PRACTICE TEST 11

LEXICO-GRAMMAR
Part 1. Choose the most suitable word to complete each sentence.
1. If you go on ………………me like this, I will never be able to finish writing my report.
A. disturbing B. afflicting C. concerning D. affecting
2. Turn off this machine, please. The harsh sound really…………………..me crazy.
A. takes B. worries C. drives D. bothers
3. Everyone knew that…………………this task would require a considerable effort.
A. working B. engaging C. making D. completing
4. Mr.Tanner did his best to fix the faulty oven, but his ………………………….at repairing electrical
devices wasn’t good enough to succeed.
A. service B. skill C. technique D. craft
5. Judy didn’t ………………….for a second to agree to Mike’s proposal as she had been in love with
the boy for a long time.
A. decide B. linger C. hesitate D. await
6. Don’t get so nervous about his coming late. When you get to know better, you’ll learn to take
it………………..
A. easy B. loose C. nice D. fine
7. The inconsiderate driver was …………………….for parking his vehicle in the wrong place.
A. inflicted B. condemned C. harrassed D. fined
8. The idea to……………a visit to the local council residence was welcomed by all the visitors.
A. do B. pay C. go D. walk
9. His…………………..of the safety regulations really can’t be ignored any longer.
A. disregard B. unfamiliarity C. carelessness D. inattention
10. Let’s …………………..the place, it looks so gloomy and unpleasant.
A. miss B. abandon C. depart D. disappear
11. What you are saying is quite…………….., so give us, please, more details on the situation.
A. famous B. accustomed C. obvious D. familiar
12. For a short of while, I managed to catch……………….of the President entering the palace.
A. vision B. notice C. view D. sight
13. The suggestion to leave the camp at once was strongly……………………………by the climbers
who were afraid of the approaching snowstorm.
A. opposed B. complained C. quarreled D. resigned
14. The first thing for all of you to remember is that …………………..your duties may result in an
instant dismissal.
A. escaping B. neglecting C. resisting D. missing
15. It was the commission’s job to decide whether the pilot was ………………….for the crash that
occurred right after the take-off.
A. responsible B. prone C. guilty D. comprehensive
16. None of us has ever ……………………of taking any rash steps against illegal broadcasting.
A. declared B. persisted C. approved D. concluded
17. Several soldiers of the squad were taken………………………………by the enemy forces.
A. capture B. hostage C. kidnap D. torture
18. The student was ………………………of understanding the theory even after the professor’s
profound explanation.
A. incompetent B. incapable C. helpless D. unsuccessful
19. I’m going for a walk in the park. Would you like to ……………….me company?
A. follow B. stay C. ward D. keep
20. Patrick is too……………………..a gambler to resist placing a bet on the final game.
A. instant B. spontaneous C. compulsive D. continuous
Part 2. Read the text below. Use the word given in capital at the end of each line to form a word that
fits in the space in the same line.
FAST BRAIN WAVES
Over half a century ago, scientists found they could record the electrical
signals of the brain at work. What at first appeared a random hotch potch
rhythmicallydetermined.
of activity became a pattern of elegant waves(21) ................. RHYTHM
Ever since, scientists have wondered whether the secrets of our thoughts,
(22)...................,
perception and even (23)..................
consciousnessitself might be hidden in the PERCEIVE
patterns of our brain waves. CONSCIOUS
unarguably
The question of why we have brain waves is, (24)....................., as ARGUE
hotly debated today as it was when the patterns were discovered. But the
meaning, and even the existence, of fast rhythms in the alert brain is
controversial .
highly (25)..................... CONTROVERSY
What is problematic is that you can’t perceive these rhythms directly,
they are so well hidden in the noise created by other brain activity, but
researchers
many (26).................................. conviction
now hold the (27).............................. that SEARCH
the significance of these brain waves should not be (28)....................
underestimated . CONVINCE
The latest suggestion is that the rhythms could be (29)...................
decisive ESTIMATE
in detecting processes going on in different regions of the brain. Some DECIDE
believe that these rhythms might event interact, and in doing so help the
coherent
brain to package information into (30)................. thoughts. How we COHERE
bring together these related signals in the brain is a puzzle as yet
unresolved.

