Lexico 14

LEXCICO – IDIOMS – PHRASAL VERB
PRACTICE TEST 1
1. She ________ agreed to go with him to the football match although she had no interest
in the game at all.
A. apologetically B. grudgingly C. shamefacedly D. discreetly
2. On the way to Cambridge yesterday, the road was blocked by a fallen tree, so we had
to make a ________.
A. deviation B. digression C. detour D. departure
3. Tom’s normally very efficient but he’s been making a lot of mistakes ______.
A. of late B. for now C. in a while D. shortly
4. I know it’s difficult but you’ll just have to ________ and bear it.
A. laugh B. smile C. grin D. chuckle
5. I didn’t want to make a decision ________, so I said I’d like to think about it.
A. in one go B. there and then C. at a stroke D. on and off
6. We are not in a ________ hurry so let’s have another coffee.
A. dashing B. racing C. rushing D. tearing
7. She’s a bit down in the________ at the moment – her husband has just lost his job.
A. world B. dumps C. heart D. bottom
8. “How did you know that he was lying?” – “It was just a ________ feeling.”
A. faint B. gut C. slight D. vain
9. The new company had been________with one problem after another and looked as if
it were about to go under.
A. glorified B. tainted C. fraught D. bewildered
10. Mike decided that election to the local council would provide a ________ to a career
in national politics.
A. milestone B. springboard C. highway D. turning point
11. As a poet, I think she ________ comparison with the greatest this century. .
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A. stands B. makes C. leads D. matches
12. We all have to follow the rules, and none of us is ________ the law.
A. beyond B. over C. above D. onto
13. When disaster ______, organisations such as Oxfam quickly provide help.
A. comes B. approaches C. arrives D. strikes
14. The number of people traveling by air has been growing _______.
A. by leaps and bounds B. from time to time
C. slow but sure D. by hook and crook
15. Drug-taking is a crime which society simply cannot _________.
A. approve B. acknowledge C. consent D. condone
16. I was scared ____________ when I looked down from the top of the cliff.
A. tight B. stiff C. hard D. solid
17. The whereabouts of the exiled president remains a _________guarded secret.
A. highly B. closely C. deeply D. entirely
18. We should all_________when advertisers attempt to use unfair practices.
A. make a stand B. make a comeback
C. make amends D. make a deal
19. The company cannot accept_________for injuries resulting from improper use of
rental equipment
A. validity B. liability C. compensation D. privilege
20. Jack never cheats or tricks anybody when he plays. He always goes by the_________
A. book B. instructions C. principles D. method
21. Recent defeats have _________his confidence in himself as a player
A. undermined B. disable C. impeded D. hampered
22. People turned out in_________to watch the parade on the Independence Day.
A. volume B. mass C. force D. bulk
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23. Not being able to find my phone number is a pretty_________excuse for not
contacting me.
A. fragile B. frail C. faint D. feeble
24. We were under no _________ about how difficult it would be to achieve our aims.
A. fantasies B. daydreams C. illusions D. deceptions
25. The pollution problems in the town have been ___________ by mass tourism in the
summer months.
A. exacerbated B. developed C. augmented D. contributed
26. I'm in a bit of a _________ as to what to wear to the wedding.
A. loss B. quandary C. problem D. bewilderment
27. The problem _________because neither side was prepared to compromise.
A. amassed B. escalated C. proliferated D. enhanced
28. The Red Cross is ___________ an international aid organization.
A. intriguingly B. intrusively C. intrinsically D. intrepidly
29. I couldn't stop myself from _________ with boredom during the lecture.
A. sighing B. gasping C. panting D. blowing
30. My brother found it impossible to _________his anger and started shouting.
A. restrict B. inhibit C. reserve D. contain
31. Fitting together the thousands of fragments of the broken vase was a long and
___________ task.
A. minute B. careful C. painstaking D. minuscule
32. You’ll just have to _________ yourself to the fact that you can’t always have what
you want.
A. acknowledge B. reconcile C. concede D. allow
33. The students had no money left and took out a loan to _________ him over until the
end of term.
A. last B. tend C. keep D. tide
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34. Money was short and people survived by _________and saving.
