PRACTICE TEST 1

SECTION I. GRAMMAR & VOCABULARY

Part 1. Choose the correct answer A, B, C or D to each of the following questions and write your
answers in the corresponding numbered boxes provided.

1. With over 30 years’ experience, John is the channel’s _______ reporter

A. antique B. primitive C. veteran D. antique
2. Investigators have not yet _______ the possibility that he was being blackmailed.
A. dug around B. ruled out C. boiled down to D. thrived on
3. Grace couldn’t help feeling _______about missing the championships because of her injury.
A. despondent B. dehydrated C. devoted D. disobedient
4. It was hard to tell what the speaker was saying as she was ________.
A. nagging B. umbling C. shrinking D. drafting
5.The company has expanded rapidly and is now looking for larger _______.
A. premises B. infrastructure C. threshold D. household
6. The final bill for the building work was _______ , so we refused to pay.
A. prosperous B. hard up C. bankrupt D. exorbitant
7. While not a vegetarian, Kelly does have a strong ______to some kinds of meat.
A. dread B.aversion C. protest D. demand
8. Limited as their financial _______ is, they are content with their lifestyle and never complain.
A. assets B. wherewithal C. resources D. means
9. The local authority expressed regret as US drone strike has _______ killed innocent hostages.
A. incongruously B. vehemently C. inadvertently D. graciously
10. His French is roughly ______ with my Jananese, so communication was rather difficult.
A. in harmon B. on a par C. on equal term D. on good terms
Your answers:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

Part 2: Part 2: The passage below contains 10 mistakes. UNDERLINE the mistakes and WRITE THE
CORRECT FORMS in the space provided in the column on the right. (0) has been done as an
example. (10 points)
CHANNEL TUNNEL WILL NOT MEET
Red-faced executives at Euro tunnel were trying making light of a report that the 0/ to make
two sides of the channel tunnel, which have been under construction for the last 1/
five years, will not meet in the middle. Not until the latest surveyor’s report 2/
published they realised the terrible truth: the two ends will be approximately 300 3/
metres apart when the digging is completed at the end of the year, which will cost 4/
an additional £20 million to put right. The error is thought to stem from the fact 5/
that while English engineers have been doing calculations in feet and yards, the 6/
French have been used centimetres and metres. An Europe tunnel spokesman 7/
denied this a serious matter and said: ‘We never actually expected the two ends 8/
would meet up exactly. It could be a lot worse, and we are absolutely delighted to 9/
have got so closely. All we need to make is to put in a few sharp corners and 10/
everything will be all right.’

Part 3: Use the correct FORM of the word in capitals to fit each gap. Write your answer in the
numbered box.
One of the most lethal poisons on Earth,ten thousand times more (0) deadly than cyanide is tetrodotoxin,
more concisely known as TTX. Its potency is well known in East Asia, where it regularly kills (1- DINE)
__________ who have braved the capricious (2- DELICATE) ________ known as fugo or puffer fish.
This toxin has a (3- TERROR) ________ method of operation: twenty-five minutes after exposure it begins to
(4- PARALYSIS) _______its victims, leaving the victim fully aware of what is happening. Death usually

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results, within hours, from suffocation or heart failure.
There is no known antidote. If lucky patients can (5- STAND) ________ the symptoms for twenty-four
hours, they usually recover without further (6-COMPLICATE) _________It is no ordinary poison.
What is strange about its (7-OCCUR)_______is that if is found in such a wide range of creatures, from
algae to angelfish spanning entire kingdoms of life. It is rather unlikely that such an unusual toxin
evolved (8-DEPEND)________in so many unrelated animals.
Marine biologists have discovered that the poison is produced by bacteria living in the gut of its host. The
best explanation is that a (9-SYMBIONT) ________ relationship exists between host and not the
unwelcome guest, where microbes exchange poison for nutrients, providing a valuable (10-DEFEND)
________weapon for its host.
Your answers:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

SECTION III. READING COMPREHENSION

Part 1. Read the passage below and fill each of the following numbered spaces with ONE suitable
word. Write your answers in the corresponding boxes provided.
Put simply, an allergy is a disorder in which the body over-reacts to harmless substances which in
(1)______ circumstances should not produce any reaction at all. An allergy can occur in (2)______ any
part of your body, and can be caused by just about anything. Mainly though, allergies become evident on
parts of the body (3)______ exposed to the outside world. Certain allergies occur only at certain times of
the year, while others are there all the time. Those that occur all the year (4)______ are probably caused
by something you come into (5)______ with every day of your life, some seemingly harmless (6)______
such as your deodorant or the pillow you lie on each night. Allergies can occur at any time during you
life, but usually do so before your fortieth birthday. Sometimes the symptoms are so (7)______ you do
not even know you have an allergy, and it may take years for an allergy to become noticeable. It all
(8)______ on the amount of the substance to which you are exposed and for how long. Sometimes an
allergy can disappear as suddenly as it arrived, without any (9)______ . Sometimes it comes and goes for
no apparent (10)______ , and with no regularity.