Part 3. Read the text below and look carefully at each line. Some of the lines are correct, and some
have a word which should not be there. If a line is correct, put a tick (√) by the number. If a line has a
word which should not be there, write the word by the number. There are two examples at the
beginning (0 and 00).
YOUNG ARTIST
0……√… When I first left art college, I wasn’t sure exactly what I wanted to
00…for... do. In the end, I decided for to try and become a cartoonist,
31………
of
because of I have always been quite good at cartoons, and you don’t
as
32……… need expensive things like as a studio or lots of equipment. I drew
the
33……… my cartoons in a sketchbook the first, then worked on final versions
34………
them which I sent them to various magazines and newspapers. None of
35………so them was particularly interested. So I got a job as a guide in an art
the
36……… gallery because I needed the much money. That was a good move.
37……… As well as meeting lots of people involved in the arts, I was able to
38………
than see how ordinary members of the public reacted than to the things
39………
and on display. As a result of the experience I gained at the gallery, and I
40..…….. decided to become a sculptor. It hasn’t been easy, and I am still
41..……..
due doing part-time work due to support myself, but next week my first
42..……..
in one-man show is opening at the gallery in where I used to work. I’m
43..…….. going to go back to my old job for a week, showing people round
44..……..
can the exhibition. It will be interesting to see how can people react
have
45..…….. because I won’t have give away the fact that I’m the artist!
Part 4. Replace each italicized adjective with a synonymous one in the box.

absorbing desperate fatal genuine graceful

horrible idle innocent judicious mean
ordinary painful praiseworthy precise puzzled

46. This is not a very wise decision. Just think of all the consequences such an action might lead to. judicious
47. Mark was charmed by the girl’s elegant movements and her good manners. graceful
48. This is nothing new. It’s just a usual transistor radio. ordinary
49. Our academy admits only people with a real interest in art. genuine
50. The bitter feeling of having been deserted by his closest friends made Stanley leave the city for ever. painful
51. If you need some more specific information, turn to Mr. Smith, who is in direct control of our
department. precise
52. The terrible discovery of a skeleton in Mrs. Preston’s garden has provoked endless speculations
about a murderer hiding somewhere in the neighbourhood. horrible
53. The local newspapers write about the boy’s admirable courage. After all, he was the only one
who hurried to the rescue. praiseworthy
54. The suspect claimed he was not guilty and that the robbery was committed by someone else. innocent
55. I was so confused by the chairman’s reply that I didn’t know whether I was allowed to cast the puzzled
vote or not.
56. Since Mrs. Johnson’s unexpected resignation, we have been in an urgent need of a new secretary. desperate
57. Mike’s comment on the political crisis in our country provoked a fascinating discussion which
kept us awake during the whole night. absorbing
58. He is usually very lazy, so we have a hard time of making him do his lessons properly. idle
59. The poor mother went mad after she had learnt about her son’s deadly accident. fatal
60. Don’t bother to ask him a favour. He is too selfish to help other people. mean

READING COMPREHENSION
Part 1. Read the text below and decide which answer (A, B, C or D) best fits each space.
SHOP TILL YOU DROP!
Attitudes towards shopping have changed dramatically over the last decade or so. There was a
time when shopping was a means to an end, not an occupation in its own right. Some people argue that
we have become a society of big-time (61) ................ , and that nothing but spending money makes us
happy. On the other (62) …………. , anyone who has worked hard to (63).............. money surely has the
right to spend it (64).............. whatever they wish. Provided that we are prepared to (65)...............
enough of our money for a rainy day, there seems little wrong with using the rest to (66).............. for
things that give us pleasure. For some people, however, spending money has become a serious business.
It will take more than a few home (67)................ to persuade them that they should not do this. The
delights of shopping are all too obvious. Attractive displays of food on supermarket (68)................... ,
and clothes which look fantastic on shop window models, tempt (69)............... to part with their money,
even if they do not actually need the (70)............... they are buying. The real question is: would we all be
happier if we were (71) ............... ? The answer is probably that we can be just as happy with money as
we can without it. However, now that many companies are branching out (72)............... the teenage
market, and selling to teenagers has (73)………... into a huge industry, we need to be aware of the kind
of pressures being (74)…........... on parents and children alike. Perhaps what we should do is make an
effort to return to the things that really matter in life and (75)............... what we have worked so hard to
obtain with others less fortunate than ourselves.
61. A. consumers B. producers C. suppliers D. manufacturers
62. A. face B. side C. view D. hand
63. A. earn B. gain C. win D. beat
64. A. for B. on C. with D. at
65. A. put through B. put off C. put out D. put by
66. A. buy B. pay C. spend D. purchase
67. A. suggestions B. truths C. warnings D. recommendations
68. A. beams B. foundations C. stores D. shelves
69. A. audiences B. spectators C. customers D. consultants
70. A. goods B. sales C. resources D. incomes
71. A. worthless B. useless C. penniless D. pointless
72. A. into B. round C. about D. through
73. A. become B. grown C. raised D. lifted
74. A. made B. done C. sent D. put
75. A. share B. receive C. hand D. part

