Practice 50

Vocabulary Cloze
For each question from 1 to 5, choose the word(s) closest in
meaning to the underlined words. Write the correct number
(1, 2, 3 or 4) in the brackets provided.

Carpenters are involved in the (1) construction of many

different types of structures such as bridges or large
buildings. Some carpenters change employers each time they
finish a construction job. The duties of a carpenter differ
just about each time he accepts an (2) employment. In most
cases, carpenters work in many different locations.

Carpentry is a very (3) strenuous outdoor profession.

Carpenters (4) endure climbing, bending and heavy laborious
work. Often, they put themselves at (5) risk of injury working
with sharp tools and they work in areas where it is all too easy
to fall or slip.

1. (1) forming (2) production

(3) razing (4) building ( 4 )

2. (1) delegation (2) consignment

(3) assignment (4) mission (4 )

3. (1) difficult (2) laborious

(3) challenging (4) weary (1 )

4. (1) dodge (2) succumb

(3) continue (4) bear (2 )

5. (1) jeopardy (2) menace

(3) stake (4) probability ( 3 )

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Grammar Cloze
There are 10 blanks, numbered 1 to 10, in the passage below.
From the list of words given, choose the most suitable word
for each blank. Write the letter (A to Q) in the blank. The
letters (I) and (O) have been omitted to avoid confusion
during marking.
EACH WORD CAN BE USED ONLY ONCE

(A) then (E) back (J) not (N) whom

(B) had (F) in (K) first (P) with

(C) either (G) never (L) which (Q) from

(D) over (H) for (M) on

One day, Nasruddin went to town to buy new clothes. (1)

_____
K he tried a pair of trousers. He did not like the
trousers, so he gave them (2) _____
E to the shopkeeper. Then
he tried a robe, (3) _____
L had the same price as the
trousers. Nasruddin was pleased (4) _____
P the robe and he
left the shop. Before he climbed (5) _____
D his donkey to ride
home, the shopkeeper and the shop-assistant ran out.

“You didn’t pay (6) _____

H the robe!” said the shopkeeper.

“But I gave you the trousers (7) _____

M exchange for the
robe, didn’t I?” replied Nasruddin.

“Yes, but you didn’t pay for the trousers, (8) C

_____!”
said the shopkeeper.

“But I didn’t buy the trousers,” replied Nasruddin. “I am

(9) _____
J so stupid as to pay for something which I (10)
_____
G bought.”

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Comprehension Cloze
Fill in each blank with a suitable word.

In an ancient Arab kingdom, there lives a ruler, who was

very fond of cherries. One day, he ordered his chief (1)
__________
cook to bring a bowl of sweet, black cherries. The
poor cook was in (2) __________
trouble as he could not find any
cherries in the market.

(3) __________
To the king’s wrath, he approached the
Chief Minister and sought his help. The wise minister knew
that there must be black cherries in some corner of the vast
(4) __________,
regions but the question was how to get them.

He thought of an ingenious (5) __________.

idea He went to
the keeper of the Royal Pigeons and commanded him to send
five hundred of his (6) __________
pigeons to the various regions of
the country. Each pigeon would carry a (7) __________
letter
asking the governor of the region to send ripe, black berries.

Soon, the pigeons flew on their different paths. In many

regions, there were no cherries at all. In some, there were
cherries, but they were neither (8) __________
black nor ripe.

Luckily, in the southern region, there were trees full of

ripe, black cherries. The governor was proud to be of service
to his king, but how was he to send them (9) __________?
off In
those days, there were no aeroplanes or other speedy modes
of (10) __________.
vehicals At last, he hit (11) __________
on a
brilliant idea.

He gathered hundreds of pigeons which had been trained

to (12) __________
come to the king’s palace. (13) __________ to
its legs, each pigeon had carried two tiny silk bags. Each bag
cherries
contained a ripe, black (14) __________.

When the king received the cherries, he was immensely

happy. He rewarded the Chief Minister and the governor for
work
their (15) __________.

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