Part 2. Read the text below and decide which answer (A, B, C or D) best fits each gap. Write your
answers in the corresponding numbered boxes provided.
A few decades ago, entry to university meant studying a strictly academic subject -a science, or perhaps
literature, a foreign language or the classics. These days, (1) ________ education establishments offer
every conceivable subject from Chinese medicine to crime scene science. In Britain, this trend coincided
with a dramatic increase in the (2) ________ of universities and more relaxed entry requirements, (3)
________ more students to experience tertiary education. Many feared these measures would result in a
(4) ________ down of degree-level courses and the press seized every opportunity to ridicule such
courses. The creation in 1999 of a bachelor’s degree in surfing studies was taken as the ultimate proof
that universities were prepared to give (5)_______ in anything in an attempt to attract young people,
thereby (6)_______Britain’s academic reputation. In reality, the course, run by Plymouth University in
South-West England, is highly scientific, and the curriculum is (7)_______ including oceanography,
meteorology, materials technology and business management. Students on this course and other
seemingly more practical courses have (8) ________ performed better in tests than those doing straight
science degrees. Far from having an adverse effect on higher education, these new disciplines
(9)_______students and aid learning by offering the opportunity to (10)_______theoretical knowledge
directly. Many of today’s graduates have a broad base of knowledge and are well placed to enter the job
market.
1. A. higher B. primary C. special D. greater
2. A. amount B. number C. size D. quantity
3. A. enhancing B. benefiting C. ameliorating D. allowing
4. A. lowering B. dumbing C. detracting D. clamping
5. A. exams B. research C. degrees D. terms
6. A. messing around B. dragging on C. ruining D. cramming

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7. A. forthcoming B. definite C. conducive D. demanding
8. A. virtually B. actually C. ideally D. merely
9. A. lighten B. motivate C. count towards D. grasp
10. A. apply B. wrestle C. consume D. indulge
Your answers
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

Part 3. Read the following passage and do the following tasks. (10p.)
THE EVOLUTION OF LANGUAGE
A. Language everywhere changes over time; it has to. A central reason that necessitates modification is to
allow for developments in our world to be expressed. For example, the technological revolution alone has
been responsible for the addition of a plethora of words to our vocabulary: hard drive, software, modem
to name just a few. The Japanese writing script katakana, which was originally introduced in the 9th
century as a means by which Buddhist monks could correctly interpret Chinese pronunciations, is now
most commonly used to embrace foreign words for which there is no original Japanese character; pizza or
hamburger for example. Likewise the western world’s exposure to and familiarity with foreign cultures
now means that words such as sushi, nam bread and kebab, for example, are used by diners on a regular
basis.
B. However, expansion of our vocabulary is just one element involved in how and why language evolves.
Given the variation of dialects or regional accents present in most language systems, it is clear that an
individual’s interpretation of what is actually correct and commonly used will vary quite dramatically,
since this perception is based upon a combination of factors including the age, educational level and
region of the country a person is from. As we go about our daily lives and interact with others from
different backgrounds and experiences, the language we hear is often taken on board and incorporated
into the way in which we communicate ourselves. Many phrases with American origins are now
commonplace in British English for example, due to the frequency with which they are heard on
television and in the movies.
C. Changes in language are often driven by the young and many such changes are commonly considered
by older people to be a disintegration of standards rather than an evolution and an improvement. Let’s
consider an Americanism commonly used by youngsters in all pans of the English speaking world. Used 
as an alternative to “Tom said…” it is now commonplace to hear “Tom goes, the pay rise was
unacceptable.” or, “Tom was all, the pay rise was unacceptable.”; much to the horror of many
traditionalists. However, this modification could also be considered to be adding to and not detracting
from our ability to communicate effectively. To illustrate, let’s consider the original phrase “Tom said”; it
is used solely to show’ the listener that we are reporting the words of Tom, while the modern variation,
“Tom goes” has literally the same meaning. However, if the speaker chooses instead to use the latter
phrase, “Tom was all”, they are also able to convey the message that Tom had an emotional reaction to
the situation they are reporting, therefore a much more effective method of communicating information
has been created, some may say. However, should the now’ commonly used texting abbreviations such as
‘gr8t’ (great) and ‘l8r’ (later) become permanent replacements of the original words, it is likely that even
the most liberal amongst us would be horrified.
D. Variations on language are usually more readily accepted into informal language prior to them being
absorbed for use in formal writing. Examples of words that we now commonly use, but were once
considered incorrect, are ‘pea’ and ‘hopefully’. Let’s take pea; it derived from the word ‘pease’, which
being an uncountable noun has the same form regardless of whether one or more pease were being spoken
about. However, this was commonly overlooked and misunderstood, and through error the singular form
of the vegetable became ‘pea’. More recently ‘hopefully’ was considered by many to be an inappropriate
alternative to ‘I hope’; at best only accepted in informal use. The word hopefully is now’ fully acceptable
in both informal speech and formal writing.
E. Some people believe that traditional usages of language are always more superior and refined than
modern variations even when the reasons behind the rule were dubious in the first place. For example, it
was once seriously frowned upon to split an infinitive in a sentence and even today it is considered
grammatically incorrect to do so. To demonstrate, let’s consider the following sentence: ‘The examiner