Part 2. Read the text below and think of the word which best fits each space. Use only ONE word in
each space.
HOLIDAY CANCELLATION

There is nothing worse than having a holiday cancelled. Despite the fact that the government has
in
brought (76) ........................ new legislation to protect holiday-makers financially, it's the
disappointment which is hard to bear. In most cases, some form of compensation (77)........................ is
as
offered, but often the alternatives are nowhere near (78)........................ exciting as the original
there a
destination. On second thoughts, perhaps (79)...................... is something which is (80)......................
it
little worse than a cancelled holiday, and (81)....................... is being stranded at your holiday destination
had
when a company goes bankrupt. In circumstances like these, many people wish they (82)........................
never gone on holiday at all, and may think twice about going again. 'If we'd known that this was
would
going to happen, we (83)...................... never have considered spending so much money on a holiday.'
If
(84)....................... only we'd booked with someone else!' they grumble to their friends when they get
the
back home. Their friends try to change (85)....................... subject, but quickly realise that the
disappointed holiday makers are determined to have their say. It seems useless to point out that the main
for
reason (86) ...................... having a holiday is to return home relaxed and stress-free. If the experience
on
turns out to be even more stressful than normal everyday life, putting pressure (87).........................
the holiday-maker, then surely it is (88)....................... something to be repeated.
not
who
Perhaps the best advice for those (89)..................... out
feel that they are not cut (90)....................... for
stressful holiday experiences is simply to stay at home!
Part 3. You are going to read a magazine article about a mountaineering expedition. Seven
paragraphs have been removed from the article. Choose from the paragraphs A-H the one which fits
each gap (91-96). There is one extra paragraph which you do not need to use. There is an example at
the beginning (0).
A. Now we were being invited to believe what we’d thought to be impossible. Sure, there are
numerous folk tales about the mythical yeti, and various claimed sightings. But to date none of
these has ever been scientifically proven.
B. However, it takes a lot to overcome my skeptical nature. After all, most scientists dismiss the yeti
as a mythical creature, born of imagination, thin mountain air and Tibetan fairy-tale.
C. Neither, apparently, was there any record of a human being here before. Even Sven Hedin, the last
explorer to come this way, in 1902, had not set foot on the holy Mount Targo because of local
sensitivities.
D. As for my own expedition, those ten or so fresh footprints we saw at 6,000 metres on Mount
Targo, were more than 25 centimetres long and nearly 20 centimetres wide. Certainly they did
not seem to match the known prints of any such animal.
E. Then in 1960, seven years after the climbing Mount Everest, Edmund Hilary led an expedition
to find the yeti. In ten months they were unable to find any firm proof of the animal’s existence.
F. Our Tibetan translator explained with amazement: “That’s the local word for yeti.” Although
 excited, I tried to think logically. Of course, many local people must have seen the odd bear or
wolf on the great plateau between Lake Tzo and the wild heights of Mount Targo. This, after all,
is one of the most remote places on earth.
G. When I mentioned them to the others, the still unspoken word on all our minds seemed so far-
fetched, so impossible, that we all burst into nervous laughter.
H. As we headed up the long, final snowed-covered stretch to the summit, my sense of well- being
was so great that I failed to notice the ten or so larger-than-hand-sized footprints in the snow
on a small hill above a steep 1,000 metre drop to the glacier below. It was Malcolm who pointed
them out.

WAS THIS THE YETI?