A. scrimping B. scavenging C. scouring D. scrounging
35. Jane was terribly nervous before the interview but she managed to pull herself
________ and act confidently.
A. through B. over C. together D. off
36.This is the _________timetable for the conference. It may change later
A. conditional B. indefinite C. provisional D. indeterminate
37. She didn’t show even a _________of emotion when the court found her guilty.
A. gleam B. wink C. flicker D. flash
38. Few people can do creative work unless they are in the right _________ of mind.
A. trend B. frame C. attitude D. tendency
39. It was decided that the cost of the project would be _________.and so it was
abandoned.
A. repressive B. prohibitive C. restrictive D. exclusive
40. I didn't really feel like memorizing all these definitions. It was only the risk of getting
another bad mark that made me _________myself.
A. exert B. absorb C. endeavour D. deploy
41. In times of _________ unemployment figures usually rise dramatically.
A austerity B severity C sobriety D. gravity
42. The delight in treasure finding doesn’t always ________acquiring tremendous

amounts of valuables.
A. dwell on B. poke around C. lay about D. hinge upon
43. Let’s _________ the place, it looks so gloomy and unpleasant .
A. miss B. abandon C. depart D. disappear
44. She used the map to discover where she was in ________to her surroundings.
A. connection B. affinity C. relation D. reference
45. He let it __________ that the Prime Minister was a close friend of his.
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A. announce B. talk C. drop D. infer
46. 1. It was a fantastic film. I enjoyed it _________.
A. endlessly B. unendingly C. without end D. no end
47. When the children _________ their toys, I donated them to charity.
A. outlasted B. outdated C. outgrew D. outwore
48. I was in the ______ of despair before I heard the good news.
A. depths B. profundities C. bottoms D. holes
49. When are we going to get rid of all these empty cartons? They've been _________ up
the office for weeks now.
A. buttering B. clutching C. cluttering D. botching
50. The luxurious office accentuated the manager's position _________. It enhanced his
power and his sense of his own worth. And it made other people feel small.
A. on the pecking pole B. in the nibbling line
C. at the nipping post D. in the pecking order
51. The architect has designed a building of immaculate _____ in everything. Every
detail is matched on each side.
A evenness B contrast C symmetry D contradiction
52. The vegetation on the island was _________.
A. exuberant B. chivalrous C. overcast D. ingenious
53. We had been looking for the nest for hours before we _________ lucky.
A. hit B. made C. struck D. came
54. We don’t have a secretary _________, but we do have a student who comes in to do a
bit of filing.
A. as such B. the least bit C. whatsoever D. little more
55. Despite ____________ appearances, he wasn't as crazy as people thought.
A. inward B. outward C. external D. strange
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56. I really need some vacations now so that when I come back I can _________ in the
operating theatre.
A. thrive B. grow C. proliferate D. spread
57. The first _________ of the ladder is important in your career.
A. step B. grade C. push D. rung
58. After hours and hours trying to solve the problem, I was at my _________ end.
A. nerves' B. wits' C. humours' D. tethers'
59. Her punky hairstyle showed she was not one for following the _________.
A. flock B. herd C. swarm D. group
60. There wasn't a _________ of truth in what he said.
A. ray B. lump C. grain D.pinch
61. Ask David to give you a hand moving the furniture. He’s strong as ______.
A. an elephant B. a mountain C. a gorilla D. a horse
62. He didn’t have a _________ of evidence to support his claims.
A. sign B. scrap C. sense D. state
63. It’s the __________ of stupidity to go walking in the mountains in this weather.
A. height B. depth C. source D. matter
64. I know you’re upset about breaking up with Tom, but there are plenty more ______.
A. horses in the stable B. cows in the shed
C. tigers in the jungle D. fish in the sea.
65. It must be true. I hear it straight from the _________ mouth.
A. dog’s B. horse’s C. camel’s D. cat’s
66. It's normal for salaries to be paid monthly in______, meaning you'll need to work
four weeks first.
A. advance B. full C. arrears D. debt
67. She is so ______ skinned that nothing offends her.
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A. hard B. thick C. strong D. heavy
68. I’ve only met Stephen in a social context - he’s an unknown _________ where work’s
concerned.
A. option B. type C. category D. quantity
69. The competition he set up for young musicians is another _________ of his life-long
support for the arts.