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 asked me to quietly leave the room’; this was considered incorrect as the word ‘quietly’ splits the
infinitive of the verb ‘to leave’. The origins of this rule hail back to the 17th century when scholars
believed that the English language should be adapted to follow the rules of Latin; then considered the
perfect language. Since splitting infinitives in Latin is impossible, it was decided that splitting infinitives
in English, even though possible, was not acceptable, Given that initial motivations behind the rule were
questionable and the clarity of meaning of the sentence is not compromised in the ‘incorrect’ form, it
could be argued that this grammar rule is a prime example of an unnecessary sanction which is likely to
be abandoned in the future.
F. As language evolves, changes in grammar structures which would result in confusion of the actual
meaning of the sentences are unlikely; however, the meanings of words are often modified or altered
beyond recognition by different generations and can be easily misinterpreted by other social groups.
Take, for example, the modern version of the word ‘bad’ meaning ‘great’ when used in contemporary
slang. Many slang words remain dated in the era in which they are developed, for example words like ‘to
beef, meaning to complain (introduced in the 1920’s) are not only dated but may not even be understood
in a modern context, while others such as ‘guy’ become absorbed into mainstream language. Who knows
what future generations will add to the ever changing environment of communication?
Questions 1 – 4
Reading the passage and choose the correct heading for paragraphs B, C, E and F from the list of
headings below.
            List of Headings
i. Historical acceptance of change
ii. The Generation Gap
iii. Influences on speech
iv. Ancient writing in Asia
v. Cultural evolution and its impact on language
vi. Slang expected in the future
vii. Questioning logic
viii. Lifespan of vocabulary

1. Paragraph A…………..
2. Paragraph B……………
3. Paragraph C……………
4. Paragraph D…………….
5. Paragraph E……………
6. Paragraph F……………

Questions 5 – 7
Do the following statements reflect the claims of the writer in Reading Passage 1?
Write:
YES                                    if the statement reflects the claims of the writer
NO                                      if the statement contradicts the claims of the writer
NOT GIVEN                  if it is impossible to say what the writer thinks about this
5. If language were static, it would negatively affect our ability to incorporate other cultures into our
own way of life.
6. The language we grow up knowing and that we adopt through new experiences have equal effects
on the way we speak.
7. All modern adaptations of language are suitable for mainstream use.
Questions 8 – 10
Complete the summary of paragraphs  E and F with the list of words A-H below.
Some grammar rules such as avoiding 8. ____________ are deeply entrenched in history and were
created by academics who wished to perfect the English language. It is likely, however, since they do not
affect the 9. ______________ of the sentence that such rules are likely to be 10. ______________ in the
future. In the same way, many contemporary words in common usage today are likely to become defunct.

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A. Slang
B. Split infinitives
C. Grammatically incorrect
D. Meaning
D. Recognition
F. Disregarded
G. Misinterpreted
H. Confusion

Part 4: You are going to read an article containing reviews of computer games. Choose from the
reviews (A-E). The reviews may be chosen more than once. Write your answers in the
corresponding numbered boxes provided. (15 pts)
(Advanced trainer- 6 practice tests – Felicity O’Dell)