It was another day of perfect weather on the mountain as Trevor, Malcolm and I, plus our local
companions, arrived above the clouds, looking down on the largely unexplored Gandesi range in Tibet.
We were very close to the top of Mount Targo one of the mountains in the world over 6,500 metres that
remained unclimbed.
0 H
I was so astonished that the little breath I had left at that oxygen-starved altitude was completely
taken away. How could there be any sign of life at this height? Surely animals are not to be found so far
above the snowline?
91 C
We managed to climb the final 500 metres to the summit but, out of respect to the nomads who
believe this mountain to be the home of the Gods, we left the last 10 metres or so unclimbed. In my
pleasure at being a member of the first team to scale Mount Targo, I forgot all about the footprints until
we were safely back in or tents.
92 G
It was not until three days later, at base camp, that the word “yeti” was finally mentioned. It
came from Min, one of the Tibetan yak-herders who was helping to carry our climbing equipment. He
told us that as a child, taking his father’s yaks high into the mountains in search of grass, he had seen a
“tingri”. He proceeded to describe an ape-like creature similar to an orang-utan.
93 F
Indeed, we were, as far as we know, the first outsiders to get permission to visit this valley. Even
from base camp the nearest road – just a dirt track – was 200 kilometres away. Simply finding our
mountain had required a determined feat of exploration.
94 A
The first widely publicized evidence was the discovery of animal footprints in the snows of
mount Everest at 6,300 metres in 1921 by Charles Howard-Bury. His porters told him it was “metch-
kangmi” – literally, the stinking man of the snow. A British journalist with the expedition mistakenly
translated this as “abonimable snowman”.
95 E
Nor has professional Himlayan climber Julian Freeman-Attwood had any luck with the yeti,
although he has seen similar footprints on several expeditions in Mongolia. His own view is that they
were caused by a very shy and rare species of bear, whose imprint in the snow was expanded in size by
the natural process of sun-melt.
96 D
But nor could we explain what they were. Perhaps then, there really is a strange creature
something like an orang-utan, that lives in tiny numbers in the Himalayas, doing its best to avoid contact
with the world’s most destructive animal-humans.

Part 4. You are going to read a newspaper article about attending a new attraction for film fans in the
US. For questions 97–104, choose the answer (A, B, C or D) which you think fits best according to
the text.
STAR FOR A NIGHT
For 45 dollars, visitors to Tinseltown Studios are treated like their Hollywood idols on Oscar night.
Laurel Ives joins the would-be stars.
It is a warm evening in Los Angeles, and I am standing in a long queue outside a
fabulouslooking place called Tinseltown Studios. Nervous chatter and the noise of a distant, six-lane
freeway hum in the air. Women busily re-apply their lipstick and smooth their dresses. Like me, they are
hoping that they are about to get a taste of what it feels like to be a star.
We are spending an evening at one of the newest and strangest ideas dreamt up by the American
entertainment industry. Tinseltown’s owners, Ogden Entertainment, claim that, for one night only, they
will ‘turn ordinary individuals into screen legends’ – and I can hardly wait.
Our evening begins at 7.30 p.m. Handing over my ticket, I walk down the long red carpet
ahead. ‘Fans’ approach and ask for my autograph. I graciously agree. ‘Reporters’ ask where I got my
outfit and who will star with me in my new film. On my right, a ‘television crew’ is interviewing two
girls. A ‘journalist’ approaches. ‘Congratulations,’ she says, ‘you are nominated as Best Actress tonight.’
She turns out to be one of the organisers of the event and she tells me that, along with three other
nominees, I will be edited into a scene from a famous movie so that it will seem as if I am the star. The
eight scenes (showing four men and four women) will then be broadcast over dinner and the Best
Actress and Best Actor chosen. Nominees are chosen by staff at the beginning of the evening, on the
basis of who they think looks as if they have the most guts. So why did they choose me? Suddenly, the
nerves that the staff did not detect come to the surface. Coping with people who are pretending to be
fans, journalists and TV crews is one thing, but being broadcast acting badly in front of 200 people? I
didn’t know if I could handle that. Then I and the other three nominees are shown into a lift and taken
upstairs to the studio. I am to replace Genevieve Bujold as the Queen of England in Anne of a Thousand
Days. They show me the scene, hand me a costume and push me in front of a camera. My five lines are
written onto a large white board and held in front of me. Suddenly, it is all over. Once all four nominees
have been filmed, we join the rest of the ‘stars’ in the vast banquet room. Over the first course, videos
are shown on a screen above us. The show begins with the red carpet ‘interviews’ filmed as we, the
guests, arrived.
First up is a man called John Richardson. Is he pleased to be nominated for an award tonight,
asks the ‘reporter’? ‘You know, being a stunt man isn’t as glamorous as being an actor,’ he replies.
‘Most of the time, people watching the picture think that it is the actors doing the stunts, so it’s good to
finally get some recognition.’ John’s friends, who are sitting at the table next to mine, are loving his
interview, applauding every time he speaks. ‘Who’d have thought that, in real life, he is just a dull
computer programmer?’ says one of them. He is right: as more ‘stars-for-a-night’ are interviewed, I am
struck by how competently these people express themselves.
A waiter approaches with a warning: I am about to be ‘spotlighted’. I am introduced to the
audience, my blushing face appears on the big screen and then, as I squirm with embarrassment in my
chair, the film of me, edited (rather badly) into Anne of a Thousand Days, is shown. I am also handed a
prescripted speech – with blanks so I can say a thank-you to whomever I choose – just in case I am
chosen as Best Actress. However, my performance was so wooden that I don’t win. Yet now that I know
I won’t have to make a speech, I feel a moment of real disappointment.

