Proficiency.practicetest1.15.pdf

Practice test 1 I. Choose the word or phrase which best completes each sentence. 1. He told his father a long and …… story to explain his lateness. A. inconceivable B. unconvincing C. unimaginable D. incredulous 2. He …… me to believe that they had left the district. A. made B. led C. assured D. confirmed 3. We sat on after the meal, …… the taste of the fine brandy. A. indulging B. sensing C. sipping D. savouring 4. That minister’s …… of the party politics is well known to the public. A. disgust B. objection C. dislike D. opposition 5. At school he had a good academic record, and also …… at sports. A. prevailed B. achieved C. surpassed D. excelled 6. Old houses have a …… to be draughty. A. tendency B. habit C. problem D. characteristic 7. He lost his job …… no fault of his own. A. through B. by C. with D. over 8. The lecture was rather boring, but the …… discussion proved fruitful. A. subsequent B. latter C. consecutive D. successive 9. After leaving school, Nigel decided to …… in the army. A. enlist B. enroll C. register D. sign 10. By an unfortunate ……, the bride’s sister was not invited to the wedding. A. insult B. oversight C. neglect D. disregard 11. When I went into the dining room the next morning, the …… of the dinner were still on the table. A. remains B. results C. remnants D. relics 12. There is a tiny …… in the diamond; that is why the ring is so cheap. A. deformity B. error C. flaw D. scar 13. Because of the shortage of water there is a …… on the use of hose-pipe. A. ban B. veto C. taboo D. boycott 14. She can’t be interested in the lessons, …… that she always arrives late. A. viewing B. seeing C. noting D. judging 15. When his business failed, he started again from …… . A. scratch B. blank C. introduction D. beginning 16. I will keep your application …… file for the time being. A. in B. with C. on D. at 17. It is foregone …… that he will be top of the class again. A. concept B. proposal C. conclusion D. prediction 18. The number of tickets available will be …… by the size of the stadium. A. related B. determined C. dependent D. consequent 19. The wheels ……. as the car went over an icy patch. A. skipped B. slid C. skidded D. slipped 20. Members of aristocracy don’t …… a great deal of power nowadays. A. practise B. wield C. sway D. manage II. Fill each blank with one suitable word to finish the passage below. The essence of chemistry consists of the making of new substances, and a chemical change is defined (1) ……………………..…. the changing of one new substance (2) ………………….…. another. Many (3) ………………..……. chemical

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changes have been performed by man (4) ……………………. very early times, probably the (5) …….………….……. being the heating of clay to make pottery, which has been known for 10,000 years. Even (6) …………....….……. this, of course, man has discovered fire, another (7) ……….…...…………. change, but here the importance of the reaction lies in the heat-energy produced (8) ………….....……. than in the ashes, smoke and gases, which are the final products. Progress (9) ……………………. chemistry was (10) ……….……..…. because of the absence of any adequate theory (11) ……………… explain these changes , and because the earliest theory (“alchemy”) was so blindly optimistic to assume that (12) …………..………. could be changed into anything else. In particular, the alchemists thought that they could change a base metal (13) …………….……. lead into gold and so get rich quickly. Not until (14) ……..……….……. than 200 years ago were the true foundations of chemistry (15) …….……….……. by painstaking researches (16) ……….……….…. the nature of air and water, in fact by pure disinterested curiosity, allied to the habit of mind which takes nothing for (17) ………….………. . Chemists learned that before they could make new substances they must (18) ………..………. discover what ordinary things are made (19) ……..……………….: in technical language, analysis must always (20) …………..……..…. synthesis. III. Read these two passages and choose the best answer for each of the questions that follow. A. Before ballpoint pens or fountain pens, pens were made from goose feathers. These goose feathers, called quills, were sharpened and dipped into inkwells, where they absorbed enough ink to write a few words. It was necessary to keep an inkwell very close by, as frequent dipping was necessary. These quill pens were one of the earliest products “designed” specifically for left and right-handed people. Feathers from the left wing of the goose worked best for the right-handers because of the way that the feathers arched. Feathers from the right wing were preferred by left-handers. 1. Which of the following is the best title for this passage? A. Early Ballpoint and Fountain Pens B. Quill Pens for Lefties and Righties C. Where Quill Pens Came From D. Various Users for goose Feathers 2. The passage indicates that a quill pen could hold enough ink to write ...... . A. one or two pages B. for about one hour C. a couple of words D. numerous sentences 3. Look at the word “designed” in paragraph two. It could best be replaced by ...... . A. defined B. devised C. deformed D. deferred 4. Which of the following is NOT true about quill pens, according to the passage? A. Left-handers were unable to use quill pens. B. Left-handed people generally preferred quills from the right wing. C. Right-handers could use quill pens. D. Right-handed-people generally preferred quills from the left wing. 5. It can be inferred from the passage that quill pens ...... . A. are still used regularly today B. are preferred over ballpoint pens C. are the best pens for the left-handers D. are not longer used much

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B. When you can’t touch the car door handle or sit on the seat because they are so hot, you are meeting solar energy. We can use this heat from the sun to keep us warm and give us electricity. We know that we will someday run out of the fossil fuels, such as oil, gas and coal. And we are now spending lots of money to learn how to put nuclear energy to work for us. But we know that the radioactive wastes that result from using nuclear energy can be very dangerous. We need a supply of energy that will not pollute our air or water, that will not cost too much and that will not run out. One of the sources we are considering is the sun. Enough sunshine falls on the United States in one minute to give the whole country all the energy it needs for one day. If we can collect just some of this energy, we’ll be able to make as much electricity as we need. And it wouldn’t make smog in our air or poison our water. We could collect the sun’s heat in big sun farms. A good place for a sun farm is on a desert, where the sky is clear and there is plenty of sunshine and only a little rain. People could set up acres and acres of glass mirrors to focus the sun’s rays on a special surface that would become very hot. Or they could put out acres and acres of glass-covered collectors called solar energy traps to gather the sun’s heat. The heat would melt a special metal; this melted metal would flow to a large tank of melted salt; the melted salt would then take the heat from the metal and hold it. This stored heat could then be used like the heat we get from burning fossil fuels. It would make steam and turn generators to make electricity. There would even be enough heat to make steam during the night and on cloudy days. The trouble is that collecting the sun’s heat in these ways is expensive right now. We need to find out how to make these methods cost less before we can have big sun farms on our deserts. Scientists are trying to make a solar energy collector that they hope will be cheap enough for anybody to put on a house - either on the roof or in a wall. The inventors are making these solar collectors in kits for people who want to do-itthemselves. 6. What is the subject of this selection? A. Kinetic energy B. Nuclear energy C. Mechanical energy D.Solar energy 7. According to this article, ...... A. the sun is a good source of energy. B. smog does not pollute the air. C. nuclear energy is safe and clean. D. many people use solar energy. 8. The best place for a sun farm is the ...... A. desert. B. seashore. C. mountains. D. forest. 9. Scientists ...... A. have final found a safe way to use nuclear energy. B. know that fossil fuels will last forever. C. are still experimenting with energy from the sun. D. have found a cheap way to collect the sun’s heat. 10. The writer feels that nuclear energy ...... A. will soon run out. B. is cheap. C. is clean. D. can be harmful. IV. Circle the letter A, B, C, or D which indicates the best option for each numbered gap in the passage. It may seem unlikely that monkeys or cats would be able to hear the subtleties in human speech. After all, creatures (1) ...... than humans neither speak human languages nor comprehend most of them. (2) ......, scientists who study

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hearing have found that the auditory (3) ...... of animals and humans respond to speech sounds in remarkably (4) ...... ways. Scientists see hearing in humans and higher animals (5) ...... an act of computer-like processing (6) ...... which a sound enters the ear and is (7) ...... down into components. These are transported in some coded (8) ...... through the nervous system to the brain, (9) ...... they are put back together (10) ...... interpreted. Scientists believe that, in large part, how speech is processed is (11) ...... on its acoustical properties. Research with (12) ...... shows that they can (13) ...... among subtle nuances in speech. For (14) ...... , our ears readily distinguish two similar (15) ...... sounds, “ba” and “da” on the (16) ...... of differing pitch changes that (17) ...... in the first one-twentieth (18) ...... a second of sound. During the 1970’s, William Stebbins conducted (19) ...... using monkeys at the University of Michigan Hearing Research Institute which showed that monkeys possess a similar (20) ...... to put similar sounds into distinct categories. 1. A. less B. more C. differ D. other 2. A. Thus B. However C. Most D. Otherwise 3. A. ability B. reaction C. systems D. hearing 4. A. same B. similar C. variety D. all 5. A. have B. by C. as D. are 6. A. from B. data C. system D. in 7. A. broken B. tracked C. sent D. put 8. A. form B. digits C. sound D. area 9. A. which B. where C. while D. when 10. A. for B. and C. without D. after 11. A. based B. depend C. relied D. relying 12. A. animals B. experiments C. evidence D. sound 13. A. communicate B. discriminate C. hear D. differ 14. A. them B. humans C. sure D. example 15. A. wave B. kinds C. speech D. different 16. A. tone B. speech C. basis D. scale 17. A. distinguish B. sound C. change D. occur 18. A. in B. of C. fraction D. century 19. A. survey B. methods C. experiments D. by 20. A. ability B. property C. language D. hearing V. Rewrite the following sentences, using the words given. 1. Be sure to say goodbye to your grandmother before you leave. (without) ……………………………………………………………………………………………… 2. The new lecturer was unpopular with his students. (take) ……………………………………………………………………………………………… 3. They will have to take the dog on holiday with them. (behind) ……………………………………………………………………………………………… 4. Don’t run away with the idea that this job is easy. (conclusion) ……………………………………………………………………………………………… 5. You must drive more slowly in town. (reduce) ………………………………………………………………………………………………

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Practice test 2 I. Choose the word or phrase which best completes each sentence. 1. After listening to all arguments I am now of the ……. that there should be no new road. A. attitude B. opinion C. thought D. idea 2. He didn’t know anyone at the wedding …… than the bride and groom. A. except B. other C. apart D. rather 3. As he approaches the end of the race he found it hard to …… his speed. A. carry on B. keep on C. maintain D. preserve 4. The accused was given a short sentence as he had committed only a …… offence. A. subordinate B. minimal C. secondary D. minor 5. If he discovers the truth, there is no telling what ……. happen. A. should B. shall C. would D. might 6. New legislation makes it possible for the Government to …… protest marches. A. ban B. forestall C. inhibit D. deny 7. She …… wanted a house overlooking the sea. A. particularly B. strongly C. essentially D. extremely 8. For centuries Rome was the …… power in the Mediterranean. A. utmost B. superlative C. overruling D. supreme 9. At the universities of Oxford and Cambridge the …… of teachers to students is very high. A. proportion B. number C. ratio D. percentage 10. The little boy was continually …… the ornaments. A. tripping up B. falling down C. breaking up D. knocking over 11. For my birthday, I was given a writing set …… two pens, envelopes and notepaper. A. involving B. comprising C. consisting D. holding 12. I wrote to my bank manager …… to getting a loan. A. in the hope B. on the question C. with the aim D. with a view 13. Those men were appointed by the directors and are …… only to them. A. accountable B. dependable C. privileged D. controlled 14. Children who are praised for their work are always ……. on to do better. A. encouraged B. approved C. inspired D. spurred 15. After many years as a doctor, he had become …… to the scenes of human distress. A. hardened B. experienced C. expert D. unemotional II. Fill each blank with one suitable word to finish the passage below. One question that is often asked is whether people can be induced to commit criminal acts under hypnosis. (1) ………………..…. fairly recently scholars tended to think (2) …………..……. ; they argued that an order instructing a person to act in ways which were very much (3) ……………….….…. to his moral and ethical ideas would not be (4) ……………….………. out. However, a number of experiments have recently (5) ……………………. conducted that show this conclusion is not universally true. In one (6) …………..……. experiment the experimenter demonstrated the power of nitric acid (7)

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……..…………. the subject by throwing a penny (8) ……….……..…. it. The penny, of (9) ……………..…., was completely destroyed and the subject was (10) ………..…..……. to realize the tremendous destructive power of nitric acid. (11) ……..……. the subject’s view of the bowl of acid was (12) ……….………. by the experimenter, an assistant substituted (13) ………….……. it a like-sized bowl of harmless methylene-blue water, (14) ………….…….…. continuously boiling by the presence in it of minuscule droplets of barium peroxide. The hypnotized subject (15) ……………. then ordered to throw the dish (16) ………….……. the assistant, who was present in the same room. (17) ……….………. these conditions it was (18) ………………. to induce various subjects to throw (19) ………..….…. they considered to be an (20) ……...……. dangerous acid into the face of a human being. III. Read the following two passages and choose the best answer for each of the questions. A. From the start of his career as a writer, Mark Twain was fascinated with inventions. As a result, he chose to spend much of his available income on various types of inventions, generally without much success. In fact, he lost most of the money he invested. By 1887, the 49-year-old author had invested most of his money in one project, the Paige typesetting machine. Twain expected the Paige machine to be completed in 1889. Unfortunately, the machine was never completely finished, and by the early 1890s, Twain knew he was in serious financial situation. He worked hard to take care of his problems by producing a number of books in a row. He wrote A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court (1892), An American Claimant (1892), Tom Sawyer Abroad (1893), and Pudd’nhead Wilson (1894). However, all of this work did not solve his financial problems, and he was forced to declare bankruptcy. 1. This passage mainly discusses how an author ...... . A. invested poorly in inventions B. wrote so many books C. created his famous works D. created a successful invention 2. According to the passage, what interested Mark Twain? A. Giving investment advice B. Work as a typesetter C. The world of banking D. New ideas and products 3. Where was the majority of Twain’s money in 1887? A. In a bank account B. Invested in various inventions C. Invested in one invention D. Invested in his writings 4. It can be inferred from the passage that the Paige machine was ...... . A. created by Mark Twain B. ready in the 1890s C. close to being completed D. a great success 5. Look at the expression in a row in paragraph 2. This expression could best be replaced by ...... . A. one after another B. very quickly C. on time D. in a straight line B. The English names of the last months of the Gregorian calendar (September, October, November, December) have rather interesting histories. The Gregorian calendar is a twelve-month calendar, so these months are the ninth, tenth, eleventh, and twelfth months respectively. However, their name do not reflect their positioning in the calendar. The name September comes from the Latin word septum, which means seven. This month was originally the name of the seventh rather than the ninth month. Similarly, the name October comes from the Latin oct (eight); the name

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November comes from the Latin novem (nine); the name December comes from the Latin decem (ten). 6. The main topic of this passage is ...... . A. the origin of certain month names B. the Gregorian calendar C. the number in Latin D. ten-and twelve-month calendar 7. The first month on the Gregorian calendar is probably ...... . A. March B. May C. January D. December 8. The passage states that in the original version of the calendar, September was the name of ...... . A. the sixth month B. the seventh month C. the eighth mont D. the ninth month 9. It can be inferred from the passage that November ...... . A. used to be the ninth month of the year B. is no longer part of the Gregorian calendar C. has always been the eleventh month D. was not part of the original Gregorian calendar 10. Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the passage about December? A. It is the twelfth month on the Gregorian calendar. B. Its name is derived from a Latin word. C. Its meaning comes from the number ten. D. It has thirty-one days. C. Jan Dibbets may someday have his work revered as much as his Dutch predecessors: Verneer, Van Gogh, and Rembrandt. At a time when the trends in art are toward abstraction and minimalism, Dibbets’ work integrates these two disparate trends into one remarkable whole. In one series of composite works, he arranged sections of architectural photographs into rounded patterns. Then, with pen and ink and watercolours, he connected the segments together into 360-degree circular forms blending the abstract with the real and the imagined. The imaginary images resemble the views of ceiling in gothic, baroque, and neo-classical buildings as they might be seen from the ground floor. 1. As used in line 2, what is the meaning of the word “time”? A. season B. period C. century D. interval 2. The word “disparate” in line 3 is closest in meaning to …… . A. similar B. unspoken C. different D. unknown 3. The word “neo-classical” as used in the last sentence refers to …… . A. trends in art B. museum decorations C. artistic patterns D. architectural styles 4. As described in the passage, Dibbets used all of the following elements except …….. . A. pen and ink B. architectural photographs C. watercolours D. still-life drawings 5. What does this passage mainly discuss? A. the life of Jan Dibbets B. new forms of art created by Dibbets C. an exhibit of abstract art D. an art that follows the style of Verneer, Van Gogh, and Rembrandt

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IV. Circle the letter which indicates the correct option for each gap in the text.

