GRAMMAR

Choose the best options (A, B, C or D) that best complete the following sentences.

1. This is smaller; it has <<B>> rooms as the other house.

A. half of

B. half as many

C. twice the

D. twice as many

2. The <<A>> you get there, the more likely it is you will get in.

A. earlier

B. earliest

C. more early

D. most early

3. The exams weren’t <<C>> we’d expected.

A. hardly as hard as

B. almost so hard as

C. nearly as hard as

D. a bit hard as

4. It’s <<A>> film I’ve ever seen.

A. the most extraordinary

B. more extraordinary than

C. most extraordinary

D. least extraordinary
5. They’re <<D>> expensive, but much nicer.

A. pretty much

B. too much

C. enough

D. a little more

6. This job <<B>> for you. It’s not stimulating.

A. is challenging enough

B. isn’t challenging enough

C. is too challenging

D. isn’t too challenging

7. <<C>> food to go around?

A. Was there too

B. Were there too

C. Wasn’t there enough

D. Weren’t there enough

8. He was delighted as he didn’t usually get <<B>>.

A. so praise

B. such praise

C. so praising

D. such a praise

9. <<D>> was his joy, it was plain to see on his face.

A. So

B. Fairly
C. Most

D. Such

10. It was <<C>> a play that we left after the intermission.

A. such depressing

B. such depressed

C. so depressing

D. so depressed

11. Mark <<A>> a new job tomorrow.

A. is being interviewed for

B. was interviewing for

C. is going interview for

D. will be interviewed

12. I <<C>> a lift to the station so I didn’t take the bus.

A. gave

B. am giving

C. was given

D. will be given

13. She hoped <<B>> a new job soon.

A. to offer

B. to be offered

C. be offered

D. being offered

14. It <<D>> that Tom was involved in the fraud.

A. alleged

B. is alleging

C. has alleged

D. has been alleged

15. We’re <<B>> our decision to oppose the move.

A. asking reconsidering

B. being asked to reconsider

C. being reconsidered

D. asking to be reconsidered

16. Nobody <<A>> yet. We’re the first.

A. seems to have arrived

B. seems to arrive

C. doesn’t seem to arrive

D. doesn’t seem to arrive

17. They <<C>> the fact that he was incompetent.

A. didn’t appear minding

B. appeared not minding

C. appeared not to mind

D. didn’t appear mind

18. Poor Anita <<B>> in the airport.

A. had stolen her wallet

B. had her wallet stolen

C. was stealing her wallet

D. was being stolen her wallet

19. We <<C>> for years.

A. have had painted the house

B. haven’t had painted the house

C. haven’t had the house painted

D. haven’t the house had painted

20. Sarah would like <<D>> before the party.

A. the windows cleaning

B. the windows to clean

C. have cleaned the windows

D. to have the windows cleaned

21. We would sooner Mr. Tram <<B>> us the urgent information the other night.

A. would have sent

B. had sent

C. sent

D. had been sent

22. Would you be <<B>> my letter while I am away?

A. too good as to forward

B. so good as to forward

C. as good as to forward

D. so good as forwarding

23. He <<D>> us on the last day of the congress, so his presence at the opening
ceremony was something of a surprise.
A. could have joined

B. had to join

C. was about to join

D. was to join

24. I would rather go skiing <<D>> picnicking this weekend.

A. than going

B. than to going

C. than to go

D. than go

25. It is mandatory that smoking in public <<D>>.

A. is prohibited

B. must be prohibited

C. prohibiting

D. be prohibited

VOCABULARY

Choose the best options (A, B, C or D) that best complete the following sentences.

1. The local authority expressed regret as US drone strike has <<C>> killed innocent
hostages.

A. incongruously

B. vehemently

C. inadvertently

D. graciously
2. These days the castle is swamped with <<B>> of tourists.

A. mobs

B. thongs

C. shoals

D. chiques

3. He left the meeting early on the unlikely <<B>> that he had a sick friend to visit.

A. excuse

B. pretext

C. motive

D. claim

4. He decided to withdraw from the powerboat race as he could see a(n) <<C>> of
danger.

A. prediction

B. foreboding

C. omen

D. dearth

5. I slipped briefly back into sleep and emerged when breakfast was being severed
outside in a(n) <<D>> garden-courtyard.

