TEST 6

Part 1.
1. Sandy stole my ___________ when she announced that she was pregnant two days
before I'd planned to tell people about my pregnancy.
A. thunder B. limelight C. stage D. mind
Key: A
steal sb’s thunder = to get the attention, success, etc. that somebody else was expecting,
usually by saying or doing what they had intended to say or do
2. Dressed in a bright red suit for the wedding, Jack apparently was making a
___________ of himself.
A. mess B. light C. spectacle D. spot
Key: C
make a spectacle of yourself = to draw attention to yourself by behaving or dressing in a
silly way in public
3. You don’t have the sound business ___________ that is necessary for success so I
would advise you to find another career.
A. starkness B. acumen C. punditry D. wit
Key: B
acumen (n) = skill in making correct decisions and judgments in a particular subject, such
as business or politics
4. More than 500 ___________ were involved in the coronation scene of Puyi in “The
last Emperor”.
A. adjuncts B. appendages C. extras D. additives
Key: C
extra (n) = a person in a film who does not have a speaking part and who is usually part
of the scene, for example, in a crowd
5. Entering the National Competition for the gifted ___________ tremendous
concentration and effort.
A. stipulates B. extracts C. exacts D. inquires
Key: C
exact (v) = to make something necessary
6. Despite their disagreement, the representatives of the two nations managed to reach
a(n) ___________ settlement, bringing temporary peace for both sides.
A. affable B. fraternal C. amiable D. amicable
Key: D
amicable (adj) = relating to an agreement or decision that is achieved without people
arguing or being unpleasant
7. The first successful flight in human history completed by the Wright brothers
___________ the law of gravity and stunned everybody.
A. refuted B. defied C. quelled D. disproved
Key: B
defy (v) = to refuse to obey a person, decision, law, situation, etc
8. The concert ended and the crowd quickly ___________, returning the quietness to the
small town.
A. disassembled B. dissembled C. dismantled D. disgorged
Key: A
disassemble (v) = (of a group of people) to move apart and go away in different
directions
9. After winning the lottery, they moved into a more ___________ house in a high-class
residential area and had a more comfortable life.
A. well-attended B. well-built C. well-appointed D. well-disposed
Key: C
well-appointed (adj) = having a good supply of comfortable or necessary furniture and
attractive decorations
10. Tony, you are trying to make her believe your lies so just keep it simple, do not over-
egg the ___________.
A. brulee B. pudding C. sponge D. madeleines
Key: B
over-egg the pudding = used to say that you think somebody has done more than is
necessary, or has added unnecessary details to make something seem better or worse than
it really is
11. My school always forces students to follow the rules to the ___________ without
caring about their feelings.
A. book B. letter C. lines D. dots
Key: B
follow/obey something to the letter = to do exactly what you are told to do
12. Although my new house is fine, I still prefer the old one which ___________ a river.
A. backs onto B. faces off C. stands by D. sides with
Key: A
back onto something = (of a building) to have something directly behind it
13. We are required to ___________ empirical data and evidence from reliable sources to
support our argument.
A. adduce B. attest C. elicit D. accost
Key: A
adduce (v) = cite
14. Since John is the bee’s ___________ in terms of English, it is no wonder so many
friends ask him for support in this subject.
A. wings B. knees C. antenna D. spiracle
Key: B
the bee’s knees = an excellent person or thing
15. There is no need to ___________ over the cracks, I know you are having problems,
just tell me and I will help you.
A. carpet B. paper C. lay D. curtain
paper over the cracks = to hide problems, especially arguments between people, in order
to make a situation seem better than it really is
Part 2.
1. The charity is facing great financial difficulties so its manager wants to turn it into a
___________ company. (PROFIT)
2. I recall being ___________ by the authorities of the hospital for being careless and
inexperienced during my first years as a doctor. (BRAID)
3. He had years of experience as a legal ___________ before he became a teacher.
(PRACTICE)
4. The booming economy has attracted a(n) ___________ of funds from both domestic
and foreign investors. (FLOW)
5. Boys and girls used to be taught separately before a nationwide movement for
___________ grew. (EDUCATE)
Key:
1. PROFIT-ORIENTED (adj) = directed towards making profits
2. UPBRAIDED
upbraid (v) = to forcefully or angrily tell someone they should not have done a particular
thing and criticize them for having done it
3. PRACTITIONER (n) = someone who works in a job that involves long training and
high levels of skill
4. INFLOW (n) the arrival of money, asset, a number of things or people in a place
5. CO-EDUCATION (n) = the practice of teaching girls and boys together in a school

TEST 7
1. The boss made no ___________ to their gender, all the female workers were forced to
do the heavy work as their male counterparts.
