PRACTICE TEST 42

Choose one of the words marked A, B, C, or D which best completes each of the following sentences.
1. Be realistic, your present Chinese level is not going to bring you a(n) _____ chance of getting a translation
job.
A oddly B boldly C briskly D earthly
2.People from tropical countries may like this kind of climate, but not farmers like me, my whole crop has
been _____ by a late frost.
A blasted B groped C hailed D brooded
3.I feel like I'm _____ when I have joined too many clubs and end up being snowed under tasks deadlines.
A juggling frogs B chasing my tail
C chickening out D getting ducks in a row
4.They are brothers, they can never fall out with each other for long and will _____ soon.
A kiss and make up B get their goats
C burst the bubble D break the ice
5.Hearing the news of my father's sudden death, I went weak in the _____ and could barely remain standing.
A legs B heart C soul D knees
6.There have been a few times that I've nearly _____, but thinking of my responsibility to my daughter helps
keep me sober.
A faced the music B fallen off the wagon C given lip service D had a screw loose
7.The scene on the street this morning was like an action movie in real life with cops _____ of the bank
robbers.
A near the knuckle B close to the bone
C hot on the heels D down at the heels
8. 30 years after graduation, the billionaire returned to his hometown and donated $20 million to his _____ -
Chicago University.
A alma mater B avant-garde C cul-de-sac D silhouette
9.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
10. 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
11. 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
12. 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
13.Take care that your love for him doesn't _______ your judgment.
A. cloud B. darken C. shadow D. topple
14.The government is doing all it can to _______ war on dangerous driving.
A. launch B. wage C. stage D. battle
15. Somebody who is foolish or stupid is________ .
A. soft in the head B. riding high C. over the moon D. pushing up daisies
14. The professor’s _________theory is that singing preceded speech.
A. fancied B. fond C. pet D. prefer
15. It took me several seconds to grasp the meaning of her statement but finally the ________ dropped.
A. penny B. axe C. hammer D. stone
16.It was Alice’s year: a new home, a better job - everything just clicked into _________.
A. spot B. position C. place D. spaceholes
17.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
18. 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
19.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
20.The special effects were quite good, but that’s more than could be ______ for the acting.
A. mentioned B. spoken C. said D. told
21.She knows ahe needs exercise, but finds going to the gym a ______.
A. job B. toil C. work D. chore
22.The film's only ______ grace is the excellent cinematography.
A. winning B. rescuing C. saving D. giving
23.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
24.I arrived early for the meeting so I was twiddling my ______for half an hour.
A. fingers B. toes C. hands D. thumbs
25. There's still a ______ bit of work to be done on the house.
A. decent B. fair C. big D. large
26. If you are _________ with your goods, contact us within ten days of receipt, and we shall
arrange collection and refund your money in full.
A. not completely satisfied B. not completely satisfying
C. not completely satisfactory D. not satisfied completely
27. Though we'd all been close on the school trip, we parted ______ with one another once we were back
home.
A. views B. friendship C. company D. opinions
28. Would you please leave us details of your address____________ forwarding any of your mail to come?
A. for the purpose of B. as a consequence of
C. for the sake of D. by means of
29. It pays to be above ______ in your dealings with the Inland Revenue.
A. board B. timber C. plank D. panel
30. 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
31. At 69 he is as firmly in the ______ seat of the company as ever.
A. front B. driving C. leading D. foremost
32. The chemicals spilled over the road and left drivers ___________ for breath.
A. suffocating B. gasping C. inhaling D. prohibiting
33. Now, 10 days since the hurricane made landfall, residents are struggling to pick up the ______.
A. bits B. parts C. pieces D. slices
34. U.S. aquacultural production comprises ______ food fish, ornamental fish, baitfish, mollusks, crustaceans,
aquatic plants, algae, and some reptiles.
A. the producing B. produce C. is producing D. the production of
35. The early railroads were_________the existing arteries of transportation: roads, turnpikes, canals, and
other waterways.