A. whimsical

B. extravagant

C. extortionate

D. enchanting

6. He had a momentary <<A>> of concentration and before he knew it the car had
spun out of control.
A. lapse

B. loss

C. slip

D. mistake

7. In the hands of a careless driver, a car becomes a <<C>> weapon.

A. fatal

B. mortal

C. lethal

D. venal

8. He glanced at Juliet accusingly and she looked <<D>> abashed.

A. completely

B. absolutely

C. utterly

D. suitably

9. We were sorted out into groups according to the types of honors and quite a long
wait <<A>>.

A. ensued

B. eventuated

C. supervened

D. transpired

10. The Prime Minister will decide whether to release the prisoner or not; that’s his
<<C>>.

A. derogatory
B. abdication

C. prerogative

D. humanity

11. His new play is not only interesting but also unique. It is really off the beaten
<<D>>.

A. road

B. path

C. route

D. track

12. That Peter was born and brought up in a rich family is as clear as the <<A>>.

A. nose on his face

B. tip of his tongue

C. back of his hand

D. hair on his head

13. I will try to finish the job to the best of my <<B>>.

A. knowledge

B. ability

C. means

D. command

14. Tim said the meal was <<A>>, so we didn’t have to worry about the price.

A. on the house

B. on his expense

C. for him
D. for his money

15. Let Hercules himself do what he may, for a cat will mew and a dog will have his
<<A>>.

A. day

B. time

C. month

D. year

16. Breaking his leg <<C>> a blow to his chances of becoming a professional
footballer.

A. brought

B. caused

C. dealt

D. struck

17. In the acting career, the moment one first cut his <<B>> will be the most
memorable with embarrassment and pride bubbling up inside.

A. nails

B. teeth

C. fingers

D. struck

18. His French is roughly <<B>> with my Japanese, so communication was rather
difficult.

A. in harmony

B. on a par

C. on equal term
D. on good terms

19. Max has been <<A>> my ears all night about his new job.

A. bending

B. deafening

C. rolling

D. biting

20. The fighting has stopped, so to <<D>>, the war is over.

A. all pins and needles

B. all chop and change

C. all prim and proper

D. all intents and purposes

21. If you never put oil into your car engine, one day it will <<C>>.

A. flake out

B. shut down

C. seize up

D. run off

22. If you pay the restaurant bill with your credit card, it will <<B>> with you later.

A. settle down

B. settle up

C. pay back

D. pay off

23. In those days, doctors ladled <<D>> antibiotics to patients.

A. with
B. on

C. in

D. out

24. Let’s find a place where we can <<A>> the storm.

A. wait out

B. wear off

C. wind down

D. shrug off

25. The schoolboy winced <<A>> the sight of the cane in the headmaster’s hand.

A. at

B. for

C. by

D. of

26. I was completely bowled <<D>> by their warm reception.

A. with

B. up

C. off

D. over

27. I am not <<B>> liberty to tell you anything about his private life.

A. in

B. at

C. by

D. on
28. The figure is more <<C>> 200, I think.

A. of

B. at

C. like

D. with

29. Their performances are really <<D>> compare. How amazing!

A. out of

B. over

C. within

D. beyond

30. The party was <<A>> full swing when I arrived. Everyone was singing and dancing.

A. in

B. on

C. about

D. with

I, Complete each second sentence using the word given, so that it has a similar
meaning to the first sentence. Write between two and five words in each gap.

1. Head for the castle and you won’t get lost. (direction)

Go ………………….. the castle and you won’t get lost.

→ in the direction of

2. Taking a risk doesn’t frighten me. (afraid)

I ………………….. taking a risk

→ am not afraid of
3. How likely are you to pass the exam? (chances)

What ………………….. passing the exam?

→ are your chances of ## are the chances of you

4. Sadie is talented at telling jokes. (talent)

Sadie ………………….. jokes.

→ has a talent for telling

5. I’ve finally started taking Chinese lessons. (round)

I’ve finally ………………….. taking Chinese lessons.

→ got round to

6. I didn’t understand maths when I was at school. (used)

I ………………….. understand maths when I was at school.

→ never used to

7. Living in a foreign country isn’t strange to me now. (got)

I ………………….. in a foreign country.

→ have got used to living

8. I’ll stop the car over there so you can get out of. (off)

I’ll ………………….. over there.