THE MUSEUM OF CHILDHOOD There are 4,000 in London's Museum of Childhood, but it is not essential to be a child to enjoy it. Most of the older toys were (1) ...... to be played with adults. All the toys (2) ...... in a beautiful glass-topped building in the East End of London - but it wasn't built for them. It was opened in 1872 and displayed art, shoe-making and furniture (3) ...... It wasn't until 1974, when the children's section had (4) ...... enormously, that the (5) ...... building was officially devoted to the history of childhood. Once upon a time every toy was home -made, although by the late 1700s a huge toy industry had (6) ...... Many home - made toys were made of metal and wood and a few of these have (7) ...... well enough for the museum to display. It even has one of the oldest dolls' houses still (8) ......, made in 1673 . There's something for everyone, including the 18 th century toy theatre and the miniature Chinese gardens, (9) ...... tiny animals. Whichever is your favourite, each exhibit enables you to catch a (10) ...... of the people and world it was made for. The 35 or (11) ...... workers at the museum take (12) ...... care to make sure that ail the exhibits are preserved in good working (13) ...... And (14) ...... the 500 new toys that move in every year from all over the world - nobody has ever heard a (15) ...... one complaining. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A

aimed live gatherings risen total developed maintained being containing glimpse beyond large state connected with single

B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B

proposed settle collections grown overall created continued in reality stocking look so big form on unique

C C C C C C C C C C C C C C C

directed situate groups added thorough introduced lasted in existence consisting glance plus great circumstances as for particular

D DD D D D D D D D D D D D D D

meant inhabit assemblies mounted whole installed remained occurring enclosing notice further major order about sole

IV. Rewrite the following sentences, using the words given. 1. The girl’s behaviour was incomprehensible to the Head Teacher. (loss) …………………………………………………………………………………….. 2. They will think your nephew stole the money. (suspected) …………………………………………………………………………………….. 3. The new ambassador is well-informed about current affairs. (wide) …………………………………………………………………………………….. 4. They were brought up in a conventional, middle-class way. (theirs) …………………………………………………………………………………….. 5. That United will beat City is a foregone conclusion. (bound) ……………………………………………………………………………………..

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Practice test 3 I. Choose the word or phrase which best completes each sentence. 1. The prison was so well-guarded that any thought of escape was ……. . A. despairing B. aimless C. desperate D. pointless 2. Supposing I …… to agree to your request, how do you think the other students would feel? A. would B. am C. were D. could 3. I hope you won’t take …… if I tell you the truth. A. annoyance B. offence C. resentment D. irritation 4. The government’s new safety pamphlet ……. against smoking in bed. A. declares B. advises C. emphasizes D. maintains 5. When he had finished the apple the threw the ……. into the bin. A. heart B. pith C. core D. kernel 6. Two months is …… time to allow for the job to be completed. A. profuse B. protracted C. ample D. extensive 7. Don’t jump …… conclusions; we don’t yet know all the relevant facts. A. into B. up C. to D. for 8. Even at that early stage the school felt that she …… a good chance of passing her exams. A. stood B. gained C. possessed D. took 9. No-one appreciated his work during his lifetime, but ……, it is clear that he was a great scientist. A. in the aftermath B. by the time C. in retrospect D. in this eventuality 10. Although they had suffered heavy losses, the commanders refused to …… defeat. A. grant B. assent C. concede D. acquiesce 11. The government spends vast sums on defence while public services are being cut …… . A. up B. back C. through D. over 12. Even ……. for inflation he thought it was a good investment. A. considering B. taking account C. allowing D. calculating 13. He looked like an Englishman but his foreign accent gave him ….. . A. in B. away C. up D. over 14. Even the most ……. drivers feel an urge to break the speed-limit occasionally. A. lawful B. legitimate C. law-abiding D. judical 15. I turned down his offer to stay as I did not wish to …… upon his family. A. interfere B. disturb C. invade D. impose 16. There was a storm …… I had never experienced before. A. such as B. as which C. with which D. for 17. As soon as the consumer protection law was passed, some manufacturers began to ……. to have it changed. A. object B. revolt C. campaign D. protest 18. The first time he spoke in public he was …… with nerves. A. overcome B. inhibited C. numbed D. frozen 19. In order to give up smoking you need to exercise great …… . A. abstinence B. obstinacy C. endeavour D. will-power 20. The little boy was left in ……. his grandmother during his parents’ absence. A. charge B. care of C. care D. the charge

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II. Fill each blank with one suitable word to finish the passage below. We all know that wood burns and that brick and concrete do not. (1) ………………….. would seem to be an excellent reason for (2) ……………….. sure that timber (3) ………..……….. forms part of the structure of modern houses, but in fact about a quarter of all new houses in Britain (4) ………………….. built around timber frames with an outer lining of bricks. (5) …………...…….. theory, the building regulation laid (6) …………………..… by the government ensure that these houses are safe from (7) ………………..….., but the safety provisions themselves could (8) ……….…..…….. introducing a new hazard which has (9) ………………….. to do with the (10) …………….…….. that wood burns. The regulations demand that the structure of a timber-framed house should be (11) ……………….. well protected that it (12) ……………….. remain standing (13)………………….. after fire has swept (14) …………..….….. from bottom to top. But the non-flammable materials that protect the timber can heat (15) ………..…..….. very quickly and radiate back (16) …………..…….. the room, feeding the fire and (17) …………..…….. it to burn more rapidly. The regulations (18) ……………….... this hazard and up to (19) …………....….. very little research has been (20) ………….…….. to solve the problem. III. Read the following two passages and choose the best answer A, B, C, or D for each of the questions. A. I get a lot of letters at this time of year from many people who have a cold which won't go away. There are many different stories about how to prevent or cure a cold. That's why it is often difficult to know what to do. We know that colds are rarely "dangerous”, except for weak people such as the elderly or young babies. These people are always uncomfortable and usually most unpleasant. Of course, you can buy a lot of medicines. They will help to make your cold less unpleasant. However, you must remember that nothing can actually cure a cold or make it go away faster. Any strong medicine used to make you feel better could be dangerous if you are already taking drugs for some other illness. Thus, check with your chemist or doctor to see whether they are all right for you. And remember they might make you sleepy. Please don't try to drive if they do! Lastly, whatever you may be told about magic foods or drinks, the best answer is to keep yourself strong and healthy. You'll have less chance of catching a cold. And if you do, it shouldn't be so bad. 1. The writer of the passage wants ...... . A. to write in an amusing way B. to give general advice C. to complain about his/her health D. to persuade people to have more foods and drinks 2. Colds are ...... . A. very dangerous B. not dangerous at all C. unpleasant D. usually fatal 3. What is the key to avoid catching a cold? A. Having magic foods and drinks B. Sleeping a lot C. Taking a lot of medicine D. Keeping yourself strong and healthy

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4. The word “most” as used in line 5 is closest in meaning to ...... . A. very B. in the highest degree C. greatest D. absolutely 5. The writer of the passage is probably ...... . A. a nurse B. a health care specialist C. a novelist D. a reporter B. If you were to stop people in the street and ask them to name a ship that had been sunk, it is likely that nearly all of them would say the Titanic. For the sinking of the Titanic was, if not the most tragic, certainly the most famous sea disaster in the history of ocean travel. The Titanic was built as a luxury liner, intended to be the fastest in the world, and a great deal of publicity had surrounded it. The last point probably explains why so many important people from all walks of life were on the boat when it went down. The Titanic was on its maiden voyage to America in 1912 when it struck an iceberg and sank. Of its 2,300 passengers, more than two-thirds were drowned. Because the Titanic was thought to be virtually unsinkable, no one was prepared for the tragedy. There was total panic as very few of the passengers had bothered to learn the necessary drill in the event of trouble. There was severe shortage of lifeboats and those that were launched were still half-empty. The one point of calm was to be found in the ballroom where the band carried on playing right to the very end. What makes the sinking of the Titanic even more tragic is the fact that warnings of icebergs had been sent, yet the liner was still continuing at full speed. In addition one ship was only ten miles away but did not receive the distress signal. One good thing did, however, result from the disaster. The whole question of safety at sea was looked into, resulting in much better safety measures, including stricter lifeboat regulations and the establishment of an iceberg patrol. 6. The sinking of the Titanic was …… . A. the most tragic sea disaster B. the most historic sea disaster C. the most famous sea disaster D. the first great sea disaster 7. Why were so many important people in board? A. The Titanic had received a lot of publicity. B. The Titanic was a luxury liner. C. It was the fastest liner in the world. D. They wanted to go to America. 8. The lifeboats were …… . A. too short B. launched too soon C. half finished D. poorly equipped 9. The chances of disaster were increased because …… . A. no warnings had been sent B. the dance band was playing too loud C. the Titanic was travelling too fast D. there were no distress calls 10. The positive result of the disaster was that …… . A. a full inquiry was made

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B. lifeboats were made larger C. a program of iceberg destruction was started D. sea travel was made safer IV. Circle the letter A, B, C, or D which indicates the best connector for each numbered gap in the passage. It is a characteristic of human nature (1) ...... people like to get together and have fun, (2) ...... people living during America's frontier days were no exception. (3) ......, because life was hard and the necessities of day-to-day living took up their time, it was common for recreation to be combined with activities necessary for survival. One example of such a form of recreation was logrolling. Many frontier areas were heavily wooded, and (4) ...... settle an area it was necessary to remove the trees. A settler could cut down the trees alone, (5) ...... help was needed to move the cut trees. (6) ...... a settler had cut a bunch of trees, he would then invite his neighbors over for a logrolling. A logrolling was a community event (7) ...... families got together for a combination of work and fun. The women would bring food and have a much needed and infrequent opportunity to relax and chat with friends, the children would play together exuberantly, (8) ...... the men would hold lively competitions (9) ...... involved rolling logs from place to place as quickly as possible. This was a day of fun for everyone involved, (10) ...... at its foundation was the need to clear the land. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

A. that A. but A. So A. so as A. but A. If A. when A. and A. where A. and

B. which B. and B. Therefore B. in order to B. as for B. Before B. where B. but B. what B. whereas

C. what C. for C. Yet C. in order not to C. so as to C. After C. for which C. for C. that C. which

D. how D. therefore D. However D. so that D. when D. Whereas D. so D. once D. in which D. but

VI. Rewrite the following sentences, using the words given. 1. It was Derek who pointed the mistake out to me. (attention) ................................................................................................................................. 2. They were on the point of cancelling the match when the opposition arrived. (call) ................................................................................................................................. 3. Teaching doesn’t really suit her. (cut) ................................................................................................................................. 4. One essay is just as bad as the other. (choose) ................................................................................................................................. 5. Most doctors agree that smoking is bad for your health. (harm) .................................................................................................................................

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Practice test 4 I. Choose the word or phrase which best completes each sentence. 1. It was too late to …… of the contract. A. back out B. back down C. back up D. back away 2. By going in person to the office which …… the forms she was able to get what she wanted. A. controlled B. offered C. disseminated D. issued 3. The students failed to meet the necessary ……. for the admission to the course. A. fulfillments B. requirements C. qualities D. aptitudes 4. She always ……. the smell of fresh bread with her mother, who loved baking. A. remembered B. associated C. exemplified D. attributed 5. After the theft of his car he put an insurance …… for $ 3,000. A. account B. invoice C. assessment D. claim 6. Prizes are awarded ….. the number of points scored. A. resulting from B. adding up C. presented to D. according to 7. The committee took just thirty minutes to …… the conclusion that action was necessary. A. judge B. make C. decide D. reach 8. She bought the mansion ……. that she would make a fortune out of her new novel. A. speculating B. considering C. assuming D. estimating 9. The ability to …… work is the sign of a good manager. A. discharge B. appoint C. deputize D. delegate 10. He failed to ……. the authorities of his change of address. A. certify B. report C. notify D. acquaint 11. The children …… at the ease with which the circus acrobats performed their routine. A. amazed B. marveled C. surprised D. baffled 12. When her millionaire died, the heiress …… a fortune. A. came into B. came at C. came through D. came to 13. When he examined the gun the detective’s suspicion turned into …… . A. certainty B. confirmation C. reality D. conclusion 14. The seat belt can be altered to …… for the differences in the size of the passenger. A. permit B. adjust C. calculate D. allow 15. Because of rapid technological progress, the computers being made today will be …… in five years’ time. A. outdone B. extinct C. obsolete D. retired 16. Few pleasures can equal …… of a cool drink on a hot day. A. it B. that C. such D. this 17. I will just ……. an eye over these figures before you type them. A. cast B. fling C. toss D. throw 18. His emotional problems …… from the attitudes he encountered as a child, I think. A. stem B. flourish C. root D. sprout 19. This book is full of practical …… on home decorating and repairs. A. helps B. tips C. aids D. clues 20. If we bend the rule for one person it will …… a dangerous precedent. A. create B. cause C. invent D. make II. Fill each blank with one suitable word to finish the passage below.

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My first holiday in France suddenly made me realize how a child must feel trying to make himself understood without an (1) ……………….….. command of language. When I went shopping I used to rehearse my various set (2) ………………....….. for each market stall, and, choosing (3) ………………….... that were not busy, I (4) ………………..….. edge near, trying to (5) …………………….. someone’s eyes. The words never came (6) ……………………..….. as I intended, but nods, smiles, pointing and a (7) ………….……….. isolated words (with no refinement (8) ………….…….….. as verbs correctly conjugated) served the (9) …………….…….. well, and I felt wonderfully triumphant. The stallholders were friendly and unfailingly helpful (10) …………...…….. seeing that I got (11) …………………… I wanted and (12) …………….…….. I understood the financial part of the transaction,. They also (13) …………..….. me (14) ………………….. encouragement to learn new words and phrases and I even began to (15) ……….……….. about the weather, the sea and the sand. And (16) ……….……….. one of them began to correct (17) ……………... grammar, but I was too young and sensitive and was (18) ……………..……... into confusion. I reverted to (19) ……….….…. anxious and afraid of trying in (20) ………….…….. I was wrong. III. Read the following two passages and choose the best answer for each of the questions. A. In 776 B.C. the first Olympic Games were held at the foot of Mount Olympus to honour the Greeks’ chief god, Zeus. The warm climate for outdoor activities, the need for preparedness in war, and their lifestyle caused the Greeks to create competitive sports. Only the elite and military could participate at first, but later the games were open to all free Greek males who had no criminal record. The Greeks emphasized physical fitness and strength in their education of youths. Therefore, contests in jumping, running, discus and javelin throwing, boxing, and horse and chariot racing were held in individual cities, and the winners competed every four years at Mount Olympus. Winners were greatly honoured by having olive wreaths placed on their heads and having poems sung about their deeds. Originally these contests were held as games of friendship, and any wars in progress were halted to allow the games to take place. They also helped to strengthen bonds among competitors and the different cities represented. The Greeks attached so much importance to the games that they calculated time in four year cycles called “Olympiads”, dating from 776 B.C. The contests coincided with religious festivities and constituted an all-out effort on the part of the participants to please the gods. Anyone who disobeyed the rules were dismissed and seriously punished. These athletes brought shame not only to themselves but also to the city they represented. 1. Why were the Olympic Games held? A. To stop wars B. To crown the best athletes C. To honour Zeus D. To sing song about the athletes 2. Approximately how many years ago did these games originate? A. 800 years B. 1,200 years C. 2,300 years D. 2,800 years 3. The word “halted” in line 11 means nearly the same as ...... . A. started B. fixed C. stopped D. encouraged 4. What is an “Olympiad”? A. The time it took to finish a war B. The time it took to finish the games C. The time between games D. The time it took the athletes to train

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5. What is the main idea of this passage? A. Physical fitness was an integral part of the lives of the ancient Greeks. B. The Greeks severely punished those who did not participate in the games. C. The Greeks had always encouraged everyone to participate in the games. D. The Greeks had the games coincide with religious festivities. B. When I opened the first “Body Shop” in 1976 my only object was to earn enough to feed my children. Today “The Body shop” is an international company rapidly growing all around the world. In the years since we began I have learned a lot. Much of what I have learned will be found in this book, for I believe that we, as a company, have something worth saying about how to run a successful business without giving up what we really believe in. It’s not a normal business book, nor is it just about life. The message is that to succeed in business you have to be different. Business can be fun, a business can be run with love and it can do good. In business, as in life, I need to enjoy myself, to have a feeling of family and to feel excited by the unexpected. I have always wanted the people who work for “The Body Shop” to feel the same way. Now this book sends these ideas of mine out into the world, make them public. I’d like to think there are no limits to our ‘family’, no limits to what can be done. I find that an exciting thought. I hope you do, too. 6. What is the writer’s main purpose in writing this text? A. To tell the reader her life story B. To introduce her ideas to the reader C. To explain how international companies operate D. To tell the reader how she brought up her family 7. What would someone learn from this text? A. How to make a lot of money B. How to write a book about business C. What the writer’s family is like D. What the writer’s book is about 8. How does the writer feel about the business she runs? A. She doesn’t care about success if her children are fed. B. She just runs it for her own entertainment. C. It is not like any other company. D. It is likely to become even more successful. 9. What kind of workers does the writer like to employ? A. Workers who can explain her ideas B. Workers who get on well with the public C. Workers who have the same attitudes as she does D. Workers who have their own families 10. What kind of person does the writer seem to be? A. She seems to be someone with strong opinions. B. She doesn’t seem to be confident. C. She is mainly interested in making money. D. She sees running a business as just a job. IV. Circle A, B, C or D to choose the best option for each numbered gap to complete the following passage.