A. those short lines connected B. short lines that connected
C. connected by short lines D. short connecting lines
36. The school drama club is _______ a play for the school’s anniversary, which is due to take place next
month.
A. turning up B. making off C. putting on D. bringing down
37. For busy people in today’s society, lifestyle management is gaining _________.
A. points B. ground C. speed D. terrain
38. She tried to _________ Tom’s importance to the company in order to gain a promotion for herself.
A. diminish B. shrink C. dwindle D. reduce
39.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
40. The damp has________ his death; he’s got rheumatism.
A. affected B. influenced C. swayed D. impressed
41. Until your finances are in the _________, it’s not a good idea to take out a loan.
A. credit B. funds C. profit D. black
42. The shopping center was built surrounded by a vast ________ of concrete for parking.
A. scope B. field C. extent D. range
43. There was a ________ debate about the Middle East, then they moved to a vote.
A. lively B. flexible C. main D. nimble
44. It’s been a ______ winter this year, with temperatures as low as -15°
A. fervent B. sharp C. bitter D. fetid
45. People who are overweight _________ a risk of a heart attack or stroke.
A. bear B. suffer C. make D. run
Give the correct form of each word in brackets to complete the sentence.
1. When my favorite team lost the big game, I was ____________ and did not leave my seat for an
hour. (MUSE)
2. For users, they are still expensive ____________ features and come with their own set of
integration problems. (ADD)
3. This proposal was ____________ to the one we discussed at the last meeting. (ANALOGY)
4. The opposing counsel had a last opportunity to ________ the witness to address the facts brought
out in redirect examination. (EXAMINE)
5. The government announced that more than a million dollars will be ________ for COVID-19
vaccine research. (EAR)
6. The president of this company is merely a ________ the Chief Executive is the one who is truly in
control. (HEAD)
7. Barack Obama is the first President of the United States with __________ background. RACE
8. This statue __________ the soldiers who died in the war. MEMORY
9. The chairman of this company is merely a __________, the Chief Executive is the one who is truly
in control. HEAD
10. The headmaster decided to expel the rough boy from our school. His behaviour was really
____________ (OBJECT).

Fill in a suitable words

OWNING A PET
The joys and tribulations of being a pet owner! During our lifetime most of us have some experience of either
owning a pet or being in (66) _______ contact with someone who does. Is there such a thing as “the ideal
pet”? If so, what characterizes the ideal pet? Various (67) _______ influence one’s choice of pet, from your
reasons for getting a pet to your lifestyle. For example, although quite a few pets are relatively cheap to buy,
the cost of (68) _______ can be considerable. Everything must be (69) _______ into account, from food and
bedding, to vaccinations and veterinary bills. You must be prepared to (70) _______ time on your pet, which
involves shopping for it, cleaning and feeding it. Pets can be demanding and a big responsibility. Are you
prepared to exercise and (71) _______ an animal or do you prefer a more independent pet? How much spare
room do you have? Is it right to lock an energetic animal into a (72) _______ space? Do you live near a busy
road which may threaten the life of your pet? Pets (73) _______ as turtles and goldfish can be cheap and
convenient, but if you prefer affectionate pets, a friendly cat or dog would be more (74) _______. People get
pets for a number of reasons, for company, security or to teach responsibility to children. Pets can be
affectionate and loyal and an excellent source of company as long as you know what pet (75) _______ you
and your lifestyle.
66. A. near B. close C. narrow D. tight
67. A. facets B. elements C. factors D. points
68. A. upkeep B. maintenance C. upbringing D. raising
69. A. considering B. held C. taken D. kept
70. A. take B. waste C. occupy D. spend
71. A. household B. housetrain C. housekeep D. housework
72. A. confined B. detained C. reduced D. closed
73. A. so B. for C. much D. such
74. A. suited B. appropriate C. likely D. good
75. A. fits B. matches C. suits D. goes with
fill each gap in the passage below with ONE appropriate word. Write your answers in the
corresponding numbered boxes provided
The word “computer” is a misleading name (76) _______________the ubiquitous machine that sits on
our desks. If we go (77) _______________ to the Victorian period, or even the World War II era, the word
(78) _______________ an occupation, defined in the Oxford English Dictionary as "one who computes; a
calculator, reckoner; specifically a person employed to make calculations in an observatory, in surveying,
etc."