→ drop you off

9. Do you think you’ll succeed in persuading Graham? (manage)

Do you think you’ll ………………….. Graham?

→ manage to persuade
10. Mass communication improved when they introduced the postal service.
(introduction)

Mass communication improved ………………….. the postal service.

→ with the production of ## on the introduction of

11. It’s a waste of time looking at that website. (point)

There ………………….. looking at that website.

→ is no point ## is no point in

12. They are going to hold the interview in the White House. (place)

The interview ………………….. in the White House.

→ is going to take place

13. Did you describe the burglar to the police? (description)

Did you ………………….. the burglar to the police?

→ give a description of

14. I believe that people will live on other planets in the future. (view)

It ………………….. that people will live on other planets in the future.

→ is my view

15. Could you connect me to the editorial department, please? (through)

Could you ………………….. to the editorial department, please?

→ put me through

16. You didn’t even try to answer the question. (attempt)

You didn’t even ………………….. answering the question.

→ make an attempt at
17. If the curtain were longer, it would reach the floor. (enough)

The curtain is ………………….. the floor.

→ not long enough to reach

18. You didn’t send the invitation and that’s why Paula didn’t come. (if)

Paula ………………….. you had sent the invitation.

→ would have come if

Fill in each gap with ONE word.

1. This group project can only succeed if everyone pulls their <<weight>>.

2. Now that you know where you went wrong, pick yourself up and fix your mistake.
There is really no point in crying over <<spilt>> milk.

3. I wound <<up>> hurting the person I loved the most, which is still my biggest regret
to this day.

4. In order to make sure that history will not repeat itself, we need to root <<out>>
the unethical practice in this hospital.

5. It finally dawned <<on>> me that he was cheating on my cousin all these years!

6. You should be committed <<to>> one task and see to it until the very end before
moving on to the next.
7. I thought you were joking but are you seriously going <<through>> with her crazy
idea?

8. What is happening? Why is everyone crowding <<around>> the neighbour’s

daughter?

9. The students whiled their time <<away>> playing on the phones instead of looking
over the materials one more time.

10. Do you want to have a <<go>> at this? You may be able to do this better than
others.

11. Please stop picking <<at>> your food, It’s very rude to the people who have spent
so much time making it for you.

12. You really don’t get to <<pick>> and choose which subjects to study. All of them
are compulsory.

13. I think you should spend a little more time working <<on>> your pronunciation.
It’s your most noticeable weakness.

14. My father was all worked <<up>> when he heard the news from my school.

15. This result has totally fallen <<short>> of my parents’ expectations.

16. I hope you can try harder to <<make>> time for your children.

17. She’ll go <<down>> in history as the person who saved the Queen.

18. He was oblivious <<to>> her crush on him and didn’t even believe her confession.

19. I was sure I would meet up with her but it <<slipped>> my mind and now she is
mad at me.

20. Kids who are <<on>> the spectrum should receive special education.

21. Don’t be so shaken by the news. It may end up being a blessing in <<disguise>>.

22. His negligence brought <<on>> so many issues in his household. In a way, he
himself made his children turn out like this.
23. They’re hitting <<back>> at their critics after their poor reviews of the products.

24. I’m ready to take <<on>> new challenge.

25. Some students may opt <<for>> vocational training instead of universities and
that’s a valid choice.

Fill in each gap with the correct form of the word in brackets.

1. Since the outcomes were a shock to everyone, they think the situation needs to be
<<reassessed>>. (ASSESS)

2. I bet they still haven't grasped the <<magnitude>> of the issue. (MAGNIFY)

3. The <<timely>> release of the favourable article has helped him soften the
backlash. (TIME)

4. He <<mistimed>> his pass and accidentally let his opponent take the ball. (TIME)

5. They knew they wouldn’t be able to win fair and square so they resorted to
<<underhand>> methods. (HAND)

6. he was famous for his <<impersonation>> of more well-known celebrities.

(PERSON)

7. Don’t you think that your way of doing things would be <<counterproductive>>? It
will only slow us down even more. (PRODUCE)

8. She is an <<aspiring>> writer and she’s doing her best to get her stuff published.
(ASPIRE)

9. No one knows what the real <<explanation>> (EXPLAIN) is.

10. Works of art can often be a good <<investment>> (INVEST) for the future.