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Many thousands of children have (1) ..... in their homes. As a result, some children died. The most (2) ..... accidents are with fire and hot water. Small children often (3) ..... pots of boiling water on the stove. The pots fall over and the hot water falls on the children and (4) ..... them. Some children like to play with fire. They enjoy striking matches or throwing things on a fire to make it burn brightly. If a fire gets too big, it gets out of control. Then the house (5) ..... fire. It is very dangerous to play with matches. When a child strikes a match, the flame soon burns near his fingers. Then he (6) ..... the match on the floor. Many houses catch fire in this way. Some kinds of clothing burn very (7) ..... . Many children have been badly burned because they have stood too near a fire and their clothing has suddenly caught fire. Although fire and hot water cause most accidents in their home, many children cut themselves with knives. Others yet an electric shock. Some children are made very ill from (8) ..... their parents' medicine. Many small children have to go to hospital every year because they (9) ..... a box of medicine was a box of sweets. There is only one good way to (10) ..... to it that accidents do not happen in the home. Do not touch anything that is dangerous. 1. A. died 2. A. popular 3. A. touch 4. A. fires 5. A. catches 6. A. throws 7. A. easily 8. A. taking 9. A. believed 10. A. see

B. fallen B. casual B. reach B. burns B. sets B. disposed B. quickly B. drinking B. thought B. look

C. accidents C. common C. hold C. singes C. turns into C. puts C. violently C. swallowing C. considered C. watch

D. fainted D. daily D. approach D. heats D. makes D. drops D. both A & B D. all are correct D. hoped D. observe

V. Rewrite the following sentences, using the words given. 1. There is less chance that Olsen will become champion after his recent defeat. (blow) …………………………………………………………………………………………. 2. Give in to him and you will regret it. (stand) …………………………………………………………………………………………. 3. Final year students don’t have to attend lectures. (optional) …………………………………………………………………………………………. 4. The critic had a low opinion of the new play. (much) …………………………………………………………………………………………. 5. I doubt if Mary will want to see Christopher in the circumstances. (hardly) ………………………………………………………………………………………….

Practice test 5 I. Choose the word or phrase which best completes each sentence.

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1. The judge said the thief had shown complete …… for the new law. A. ignorance B. disregard C. disobedience D. negligence 2. The Director’s personality was undoubtedly a ……. in the company’s success. A. feature B. factor C. characteristic D. cause 3. My …… on life has changed a lot since leaving university. A. outlook B. view C. approach D. purpose 4. She went to a lot of …… and expense to choose and send that present. A. anxiety B. trouble C. difficulty D. care 5. …… her inexperience her failure to secure the contract was not surprising. A. In view of B. By virtue of C. With regard to D. In recognition of 6. This machine is …… to overhear if you leave it switched on. A. susceptible

B. probable

C. conducive

D. liable

7. It is a brave man who …… for his beliefs when under attack. A. stands out B. stands forward C. stands up D. stands by 8. This company is in the …… of modern technological research. A. foreground B. foretaste C. forefront D. foremost 9. From the top of the hill the village looks quite close, but distances are …… . A. deceptive B. surprising C. false D. illusory 10. Apprantly one person …… ten now attends a university in this country. A. of B. over C. in D. from 11. The noise of the machinery …… the words of the factory manager. A. covered B. suppressed C. drowned D. deadened 12. The drivers have rejected proposals to end the strike and other workers have come out in ……. . A. consent B. return C. sympathy D. collaboration 13. He was always finding …… with his daughter’s friends. A. blame B. lack C. mistake D. fault 14. After her eye operation she had to wear an eye …… for protection. A. patch B. veil C. glass D. screen 15. Her refusal to join us is nothing ……of ridiculous. A. less B. more C. short D. far 16. The professor’s …… theory is that singing preceded speech. A. preferable B. pet C. fond D. fancied 17. A local charity benefited from the …… of the annual summer fete. A. earnings B. income C. pay D. proceeds II. Fill each blank with one suitable word to finish the passage below.

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Between about 9 months and perhaps 15 months infants become more diversified as human beings; they are now so clearly but variously affected (1) ………….. …..…… the environment in which they are (2) ………………….……… reared and it becomes increasingly difficult to categorize their development (3) …………………....…… to age. So for some people the term “toddler” will apply (4) ………………. any infant under 2 years; for (5) ……………….……..… it will appear only to apply (6) ………………..……..…… to 20 months. Being a toddler is a (7) ………………..……….… like being an adolescent. The toddler is between babyhood and childhood, (8) ………………….……… as the adolescent is between childhood and adulthood. The (9) …………..………..… is often stereotyped as a rebel- as one (10) ……………………… fights against the upbringing, the background, the restrictions he (11) …………….….…… accepted as a child; in the (12) ……………………… way the toddler is often stereotyped as likely to (13) ………………….……… a problem to his parents. He reaches a stage (14) ……………………..… he resents and fights the absolute power and control which his mother had (15) ……….………..… him when he was (16) ………….….…… baby. He too (17) …………….….… for new fields in (18) ………………… to exercise a new sense of self. But there the similarity has (19) ……………………..… its limits. Many adolescents are ready for self-determination; toddlers are (20) …………..………… . III. Read the following passage and choose the best answer A, B, C, or D for each of the questions. The World Trade Organization (WTO), founded on January 1, 1995, aims to encourage international trade to flow as freely as possible, making sure that trade agreements are respected and that any disputes can be settled. In the five years since its founding, the WTO has become well known as one of the world’s most powerful economic organizations, taking its place alongside the World Bank and International Monetary Fund. The system of global rules for international trade, however, dates back half a century to 1948 when the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) was formed after World War II. As time went by, it became clear that the GATT had two major drawbacks - the limited areas of trade it covered, and the lack of an effective system to settle disputes. After seven years of trade talks ending in 1994, the so-called Uruguay Round finally gave birth to the WTO, complete with an effective system to settle disputes and to form new rules covering trade in services and intellectual property. Even after seven years of talks and with 22,500 pages of agreements reached, problems remained, especially in the difficult-to-deal-with areas of agriculture and services. 1. WTO and GATT are...........

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A. acronyms B. synonyms 2. What is the purpose of the WTO?

C. antonyms

D. homonyms

A. to encourage international trade to flow freely. B. To make sure that trade agreements are respected. C. To settle any disputes. D. All of the above 3. The writer thinks that the WTO has become A. more powerful than any other economic organizations. B. the world’s most powerful economic organization. C. one of the world’s most powerful economic organizations. D. less powerful than World Bank and International Monetary Fund. 4. According to the passage, the GATT stopped working...... A. in 1948 B. in 1994 C. after World War ended D. during the seven years of the Uruguay Round talk 5. The word “it” in bold refers to ...... A. the WTO B. the GATT C. the World Bank D. the International Monetary Fund 6. The WTO is better than the GATT in that...... A. it can settle disputes in more areas of international trade. B. it enables its members to sign agreements more easily. C. it deals with problems in agriculture and services more effectively. D. it pays more attention to service and intellectual property. 7. The word “ went by” could best replaced by...... A. flew B. flowed C. passed 8. The word “drawbacks ”in paragraph 1 means......

D. past

A. weak points B. strong points C. improvements D. changes 9. According to the last paragraph, which of the following statements is true? A. The WTO is the world’s most powerful economic organization. B. The GATT was founded in Uruguay in 1995. C. The WTO has an effective system to settle disputes and to form new rules. D. All the countries in the world are member nations of the WTO. 10. Which of the followings is not true about the WTO? A. B. C. D.

It has an effective system to settle disputes. It can solve all problems in the world. It has new rules to cover trade in services and intellectual property. It makes international trade agreements respected.

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IV. Circle A, B, C or D to choose the best option for each gap in the passage.

In his State of the Union address, President Bush (1) ...... for reforming and increasing CAFE (2) ...... for cars, and for further increasing light truck and SUV standards. CAFE, which is the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) measured by the sales weighted in average (3) ...... economy, expressed in miles per gallon (mpg), of a (4) ...... fleet of passenger cars or light trucks with a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of 8,500 lbs. or less, manufactured for sale in the United States, for any given model year. Fuel economy is (5) ...... as the average mileage traveled by an automobile per gallon of gasoline (or equivalent amount of other fuel) (6) ...... as measured in accordance with the (7) ...... and evaluation protocol set forth by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). By (8) ...... on new technologies the President believes that the US can significantly (9) ...... fuel economy without impacting safety. The goal of the President's energy (10) ...... is to reduce fuel consumption by up to 8.5 billion gallons in 2017. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

A. claimed A. standards A. oil A. manufacturer’s A. identified

6. A. used 7. A. testing 8. A. depending 9. A. increase 10. A. scheme

B. called B. levels B. petrol B. distributor's B. defined

C. asked C. measurements C. gas C. maker's C. known

D. struggled D. grades D. fuel D. consumer's D. regarded

B. burnt B. trying B. relying B. upgrade B. plan

C. consumed C. experimenting C. basing C. higher C. project

D. all are correct D. both A & C D. leaning D. improve D. schedule

V. Rewrite the following sentences, using the words given. 1. It was more of an argument than a discussion. (so) …………………………………………………………………………………………….. 2. John was shocked to hear that he had failed his driving test. (came) …………………………………………………………………………………………….. 3. He is very likely to come. (probability) …………………………………………………………………………………………….. 4. The cause of the explosion is still unknown. (caused) …………………………………………………………………………………………….. 5. The judge sentenced the defendant to six months in prison. (jailed) ……..………………………………………………………………………………………

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Practice test 6 I. Choose the word or phrase which best completes each sentence. 1. When he woke up , he realized that the things he had dreamed about could not ……. have happened. A. possibly B. likely C. certainly D. potentially 2. $ 50? $ 70? Let’s …… the difference and say $ 60. A. avoid B. split C. agree D. decrease 3. The leaders sensing that war was ……, prepared their defences. A. immediate B. immune C. immense D. imminent 4. There is a lot of friendly ……. between the supporters of the two teams. A. contest B. rivalry C. contention D. defiance 5. He read it through quickly so as to get the …….. of it before setting down to a thorough study. A. detail B. run C. core D. gist 6. The purpose of the survey was to ……. the inspectors with the local conditions. A. inform B. acquaint C. instruct D. notify 7. My wife is being …… for migraine headaches at the clinic. A. cured B. healed C. operated D. treated 8. Despite the high divorce rate, the ……. of marriage remains popular. A. pratice B. habit C. institution D. state 9. He drove fast and arrived an hour ……... of schedule. A. in advance B. ahead C. abreast D. in front 10. I would like to ….. this old car for a new model but I can’t afford it. A. interchange B. exchange C. replace D. convert 11. They were awaiting official …… of the news they had heard from a friend. A. recommendation B. statement C. confirmation D. announcement 12. Although they usually did their own painting and papering, on this occasion they brought in a firm of ……. decorators. A. inside B. inward C. interior D. internal 13. In my opinion standards of workmanship have …… over the past twenty years. A. aggravated B. disminish C. deteriorated D. eroded 14. He tries to …… himself with everyone by paying them compliments. A. gratify B. please C. ingratiate D. commend 15. When the police examined the house they found they found that the lock had been ……with. A. touched B. tampered C. broken D. hindered 16. In those days a girl could not get married if her farther …… his consent. A. forbade B. upheld C. rejected D. withheld 17. The zoo attendant opened the cage and tried to …… the animal back in. A. coax B. induce C. seduce D. convince 18. The ruling party is worried in case they lose …… control of the City Council in the forthcoming elections. A. overall B. whole C. unanimous D. mass 19. I liked the coat but was rather …… off by the price. A. shaken B. put C. set D. held 20. This man is so arrogant that he is completely …… to all criticism. A. impervious B. unaware C. regardless D. unconscious 21. The accusation left him quite ……. with rage.

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A. dumb B. silent C. speechless D. mute 22. The local medical officer reported a serious …… of food-poisoning. A. state B. incident C. outbreak D. event 23. No matter how angry he was he would never …… to violence. A. resolve B. recourse C. exert D. resort 24. He was so …… in the TV programme that he forgot to turn the oven off. A. distracted B. attracted C. gripped D. engrossed 25. That man was very conscious ……. his bald head. A. about B. with C. of D. for II. Fill each blank with one suitable word to finish the passage below. How would you write today’s date in figures? Current practice varies considerably and a “great debate” in now in (1) …………………….. to establish (2) ……………..universally acceptable method. In Britain (3) ………………….. usually put the day (4) ………….…….., followed by the month and then the year, (5) …………….. in America it’s the other way (6) ………….……….. so that the nineteenth of June 1984 would be written 6-19-84. (7) …………………….. such variations can (8) …………………….. confusion in the computerized international world of history, businessmen are now pressing (9) …………..……….. a uniform procedure for the numerical writing of dates. The problem is: (10) ……………….….. country’s method (11) ………………….. be adopted? Britain’s, America’s or something dreamed (12) ………………….. by a committee? Understandably, no country is .keen give up its (13) ……………….. tradition and adopt somebody else’s. The French International Organisation for Standardisation has come up (14) …………………. a possible solution. It proposes that (15) ………………..….. numerically written dates should appear in descending (16) ……………….….. with the year first, then the month and (17) …………………….. the day. The drawback here is that (18) …………..……….. any countries seem in (19) ………………… of this idea and the majority are most (20) ………………….. to implement it III. Fill each blank with one suitable word/ word phrase to finish the following sentences. 1. Give …..……………………….. tomorrow evening. My number is 367 2215. 2. What time do you call this? We …………….……………..……. for you for nearly half an hour! 3. My sister wasn’t in Paris last month so you ……………….….…… seen her there. 4. The occupant of the burning flat was taken to hospital …………………….. shock . 5. ……………..… those books to the library immediately, you will have to pay a fine. 6. He deserves the maximum penalty ……………………….…. a crime IV. Circle A, B, C or D to choose the best option for each of the gaps to complete the following passage. More than two hundred years ago, the term “environmental pollution” was quite strange to people. They lived healthily, drank (1) ..... water, and breathed fresh air. In those days, industry was not well-developed. Nowadays, the (2) ..... is quite different. The world today is faced with many (3) ..... threats. The most dangerous threat of all is war, and after the threat of war is (4) ..... . People all over the world are worried about things that are happening to the environment. Actually it is man that is (5) ..... the surroundings with many kinds of wastes from the devices that

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make human lives more comfortable and convenient. Everybody knows that cars emit dangerous gases that cause poisonous (6) ..... and cancer, but no one wants to travel on foot or by bicycles. Manufactures know that (7) ..... from factories make water and (8) ..... polluted, but they do not want to spend a lot of their money on (9) ..... the wastes safely. (10) ..... rubbish is bad for our health, but no one wants to spend time burying it. Is it worth talking a lot about pollution? 1. A. fresh 2. A. situation 3. A. chief 4. A. contamination 5. A. poisoning 6. A. steam 7. A. wastes 8. A. land 9. A. solving 10. A. Throwing

B. pure B. case B. significant B. pollution B. destroying B. vapor B. junks B. ground B. dealing B. Scattering

C. clean C. circumstance C. major C. dirtying C. dirtying C. air C. garbage C. soil C. processing C. Distributing

D. boiled D. both A & C D. main D. both A & B D. contaminating D. moisture D. litters D. earth D. treating D. Pouring

V. Read the passage and choose the best answer A, B, C, or D for each of the questions. When the first white men came to America, they found vast amounts of natural resources of tremendous value. Forests covered a large part of the nation; later gas, oil and minerals were found in unbelievable amounts. There was a great abundance of very fertile soil. Forests, prairies, streams and rivers abounded with wildlife. So vast were these resources that it seemed that they could never be used up. So forests were destroyed to make way for farmland. Grasslands and prairies were plowed and harrowed. Minerals and oil were used in great quantities to supply a young industrial nation. Almost every river became the scene of factories, mills and power companies. Mammals and birds were slaughtered for food and sport. Within a short time, the results were obvious. Floods caused millions of dollars worth of damage yearly. The very fertile soil washed away or blew up in great clouds. The seemingly inexhaustible oil and minerals showed signs of depletion. Rivers were filled with silt from eroding farms and wastes from factories. Many of the rivers were made unfit for fish. Several species of birds disappeared, and some mammals seemed on the verge of going. Future timber shortages were predicted. In short, Americans soon came to realize that some sort of conservation program must be set up, if future as well as present Americans were to share in the resources that are the heritage of every American. 1. The title that best expresses the main theme or subject of this selection is ...... A. What the first white men found in America B. The loss of topsoil C. The cause of timber shortage D. The story of America’s natural resources 2. It seemed to the early American settlers that ...... . A. fertile soil was scarce B. the natural resources were inexhaustible C. forests should not be cut

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D. there was a shortage of minerals 3. The use of America’s natural resources by the early settlers was ...... . A. careless B. scientific C. unbelievable D. predicted 4. Much of the fertile soil of America has ...... . A. sunk deep into the earth B. been covered by lakes C. been eroded by wind and water D. become the scene of factories 5. According to the passage, all the followings are true EXEPT: A. The early American settlers used a lot of minerals and oil. B. They killed animals for food and sport. C. They grew different kinds of plants in prairies. D. They plowed and harrowed grasslands and prairies. 6. The word “abounded with” could best replaced by...... A. were abundant in B. were rich with C. were plentiful of D. were a lot of 7. The word “silt ”in paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to...... A. dust B. soil C. mud D. land 8. One reason why many of our rivers are no longer suitable living places for fish is that A. too many fish have been caught. B. a conservation program has been set up. C. floods have caused much damage. D. factories have dumped waste into the rivers. 9. Some species of birds and mammals seemed ...... . A. to become extinct B. to die C. to be killed D. to be slaughtered 10. Americans soon came to realize that ...... . A. They should stop killing animals for food B. They must give up exploiting minerals C. They shouldn’t reclaim the land D. They must establish a conservation program VI. Rewrite the following sentences, using the words given. 1. I’d rather we started at seven (preference) …………………………………………………………………………………………… 2. Most people know that Britain’s economy is heavily dependent on North Sea oil. (common) ……………………………………………………………………………………………… 3. I’d be grateful if you would check these accounts for me. (mind) …………………………………………………………………………………………… 4. It’s unlikely that the contractor will complete the work before February. ( take) …………………………………………………………………………………………… 5. That jumper you knitted for my daughter no longer fits her. (grown) …………………………………………………………………………………………….