In (79) _______________, although modern computer can work with numbers, (80)
_______________ main use is for storing and manipulating information, (81) _______________ is, for doing
the kinds of jobs performed by a clerk--defined in the Oxford English Dictionary (82) _______________ "one
employed in a subordinate position in a public or (83) _______________ office, shop, warehouse, etc., to
make written entries, (84) _______________ accounts, make fair copies of documents, do the mechanical
work of correspondence and similar 'clerkly' work." The electronic computer (85) _______________ be said
to combine the roles of the human computer and the human clerk.

read the following passage and choose the best answer to each question. Write your answers in the
corresponding numbered boxes provided.
1. No student of a foreign language needs to be told that grammar is complex. By changing word sequences
and by adding a range of auxiliary verbs and suffixes, we are able to communicate tiny variations in meaning.
We can turn a statement into a question, state whether an action has taken place or is soon to take place, and
perform many other word tricks to convey subtle differences in meaning. Nor is this complexity inherent to
the English language. All languages, even those of so-called 'primitive' tribes have clever grammatical
components. The Cherokee pronoun system, for example, can distinguish between 'you and I', 'several other
people and I' and 'you, another person and I'. In English, all these meanings are summed up in the one, crude
pronoun 'we'. Grammar is universal and plays a part in every language, no matter how widespread it is. So
the question which has baffled many linguists is - who created grammar?
2. At first, it would appear that this question is impossible to answer. To find out how grammar is created,
someone needs to be present at the time of a language's creation, documenting its emergence. Many historical
linguists are able to trace modern complex languages back to earlier languages, but in order to answer the
question of how complex languages are actually formed, the researcher needs to observe how languages are
started from scratch. Amazingly, however, this is possible.
3. Some of the most recent languages evolved due to the Atlantic slave trade. At that time, slaves from a
number of different ethnicities were forced to work together under colonizer's rule. Since they had no
opportunity to learn each other's languages, they developed a make-shift language called a pidgin. Pidgins are
strings of words copied from the language of the landowner. They have little in the way of grammar, and in
many cases it is difficult for a listener to deduce when an event happened, and who did what to whom. [A]
Speakers need to use circumlocution in order to make their meaning understood. [B] Interestingly, however,
all it takes for a pidgin to become a complex language is for a group of children to be exposed to it at the time
when they learn their mother tongue. [C] Slave children did not simply copy the strings of words uttered by
their elders, they adapted their words to create a new, expressive language. [D] It included standardized word
orders and grammatical markers that existed in neither the pidgin language, nor the language of the colonizers.
Complex grammar systems which emerge from pidgins are termed creoles, and they are invented by children.
4. Further evidence of this can be seen in studying sign languages for the deaf. Sign languages are not simply
a series of gestures; they utilize the same grammatical machinery that is found in spoken languages.
Moreover, there are many different languages used worldwide. The creation of one such language was
documented quite recently in Nicaragua. Previously, all deaf people were isolated from each other, but in
1979 a new government introduced schools for the deaf. Although children were taught speech and lip
reading in the classroom, in the playgrounds they began to invent their own sign system, using the gestures
that they used at home. It was basically a pidgin. Each child used the signs differently, and there was no
consistent grammar. However, children who joined the school later, when this inventive sign system was
already around, developed a quite different sign language. Although it was based on the signs of the older
children, the younger children's language was more fluid and compact, and it utilized a large range of
grammatical devices to clarify meaning. What is more, all the children used the signs in the same way. A
new creole was born.
5. Some linguists believe that many of the world's most established languages were creoles at first. The
English past tense –ed ending may have evolved from the verb 'do'. 'It ended' may once have been 'It end-did'.