97. When the writer is waiting to go into Tinseltown Studios, she………………

a. thinks she has little in common with the other people.
b. wants to find that the claim the company makes is true.
c. fears that the event may go on for too long.
d. is surprised by the appearance of the building.
98. As she goes into the building, the writer………………………
a. gets confused as to who some of the people are.
b. acts as if she really is a star.
c. is unable to respond to certain questions.
d. is impressed by some of the other visitors.
99. What is meant by ‘guts’ in line 17?
 a. experience b. ambition c. energy d. courage
100. What does ‘it’ in line 23 refer to?
a. the filming of the writer b. the white board
c. the filming of all four nominees d. the writer’s last line
101. John Richardson answers the question he is asked by………………………….
a. denying an accusation. b. explaining a change in attitude.
c. expressing satisfaction. d. admitting to being confused.
102. The writer notices that the other people who are interviewed………………….
a. try to respond in the same way that John Richardson did.
b. try to appear more interesting than they really are.
c. have similar jobs to John Richardson’s in real life.
d. have little difficulty in giving good answers to questions.
103. When the writer is ‘spotlighted’, she…………………………………………….
a. finds that she is unable to speak. b. quickly looks away from the screen.
c. clearly feels uncomfortable. d. becomes convinced that she will win.
104. When she discovers that she has not won, the writer……………………………
a. understands why she was not chosen as the winner.
b. is glad that she will not have to make a speech.
c. wishes she had not agreed to be filmed.
d. regrets not having a better part.
Part 5. You are going to read an article about sailing race. Choose the most suitable heading from the
list A-I for each part (105-112) of the article. There is one extra heading which you do not need to
use.
A. An unexpectedly demanding way of life
B. The consequences of poor performance
C. No way out if you don’t like it
D. Letting everyone have a moment of glory
E. Benefiting from the power of nature
F. Cooperating to overcome the power of nature
G. It’s not what people think
H. A solution that seems to work
I. The terrible consequences of making a mistake

ROUND THE WORLD IN A YACHT

Heather Wilson goes on board the yacht “London Light” to reveal the truth bout life at sea.
105 I
Imagine, for a moment, spending the night on board a large yacht, being roughly woken in the
pitch dark and ordered on deck. Every so often you will be totally drenched, very suddenly, in salt water.
You will be sharing the same cramped space with 14 other people for a whole year. Your stomach, when
not affected by seasickness, will be hit by competitive tension and nervousness that afflicts all
sportspeople. You will be obliged to concentrate without cease. The slightest loss of focus could cost
someone their life.