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Practice test 7 I. Choose the word or phrase which best completes each sentence. 1. He cannot…….. ignorance as his excuse; he should have known what was happening in his own department. A. insist B. plead C. refer D. defend 2. Visitors are ……. to beware of pickpockets. A. commanded B. informed C. notified D. advised 3. If you don’t pay your bill, the Electricity Board will ……. .Your power supply A. dismantle B. sever C. disconnect D. uncouple 4. He did not share his secrets with many people but he ….. in her A. confessed B. concealed C. consented D. confided 5. Before you can start a business, you will have to raise the necessary…….. . A. Investment B. income C. savings D. capital 6. As the drug took ……. the patient became quieter. A. force B. influence C. action D. effect 7. She was a devoted nurse, always very …….. to the needs of her elderly patients A. attentive B. observant C. earnest D. careful 8. They……. grate difficulty saving up enough money for a house. A., found B. incurred C. had D. achieved 9. The mountaineers had to ……… severe cold and high winds. A. outlive B. attain C. go through D. endure 10. After three weeks off work, David found that time was beginning to ……… . A. relax B. drag C. delay D. extend 11. He has been offered the job ………to his passing a medical examination. A. confirmatory B. provisional C. subject D. dependent 12. I was completely ……… by most of the exam questions, so I must have failed. A. stupified B. baffled C. stultified D. harassed 13. The unpleasant smell in the restaurant ……… me off my dinner. A. set B. put C. sent D. tool 14. If he loses consciousness, give him a sip of brandy to bring him ……… . A. up B. back C. round D. over 15. They ……… on the secret passage while they were exploring the caves. A. stumbled B. foundered C . fumbled D. tripped 16. Please ………from smoking until the plane is airborne A. refrain B. exclude C. resist D. restrain 17. He was a generous friend but as a businessman he drove a hard ……… . A. bargain B. affair C. contract D. deal 18. The unscrupulous salesman …… the old couple out of their life savings. A. deprived B. swindled C. robbed D. extracted 19. The civil rights movement was in its …… in the 1960s. A. top B. heyday C. summit D. pitch 20. Has he changed his mind again? I wish he’d at least be …… . A. constant B. congenial C. compatible D. consistent 21. A prime minister cannot expect to have much time to ……to purely personal matters. A. reserve B. devote C. concentrate D. spare

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22. We have ……… into your claim of wrongful dismissal but can find nothing to support it A. probed B. looked C. examined D. investigated 23. Your argument ..……that Britain is still a great power, but thus no longer the case. A. outlines B. presupposes C. concerns D. presents 24. It was surprising that he showed so little ……… at his sister’s death. A. feelings B. sympathy C. grief D. involvement 25. The situation was……… complicated by John’s indecision. A. more B. extra C. further D. altogether II. Fill each blank with one suitable word to finish the passage below. It is one of the oldest complaints that the young , at (1) …………….. the male young, are prone to crime, disorder, and (2) …………….. kind of delinquency, and (3) …………….. some argue that this criminality is (4) …………….. to childish impulsiveness, others claim that it has come about (5) …………….. of the role (6) …………….. by the young in society. This role has changed from (7) …………….. it was in the past, since the young now tend to form a (8) …………….. apart from the (9) …………….. of society, with spending power far (10) …………….. what was available to earlier generations of youth. On the (11) …………….. hand, and this is particularly the (12) …………….. in the United States, their prospects (13) …………….. employment are much lower than (14) …………….. of adults. (15) …………….. numerous government training schemes, these prospects have been getting worse, and the trend is (16) …………….. greater youth unemployment. This, combined (17) …………….. the fact that parents are more certain and (18) …………….. prepared to exercise authority, has resulted (19) …………….. more crimes than ever (20) …………….. committed by young people. III. Circle A, B, C or D to choose the best word or phrase to complete the following passage. One of the great London hypes of the year is the film ‘Snatch’; firstly, because it is the (1) ..... to the much-acclaimed ‘Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels’, and secondly because it is directed by Madonna’s (2) ..... boyfriend. Despite the hype, the film lives up to (3) ..... . The plot is hard to (4) ..... , but centers around two (5) ..... gangsters who get involved in a diamond robbery. However, the (6) ..... are more important than the plot and some of them are (7) ..... memorable. Brad Pitt, in a performance worthy of an Oscar, (8) ..... an Irish boxer who speaks a language that sounds a little like English, but is completely (9) ..... . Then there’s the top boss, one of the meanest villains in the history of film, who feeds his enemies to his pigs. Last, but not least, the (10) ..... English footballer, Vinnie Jones, plays a hard man who nevertheless still manages to (11) ..... our sympathy. In many ways, ‘Snatch’ is like a Tarantino film. Strange camera angles, (12) .... plot and violence with humour, it’s rock and roll cinema at its best. (13) .... violent but savagely funny, it’s a film that is definitely worth seeing. It’s a triumph of (14) ... film-making, backed up be a great (15) ... and some great acting. 1. 2. 3.

A. follow on A. newest A. expectation

B. follow-up B. late B. anticipation

C. follow through C. latest C. wait

D. follow out D. nearest D. hope

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4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15.

A. pursue B. follow A. detailed B. minor A. characters B. features A. specially B. especially A. acts B. plays A. misunderstood C. incomprehensible A. wise B. gifted A. win B. earn A. wavy B. convoluted A. Extremely B. Too A. present B. current A. soundtrack B. soundings

C. chase D. go after C. tiny D. petty C. characteristics D. properties C. particularly D. properly C. performs D. stars B. misunderstanding D. incomprehensive C. extinguishing D. talented C. gain D. beat C. curly D. folded C. Savagely D. Extravagantly C. today D. contemporary C. sound-proof D.sound-recording

IV. Read the following passage and choose the best answer for each of the questions. Aging is the process of growing old. It occurs eventually in every living thing provided, of course, that an illness or accident does not kill it prematurely. The most familiar outward signs of aging may be seen in old people, such as the graying of the hair and the wrinkling of the skin. Signs of aging in a pet dog or cat include loss of playfulness and energy, a decline in hearing and eyesight, or even a slight graying of the coat. Plants age too, but the signs are much harder to detect. Most body parts grow bigger and stronger, and function more efficiently during childhood. They reach their peak at the time of maturity, or early adulthood. After that, they begin to decline. Bones, for example, gradually become lighter and more brittle. In the aged, the joints between the bones also become rigid and more inflexible. This can make moving very painful. All the major organs of the body show signs of aging. The brain, for example, works less efficiently, and even gets smaller in size. Thinking processes of all sorts are slowed down. Old people often have trouble in remembering recent events. One of the most serious changes of old age occurs in the arteries, the blood vessels that lead from the heart. They become thickened and constricted, allowing less blood to flow to the rest of body. This condition accounts, directly or indirectly, for many of the diseases of the aged. It may, for example, result in heart attack. Aging is not a uniform process. Different parts of the body wear out at different rates. There are great differences among people in their rate of aging. Even the cells of the body differ in the way they age. The majority of cells are capable of reproducing themselves many times during the course of a lifetime. Nerve cells and muscle fibres can never be replaced once they wear out. Gerontologists - scientists who study the process of aging - believe this wearing out of the body is controlled by a built-in biological time-clock. They are trying to discover how this clock works so that they can slow down the process. This could give man a longer life and a great number of productive years. 1. What is the main idea of the first paragraph? A. Signs of aging are easier to detect in animals than in plants. B. Aging occurs in every living thing after it has reached maturity. C. Not all signs of aging are visible. D. The outward signs of aging may be seen in old people. 2. What does the word “it” in line 2 refer to? A. aging B. a living thing C. an illness D. an accident

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3. All of the followings may be the outward signs of aging EXEPT …… . A. the graying of the hair B. the wrinkling of the skin C. the decline in hearing and eyesight D. the loss of appetite 4. When does the human body begin to lose vigor and the ability to function efficiently? A. Soon after reaching adulthood B. During childhood C. Early adulthood D. Past middle age 5. What happens to memorization when the brain begins to age? A. It works less. B. It becomes forgetful. C. It declines. D. It slows down. 6. What does “Aging is not a uniform process” mean? A. Not all living things age. B. Not all people age at the same age C. Not all people have signs of aging D. Aging doesn’t occur in all people 7. The word “brittle” as used in the second paragraph means ...... . A. soft and easily bent B. hard and endurable C. hard but easily broken D. rigid and inflexible 8. According to the passage, what condition is responsible for many of the diseases of the old? A. the arteries have become thickened and constricted. B. the blood vessels lead from the heart. C. the brain gets smaller in size. D. bones become lighter and brittle 9. What is the main idea of the last paragraph? A. Gerontologists have controlled the process of aging. B. Gerontologists are working hard to help people live longer and more healthily C. Gerontologists are trying to give people an eternal life. D. Gerontologists are now able to slow down the process of aging. 10. According to the passage, which of the following is NOT true? A. All living things grow old. B. Aging is unavoidable in any living things. C. Plants show less signs of aging than any other living things. D. Most body parts wear out during the course of a lifetime. V. Rewrite the following sentences, using the words given. 1. He said he was anxious about the plight of the homeless. (concern) ……………………………………………………………………………………………… 2. Their house has been broken into three times this year. (had) ……………………………………………………………………………………………… 3. He owned his rescue to a passer-by. (indebted) ……………………………………………………………………………………………… 4. There was not a single copy of the new book left in the shop. (sell-out) ……………………………………………………………………………………………… 5. Only if you work hard now have you any chance of success. (depends) ………………………………………………………………………………………………

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Practice test 8 I. Choose the word or phrase which best completes each sentence. 1. The Government’s present policy is seen as a ……. to local democracy. A. threat B. harm C. suppression D. sneer 2. Sport provides an ……. for a teenager’s feelings of aggression or frustration. A. overflow B. exit C. outlet D. exhaust 4. My throat infection left me very ……. and made talking difficult. A. hoarse B. dumb C. inarticulate D. speechless 6. The fumes were so thick that she was …….. for breath. A. suffocating B. gasping C.inhaling D. wheezing 7. Before the group of doctors would give their opinion they wanted to ……. with each other. A. confess B. confirm C. confer D. confide 8. He clearly had no …….. of doing any work, although it was a week till the exam. A. desire B. ambition C. willingness D. intention 9. The staff at the hospital were well ……… to deal with the epidemic. A. capable B. equal C. ready D. equipped 10. An application to join this scheme places you under no obligation …….. . A. indeed B. eventually C. apart D. whatsoever 11. Enough money has been raised to ……. the hospital’s survival. A. ensure B. endow C. enable D. empower 12. An architect planning a new house should always …… in mind his client’s needs. A. carry B. take C. train D. bear 13. The two men looked so alike that it was impossible to ……. between them. A. distinguish B. differ C. discern D. discriminate 14. Whenever she catches a cold, she gets a ……. all over her face. A. lump B. rash C. blemish D. sore 15. At that time our only hope of success ……. in recruiting extra help. A. lay B. arose C. resided D. stood 16. As he made no …….. to our quarrel, I assumed he had forgiven me. A. statement B. mention C. reference D. comment 17. I am not sure why he didn’t go into the higher class, but I ……. he failed the entrance test. A. estimate B. suspect C. predict D. deduce 19. I recognize his face, but his name …… me. A. escapes B. deludes C. fails D. misses 20. The new sport centre …… for all kinds of leisure activities. A. deals B. supplies C. furnishes D. caters 21. They threw petrol on to the bonfire and the sudden ……. lit up the whole garden. A. glow B. twinkle C. spark D. flare 22. Nobody …… out much hope of finding the missing climbers alive. A. holds B. keeps C. puts D. finds 23. The Government has decided to spend billions of dollars on yet ……. agricultural subsidies. A. extra B. other C. more D. additional 24. I know William has been disobedient, but don’t be too ……. on him A. heavy B. strong C. hard D. strict

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II. Fill each blank with one suitable word to finish the passage below. A child beginning to play for the first time with children who speak a different language begins to make the sounds which they make without waiting to learn why, (1) …………… as he learns to hide himself or run (2) ……………chased. In a very (3) ………..… time he (4) ………..… learnt the meanings of the words (5) …………… using them in the right places, at the right (6) ……..…… . Yet many teachers (7) …………… to think that a child can use (8) …………… sentence in a foreign language (9) …..……… has not (10) …………… carefully explained and accounted (11) ………..… . If we learn a language (12) ………….. a part of behaviour, as conceivable (13) ………….… its own as the flower is inconceivable (14) …………… the plant, we can learn words (15) ………… expressions, and work them (16) …….……… our knowledge of (17) …….……… language, without necessarily understanding (18) ……….…… what they mean. Our sudden realizing, (19) ……..……… day, that we know what they mean (20) ……….…… a sign that we know them. III. Circle A, B, C or D to choose the best option for each of the blanks to complete the following passage. Well, I have to say, it was a shock. When I was a (1) ..... my appearance was never (2) ..... . And I didn't even think about my legs, which were always behind a desk. But when I moved to GMTV my (3) ..... became front page news. Suddenly every paper had something to say about my legs, and none of it was very (4) ..... . I know that image (5) ..... . If you're in the public eye you have to look smart and neat. (6) ..... don't want to see untidy clothes and hair. Image is important, but it isn't everything. In all the newspaper articles about the new breakfast programme, nobody (7) ..... the programme's content or (8) ..... . They all just (9) ..... my appearance. It was so trivial. I was unhappy on the new programme right from the (10) ..... , although I stayed longer than my male co-presenter. We both felt uncomfortable with our (11) ..... images. Then (12) ..... I couldn't do as it showed. So I left, too. I'm starting a new job soon as the presenter of a programme called Fantastic Facts, and I feel very good about it. I'll have to look good, of course, but I won't have to wear 'sexy' (13) ..... and smile all the time. I'll be able to choose my own hairstyle. I'll be able to be (14) ..... . Then the viewers will be able to (15) ..... on the content of the programme, not on me. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15.

A. newscaster A. argued A. appearance A. fawning A. troubles A. Viewers A. told A. news A. criticized A. starter A. man-made A. lastly A. dress A. myself A. focus

B. newsreader B. debated B. look B. adulatory B. problems B. Audience B. mentioned B. announcement B. blamed B. starting B. artificial B. finally B. uniform B. me B. gather

C. news speaker C. discussed C. picture C. toadying C. matters C. Spectators C. spoke C. declaration C. joked C. start C. false C. eventually C. cloth C. oneself C. concentrate

D. Both A & B D. deliberated D. outlook D. flattering D. bothers D. Lookers D. talked D. information D. sneered D. front D. imitated D. endingly D. clothes D. mine D. rally

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IV. Read the passage below and choose the best answer (A, B, C or D) to answer each of the questions. “We would like to interview you…” Joyful words for the job - seeker, but my letter carried a warning: “You will be required to take a psychometric test.” More than 70 per cent of companies now use these “objective” tests for potential employees. They are meant to give a true picture of candidates that removes the unfairness that may result from the personal opinions of interviewers. On the day of my interview for the job of assistant to a company Public Relations consultant, my nerves were made worse by finding that the office was close to a hospital with particularly unhappy associations. Luckily, I had deliberately got there early so that I was able to calm myself down before a secretary rushed me upstairs for my test. Keeping to a strict time limit, I had to access groups of adjectives, marking which most and which least matched my ideas of myself at work. Choosing one quality out of four when all seemed appropriate was difficult, more difficult than the interview that followed- though I felt I hadn’t impressed in that either. Confirmation of this arrived a week later. My rejection letter was accompanied by a copy of the Private and Confidential Personal Profile Analysis- two and a half sides of paper, based on that 10-minute test. The Profile’s rude inaccuracy and its judgemental tone were harder to accept than the fact that I had been turned down for a job. Apparently, I have “ no eye for detail”; I am also “ a forceful individual… who leads rather than directs” and I am “ motivated by financial reward to pay for good living.” The words “impatient”, “restless” and “strong-willed” also came up. “A portrait of an ambitious, power-mad person,” said a psychologist friend of 15 years old to whom I showed the Profile. She said it didn’t apply to me at all. I know myself to be a careful, industrious checker. I am shy but cheerful and a bit overanxious to be thought creative. I am not a power-crazed person. What would I do, I worried, if I had to take another test for another job, and this unattractive personality emerged again? I sent the company a polite disagreement with the Profile, purely for the record. Meanwhile, I made a few enquiries. Had my emotional state of mind made the results untypical of me? I had been disturbed to find the office so close to a hospital that held unhappy memories for me. “State of mind will have an impact,” says Shane Pressey, an occupational psychologist, “ but on the whole its effect will be relatively minor. It appears that the test was an inadequate tool for the amount of information they were trying to get out of it, and it is not surprising that there were inaccuracies.” Too late for that particular job, I arranged to sit another psychometric test. This one took much longer and was more thorough: the profile was also more detailed and accurate- it showed my eye for detail and the fact that I have a problem meeting deadlines. But a peculiar result is hard to challenge without seeming unable to take criticism. It is simply not acceptable to refuse to take a test, in case the job candidate seems uncooperative and eccentric. The interview, with its yes/ no personal feeling, is here to stay, but so is objective testing. If my experience is anything to go by, the job candidate should be suspicious of 10-minute tests that result in generalised - and possibly wildly inaccurate-judgements. I accept that it would be costly to arrange for face-to-face discussions of test results with all job candidates, but a telephone call would be preferable to simply receiving a written “profile” through the post and having no opportunity to discuss its contents.