Therefore it would appear that even the most widespread languages were partly created by children. Children
appear to have innate grammatical machinery in their brains, which springs to life when they are first trying to
make sense of the world around them. Their minds can serve to create logical, complex structures, even when
there is no grammar present for them to copy.
86. In paragraph 1, why does the writer include information about the Cherokee language?
A. To show how simple, traditional cultures can have complicated grammar structures
 B. To show how English grammar differs from Cherokee grammar
C. To prove that complex grammar structures were invented by the Cherokees.
D. To demonstrate how difficult it is to learn the Cherokee language
87. What can be inferred about the slaves' pidgin language?
A. It contained complex grammar.
B. It was based on many different languages.
C. It was difficult to understand, even among slaves.
D. It was created by the land-owners.
88. All the following sentences about Nicaraguan sign language are true EXCEPT:
A. The language has been created since 1979.
B. The language is based on speech and lip reading.
C. The language incorporates signs which children used at home.
D. The language was perfected by younger children.
89. In paragraph 3, where can the following sentence be placed?
It included standardized word orders and grammatical markers that existed in neither the pidgin
language, nor the language of the colonizers.
A. A B. B C. C D. D
90. 'From scratch' in paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to:
A. from the very beginning B. in simple cultures
C. by copying something else D. by using written information
91. 'Make-shift' in paragraph 3 is closest in meaning to:
A. complicated and expressive B. simple and temporary
C. extensive and diverse D. private and personal
92. Which sentence is closest in meaning to the bold sentence?
Grammar is universal and plays a part in every language, no matter how widespread it is.
A. All languages, whether they are spoken by a few people or a lot of people, contain grammar.
B. Some languages include a lot of grammar, whereas other languages contain a little.
C. Languages which contain a lot of grammar are more common that languages that contain a little.
D. The grammar of all languages is the same, no matter where the languages evolved.
93. All of the following are features of the new Nicaraguan sign language EXCEPT:
A. All children used the same gestures to show meaning.
B. The meaning was clearer than the previous sign language.
C. The hand movements were smoother and smaller.
D. New gestures were created for everyday objects and activities.
94. Which idea is presented in the final paragraph?
A. English was probably once a creole.
B. The English past tense system is inaccurate.
C. Linguists have proven that English was created by children.
D. Children say English past tenses differently from adults.
95. Look at the word 'consistent' in paragraph 4. This word could best be replaced by which of the
following?
A. natural B. predictable C. imaginable D. uniform
read the text and do the tasks followed. Write your answers in the corresponding numbered boxes
provided.
Section 1.
The pyramids are the most famous monuments of ancient Egypt and still hold enormous interest for people in
the present day. These grand, impressive tributes to the memory of the Egyptian kings have become linked
with the country even though other cultures, such as the Chinese and Mayan, also built pyramids. The
evolution of the pyramid form has been written and argued about for centuries. However, there is no question
that, as far as Egypt is concerned, it began with one monument to one king designed by one brilliant architect:
the Step Pyramid of Djoser at Saqqara.
Section 2.
Djoser was the first king of the Third Dynasty of Egypt and the first to build in stone. Prior to Djoser’s reign,
tombs were rectangular monuments made of dried clay brick, which covered underground passages where the
deceased person was buried. For reasons which remain unclear, Djoser’s main official, whose name was
Imhotep, conceived of building a taller, more impressive tomb for his king by stacking stone slabs on top of
one another, progressively making them smaller, to form the shape now known as the Step Pyramid. Djoser is
thought to have reigned for 19 years, but some historians and scholars attribute a much longer time for his
rule, owing to the number and size of the monuments he built.
Section 3.
The Step Pyramid has been thoroughly examined and investigated over the last century, and it is now known
that the building process went through many different stages. Historian Marc Van de Mieroop comments on
this, writing ‘Much experimentation was involved, which is especially clear in the construction of the pyramid
in the center of the complex. It had several plans … before it became the first Step Pyramid in history, piling
six levels on top of one another … The weight of the enormous mass was a challenge for the builders, who
placed the stones at an inward incline in order to prevent the monument breaking up.’