A. concession B. compromise C. allowance D. regression
Key: A
concession (n) = something that you allow or do, or allow somebody to have, in order to
end an argument or to make a situation less difficult
2. Without discipline, students may think that they have the ___________ to do whatever
they want.
A. licence B. autocracy C. prerogative D. dispensation
Key: A
licence (to do something) = freedom to do or say whatever you want, often something
bad or unacceptable
3. It's a good film, but the ___________ near the ending scene is a bit complex and
demands watchers to be extremely analytic to understand.
A. flummery B. delineation C. aberration D. convolution
Key: D
convolution (n) = a twist
4. It was very childish of you to ___________ over your opponent’s failure immediately
on the stage when the result was announced.
A. jolly B. relish C. gloat D. brag
Key: C
gloat (about/at/over something) = to show that you are happy about your own success or
somebody else’s failure, in an unpleasant way
5. After 11 years in the ___________, Johnson made an unexpected comeback in the
movie Bear.
A. damp B. wilderness C. badlands D. wasteland
Key: B
If someone, such as a politician, is in the wilderness, they no longer have a position of
authority, fame, or success and are not now in the news
6. It is often hard for parents to take the opinions of their children on ___________ due to
the generation gap.
A. board B. mind C. check D. self
Key: A
take something on board = to accept and understand an idea or a suggestion
7. Luckily, our research is supported by a(n) ___________ from the National Science
Foundation.
A. grant B. bursary C. aid D. endowment
Key: A
grant (n) = a sum of money that is given by the government or by another organization to
be used for a particular purpose
8. Your father was only 17 when he ___________ at Harvard, now look at your school
report.
A. matriculated B. registered C. postulated D. imparted
Key: A
matriculate (v) = to be formally admitted to study at a university or college
9. Elen has stayed in bed for a whole week, take him out for a walk, that will surely put
the ___________ back into his cheeks.
A. colours B. roses C. daisy D. pinky mallow
Key: B
put the roses (back) into sb's cheeks = to make sb look healthy, especially after an illness
10. Before going back to school, you have to ___________ for at least a week after the
operation.
A. rejuvenate B. recuperate C. overhaul D. reinvigorate
Key: B
recuperate (v) = to become well again after an illness; to get back your strength, health,
etc.
11. This naughty class always ___________with their new teachers, which usually
greatly discourages them from teaching.
A. hits it out B. tries it on C. kicks it up D. rubs it in
Key: B
try it on (with somebody) = to behave badly towards somebody or try to get something
from them, even though you know this will make them angry
12. He won't be able to stand the pressure here for long, I will ___________ him 5
months and let's see if I am right.
A. put B. give C. tell D. save
Key: B
give somebody/something sth = to predict that something will last a particular length of
time
13. The event was not really well-attended, there were about 50 people ___________ the
outside.
A. on B. near C. round D. at
Key: D
at the outside = at the most; as a maximum
14 The paper was divided into three parts to ___________ on and analyse the diplomatic
strategy of Vietnam during the 1990-2000 period.
A. expunge B. expurgate C. expatiate D. expound
Key: C
expatiate on sth = to write or speak in detail about a subject
expound on sth = to explain sth by talking about it in detail
15. That team always sweeps the ___________ in the annual league, leaving very few
medals for the others.
A. top B. prizes C. table D. board
Key: D
sweep the board = to win all the prizes, etc. in a competition
Part 2.
1. Because the flight is expected to last longer than 12 hours, we will be provided a(n)
___________ meal. (FLY)
2. My father tried to make a clear ___________ between his work and his private time as
a way to treat his depression. (LINE)
3. The king was always afraid of making mistakes because he cared about how
___________ would judge him. (POST)
4. In this poor region of the country, hospital beds were scarce and medicines were
practically ___________ during the first month of the COVID-19 outbreak . (EXIST)
5. The role in The Duke of Mount Deer is regarded as Tony Leung’s ___________ role,
bring him fame and success. (CAREER)
Key:
1. IN-FLIGHT (adj) = happening or available during a flight
2. DELINEATION (n) = the action of marking the edge of sth
3. POSTERITY (n) = all the people who live in the future
4. NON-EXISTENT (adj) = not existing, or not real
5. CAREER-DEFINING (adj) = very important in making someone successful in their
job or in deciding how they will be remembered

TEST 8
Part 1.