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1. Before the writer took the test, she ..… . A. felt that she was unlikely to do it very well. B. made sure that she was mentally prepared for it. C. believed that such tests were fair to candidates. D. did some research into tests of that kind. 2. What did the writer think when she took the test? A. She couldn’t understand some of the questions. B. She found that there was not enough time to do it. C. She felt that she had not done it very well. D. She decided that it would not prove anything. 3. What does the writer mean by “judgmental” in the fifth paragraph? A. critical B. impatient C. impersonal D. thoughtful 4. When the writer received the Personal Profile Analysis, she ….. . A. was offended by the comments made about her answers. B. was glad that she had not been offered the job. C. regretted some of the answers she had given in the test. D. realised that her personality would not have suited the job. 5. Why did the Profile worry her? A. It made her feel that she had been too self-confident before. B. It indicated that she might have trouble getting a job in the future. C. It did not show that she was capable of being a creative person. D. it told her things about herself that she hadn’t noticed before. 6. What did she find out after taking the test for a job? A. The way she was feeling had badly affected her performance in it. B. Psychometric tests seldom provide reliable information about people. C. Many job candidates are unwilling to take psychometric tests. D. It may have been an unsuitable test for its intended purpose. 7. What does the writer recommend? A. Candidates should be able to talk about their test results with employers. B. Employers should pay no attention to the result of psychometric tests. C. Candidates should not be concerned about taking psychometric tests. D. Employers should stop asking candidates to take psychometric tests. 8. Why does the writer describe her experience? A. It is typical of experiences that a great many other people have. B. It shows that no method of selecting job candidates can ever be fair. C. It is an example of how difficult it can be for someone to get a job. D. It illustrates faults in a new method of assessing job candidates. 9. The word “access” in the third paragraph stands for: A. study B. reach C. use D. memorise 10. The writer’s attitude towards the psychometric test is ........ . A. positive B. negative C. satisfying D. admiring V. Rewrite the following sentences, using the words given. 1. He won’t be put off by their comments. (deter) ……………………………………………………………………………………….. 2. She complains far too often for my liking. (frequent) ……………………………………………………………………………………….. 3. Some people accept that nuclear war is inevitable. (resign) ……………………………………………………………………………………….. 4. Money is of little use on a desert island. (counts) ……………………………………………………………………………………….. 5. The Prime Minister felt it appropriate to make a statement. (fit)

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………………………………………………………………………………………..

Practice test 9 I. Choose the word or phrase which best completes each sentence. 1. It is not easy to understand her …… to the situation. A. feelings B. conduct C. outlook D. reaction 2. Do very young children really …… foreign travel? A. appreciate B. benefit C. delight D. evaluate 3. Students sometimes support themselves by ……. of evening jobs. A. ways B. means C. efforts D. methods 6. Automation in factories has made many …… workers redundant. A. fabrication B. hand C. manual D. manufacturing 7. When he heard how well the new company was doing, he took a calculated ……. and invested all his money. A. venture B. opportunity C. chance D. risk 8. A strike in the mining industry is …….. to bring about a shortage of coal in the near future. A. causing B. resulting C. threatening D. proposing 9. I ‘d prefer to postpone that decision …….. I hear from my uncle. A. before B. except C. in case D. in spite 11. The local wine is rather rough, but you will soon ……. a taste for it! A. receive B. acquire C. accept D. adopt 13. The burg;ar’s presence was betrayed by a ……. floorboard. A. cracking B. crunching C. groaning D. creaking 14. A few jokes always ……. up a lecture. A. raise B. inspire C. liven D. loosen 15. It was felt that he lacked the …….. to pursue a difficult task to the very end. A. persuasion B. commitment C. engagement D. obligation 17. The chairman asked members to …….their votes for or against the proposal. A. bid B. offer C. cast D. throw 19. The museum has more visitors than ……. any other in the world. A. really B. practically C. actually D. utterly 20. All the information was …….. alphabetically in large cabinets. A. filed B. gathered C. composed D. crammed 21. This course ……. no previous knowledge of the subject. A. assumes B. assigns C. assures D. assembles 22. Although they had only been invited for lunch they …….. until suppertime. A. stayed on B. stayed out C. stayed up D. stayed in 23. It should be ….. that students are expected to attend classes regularly. A. marked B. reminded C. noted D. perceived 24. He was barred from the club for refusing to ……. with the rules. A. conform B. abide C. adhere D. comply 25. That ancient car of his is a …… joke among his friends. A. steady B. standing C. settled D. stable II. Fill each blank with one suitable word to finish the passage below. From a close study of history you would never gain the impression that human behaviour is dictated by intelligence, (1) ………….………. less by

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responsible morality. An observer from (2) …….…….…. planet, devoid (3) …….……..…. instincts himself and unaware of the way in (4) ………..……. instincts, the aggressive instinct in (5) ………..……., operate among us, would be at a complete (6) ………..………. to explain history at (7) ………....…. . The phenomena of history do (8) …………….…. have reasonable causes. It is a mere commonplace (9) ………………. say that they are caused by (10) …..……….…. common parlance so aptly (11) ……..…..…. “human nature”. Unreasoning and unreasonable human nature (12) ……….……. two nations complete, even though (13) ……..….……. economic necessity compels them to (14) ………………. so. It induces two political parties, with amazingly similar programs (15) ………….…. salvation, to fight (16) ……………. other bitterly. It impels an Alexander (17) ………..……. a Napoleon to sacrifice (18) ……..…..…. of lives (19) ………....…. an attempt to impose unity (20) …………..….. the world he knows. III. Circle A, B, C or D to choose the best option for each blank to complete the following passage. What is life like for today’s students? As the university and college terms began, I talked to a few students about their (1) ...... . Sarah James is a second year (2) ...... student. “Money is a big problem, “ said Sarah. “I can eat quite cheaply at the university, but I spend quite a lot on transport. I also spend quite a lot on clothes, as I like to wear things that are (3) ...... .” Colin Peters, who is studying engineering, (4) ...... . “I don’t spend anything on clothes, “ he said , “unless you count climbing (5) ...... . I’m very keen on climbing, and you do need special (6) ...... , some of which is very expensive. Luckily, my parents gave me money for my birthday in November. Not much of my money (7) ...... transport, because I have a bicycle.” Diana Bell is a first year (8) ...... student. “I make all my own clothes. This should save me money, but in fact, the materials are very expensive. I don’t know how I would manage if I didn’t sell some of the dresses and hats I make to the other students. Everything is expensive,” she said. “That (9) ...... the rent, food, transport and heating for the flat in winter.” Jack is a science student in his final year. “What do I spend my money on? Well, not on clothes, and not a lot on going out in the evening. My (10) ...... is expensive, and I suppose I spend quite a lot on books.” 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

A. life A. biology A. into fashion A. denies A. sandals A. tools A. goes on A. fashion A. contains A. hire

B. lives B. biological B. fashionable B. refuses B. boots B. devices B. goes in B. fashion's B. includes B. employ

C. live C. biologist C. in fashion C. disapproves C. slippers C. equipment C. goes into C. fashionable C. consists C. rent

D. living D. biology's D. Both B & C D. disagrees D. trainers D. instruments D. goes off D. fashion designer D. comprises D. subscribes

IV. Read the passages below and choose the best option (A, B, C or D) to answer each of the questions. A.

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The computer age is producing an army of robots - machines that are directed by electronic brains and which replace human labor in industrial operations. Many are artificial arms which reach into areas man enters only at his peril, such as the inside of a nuclear reactor. Already in 1990 there were thousands of robots working in industrial plants throughout the world. The big changeover to the robot, however, is likely to come only when their costs go down while workers' wages continue to rise. 1. Sentence 1 indicates that robots are used mainly ...... . A. to operate computers C. to direct electronic brains B. to fight wars D. to take the place of human workers 2. An observer today is most likely to see robots in operation in ...... . A. military battles C. business offices B. modern factories D. scientific laboratories 3. The article makes clear that a very valuable use of many robots is to ...... . A. do tasks extremely dangerous for humans to do B. replace the human brain in producing computers C. aid doctors in medical operations D. act as a teacher to human beings 4. Which one of the following statements about the last sentence in the passage is certainly true? A. Robots are becoming cheaper all the time. B. The cost of a human worker is higher than that of the average robot. C. Robots are becoming more expensive all the time. D. The cost of the average robot is higher than that of a human worker. 5. The writer indicates that the widespread replacement of human labor by industrial robots ...... . A. has already begun worldwide. B. is starting especially in the developing nations. C. is being delayed mainly for economic reasons. D. will not take place in the foreseeable future. B. The industrial revolution changed more than just the way America worked; it changed the way Americans looked. As the country moved from an agrarian economy to a goods-producing economy, real estate began to literally move in new directions, and the American landscape was forever changed. In a farm-based economy, of course, it was acreage-pure expand that people value. In the late nineteenth century, changing technology and changing needs led to the construction of the first skyscrapers. Suddenly, in America's big cities, height was a defining characteristic of the landscape. At the heart of the re-definition of the urban landscape was the invention of the steel frame. The first building to be supported by a complete steel frame was the Home Insurance Building in Chicago, built between 1884 and 1885. In the 1870's, the Tribune Building and the Western Union Building, both over ten stories tall, were built in New York. Later, in 1910, workers began the construction of New York Woolworth Building, which they completed in 1913. The Woolworth Building was a triumph of industrial-age technology, with its steel frame and its foundation on concrete piers. As remarkable as the building was for its height, 792 feet, it was equally remarkable for how far it extended beneath the earth, all the way to bedrock.

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The concrete piers that support the building are themselves the result of an important technological innovation of the age: the casson. Cassons are chambers that use air pressure to drive away water allowing people to work below the water line. The changing American urban landscape reflected the changing needs of American commerce. The geographic isolation of rural life was not feasible for the people who ran the country's bourgeoning industries. Mutually, reliant businesses such as fuel companies and transportation companies, needed to be in proximity to each other. Businesses needed space for the employees, as office job became a growing presence in the urban workforce. Additionally, companies used their headquarter building as a means of establishing presence and identity in an increasing competitive market. The Woolworth Building, and others like it, served as advertising for the companies they housed. City dwellers associated the regal, powerful buildings with businesses for which they were named. Landscape, industry and advertisement had begun to blend together in America's big cities. 6. A suitable title for the passage would be ...... . A. The Effect Of The Industrial Revolution In America. B. From Farmland To Cities: America's Changing Economy C. The Effect Of The Skyscraper On American Commerce D. The Skyscraper: A Sign Of The Times In Industrial Revolution 7. The author’s purpose of this passage is to …… . A. show pride B. entertain C. inform D. persuade 8. You can infer from the statement "The Woolworth Building, and others like it, served as advertising for the company they housed.” that ...... . A. architecture and corporate identity were starting to merge. B. businesses were beginning to experiment with unusual form of advertising. C. shoppers in cities preferred large businesses to small ones. D. the Woolworth Building was considered to be the finest skyscraper in New York 9. The author mentions fuels companies and transportation companies in order to ...... . A. show how technology created new type of business. B. illustrate the necessity of urban buildings. C. compare urban industries to farming. D. list industries that provided the technology used in skyscrapers. 10. The word "reflected" in the text most closely means ...... . A. influenced B. imitated C. considered D. expressed V. Rewrite the following sentences, using the words given. 1. He will have to accept your offer. (option) ……………………………………………………………………………………………… 2. Not many people attended the meeting. (turnout) ……………………………………………………………………………………………… 3. He has definitely agreed to accept the job. (committed) ……………………………………………………………………………………………… 4. The old lady’s handbag had been stolen. (robbed) ……………………………………………………………………………………………… 5. Provided your handwriting is legible the examiner will accept your answer. (So) ……………………………………………………………………………………………

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Practice test 10 I. Choose the word or phrase which best completes each sentence. 1. The newspaper did not mention the …….. of the damage caused by the fire. A. range B. extent C. amount D. quantity 2. After a quick ……. at the patient the doctor rang for an ambulance. A. glance B. stare C. gaze D. glimpse 3. There is no evidence that any member of the Government is ……. in the current standards. A. connected B. corrupted C. participated D. implicated 4. Your decision will ……. a great strain on our friendship. A. impose B. propose C. expose D. suppose 5. We could have provided him with a detached house but he ……. asked for a small flat. A. decidedly B. specifically C. strongly D. solely 6. This missile is designed so that once ……. nothing can be done to retrieve it. A. fired B. having fired C. they fired D. firing 7. I ……. that you won’t be inviting that awful woman to the meeting. A. assume B. instruct C. entrust D. rely 8. He has put his car entirely at our ……. for the holiday. A. usage B. disposal C. pleasure D. disposition 9. His bank had never been ……. of his change of address. A. contacted B. notified C. acquainted D. communicated 10. The police were very ……. in their examination of the building. A. exhausting B. intense C. thorough D. concentrating 11. The road works made ……... to the hotel from the main road difficult. A. entrance B. approach C. access D. ways in 12. After he set fire to the library, the boy was …. from school. A. expelled B. excluded C. exiled D. extracted 13. The museum wishes to …… an assistant curator for its fossil collection. A. appoint B. commission C. authorise D. assign 14. They can’t ……. on a name for the baby. A. conclude B. decide C. consent D. assent 15. They could find no …… of the missing car despite an extensive search. A. clue B. remnant C. indication D. trace 16. I am never free on Tuesday evenings as I have a …… arrangement to go to the cinema with a friend. A. long-standing B. long-lived C. long-range D. long-lasting 17. Having made his first film earlier this year, he is …… starring in a new musical. A. actually B. recently C. currently D. lately 18. He was very quick to assert his authority …….. the younger children. A. on B. over C. to D. at 19. I could stand the …… no longer and flung the door open. A. expectation B. suspense C. foresight D. imagination 20. Because of his poor health, it took him a long time to …… his bad cold. A. throw off B. throw away C. throw down D. throw over 21. She pointed out that her wages ……. no relation to the amount of work.

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A. held

B. yielded

C. offered

D. bore

II. Fill each blank with one suitable word to finish the passage below. It has been established beyond a shadow of doubt that readers in general waste a great deal of time and effort. Why is this (1) ………….……? Why is it that the poorest readers by (2) ………..……… standard are often the ablest (3) ……..………… people? Why is it that the majority of students have very (4) …….………… idea of how to tackle (5) ……………….. reading? Why is that a high (6) …….……… of readers – not excluding those (7) ………….…… professional work involves a lot of reading- use a technique that is (8) ………………… more advanced than (9) ……….……… they were children? Or why (10) ………….…… there people- to take (11) ……………… extreme but illuminating example - who in conversation and discussion (12) ……………… sustain a difficult argument with ease and (13) ……….……… who as readers assimilate only factual information, and (14) ………..…… that with difficulty, so that worthwhile books are virtually (15) ……….……… them? In our opinion, reading presents technical (16) ……………… of communication that dispose the (17) ………..……… to use inappropriate methods of assimilation; this, and only (18) ……..………… , can provide an adequate (19) ……….……… of why readers (20) ……….………a class are so inefficient. III. Circle A, B, C or D to choose the best option for each numbered gap to complete the passages. A. Bill Gates is а very important (1) ...... in the computer industry. He has been (2) ...... officer of Microsoft Corporation for years. He is also the richest person in the United States. How did he do it? He learned а lot from his parents. While Bill was going to school, his father went to college, got а (3) ...... , and became а successful lawyer. From this, Bill learned that you have to work hard if you want something. His mother was а very busy teacher, but she also (4) ...... going to parties. From this, he learned (5) ...... : If you want to work hard and play hard, you have to make а (6) ...... . When Bill was young, he spent а lot of time alone. While most of his friends were playing, Bill read all of the (7) ...... Book Encyclopedia and finished it when he was 8 years old. Bill's childhood was not all work, however. He used to play а lot of sports - swimming, (8) ...... and tennis. He was very serious about sports. He loved (9) ...... and he hated (10) ..... . When Bill got older, he spent more and more time working - and playing - on а computer. Before he was 20, Bill (11)...... the world's first computer language for the (12) .... computer. Once when he was thinking about the future, he realized something important. He thought that every (13) ... was going to have а computer, and every computer would need software - his software. He said, "I'm going to (14) ... my first million dollars on (15) .... by the time I am 25". And he did! 1. A. people B. person C. man D. key-figure 2. A. main manager B. chief director C. chief executive D. major executive 3. A. degree B. certificate C. bachelor D. diploma 4. A. fancied B. enjoyed C. adored D. preferred 5. A. something more B. further thing C. anything else D. something else 6. A. timetable B. project C. schedule D. Both A & C 7. A. World B. Worldwide C. Worldly D. World's 8. A. water-skiing B. skiing in water C. water-ski D. water skis

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9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15.

