General Vocabulary.

Fill in exercises

1.Read the text about directions. Think of ONE word that best fits in each space.

Directions To My House
Here are the directions for how to (1) ____________ to my house – print out this email and
bring it with you. It’s not difficult to find, as you’re coming (2) ______ train. Come out of (3)
____________ station and turn right. You’ll see (4) ____________ bank at (5) ____________ corner.
Carry on down the road (6) ____________ you come to a church called St Paul’s. You can’t (7)
____________ it – it’s one of the biggest churches in Brighton and (8) ____________ knows it. Just
after the church turn left. Be careful - it’s (9) ____________ very small street and people often
go past (10) ____________ noticing it. You’ll see my house at the end of the street – it’s got (11)
____________ red door. Try and get here in time (12) ____________ lunch. You can (13) ____________
me a call on your mobile if you get lost. I’ll (14) _________ waiting for you! After lunch there’s
a couple of things we could do. (15) ____________ we can look around Brighton, or we can go
for a walk in the country. We don’t need to decide (16) ____________ – we’ll just see how we’re
feeling (17) ____________ the time. It’s great that you’re coming down to stay for a (18)
____________ days. I’m really (19) ____________ forward to it. Give my best (20) ____________ to
your mother.

2.Read the text about a holiday in London. Think of ONE word that best fits in each
space.

A Holiday in London
My friend and I had a great holiday in London. We arrived at (1) ____________ airport late (2)
____________ Sunday evening, and we decided to take a taxi, even (3) ________ it was very
expensive. The taxi took us to our hotel, (4) ____________ was very nice, although the rooms
were quite small. The next day we woke up early and (5) ____________ an enormous
breakfast. I don’t know how people can eat (6) ____________ much in the morning! But it was
good (7) ____________ us because eating out in London is expensive, and with (8) ____________ a
big breakfast we didn’t need to have lunch. After breakfast we went to (9) ____________ art
gallery. I can’t remember the name, but it was (10) ____________ of famous paintings and (11)
____________ my friend and I really enjoyed it. (12) ____________ the afternoon we went (13)
____________ boat down the river to Greenwich. I didn’t realize there was so (14) ____________
to see in Greenwich! As well (15) _________ the Maritime Museum and the Observatory, (16)
________ is a beautiful park. From the top of the hill you get a view of the (17) ____________ of
London. We must (18) ____________ walked around the park for at (19) ________ two hours
because it was getting dark (20) __________ we left.
 3. Read the text about time travel. Think of ONE word that best fits in each space.

Time Travel
The film that I saw (1) ____________ night wasn’t very good. It was all (2) ____________ a man (3)
____________ built a time machine so he (4) _____________ travel back in time. It took him ages
and ages (5) ____________ build the machine. (6) ____________ first he didn’t succeed, and there
were various disasters because he hadn’t been (7) ____________ to solve all the scientific
problems. As time (8) ______________ on he finally managed to build the machine. He wanted
to travel to the Stone Age, and in (9) ____________ to get there he had to pass through a black
hole (10) ____________ space. (11) ____________ his journey there were some good special
effects, (12) ____________ they weren’t (13) ____________ good as the effects in Star Pilot 4.
Anyway, his machine didn’t have (14) ____________ power to get all the way back to the Stone
Age. He only got to the last century,(15) __________ was a bit ridiculous after all the trouble
he’d (16) ___________ to.

4. Read the text and think about the correct answer. 

The Mini-Monet

Kieron Williamson is a very successful landscape painter. His paintings, which mostly
depict the peaceful countryside around his home village in eastern England, sell very well.
Perhaps this shouldn’t __________ as that much of a surprise. It’s a beautiful part of the world,
and landscape paintings are always popular.

The strange thing about Kieron, however, __________ that he is only seven years old. At a
recent exhibition of his work, all the paintings were sold in half an hour, some for £100,000
each. Kieron now has fans all over the world and has gained the nickname ‘the ‘Mini-
Monet’.

What’s even __________ surprising is that Kieron doesn’t come from an artistic family, and
only started painting two years __________ . He first got inspiration __________ some boats he
saw on holiday at the seaside. Kieron asked his parents if they __________ buy him a sketch
pad and pencils __________ that he could draw them. Only when they saw __________ well he
drew did they realise that he was talented.
 5. For Questions 1-8, read the text below. Use the word given in capitals to form a
word that fits in the gap. There is an example at the beginning.
Example: (0) COMMONLY

An Incredible Vegetable

Garlic, a member of the Lilliaceae family which also includes onions, is (0) ........ (COMMON)
used in cooking all around the world. China is currently the largest (1) ........ (PRODUCT) of
garlic, which is particularly associated with the dishes of northern Africa and southern
Europe. It is native to central Asia and has long had a history as a health-giving food, used
both to prevent and cure (2) ......... (ILL) In ancient Egypt, workers building the pyramids
were given garlic to keep them strong, while Olympic athletes in Greece ate it to increase
their resistance to infection. The forefather of antibiotic medicine, Louis Pasteur, claimed
garlic was as (3) ........ (EFFECT) as penicillin in treating infections. Modern-day (4) ........
(SCIENCE) have proved that garlic can indeed kill bacteria and even some viruses, so it can
be very useful for people who have coughs and colds. In (5) ........ (ADD), some doctors
believe that garlic can reduce blood (6) ........ (PRESS) The only (7) ........ (ADVANTAGE) to
this truly amazing food is that the strong and rather (8) ........ (SPICE) smell of garlic is not
the most pleasant!

6. For Questions 1-8, read the text below and decide which answer (A, B, C or D) best
fits each gap. There is an example at the beginning.

Example (0) A) band B) set C) series D) branch

What is Genealogy

Genealogy is a (0) ........ of history. It concerns family history, (1) ........ than the national or

world history studied at school. It doesn't merely involve drawing a family tree, however -
tracing your family history can also (2) ........ in learning about your roots and identity. The
Internet enables millions of people worldwide to (3) ........ information about their family
history, without great (4) ........ .

People who research their family history often (5) ........ that it's a fascinating hobby
which (6) ........ a lot about where they come from and whether they have famous ancestors.
According to a survey involving 900 people who had researched their family history, the
chances of discovering a celebrity in your past are one in ten. The survey also concluded
that the (7) ........ back you follow your family line, the more likely you are to find a relation
who was much wealthier than you are. However, the vast majority of people who (8) ........ in
the survey discovered they were better off than their ancestors.

Questions

Gap 1

a. instead b. rather c. except d. sooner

Gap 2

a. cause b. mean c. result d. lead

Gap 3

a. accomplish b. access c. approach d. admit

Gap 4

a. fee b. price c. charge d. expense

Gap 5

a. describe b. define c. remark d. regard

Gap 6

a. reveals b. opens c. begins d. arises

Gap 7

a. older b. greater c. higher d. further

Gap 8

a. attended b. participated c. included d. associated