1. In the end, it ___________ that the champion didn’t get the prize by himself but thanks
to his intimate relationship with the judge panel.
A. befell B. occurred C. transpired D. issued
Key: C
it transpires that = sth previously secret is known
2. I don't think Paul will ever get married — he's the stereotypical ___________
bachelor.
A. settled B. confirmed C. fixed D. determined
Key: B
confirmed bachelor = a man who has never married and is thought unlikely ever to
marry; sometimes used in the past to suggest that a man was gay
3. Stop staying up late Bang, you are only 17 and I can see you are beginning to
___________ grey.
A. get B. go C. grow D. get
Key: B
go/turn grey = having hair that has become grey or white, usually because of age
4. The suburbans were seen as the ___________ of clerkly conformism, complacency,
and conservatism.
A. effigy B. epitome C. figure D. personage
Key: B
the epitome of something = a perfect example of something
5. When I was young, I didn't know that sugar ___________ naturally in fruit and
thought that the sweetness came from my mom’s sugar jar.
A. betides B. precipitates C. prevails D. occurs
Key: D
occur (v) = to be found or to exist somewhere
6. I cannot understand why my girlfriend always spends hours ___________ herself
before going out even when we might be late after that.
A. preening B. pimping C. sprinkling D. pinking
Key: A
preen (v) = to spend time making yourself look attractive
7. Your father would fly off the handle if he knew you bet your car ___________ the toss
of a coin
A. on B. at C. by D. with
Key: A
on the toss of a coin = randomly, down to chance
8. Jenny tried to ___________ into the darkness, hoping to find where this unknown
sound came from.
A. glimpse B. peer C. stare D. peep
Key: B
peer (v) = to look closely or carefully at something, especially when you cannot see it
clearly
9. Since there has been a change of ___________ for the concert, we will have to start
going earlier in case I might not know that place.
A. alley B. venue C. scene D. sight
Key: B
venue (n) = a place where people meet for an organized event, for example a concert,
sporting event or conference
10. Son, remember, although money is important, never do anything that is not
___________.
A. above board B. under the sky C. within the square D. in the cards
Key: A
above board = legal and honest; in a legal and honest way
11. My grandma is 82 already but she still lives with the ___________ of a twenty-year-
old, walking and painting every day.
A. zeal B. appetite C. zest D. gusto
Key: C
zest (for something) = pleasure and enthusiasm, love
zeal = eagerness to devote or to do something
12. Those who really need to hear the message don't come to the meetings, so I'm just
___________ to the choir.
A. singing B. preaching C. speaking D. orating
Key: B
preach to the choir = to speak to people in support of views that they already hold
13. The five masked men who ___________ the South London Bank on Tuesday have
been caught this morning.
A. held up B. robbed off C. broke for D. dashed in
Key: A
hold up = to steal from a bank, shop, etc. using a gun
14. The smallest ___________ could lead to the delay of the whole project, so please
check your schedule carefully and do not miss your deadlines!
A. slippage B. slip-up C. slip D. slipcase
Key: A
slippage (n) = failure to complete a task on time
slip-up (n) = slip (n) = a mistake
15. My teacher ___________ my article to make it sound less aggressive.
A. whiles down B. waters down C. squares down D. romps down
Key: B
water down = to make sth such as a statement or an article less offensive, powerful,
detailed
1. Studying abroad is a ___________ decision and requires serious consideration.
(MOMENT)
2. Looking at her ___________clothes, you might be surprised to know that Mary has
moved to the city for over 20 years. (COUNTRY)
3. He became the ___________ king of football, scoring 28 goals in his first season.
(CROWN)
4. The answers out there right now offered by a variety of fields are too facile - they're
actually ___________, or logically circular truisms that reveal nothing. (LOGIC)
5. In the past, Asian women lived in total ___________ to the men in her family.
(SERVE)
Key:
1. MOMENTOUS (adj) = very important or serious, especially because there may be
important results
2. COUNTRIFIED (adj) = typical of the countryside.
3. UNCROWNED (adj)
uncrowned king/queen = a man or woman who is considered to be the best, the most
famous, or the most powerful in a particular area of life, especially when they do not have
an official rank or title
4. TAUTOLOGICAL (adj) = saying the same thing twice in different words, when this is
unnecessary
5. SUBSERVIENCE (n) = the fact of being too willing to obey other people