A. beating A. losing A. made A. individual A. home A. make A. files

B. scoring B. defeating B. developed B. private B. house B. earn B. software

C. winning C. failing C. turned out C. personal C. household C. gain C. applications

D. gaining D. Both A & C D. manufactured D. own D. housing D. Both A & B D. programmes

B. Austin's luck finally ran out on day 92 when a cobra bit him on the arm. He had wanted to (1) ...... the world record for living in a glass cage with poisonous snakes. It was all part of a publicity (2) ...... to attract visitors to a snake and animal park in South Africa. His (3) ...... had been no fewer than 36 (4) ...... snakes. They included 20 cobras and most dangerous of all, six black mambas whose bite can kill in under a minute. He hadn't been able to (5) ...... for a moment as any (6) ...... which was made excited his "room-mates". He fed them on (7) ...... mice but had to make sure that he didn't touch them in case he was mistaken for food too! By day 92 he had already been bitten twice, but on both (8) ...... , by a miracle, no venom entered his (9) ...... . One day he even fell on top of a black mamba. (10) ...... for him, instead of (11) ...... , the mamba shot across to the other side of the cage. When he was bitten for the third time, Austin could have left the cage but decided to wait for the (12) ...... to arrive. Even though he was in terrible (13) ...... , he thought he might as well die trying to break the record. As it was, he managed to 14) ...... and spent a further two weeks in the cage to (15) ...... a new record of 107 days. 1. A. set B. achieve C. break D. Both A & C 2. A. stunt B. trick C. advertisement D. acting 3. A. fellows B. companions C. mates D. comrades 4. A. dead B. died C. dying D. deadly 5. A. entertain B. recreate C. amuse D. relax 6. A. movement B. action C. act D. activity 7. A. live B. living C. alive D. lively 8. A. chances B. circumstances C. occasions D. cases 9. A. blood pressure B. bloodstream C. blood-vessels D. blood line 10. A. Fortunate B. Fortunately C. Unfortunately D. Lucky 11. A. striking B. hitting C. stinging D. beating 12. A. antibiotic B. antibody C. antidote D. antigen 13. A. hurting B. ache C. injury D. pain 14. A. live B. survive C. exist D. remain 15. A. set B. keep C. break D. hold IV. Read the passage below and choose the best answer (A, B, C or D) for each of the questions. Very few people in the modern world obtain their food supply by hunting and gathering in the natural environment surrounding their homes. This method of harvesting from nature's provision is the oldest known subsistence strategy, and has been practiced for at least the last 2,000,000 years. It was, indeed, the only way

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to obtain food until rudimentary farming and the domestication of animals was introduced about 10,000 years ago. Because hunter-gatherers have fared poorly in comparison with their agricultural cousins, their numbers have dwindled, and they have been forced to live in marginal environments such as deserts, forests, or arctic wastelands. In higher latitudes, the shorter growing season has restricted the availability of plant life. Such conditions have caused a greater dependence on hunting and, along the coasts and waterways, on fishing. The abundance of vegetation in the lower latitudes of the tropics, on the other hand, has provided a greater opportunity for gathering a variety of plants. In short, the environmental differences have restricted the diet and have limited possibilities for the development of subsistence societies. Contemporary hunter-gatherers may help us understand our prehistoric ancestors. We know from observation of modern hunter-gatherers in both Africa and Alaska that a society based on hunting and gathering must be very mobile. While the entire community camps in a central location, a smaller party harvests the food within a reasonable distance from the camp. When the food in the area is exhausted, the community moves on to exploit another site. We also notice a seasonal migration pattern evolving for most hunter-gatherers, along with a strict division of labour between the sexes. These patterns of behavior may be similar to those practiced by mankind during the Paleolithic Period. 1. With which of the following topics is the passage primarily concerned? A. The Paleolithic period B. Subsistence farming C. Hunter-gatherers D. Marginal environments 2. Which is the oldest subsistence strategy? A. Migrating B. Domesticating animals C. Farming D. Hunting and gathering 3. When was hunting and gathering introduced? A. Ten million years ago B. Two million years ago C. Ten thousand years ago D. Two thousand years ago 4. What conditions exist in lower latitudes? A. Greater dependence on hunting B. More coasts and waterways for fishing C. A shorter growing season D. A large variety of plant life 5. How can we know more about the hunter-gatherers of prehistoric times? A. By studying the remains of their camp sites B. By studying similar contemporary societies C. By studying the prehistoric environment D. By practising hunting and gathering V. Rewrite the following sentences, using the words given. 1. John is very dependable. (let) ……………………………………………………………………………………………… 2. They are unlikely to come. (doubtful) ……………………………………………………………………………………………… 3. After the scandal he was asked to resign. (hand) ……………………………………………………………………………………………… 4. That’s got nothing to do with you. (business) ………………………………………………………………………………………………

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5. They accused me of causing the accident. (blame) ………………………………………………………………………………………………

Practice test 11 I. Choose the word or phrase which best completes each sentence. 1. A competitor may submit any number of entries ……. each one is accompanied by a packet top. A. supposing B. notwithstanding C. assuredly D. provided 2. He earns his living by …… old paintings. A. reviving B. restoring C. reforming D. replenishing 3. Hotel rooms must be …….. by noon, but luggage may be left with the porter. A. vacated B. evacuated C. abandoned D. left 4. Although he was under no ……. the shopkeeper replaced the defective battery free of charge. A. urgency B. guarantee C. obligation D. insistence 5. The ticket ……. you a free meal in a new restaurant. A. confers B. entitles C. grants D. credits 6. This book gives a brief …….. of the history of the castle and the details of the art collection in the main hall. A. outline B. reference C. article D. research 7. It won’t …….. matter if you arrive a few minutes late. A. greatly B. largely C. grandly D. considerably 8. ……. I am aware, there were no problems during the first six months. A. As far as B. So much as C. Much more than D. Except that 9. The overcrowded living conditions …….. a heavy strain on the family. A. set B. put C. made D. pressed II. Fill each blank with one suitable word to finish the passage below. About three years (1) ………..………. in my mid-forties, I had a sudden and severe mental breakdown. There was nothing an usual about the breakdown itself, (2) …………..…. about the vents in my own life that (3) ………………. up to it. The (4) …………..……. exceptional feature was that I am (5) …..…....……. psychologist and should therefore be able to view the event of my illness (6) …………….…. two standpoints; subjectively as the patient and (7) …………...……. objectively as the detached personal observer. Until I broke down I (8) ………..……. always regarded (9) ………………. as reasonably well-balanced: (10) ....…………. I had sometimes worried (11) ……………..…. physical illness, (12) …….………. thought that I might be subjected (13) …………….. the torture and humiliation of a severe mental illness had never entered my head. (14) ………….……. many years I had (15) …………..…. outgoing, efficient, continually active and reasonably cheerful: I (16) ……..………. of myself as well-meaning, (17) ……..…….…. possibly somewhat insensitive (18) ………….…. to my own and other’s feelings. (19) …………. never occurred to me that one day my existence would disintegrate (20) …….……. the space of a few hours. III. Fill each blank with a correct preposition to finish the following passage. Meetings which take up too much of managers’ time are being blamed (1) ………………. inefficiency and lost revenue, according (2) ………………. a report

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from the Institute of Managerial Affairs. The report concludes that a lot of meetings which take place (3) ………………. the business world are a waste (4) ………………. time: the decisions made in them could be arrived at (5) ………………. other means, or the manager’s presence delegated, (6) ………………. a capable deputy standing in (7) ……………. the manager. But it seems this message has not sunk (8) ……………. yet, for the number of hours devoted (9) ………………. meetings continues to increase annually, in most countries of the world. In-house meetings are bad enough, but some companies insist (10) ……………. lavish affairs in hotels or restaurants, running (11) ………………. huge bills in the process. (12) ……………. delicious irony, one leading finance company has set (13) ……………. a committee to investigate the new scourge of unnecessary meetings. The number of weekly meetings (14) ……………. the committee has just been stepped (15) …………. from two to three! IV. Read the passage below and choose the best answer (A, B, C or D) for each of the questions. Gestures by definition, transmit signals, and these signals must come across clearly if we are to understand their messages. They cannot afford to be vague and woolly; they must be crisp and sharp and difficult to confuse with other signals. To do this they have to develop a “typical form” that shows comparatively little variation. And they must be performed with a “typical intensity”, showing much the same speed, strength and amplitude on each occasion that they are bought into action. It is rather like ringing of a telephone bell. The signal goes on sounding, at fixed intervals, at a fixed volumes, and with a fixed sound, no matter how urgent the call. No one confuses a telephone bell with a front door bell or an alarm clock, its fixed form and its fixed intensity make it unmistakable. The process is at work in human gestures. When an angry man shakes his first, the chances are that the speed, force and amplitude of each shake, as the fist jerks back and forth in mid-are, are much the same on each occasion that he employs this gesture. And there is a reasonable likelihood that his speed, forcer and amplitude will be similar to those of any other fist-shaker. If as an experiment, you were to perform a fist-shaking gesture in which you slowed down the movement, decreased the force, and increased the distance traveled by the clenched fist, it is doubtful if your signal would be understood. An onlooker might imagine you were exercising your arm, but it is doubtful if he would read the massage as a threat display. Most of our gestures have grown into typical presentations of this kind. We all wave in much the same rhythm. This is not a conscious process. We simply tune in to the cultural norm. Unwittingly, we smooth the path of the hundreds of tiny messages that fly between us whenever we meet and interact. Someone we manage to match up out gestures with those of companions and they do the same with ours. Together we all synchronise the intensities of our gesturing until we are all operating in concert, as if under the control of an invisible cultural conductor. As always with human behaviour there are exceptions to this general rule. We are not automations. We show personal idiosyncrasies – individual variations on the cultural themes. One man, with a particularly fine set of teeth, shows an exaggeratedly intense, open- lipped smile, and he does this even in mild situations. Another man, with bad teeth, gives a more closed smile, even when strongly stimulated. One man bellows with a laughter, while another titters, in reaction to the same joke. These are Gesture Variants, and they provide each of us with a

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behavioural “style”, or body personality. They are small differences compared with our general gesture-conformity, but they can become important personal labels nonetheless. 1. What do successful gestures have in common? A. speed B. clarity C. intensity D. style 2. What characteristics do successful gestures share with telephone bells? A. They go on for on long time. B. It’s not usual to mistake what they mean. C. They are repeated regularly. D. People know they must be responded to. 3. A fist-shaking gesture might cause confusion if ...... A. the gesture didn’t have the right rhythm. B. the person failed to synchronise his movement with those around him. C. the person also shook his head. D. the gesture was unusual for that particular person. 4. According to that passage what makes people develop similar gestures? A. the need to be liked B. the desire to be part of a particular culture C. the need to facilitate communication D. the conscious desire to be like other people 5. What accounts for individual variation in gesture? A. people’s desire to show off their good features. B. the fact that people live in different cultures. C. the fact that people are different shapes and sizes. D. the need to develop one’s own manner. V. Read the following passage and choose the correct option for each of the gaps. The bee is an insect that lives in almost every part of the world (1) ...... near the North and South Poles. There are 10,000 species of bees, but only honeybees make honey and wax (2) ...... man can use. Bees are the only insects that produce food eaten by man. We use the wax from the nests of bees in making (3) ...... products as candles and lipsticks. We use their honey in cooking and as a sweet spread on bread. When bees fly from flower to flower, they help both man and the blossoms (4) ...... visit. Many fruits and vegetables would (5) ...... if bees did not help fertilize flowers. Bees gather nectar and pollen from flowers. They make honey from the nectar and use the honey and pollen as food. Some people are afraid of bees because they sting. But bees do not sting unless they are frightened or hurt. (6) ...... most other insects, bees have three pairs of legs and four wings. A bee has a special stomach, called a honey stomach, (7) ...... it carries nectar to the nest. Honeybees are (8) ...... . They live and work together in large groups. They form a colony of thousands of bees. A single honeybee may live only a few weeks or months, (9) ...... the colony may go on living for many years. One worker bee can do little by itself but the many thousands of workers in a colony, working as a group, can do many things. They fly into the fields and woods to gather food and water. They build their own home in a box, a tree or a beehive. They store honey and

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pollen and eat it in winter, (10) ...... squirrels eat the nuts they store. Honeybees even air-condition their hive to keep it warm or cool. 1. A. except 2. A. for 3. A. so 4. A. to 5. A. die 6. A. Like 7. A. which

B. except for B. that B. such B. for B. die out B. Alike B. in which

C. apart from C. what C. these C. they C. stop C. Liking C. that

D. in addition D. if D. those D. who D. cease D. As D. in that

8. A. insects of society

B. society insects

C. sociable insects

D. social insects

9. A. but 10. A. like

B. though B. similar to

C. so that C. just

D. so D. just as

VI. Fill each gap with a correct article or nothing () to finish the following passage. Masahiro Marsubara is (1) ………. unusually talented and intelligent young man. At (2) ………. age of 15, he can throw (3) ………. 85-mile-an-hour fastball and is (4) ………. pitcher for his school’s baseball team. He can also hit (5) ………. ball well. Masahiro averages two home runs (6) ………. game. You might think that (7) ………. baseball is Masahiro’s whole life, but it isn’t (8) ………. everything to him. “Sports aren’t (9) ………. most important thing to me,” he says. “I was really unhappy when I got (10) ………. “B” in English (11) ………. last semester. I was doing all right in that class until I got (12) ………. “70” on the final exam. Good grades mean (13) ………. lot to me and only getting (14) ………. “B” really hurt. “I’m getting (15) ………. “A” this semester.” VII. Choose the option A, B, C, or D that best replaces the underlined part in each of the following sentences. 1. A large number of rarely animals has vanished in the last 200 years. A. increased B. disappeared C. lowered D. survived 2. In many countries people who are jobless get unemployment benefit. A. dole B. pension C. fee D. scholarship 3. Water and fresh air are very necessary for every living thing. A. difficult B. essential C. expensive D. wasteful 4. Every visitor from overseas admires the large number of parks in London. A. universe B. underground C. abroad D. earth 5. Mercury is the sun’s swiftest planet. A. hottest B. smallest C. slowest D. fastest 6. Two thousand years ago the British Isles were inhabited by speakers of Celtic languages. A. settled B. invaded C. enlarged D. excavated 7. The differences between British and American English are comparatively small. A. extremely B. relatively C. surprisingly D. straightly 8. His teachings have had great influence on my job. A. reduction B. equality C. change D. effect 9. John Kennedy is the American president who was assassinated in 1963. A. murdered B. injured C. kidnapped D. attacked 10. What would happen if the water resources were contaminated.