THE LATEST COMPUTER GAMES

Read the reviews of this week’s game releases.
A. Last year’s Motor Racers left me a little underwhelmed. After the impressive heights of their earlier
Formula One Game, which is replaced, the lesser-powered vehicles and disappointing graphics felt like a
bit of step back for the developers. But this year’ update has added a considerable amount of extra
content. You can choose to control more or less any type of car that you wish. The driving model is solid,
letting the player experience what it’s really like to drive round most of the world’s most famous racing
tracks. That includes practice laps and men at the side of the track waving flags to alert you of crash up
ahead. There are half a dozen new tracks to choose from. Noodsberg is perhaps the best addition,
offering some picturesque street racing action. The graphics have generally improved but there is still
something lacking. The car throws really unnatural shadows and when I got a puncture, the car just sunk
into the ground on that side, rather than the tyre being deflated.
B. Many people might imagine that rail simulators are dull. Might you even think the idea of recreating a
largely event-free one-dimensional journey is absurd? Well, they have actually made a game just like that.
Your first hour in Rail Game might run like this: you jump in, expecting an in-game tutorial, and utterly
fail to move anything, So, after 20 minutes of turning your wipers on and off, you are forced into reading
the manual. And that’s the biggest disappointment. It tells you how to get moving, but when it comes to
the expert controls on a steam engine, the game and the manual assume you already know quite a lot
about locomotive operation. When on earth should I ‘inject water’ , eh? I don’t drive steam trains for a
living. However, persevered and once I eventually got more or less to grips with it, I decided I actually
quite like Rail Game. I took a simple pleasure, for example, in constructing a track running around my
own name. It’s inexplicable satisfying and therapeutic experience.
C. Rally Rider takes a different approach to the racing genre by abandon smooth roads and sports cars in
favor of heavy suspensions and cross-country courses. The genes stands out because of its tracks; it offers
six very different ones each with enough bumps and turn to make cars spin like they are in a washing
machine. These courses are unfriendly enough, but when they are being approached at speeds nearing
150kph they are downright dangerous. Going too fast when hitting a hill or even just going into a bump at
wrong angle is like to send a car flying into the air, possibly onto its roof. It means the game has to be
played with care because screaming round corners at full speed will cause a time-consuming crash.
Looks-wise the game is a mixed bag. Tracks look good on the move, but as soon as the action slows
down or stops and a closer inspection is taken, the surrounding start to look like you are travelling
through a rather simply frown child’s picture book.
D. Star travel is set a distance future, when humans start to explore and colonize space. Inevitably,
mankind stumbles across alien races and rather than everyone trying to get to know each other in a
friendly , civilized fashion, war breaks out. There are 30 pre-set campaigns to choose from, each with its
own goals and problems. There are 16 races which you can select. In order to succeed in any campaign,
you must not only defend the star systems under your rule, but expand to the other ones as well. One of
this game’s best features is that you can construct ships to your own specifications, which adds extra
element to your strategy, For example, against some enemies, you will need to concentrate on building a
few highly powerful ships, instead of trying to outman them. On the whole, it’s an amusing if uninspired

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strategy game, and if you are a fan of the game, it should provide you with several weeks of
entertainment.
E. Wonder Racer succeeds in bringing the body-breaking speed of time-trial biking to the PC, but its
difficulty may leave you shaking. The approach is simple and unsophisticated. There are only three
controls, far fewer than in many other modern games. Players start by selecting one of sixteen riders,
from a set of teams. There are six tracks, of which three are available at the outset. Only by scoring gold
in both classes on all of these can you gain access to the next three, and so on. The courses are a fictitious
mix of country lanes, exotic beaches and snowy mountain passes. The 3D is excellent in its speed,
smoothness, and level of detail. A selection of viewpoints, including a breakneck ‘biker’s eye view’ are
offered . This game will punish your skills and patience to the limit.
About which of the games is the following stated? Your answers

The impression given by the graphics depends on the speed of your vehicle 1 ……….

It will keep people who like this kind of game occupied for some time 2 ……….

It is possible to personalize the location for the game 3 ……….

You can go to some locations when you have been successful at a task. 4 ……….

It is an improved version of an earlier game 5 ……….

It is an easy game to learn 6 ……….

You need to use skill to avoid an accident 7 ……….

Some of the details of the visual effects are not realistic 8 ……….

The concept doesn’t sound very exciting 9 ……….

What you have to achieve varies depending on the options you choose 10 ……….

SECTION IV. WRITING

Part 2: Rewrite the sentence in such a way that it has the same meaning to the original sentence. Do
NOT change the word given. You must use between three and eight words, including the word given.
(10 points)
1. He owed his life to that surgeon. INDEBTED
 He __________________________________________________________ life.
2. There wasn’t a single ticket left for the concert so we couldn’t go. SELL-OUT
 The __________________________________________________ couldn’t go.
3. You have the ability to do really well in your career if you make an effort. MIND
 You could do really well ________________________________________ to it.
4. The news of the merger really surprised the staff. TAKEN
 The staff ___________________________________________ by the merger.
5. I expected the film to be good, but it wasn’t at all. LIVE
 The film _________________________________________________ at all.

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