Section 4.
When finally completed, the Step Pyramid rose 62 meters high and was the tallest structure of its time. The
complex in which it was built was the size of a city in ancient Egypt and included a temple, courtyards,
shrines, and living quarters for the priests. It covered a region of 16 hectares and was surrounded by a wall
10.5 meters high. The wall had 13 false doors cut into it with only one true entrance cut into the south-east
corner; the entire wall was then ringed by a trench 750 meters long and 40 meters wide. The false doors and
the trench were incorporated into the complex to discourage unwanted visitors. If someone wished to enter, he
or she would have needed to know in advance how to find the location of the true opening in the wall. Djoser
was so proud of his accomplishment that he broke the tradition of having only his own name on the
monument and had Imhotep’s name carved on it as well.
Section 5.
The burial chamber of the tomb, where the king’s body was laid to rest, was dug beneath the base of the
pyramid, surrounded by a vast maze of long tunnels that had rooms off them to discourage robbers. One of the
most mysterious discoveries found inside the pyramid was a large number of stone vessels. Over 40,000 of
these vessels, of various forms and shapes, were discovered in storerooms off the pyramid’s underground
passages. They are inscribed with the names of rulers from the First and Second Dynasties of Egypt and made
from different kinds of stone. There is no agreement among scholars and archaeologists on why the vessels
were placed in the tomb of Djoser or what they were supposed to represent. The archaeologist Jean-Philippe
Lauer, who excavated most of the pyramid and complex, believes they were originally stored and then give a
‘proper burial’ by Djoser in his pyramid to honor his predecessors. There are other historians, however, who
claim the vessels were dumped into the shafts as yet another attempt to prevent grave robbers from getting to
the king’s burial chamber.
Section 6.
Unfortunately, all of the precautions and intricate design of the underground network did not prevent ancient
robbers from finding a way in. Djoser’s grave goods, and even his body, were stolen at some point in the past
and all archaeologists found were a small number of his valuables overlooked by the thieves. There was
enough left throughout the pyramid and its complex, however, to astonish and amaze the archaeologists who
excavated it.
Section 7.
Egyptologist Miroslav Verner writes, ‘Few monuments hold a place in human history as significant as that of
the Step Pyramid in Saqqara … It can be said without exaggeration that this pyramid complex constitutes a
milestone in the evolution of monumental stone architecture in Egypt and in the world as a whole.’ The Step
Pyramid was a revolutionary advance in architecture and became the archetype which all the other great
pyramid builders of Egypt would follow.

The passage has seven sections. Choose the most suitable heading for each section from the list of headings (i-
ix) below. The first one has been done for you as an example. Write your answers in the space provided.
There are more headings than sections, so you will not use all of them.

Example: Section 1 – iv
96. Section 2 _______________
97. Section 3 _______________
98. Section 4 _______________
99. Section 5 _______________
100. Section 6 _______________
101. Section 7 _______________

List of Headings
i The areas and artefacts within the pyramid itself
ii A difficult task for those involved
iii A king who saved his people
iv A single certainty among other less definite facts
v An overview of the external buildings and areas
vi A pyramid design that others copied
vii An idea for changing the design of burial structures
viii An incredible experience despite the few remains
ix The answers to some unexpected questions

Complete the notes below. Choose ONE WORD ONLY from the passage for each answer.
The Step Pyramid of Djoser
The complex that includes the Step Pyramid and its surroundings is considered to be as big as an Egyptian
(102) _________________ of the past. The area outside the pyramid included accommodation that was
occupied by (103) _________________, along with many other buildings and features.
A wall ran around the outside of the complex and a number of false entrances were built into this. In addition,
a long (104) _________________ encircled the wall. As a result, any visitors who had not been invited were
cleverly prevented from entering the pyramid grounds unless they knew the (105) _________________ of the
real entrance.