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A. run out

B. restricted

C. polluted

D. destroyed

Practice test 12 I. Choose the word or phrase which best completes each sentence. 1. Luckily my wallet was handed in to the police with all its contents …….. . A. preserved B. unscathed C. contained D. intact 2. A minority of the committee members were dissatisfied with the decision and endeavored to ……. it. A. overturn B. abolish C. postpone D. redo 3. If this animal had escaped from its cage it could ……. have killed or maimed several people. A. equally B. both C. well D. severely 4. Time was running out, so the committee had to make a …….. decision. A. brief B. snap C. sharp D. curt 5. Because of an unfortunate ……. your order was not dispatched by the date requested. A. hindrance B. oversight C. negligence D. transgression 6. Motorists …….. of speeding may be banned from driving for a year. A. convicted B. arrested C. charged D. judged 7. If you walk along this lane you will see the signpost …… to the beach. A. pointing B. showing C. directing D. indicating 8. The decision was ……. to a later meeting. A. cancelled B. arranged C. deferred D. delayed 9. Tempers began to ……… as the lorries forced their way through the picket lines. A. break B. fray C. grate D. fire 10. The old ship will be towed into harbor and ……. . A. broken up B. broken down C. broken in D. broken off 11. Making private calls on the office phone is severely ……. on in our department. A. frowned B. criticised C. regarded D. objected 12. The tank of petrol was ……. by a carelessly discarded end. A. lit up B. ignited C. exploded D. inflamed 13. They managed to free him from the burning car in the …… of time before the tank exploded. A. tick B. wink C. nick D. brink 14. He was so mean that he couldn’t bear to ……. the smallest sum of money. A. pay off B. part with C. give in D. let out II. Fill each blank with one suitable word to finish the passage below. Many people persuade themselves that they cannot understand mechanical things, or that they have no head for figures. These convictions (1) ………………… them fell enclosed and safe, and (2) ………………… course save them a great (3) ………………… of trouble. But the reader who has a head for anything at (4) ………………… is pretty sure to have a head for whatever he really wants to put his mind (5) ………………… . His interest, say (6) ………………… mathematics, has usually been killed (7) ………………… routine teaching, in exactly the (8) ………………… way that the literary interest of most scientists, and for (9) ………………… matter of most non-scientists, has been killed by the set book and

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the Shakespeare play. Few people would argue that (10) ………………… whose taste (11) ………………… poetry has not survived (12) ………………… examination syllabus are fundamentally insensitive (13) ………………… poetry. Yet they cheerfully write (14) ………………… the large intellectual pleasures science (15) ………………… if they belonged only to minds(16) ………………… a special cast. Science is not a special sense. It is as wide as the literal meaning (17) ………………… its name: knowledge. The notion of the specialised mind is (18) …………………comparison (19) …………… modern as the notion of the specialised man, “the scientist”, a word which is only (20) …………… hindered years old III. Read the following passage and decide the correct answer for each of the questions. The miracle therapy of blood transfusion was invented by an English doctor, James Blundell. In 1818 he performed the first transfusion, on a patient said to be incurable. Using a syringe, he successfully injected blood taken from one of his students. In 1829 he saved a woman suffering from a severe hemorrhage. About 1900 Dr. Karl Landsteiner of Vienna found that some people's blood was not compatible with others' and that these blood variations could be classified into groups. When portable transfusion apparatus was invented, direct transfusions between persons of the same blood type could be performed on the battlefield. In 1914 the discovery of anticoagulants made possible the storage of blood for future use. But to save lives, the right blood had to be in the right place at the right time. The first blood service was established by the British Red Cross in 1921. During War World II, Red Cross blood banks saved countless human lives. Now the Red Cross engages in transfusion work in sixty-eight countries. It recruits donors, collects, stores, and distributes blood, determines blood groups, and prepares blood derivatives. 1. In the first blood transfusion the donor was ...... . A. Dr. James Blundell B. a laboratory animal C. a student D. a Red Cross volunteer 2. The substance used in this transfusion was ...... . A. an anticoagulant B. whole blood C. blood serum D. blood plasma 3. Blood could not be stored for emergency use until ...... . A. 1818 B. 1914 C. 1921 D. 1900 4. The word “compatible” as used in the first paragraph is closest in meaning to ...... A. comparable B. possible C. well-matched D. well-prepared 5. Portable transfusion apparatus was invented by ...... . A. Dr. James Blundell B. Dr. Karl Landsteiner B. the Red Cross C. a person not identified in the article 6. This invention made it possible to ...... . A. give any type of blood to any person B. save lives right on the battlefield C. prepare blood derivatives D. store blood for emergencies 7. Blood must be classified into groups because ...... . A. some types will not mix B. some people have blue blood

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C. disease attacks certain groups D. the donor's age makes a difference 8. The first Red Cross blood bank was established in ...... . A. 1829 B. 1900 C. 1914 D. 1921 9. The Red Cross's role in transfusion service is ...... . A. storage and distribution B. laboratory testing C. recruiting of volunteers D. all of the above 10. The word “it” in the last sentence refers to ...... . A. The Red Cross B. The British Red Cross C. a blood bank D. blood service IV. Circle A, B, C, or D to show the best option for each of the numbered gaps to complete the following passages. A. Major David Simons went up alone in a balloon until he was 100,000 feet above our earth with 90 percent of the earth’s atmosphere below him. Had his plastic balloon (1) ...... he would have fallen about 19 miles. Had a valve stuck so that he could not let gas out of the balloon he could not have (2) ...... to earth. At the (3) ...... of his climb, Major Simons could see all of Lake Michigan, the curve of the earth’s (4) ...... and several thunderstorms raging below him. He watched the sun set in clear glory and the stars shine before it was dark. Awakening from sleep, the major saw the sudden, brief brilliant green flash of the sunrise. It was high (5) ......, he thought, to return to earth as he floated down, he saw that he was settling into thunderstorms. He threw out some ballast and the balloon (6) ...... again. Later, seeing a big hole in the clouds, he let gas (7) ...... the balloon and started down (8) ...... more. But heat from the sun caused the balloon to (9) ...... again. This frightened the Major. He continued letting gas out of the balloon (10) ...... at last it began a steady descent. Nearly forty-three hours are after he had started up, Major Simons landed in a South Dakota field. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10

A. burst A. destroyed A. top A. land A. minute A. climbed A. in A. much A. go A. after

B. explode B. returned B. height B. circle B. time B. raised B. for B. a time B. rise B. toward

C. break C. reached C. tip C. roundness C. second C. flew C. out of C. even C. fly C. until

D. crack D. gone D. length D. surface D. hour D. aroused D. onto D. once D. float D. since

B. It's 5.30 am, and while the rest of us are still snoring in our beds Susan Wates is putting on her (1) ...... and getting ready for her morning jog around the streets of East London. Two hours (2) ...... she's back home and while she's preparing breakfast for her family she's already looking forward to the evening and (3) ...... two hours of exercise. Every day, (4) ...... the weather, she exercises for four hours. Once a week she also does an hour of running and weightlifting at the local health club. That's followed by a long swim. On Sundays - just for fun she goes for an extra ten - mile run or cycle ride. Susan doesn't smoke, drink, or eat meat, and she's every careful about her (5) ...... . She very (6) ...... eats sweets, chocolate, or ice cream.

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Just reading about Susan's (7) ...... schedule makes most people feel tired, so why does she do it ? 'Well, you probably won't believe it but I used to be a real couch potato -(8) ...... and unfit. I hated myself. Then one day I said to (9) ......, "You've got to get off your backside and do something with your life". So I went to a gym, and started training, and well, I just felt so great. I found that the more I (10) ...... the more energy I had. 1- A. trainers 2- A. after 3- A. other 4- A. whatever 5- A. dishes 6- A. rarely 7- A. difficult 8- A. underweight 9- A. myself 10- A. ate

B. boots B. later B. another B. however B. taste B. never B. hard B. overweight B. friend B. worked

C. sandals C. ago C. others C. whichever C. food C. often C. gruelling C. slim C. yourself C. practised

D. slippers D. before D. more D. whenever D. diet D. frequently D. tiring D. skinny D. parent D. trained

V. Fill each gap with a correct article to finish the following passage. Tom went to buy (1) ………. used car at Hal’s Used Car Lot. He went to (2) ………. lot in (3) ………. afternoon after work and immediately saw (4) ………. car he liked. (5) ………. car was (6) ………. old Ford. He kicked (7) ………. tires (as all customers do when they buy (8) ………. car). Then he got in (9) ………. car and sat behind (10) ………. wheel. When he looked at (11) ………. odometer, he noticed that (12) ………. car had 150,000 miles on it. “That’s awful lot of mileage,” he thought. Just then (13) ………. salesman came up to the window and said, “This car was owned by (14) ………. old lady. (15) ………. lady taught grade school and only drove (16) ………. car to work in (17) ………. morning and home at (18) ………. night.” Tom got out and pointed to the back of the car. “What’s that?” he asked. “That,” said (19) ………. salesman, “is a hitch for pulling a boat.” “Did (20) ……….. old lady always bring a boat to school?” Tom asked. Naturally, Tom decided not to buy the car. VI. Fill in each blank with a correct preposition. In a modern dairy, the milking (1) ………. cows is carried (2) ………. by machines. Cows are usually milked twice a day (3) ………. a milking machine. The warm milk (4) ………. the cows is collected (5) ………. a large vat where it is cooled. The milk is then taken to another part of the dairy (6) ………. processing. Fresh milk is converted (7) ………. pasteurized milk and cream in the processing section of the dairy. A number (8) ………… machines are used to process the milk. Three of the most important machines used to process milk are the separator, the pasteurizer and the homogenizer. The separator removes the cream (9) ……….. the milk. Milk (10) ………. cream is known (11) ……….. skimmed milk. Skimmed milk is drunk (12) ………. people who want to reduce the fat content (13) ……….. their diet. The pasteurizer serves to heat the milk to a certain temperature so as to destroy any bacteria that it may contain. It is not safe to drink milk that has not been pasteurized. Cream and milk are blended (14) ………….. homogenizer to produce full-cream milk. The milk is

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then cooled and bottled. The bottles are stored (15) ………. a cool place before they are delivered to shops and homes.

Practice test 13 I. Choose the best option A, B, C, or D for each gap to finish the following sentences. 1. Children can be difficult to teach because of their short attention …… . A. limit B. span C. duration D. time 2. The new regime determined to …… compulsory military service. A. stop off B. end up C. phase out D. break off 3. He became a millionaire by …… of hard work and a considerable amount of luck. A. process B. effect C. dint D. cause 4. You can…… me the details: I don’t want to know all about your arguments with your boss. A. spare B. save C. deprive D. avoid. 5. This new advertising campaign is not …… with our company policy. A. consistent B. allied C. suited D. matched 6. Our new house is very …… for the office as I can get there in five minutes. A. comfortable B. suitable C. available D. convenient 7. The bishop preached a farewell sermon to a(n)..….that filled the church to overflowing. A. congregation B. audience C. crowd D. procession 8. It was a very beautiful cloth ….. from silk. A. composed B. worn C. woven D. threaded 9. There’s no ….… in going to school if you are not willing to learn. A. reason B. aim C. point D. purpose 10. Who would take the Hippocratic oath? A. a barrister B. a priest C. a doctor D. a soldier 11. Which phrase is odd out ? A. To touch wood B. To pass away C. To bite the dust D. To kick the bucket 12. He was a wonderful talker. He really had the gift of the…… . A. bard B. word C. gab D. gods 13. A person who has drunk too much alcohol would …… . A. stagger B. swagger C. tramp D. prowl 14. It takes …... 4,000 pounds of petals to make a single pound of rose oil. A. relatively B. amazingly C. more or less D. relatively 15. Six novel a year, you say? He’s certainly a ….. writer. A. fruitful B. fertile C. virile D. prolific 16. No one appreciated his work during his lifetime, but ….. it is clear that he is a great artist. A. in the aftermath B. by the time C. in retrospect D. in this eventuality 17. Nations that live in …… are nations that live together in peace. A. war B. concord C. conformity D. happiness 18. ….. receipt of your instructions, I immediately sent a telex message to Algeria. A. On B. In C. With D. By 19. My passport …… last month, so I will have to get a new one. A. elapsed B. expired C. ended D. terminated 20. I am never free on Tuesday evening as I have a ……. arrangement to go the cinema with a friend.

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A. long-standing

B. long lived

C. long-range

D. long-lasting

II. Fill each blank with one suitable word to finish the passage below. New technologies, like all technologies, are morally neutral. (1) …………..……… their advent (2) …………..……… the world a better place or (3) …………….…… depends on the uses to which they are (4) ………………… . And that (5) ………….……… turn, depends upon (6) ………..……… decisions of many people, especially of politicians, managers, trade (7) ………………… leaders, engineers (8) ………………… scientists. The new technologies, cheap, flexible, dependent (9) ……………… knowledge and information as their main input, can. (10) ………..……… human being from many (11) ………….……… their current constraints, (12) ………………… example constraints of resources and geography. (13) ……….………… the new technologies could also (14) ………….……… those with power to control their fellow citizens even (15) …………….…… effective than in the (16) ………….……… efficient dictatorships (17) ……………… the past. The new technological society will (18) ……………..…… colossal demands on our imagination and ingenuity and on the capacity (19) …………………… our institutions to respond (20) …………………… new challenges. III. There is a mistake in the four underlined parts of each sentence. Find the mistakes (A, B, C, or D). 1. Are you sure that Neil Armstrong was the first person setting foot on the moon. A B C D 2. The teacher found a great deal of mistakes in his essay. A B C D 3. I think Helen is accustomed to work eight hours a day. A B C D 4. The film we saw last night was different with what I had expected. A B C D 5. The custom dates back to the period where many Londoners traveled A B C D on horseback 6. He was exhausted after he worked for ten hours yesterday. A B C D 7. Laura was furious that she was being made funny of. A B C D 8. I spoke very slowly in order the man could understand what I said. A B C D 9. I usually read the newspaper while I was waiting for the bus. A B C D 10. Ho Chi Minh city, that has the biggest population, is also the largest city A B C D in Vietnam. 11. Peter’s friends told themselves to put his coat on the rack in their hall. A B C D 12. After said goodbye to her parents, Mai went to school with her friends. A B C D 13. The number of students who have got bad marks since Christmas are appalling. A B C D

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14. His father advised that he didn’t buy a second-hand motorbike. A B C D 15. According to some scientists, there are evidence that there is water on the Mars. A B C D 16. Jane usually arrives at the office at 9 a.m, but because the storm, she was an A B C D hour late. 17. They remained sadly even though I tried to cheer them up. A B C D 18. Nam has not completed the assignment yet, and Van hasn’t too. A B C D 19. Please give me a few coffee and some donuts if you have any left. A B C D 20. At first he found it strangely to drive on the left side of the road. A B C D IV. Read the following passage and decide the correct answer for each of the questions. For 150 years scientists have tried to determine the solar constant, the amount of solar energy that reaches the Earth. Yet, even in the most cloud-free regions of the planet, the solar constant cannot he measured precisely. Gas molecules and dust particles in the atmosphere absorb and scatter sunlight and prevent some wavelengths of the light from ever reaching the ground. With the advent of satellites, however, scientists have finally been able to measure the Sun's output without being impeded by the Earth's atmosphere. Solar Max, a satellite from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), has been measuring the Sun's output since February 1980. Although a malfunction in the satellite's control system limited its observation for a few years, the satellite was repaired in orbit by astronauts from the space shuttle in 1984. Max's observations indicate that the solar constant is not really constant after all. The satellite's instruments have detected frequent, small variations in the Sun's energy output, generally amounting to no more than 0.05 percent of the Sun's mean energy output and lasting from a few days to a few weeks. Scientists believe these fluctuations coincide with the appearance and disappearance of large groups of sunspots on the Sun's disk. Sunspots are relatively dark regions on the Sun's surface that have strong magnetic fields and a temperature about 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit cooler than the rest of the Sun's surface. Particularly large fluctuations in the solar constant have coincided with sightings of large sunspot groups. In 1980, for example, Solar Max's instrument, registered a 0.3 percent drop in the solar energy reaching the Earth. At that time a sunspot group covered about 0.6 percent of the solar disk, an area 20 times larger than the Earth's surface. Long-term variations in the solar constant are more difficult to determine. Although Solar Max's data have indicated a slow and steady decline in the Sun's output, some scientists have thought that the satellite's aging detectors might have become less sensitive over the years, thus falsely indicating a drop in the solar

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constant. This possibility was dismissed, however, by comparing Solar Max's observations with data from a similar instrument operating on NASA's Nimbus 7 weather satellite since 1978.

