese foot-binding was
(4)_______ to keep a woman’s feet tiny and thus “beautiful”. To people in the modern world, the foot-
binding of women was painful, horrible, and ugly. These two examples suggest that some ideas about
beauty are learned and (5)_______ to change.
On the other hand, research indicates that a preference for beautiful faces (6)_______ early in a child’s
development. A small child plays with facially attractive dolls longer than with facially unattractive
dolls. Children innately pay attention to the beauty of nature.
People from various cultures and periods of time may have slightly different ideas about beauty.
Nonetheless, they usually share many (7)_______ of beauty. A kind, honest, and intelligent individual is
attractive. So is a healthy, youthful person with a mathematically (8)_______ face and a well –
proportioned body. The appreciation of many aspects of both inner beauty and outer beauty is innate.
Many aspects of beauty have been valued throughout human (9)_______. Our notion of beauty is innate,
though that innate sense may be (10)_______ by the environment.
Part 48.
Early civilisations, as (1)_______ to merely primitive early societies, seem to have a common positive
characteristic in that they change human (2)_______ of things. They bring together the cooperative
efforts of large number of people, usually bringing them together physically in large agglomerations.
Civilisation is usually marked by urbanisation. It would be a bold individual was willing to draw a
precise (3)_______ at the moment when the balance tipped (4)_______ a dense pattern of agricultural
villages clustered (5)_______ a religious centre or a market to reveal the first true city. However, it is
perfectly resonable to say that more than any (6)_______ institution has provided the critical mass which
produces civilisation.
Inside the city, the surpluses of wealth produced by agriculture made possible other things (7)_______ of
civilised life. They provided for the upkeep of a priestly (8)_______ which elaborated a complex
religious structure, leading to the construction of great buidings (9)_______ more than merely economic
functions, and in due (10)_______ to the writing down of literature.
Part 49.
The average citizen is bombarded with TV commercials, posters and newspapers advertisements
(1)_______ he goes. Not only this, but promotional material is constantly on (2)_______, with every
available public space from shop to petrol station covered with advertising of some kind. People who are
foolish enough to drive with their windows open are likely to have leaflets advertising everything and
anything thrust in at them. The amount of advertising to which we are (3)_______ is phenomenal, yet
advertisers are being hurt by their industry’s worst recession in a decade and a conviction that is in many
respects more frightening than the (4)_______ and busts of capitalism: the belief that advertising can go
no further. Despite the ingenuity of the advertisers, who, in their need to make advertisements as visually
as attractive as possible, often totally obscure the message, the consumer has become increasingly
cynical and simply blanks (5)_______ all but the subtlest messages. The advertising industry has
therefore turned to a more vulnerable (6)_______: the young.
The messages specifically aimed at children are for toys and games – whose promotional budgets
increased fivefold in the 1990s – and fast food, which dominate the children’s advertising market.
However the main thrust of advertising in this area is no longer (7)_______ traditional children‘s
products. Advertisers acknowledge that the commercial pressures of the 1990s had an extraordinary
effect on childhood: it is now generally believed that the cut-off (8)_______ for buying toys has been
falling by one year every five years. Research suggests that while not so many years ago children were
happy with Lego or similar construction games at ten or eleven, most of today’s children (9)_______
them at six or seven. In effect, the result is the premature (10)_______ of children.
83
Part 50.
The game of solving difficult puzzles has always filled people with the feeling of a profound excitement.
No (1)_______, then, that the fascination of treasure hunting has invariably been associated with the
possibility of (2)_______ the most improbable dreams. According to what the psychologists claim, there
is a little boy in every treasure hunter. Yet, the chase of hidden valuables has recenlty become a serious
venture with amateur and professional seekers equipped with highly sophisticated (3)_______ like matal
detectors, radars, sonars or underwater cameras.
What (4)_______ the adrenaline level in these treasure - obsessed fanatics are legends, myths, old maps
and other variety of clues promising immeasurable fortunes (5)_______ beneath the earh's surface or
drowned in the ancient galleys.
For many reasure hunters the struggle of hint searching is even more stimulating than digging out a
treasure (6)_______ composed of golden or silver objects, jewellery and other priceless artefacts. The
job is, however, extremely strenuous as even the most puzzling clues must be thoroughly analysed.
Failures and misinterpertations (7)_______ quite frequently, too.Yet, (8)_______ the most unlikely clue
or the smallest find is enough to reinforce the hunter's self - confidence and passion.
Indeed, the delight in treasure finding doesn't always depend on acquiring tremendous amounts of
valuables. Whatever is detected, (9)_______ it a rusty sundial or a marble statue, brings joy and
(10)_______ after a long and exhausting search.
84

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CHAPTER 1: LEXCICO – IDIOMS – PHRASAL VERB

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