106 G
For the eight crews taking part in the Round-the-World yachting race, this has been daily life
since they left Britain eleven months ago. Now, after racing 50,000 across kilometers of ocean, they are
soon due home. While most of us have worked, slept, taken a holiday, these crews have sailed and
sailed, day after day, night after night, in weather conditions that would test any human. This is the
reality of ocean yacht racing, which bears little resemblance to the popular image of sailing – the quick
sprint around a lake before returning ashore for a meal and a warm bath.
 107 E
Racing 20-meter yachts around the world is a story of unrelenting hard work, pushing yourself to
the limits of endurance. But it is also a story of the vastness and beauty of the sea, of seeing the sun rise
and set on hundreds of desolate horizons, and of the supreme satisfaction of arriving somewhere
knowing that wind alone has taken you there.

108 F
Unlike the captains, who are professional sailors, the crews all consist of amateur volunteers who
have actually paid for the privilege of taking a year off from their work and enduring these difficult
conditions. On board London Light the ages range from 21 to 65. For the youngest member, Susan
Porter, the trip is about the excitement of both the racing and the elements. “ Being able to pitch
yourselves as a team against a storm gives you a huge sense of achievement” she says.

109 A
Jerry Wallace, a marketing director, found sailing a refreshing change from the selfish
individualism of business. Although he was prepared for the discomfort, the mental stress of long-
distance racing was not what he had anticipated. “A Grand Prix driver has a few hours of focus, a
footballer 90 minutes, but we have been racing for 11 months. This is something I didn’t really
appreciate before I started.”

110 H
Inevitably, there are tensions. The kind of people who choose to take part in races like this tend
to be motivated and strong-willed. On a trivial level, there are the usual arguments about things like
cleaning, tidying, personal hygiene, even the way people snore. Rows on a boat must be addressed
immediately. Left to develop, they get much worse. On London Light they have done this by having a
meeting where problems can be discussed and resolved by majority vote. Cooperation is the key, and
everyone can have their say. The London is one of the few boats that has never lost any crew early
because of a personality clash.

111 B
The strongest source of unrest on any boat, whether professional or amateur, is the racing itself.
Such is the issue’s potential for disruption that two captains resigned during the year because their crews
were unhappy at their boat’s lack of racing success. Inevitably, some crew members want to race the
boat hard. That means that only the best sailors tend to get to actually steer the boat, which is not
satisfactory.

112 D
Some crew members feel they have paid their money and should not be excluded from any tasks
on the boat. Walter Given, a retired teacher aboard the London Light, believes the job around the boat
should be shared out among the crew. And if that means that some of the less competent spend time at
the wheel, so be it. “We all could have done some more steering – that’s the glamorous bit”, he says,
though this did not spoil the trip for him at all. At 65 the oldest member of the crew, Walter feels the trip
has really given him a lot more enthusiasm for life.
SECTION FOUR: WRITING
Part 1. Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first sentence, using the
word given. Do not change the word given. You must use between THREE and SIX words, including
the word given.
113. It is essential that this door is kept unlocked.
SHOULD
account should this door be locked.
On no…………………………
114. It seems unbelievable that this jewellery is almost a thousand years old when it is so well preserved.
HARD
This jewellery is in such good ……………. believe that it is almost a thousand years old.
condition that it is hard
115. When it comes to punctuality, Fiona really takes after her mother.
CONCERNED
far as punctuality is concerned
As……………………………….., Fiona really takes after her mother.
116. You have to be very patient to work as a primary school teacher these days.
DEAL
Working as a primary school teacher calls…….........…………………these
for a great deal of patience days.
117. None of the other team members supported Terry’s idea.
SUPPORT
no support from
Terry’s idea met with…………………......…… the other members of the team.
118. The region is rich in natural resources.
OFFER
to offer in
The region has a lot……………………….....……… terms of natural resources.
119. We got started on the new project immediately.
TIME
no time in starting
We lost……………………………………………. on the new project.
120. Sally was all ready to leave the office when her boss asked her to type up a report.
POINT
on the point of leaving
Sally was…………………………….….the office when her boss asked her to type up a report.
121. They plan to repair the bridge this weekend.
SCHEDULED
is scheduled to take
The repair of the bridge………………...…………….place this weekend.
122. If you change any of these arrangements, please be sure to let us know.
NOTIFY
you notify us of any
Please ensure that……………………………..change in these arrangements.
Part 2. Modern lifestyles are completely different from the way people lived in the past. Some people
think the changes have been positive, while others believe they have been negative.
In about 250 words, write and discuss both these points of view and give your own opinion.

-------THE END-------