1. What does this passage mainly discuss? A. The launching of a weather satellite B. The components of the Earth's atmosphere C. The measurement of variations in the solar constant D. The interaction of sunlight and air pollution 2. Why does the author mention "gas" and "dust" in the first paragraph? A. They magnify the solar constant. B. They are found it varying concentrations. C. Scientific equipment is ruined by gas and dust. D. They interfere with accurate measurement of the solar constant. 3. Why is it not possible to measure the solar constant accurately without a satellite? A. The Earth is too far from the Sun. B. Some areas on Earth receive more solar energy than others. C. There is not enough sunlight during the day. D. The Earth's atmosphere interferes with the sunlight. 4. The word "scatter" in line 4 is closest in meaning to ...... . A. disperse B. capture C. transform D. hit 5. The word "its' in the second paragraph refers to the ...... . A. malfunction B. atmosphere C. satellite D. orbit 6. The word "detected" in the third paragraph is closest in meaning to ...... . A. estimated B. disregarded C. registered D. predicted 7. According to the passage, scientists believe variations in the solar constant are related to …… . A. sunspot activity B. unusual weather patterns C. increased levels of dust D. fluctuations in the Earth's temperature 8. Why did scientists think that Solar Max might be giving unreliable information? A. Solar Max did not work for the first few years. B. The space shuttle could not fix Solar Max's instruments C. Solar Max's instruments were getting old. D. Nimbus 7 interfered with Solar Max's detectors 9. The phrase "This possibility" in the last paragraph refers to the likelihood that the ...... . A. solar constant has declined B. Nimbus 7 satellite is older than Solar Max C. solar constant cannot be measured D. instruments are providing inaccurate data 52

10. The attempt to describe the solar constant can best be described as ...... A. an ongoing research effort B. an issue that has been resolved C. a question that can never be answered D. historically interesting, but irrelevant to contemporary concerns

Practice test 14 I. Choose the best option A, B, C, or D for each gap to finish the following sentences. 1. She is so …… that she refuses to put the fire on, even in the middle of winter. A. greedy B. selfish C. self centered D. mean 2. When her father died I wrote her a letter to express my .….. . A. generosity B. appreciation C. sympathy D. gratitude 3. It was really ……. of her to keep talking she knew that I was trying to concentrate. A. inconsiderate B. unsympathetic C. helpless D. ungrateful 4. During the war, the shipping lanes proved .….. to attacks. A. vulnerable B. dangerous C. futile D. feasible 5. Our salesmen normally …….. their travel expenses from the company once a month. A. settle B. reimburse C. cover D. claim 6. A property company was making a take-over .….. for the supermarket site. A. proposition B. bid C. tender D. proposal 7. I’m afraid we haven’t got a spare bed. Can you ……. without the mattress on the floor? A. make do B. make by C. make over D. make up 8. I’m not keen on ……. control of the project to a relative newcomer. A. undertaking B. charging C. entrusting D. allotting 9. The blue curtain began to ........ after they had been hanging in the sun for two months. A. fade B. die C. dissolve D. melt 10. Learners of English as a foreign language often fail to ......... between unfamiliar sounds in that language. A. separate B. share C. distinguish D. solve 11. The law states that heavy goods delivery vehicles may not carry ........ of more than fifteen tons. A. masses B. sizes C. measures D. loads 12. You must ......... that your safety belt is fastened. A. examine B. secure C. check D. guarantee 13. He ........ a rare disease when he was working in the hospital. A. took B. suffered C. infected D. caught 14. The ticket .….. one person to the museum A. allows B. admits C. permits D. accepts 15. The lamp is …... to the ceiling by means of a hook. A. attached B. related C. connected D. installed 16. People believe there is a .….. between the two crimes. A. joint B. chain C. link D. connector 17. My brother has …… in the military.

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A. joined B. entered C. served D. participated 18. He went back to his home town hoping to find a teaching ..…. without too much difficulty. A. work B. profession C. post D. employment. 19. The discovery was a major …… for research workers. A. breakthrough B. breakdown C. break-in D. break-out 20. Mary couldn’t attend the meeting as the date …… with her holidays. A. clashed B. struck C. opposed D. occurred II. There is a mistake in the four underlined parts of each sentence. Find the mistakes (A, B, C, or D). 1. Carnegie Hall was the first building in New York designed special for orchestral A B C D music. 2. Since it lives in the desert, the collared lizard depends from insects for water A B C as well as for food. D 3. Light rays what enter the eye must be focused onto a point on the retina in order A B for a clear visual image to form. C D 4. The orangutan's hands and feet are designed for holding and grasping branches, A B and its powerful immensely arms enable it to climb and swing in trees. C D 5. The extraordinary beauty of orchids makes it the basis of a multimillion - dollar A B C floral industry. D 6. If it is kept dry, a seed can still sprout up to forty years after their formation. A B C D 7. Bacteria lived in the soil play a vital role in recycling the carbon and nitrogen A B C needed by plants. D 8. Some snakes have hollow teeth are called fangs that they use to poison their A B C D victims. 9. The government provides financial support for people who are unable to support A B C them. D 10. One inventor that Thomas Edison can take credit for is the light bulb. A B C D 11. Electric motors range in size from the tiny mechanisms that operate A B sewing machine to the great engines in heavy locomotives. C D 12. The nitrogen makes up over 78 percent of the Earth's atmosphere, the gaseous

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A B C mass surrounding the planet. D 13. Pasteurization is the process of heating milk to destroy disease - caused A B C organisms and bacteria. D 14. Currents in the South Pacific are slower than that in the North Pacific. A B C D 15. A dolphin, often called a “porpoise”, is considered to be one of the bright A B C among animals. D 16. Work affect intellectual development and personal characteristics, and A B personality and life events affect work. C D 17. In some areas, it has against the law to ride a motorcycle without a helmet. A B C D 18. Rainwater carries unused chemicals from fields into streams or lakes, where A B various compounds promote the rate grown of weeds. C D 19. Nuclear reactors produce energy by split the atom in the target material into two A B C nearly equal parts. D 20. To enjoy an opera fully, the listener should be familiar with the summary of the A B plot, particularly if the opera is singing in a foreign language. C D III. Fill each gap with a correct article or nothing () to finish the following passage. Sakura has (1) ……….. decision to make. She is (2) ……….. Japanese student, and two universities have accepted her into their colleges of music. (3) ……….. University of Littletown in (4) ……….. US and (5) ……….. Cambridge University in England. Sakura has always wanted to visit (6) ……….. America, and she has already been to Britain many times. However, her brother lives in (7) ……….. England, and she can stay with him and save money on rent. She also has (8) ……….. sister who goes to (9) ……….. Cambridge University. Sakura knows that Littletown is (10) ……….. famous city for music, but Sakura doesn’t think that (11) ……….. U of L is as prestigious (12) ……….. school as (13) ……….. Cambridge University. She can’t decide whether she would go to (14) ……….. US or (15) ……….. UK. IV. Choose the option A, B, C, or D that best replaces the underlined part in each of the following sentences. 1. After a long conversation, he gradually understood our aims. A. suddenly B. readily C. rapidly

D. slowly

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2. Exchanges of language and culture were a direct result of commerce. A. currency B. tradition C. trade D. schooling 3. David found it hard to cope with the loss of his job. A. deal with B. think about C. look into D. take after 4. The student explained his ideas with great clarity. A. clearness B. cleverness C. confuse D. difficulty 5. I think the crop must be irrigated as soon as possible. A. planted B. watered C. drained D. harvested 6. Last weekend we had fun roaming the countryside on our bikes. A. relaxing B. resting C. camping D. wandering 7. Let’s suppose that we were lying on the beach. A. suggest B. imagine C. think D. discuss 8. Most of the wounded passengers were quickly removed from the aircraft. A. diseased B. tired C. injured D. depressed 9. The high mountain climate is cold and inhospitable. A. rainy B. stormy C. dull D. uninviting 10. His sole objective is to earn a lot of money. A. only B. important C. immediate D. major 11. John has a thorough knowledge of the history of arts. A. practical B. scientific C. complete D. wonderful 12. Mr. Brown’s new garage was not wide enough for the camper to fit. A. too old B. too big C. too long D. too narrow 13. They are going to demolish the old theatre. A. pull down B. throw away C. rebuild D. decorate 14. If you need any additional information, you can ask Mr. Gale. A. certain B. further C. detail D. secret 15. Mike’s family emigrated from Singapore when he was five. A. inhabited B. deported C. arrived D. departed 16. The current edition of that magazine discusses life in other planets. A. first B. early C. latest D. special 17. The students arrived promptly at 8 o’clock for their physics class. A. punctually B. sleepily C. hurriedly D. likely 18. It was inevitable that the smaller company should merge with the larger one. A. urgent B. unavoidable C. unnecessary D. vital 19. A new government department was established to control maritime traffic. A. air B. highway C. military D. sea 20. His company empowered him to negotiate the contract. A. forbade B. helped C. authorized D. ordered V. Rewrite the following sentences, using the words given. 1. I suffered from obsessive and agonizing thoughts. (prey) ……………………………………………………………………………………………….. 2. He can hardly read at all. (virtually) ……………………………………………………………………………………………….. 3. His arrival was completely unexpected. (took) ……………………………………………………………………………………………….. 4. The first sign of the disease is a feeling of faintness. (onset) ……………………………………………………………………………………………….. 5. He began by giving us a summary of his progress so far. (outset) ………………………………………………………………………………………………..

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6. As an antidote to their disappointment, he bought them ice-cream. (offset) ……………………………………………………………………………………………….. 7. I never thought of going by train. (occurred) ………………………………………………………………………………………………. 8. John inflated the tyres of his bicycle. (blew) ……………………………………………………………………………………………….

Practice test 15 I. Choose the word or phrase which best completes each sentence. 1. The Prime Minister stated that law and order must be ..…. at all costs. A. maintained B. imposed C. suppressed D. conveyed 2. Mr Jackson challenged the government as to who exactly was …… the country. A. reigning B. ministering C. administrating D. running 3. Union leaders called for …… between themselves and the government. A. speeches B. elections C. debates D. consultations 4. The chairman asked the secretary to take the ….. of the meeting. A. minutes B. discussions C. rulings D. notes 5. The minister has a talent for talking to ordinary people as if they were her …… . A. level B. fellows C. counterparts D. equals 6. There are so many rules and …... about importing food that you need to consult a good lawyer. A. laws B. regulations C. licences D. orders 7. A politician always needs to protect his or her …… . A. notoriety B. publicity C. reputation D. rumour 8. Parliament has now …… a law making skateboarding illegal on Sundays. A. passed B. legislated C. voted D. billed 9. I inherited $10, 000 in my uncle’s .….. . A. legacy B. inheritance C. will D. testament 10. The ..…. price is always lower than the retail price. A. wholesale B. bargaining C. cut D. budget 11. I still have three more .….. to pay on my motorbike. A. shares B. donations C. instalments D. contributions 12. We had to give the customs official a …… not to inspect our suitcases. A. fee B. reward C. bonus D. bribe 13. As soon as you buy a car, it starts falling in …… . A. cost B. worth C. value D. price 14. A multinational company has made a/an …… to take over our firm. A. bid B. venture C. investment D. estimate 15. We demanded pay rises to take account of the ……. of inflation. A. figures B. percentage C. price D. rate 16. Things are going well. In fact, business is .….. . A. soaring B. booming C. leaping D. rolling 17. It was very ..…. of your to pay for all the drinks last night. A. appreciative B. generous C. grateful D. sympathetic 18. Don’t you think it was rather ……. of you not to let us know that you weren’t coming? A. mean B. unkind C. thoughtless D. unsympathetic 19. You are completely ..….! You never think about anybody but yourself. A. mean B. selfish C. tight-fisted D. greedy

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20. It’s very ..…. of you to offer me your seat, but really I’m quite happy to stand. A. sympathetic B. grateful C. considerate D. appreciative II. Choose the option A, B, C, or D that best replaces the underlined part in each of the following sentences. 1. Computers are recent accomplishments in our time. A. structures B. achievements C. calculations D. documents 2. The teacher doesn’t allow eating in the classroom. A. permit B. deny C. prefer D. risk 3. The train departed the railway station at 8 o’clock. A. left B. arrived C. stopped D. waited 4. We need a lot of attempt to finish the task by Friday. A. contribution B. power C. effort D. money 5. She hid the money under the bed so that nobody would find it. A. concealed B. equipped C. furnished D. created 6. I tried to speak to her but I didn’t succeed. A. contacted B. attempted C. refused D. threatened 7. Slowly and cautiously he carried the glasses outside. A. personally B. actively C. carefully D. smoothly 8. He asked about flights to London but they didn’t have any information. A. argued B. quarreled C. interviewed D. inquired 9. I have got no response when I asked how old she was. A. answer B. sympathy C. choice D. excuse 10. The machine isn’t working very well. It requires some more oil. A. consumes B. needs C. absorbs D. carries 11. They are building a new block of flats near the park. A. innovating B. repainting C. constructing D. transforming 12. He used to visit me every day but he doesn’t come so often these days. A. timely B. continually C. hardly D. frequently 13. The police are still looking for the missing boy. A. searching B. waiting C. fighting D. applying 14. It was difficult to select a winner because they are all so good. A. award B. choose C. announce D. honour 15. He did it so quickly that he finished it in 20 minutes. A. hurriedly B. carelessly C. speedily D. angrily 16. It is imperative that he finish the work on time. A. hoped B. necessary C. suggested D. interesting 17. The Chinese people worship their ancestors. A. elders B. fossils C. temples D. forefathers 18. Tom got mark 10 in Maths, which astonished us. A. surprised B. encouraged C. welcomed D. disappointed 19. Tony Blaire succeeded John Major as Prime Minister of the UK. A. learned B. overcame C. followed D. passed 20. The guests at the party last night refused to eat the raw fish. A. well-done B. uncooked C. fresh D. rotten III. Fill in each blank with a correct preposition.

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Coffee has been drunk (1) …………. many past generations (2) …………. people. When most people do not realize is that coffee is made from beans picked (3) …………. trees. Coffee trees are grown either (4) …………. seeds or cuttings. These trees will begin to bear crops when they are about four years old. Workers (5) …………. coffee plantations have to pick the beans by hand. (6) …………. the beans have been gathered, they are roasted (7) …………. high temperatures. This process gives them their fragrant smell. The best coffee is made (8) …………. freshly ground beans. There are many different ways (9) …………. preparing coffee. Coffee can be served either (10) …………. or without milk. IV. Circle the letter A, B, C, or D which indicates the best connector for each numbered gap in the passage. We send our children to school to prepare them for the time (1) ...... they will be big and will have to work for themselves. They learn their own language (2) ...... they will be able to tell others clearly what they want and what they know and understand (3) ...... others tell them. They learn foreign languages (4) ...... be able to benefit from what people in other countries written and said, and to make people from other countries understand what they themselves mean. They learn arithmetic to measure and to count things in their daily life, geography to know something about the world around them and history to know something about the human beings they meet every day. Nearly everything (5) ...... they study at school has some practical use in their life and work. (6) ...... is that the only reason (7) ...... they go to school? No. There is more in education than just learn facts. We go to school above all to learn (8) ...... to learn so that when we leave school we can continue to learn. A man who really know how to learn will always be successful, because (9) ...... he has to do something new which he has never had to do before, he will rapidly teach himself (10) ...... to do it in the best way. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

A. when A. in order to A. how A. in order to A. for A. Where A. for A. how A. if A. what

B. where B. so B. what B. so as B. if B. But B. which B. what B. where B. which

C. before C. so that C. which C. so that C. what C. What C. why C. which C. whenever C. where

D. after D. and D. that D. so D. that D. So D. if D. that D. as D. how

V. There is a mistake in the four underlined parts of each sentence. Find the mistakes (A, B, C, or D). 1. There are such many planets in the universe that we cannot count them. A B C D 2. She must be home because the door and the windows were wide open. A B C D 3. The woman said that she saw the thief escape in a red car. A B C D 4. Tom doesn’t have a good memory. Nor he knows how to learn. A B C D

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5. She always makes a clear-cut decision for that she has the fun of working. A B C D 6. A basket of apples and oranges are going to be given to John on his birthday. A B C D 7. The crowd passed forward, broke the line of police. A B C D 8. We will start our trip this weekend no matter how kind of weather we have. A B C D VI. Fill each blank with one suitable word to finish the passage below. Altruism is the performance of an unselfish act. As a pattern of behavior this act (1) ……………… have two properties: it must benefit someone (2) ……………… and it must do so (3) ……………… the disadvantage of the benefactor. It is (4) ……………… merely a matter of being helpful, it is helpfulness (5) ……………… a cost to yourself since human beings are animals (6) ……………… ancestors have won the long struggle (7) ……………… survival during their evolutionary history,(8) ……………… cannot be genetically programmed (9) ……………… display true altruism. Evolution theory suggests that they must, like all (10) ……………… animals, be entirely selfish (11) ……………… their actions, even (12) ……………… they appear to be at their most self-sacrificing and philanthropic. This is the biological, evolutionary argument and it is completely convincing (13) ……………… far as it (14) but it does not seem to explain many (15) ……………… mankind’s finer moments. If a men sees a burning house and (16) ……………… it his small daughter, an old friend, a complete stranger, or (17) ……………… a screaming kitten, he may, (18) ……………… pausing to think, (19) ……………… headlong into the building and be badly (20) ……………… in a desperate attempt to save a life. VII. Read the passage and decide which word A, B, C or D best fits each numbered space. Meeting old school friends again can be a strange experience. Some have changed so much that you can hardly (1) ....... them: they speak with a different (2) ......, are interested in different things, and all you can do is make small (3) ...... and hope they’ll go soon. Others, though you might have been out of (4) ...... with them for years, are just the same as they always were - it’s (5) ...... if you last saw them yesterday. Before you know it, you’re exchanging (6) ...... about your families and friends, and setting out the pieces for another (7) ...... of chess. A few change for the better. There’s one person that I get (8) ...... with very well now, though we weren’t on speaking (9) ...... for our last two years at school. One day, we met at a party and made it, and (10) ...... engaged the same evening. 1. A- recognized B- realized C- identified D- defined 2. A- language B- accent C- way D- tongue 3. A- talk B- speech C- discussion D- gossip 4. A- sight B- touch C- should D- feel

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5. A- just

B- like

C- so

D- as

6. A- words 7. A- competition 8. A- on 9. A- relations 10. A- came

B- speech B- contest B- off B- terms B- went

C- talk C- game C- up C- situation C- got

D- gossip D- match D- down D- condition D- made

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