A. exposition B. manifestation C. token D. exhibition
70. Windows go __________ towards defining the character of a house.
A. a long way B. far out C. all the way D. far away
71. Even the most _________ drivers feel an urge to break the speed-limit occasionally.
A. lawful B. legitimate C. law-abiding D. judicial
72. I am not sure I can answer that. I have only thought about it in the _______ before.
A. general B. hypothetical C. indefinite D. abstract
73. The opposition protests against the government now threaten to get out of _______
and the security forces are likely to make arrests around the country today.
A. reach B. kilter C. hand D. ordinary
74. I really don’t want to get involved in your problems. Why are you _______me into it?
A. pulling B. dragging C. wrenching D. towing
75. Everybody was busy with the spring cleaning, except Stanley, who always refused to
pull his ______ .
A. shocks B. weight C. finger D. share
76. At the time, Mexico was in the _____of its worst economic recession on record.
A. grip B. tug C. hug D. grab
77. Harry was offered a scholarship to study in Japan and he _____ the opportunity with
both hands.
A. grasped B. grabbed C. held D. passed
78. A full scholarship to Harvard and you are worried about leaving your job? You’d be a
fool to _____ up a chance like that.
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A. turn B. brush C. pass D. cast
79. He admitted taking a bribe and he doesn’t think he’s _______ his chances of getting
re-elected?
A. pulled B. wiped C. thrown D. blown
80. The matter has been left in _______ until the legal ramifications have been explored.
A. recess B. suspension C. abeyance D. waiting
81. It was an extremely hostile article which cast _______ on the conduct of the entire
cabinet.
A. criticism B. aspersions C. disapproval D. abuse
82. Simon's business has been on the _______ for some time and I understand he's going
into liquidation.
A. fire B. rocks C. wave D. clouds
83. We've made some great improvements over the past three months, but we're still not
out of the _______ .
A. jungle B. bush C. dark D. woods
84. If you had never seen a telly ad, you would be all at ______ with popular culture.
A. crossroads B. distance C. sea D. length
85. I'd been living in this country for a few years, but it wasn't until I had kids that I felt
like I had really put down ______ here.
A. roots B. seeds C. nuts D. fruits
86. The party was already ______ by the time we arrived. Everyone was singing and
dancing.
A. in full swing B. up in the air
C. over the moon D. under a cloud
87. The entire staff was thrown off ______ when the news of the takeover was
announced.
A. composure B. disarray C. stable D. balance
88. I know you have a good voice and have ambitions to be an opera singer but do not
give up your day ______ yet.
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A. situation B. work C. job D. place
89. We at Buyrite throw down the ______ to competitors to match us for price, quality
and service.
A. mitten B. gauntlet C. sword D. hat
90. Sometimes, we don't appreciate the ______ pleasures of life such as a beautiful sky, a
cup of coffee with a friend or seeing a good film at the cinema.
A. sheer B. simple C. normal D. plain
91. Various ecological issues have come to the ______ since the discovery of the hole in
the earth's ozone layer.
A. front B. back C. side D. fore
92. The full horror of the war only hit ______ when we started seeing the television
pictures of it.
A. base B. down C. home D. back
93. The most important parts of your job may seem difficult now but they will become
second ______ to you within a couple of weeks.
A. instinct B. thought C. nature D. mind
94. I'm about to start my long-planned swimming regime. But I've got really terrible
cellulite, which makes me feel rather ______
A. self-assured B. self - centred
C. self-conscious D. self-evident
95. The inconsiderate driver was ______ for parking his vehicle in the wrong place.
A. inflicted B. harassed C. condemned D. confined
96. From football to fashion, from TV to stage, we name the ______ stars whose careers
are likely to rocket in the future.
A. out and about B. up and coming
C. down and out D. in and out
97. Obama expressed regret as a US drone strike has______ killed innocent hostages.
A. incongruously B. vehemently C. inadvertently D. graciously
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98. How do you calculate the distance to the horizon? As a _____, it’s 7 miles + 1 mile
per 100 ft above sea level.
A. trick of the trade B. golden rule C. free hand D. rule of thumb
99. Just because we’ve had a good year, this does not mean that we cannot do better: we
must not ______
A. have our head in the clouds B. bury our heads in the sand
C. count our blessings D. rest on our laurels
100. The headmaster at my last school was was a stern disciplinarian and made sure we
______ the line.
A. drew B. faced C. touched D. toed
PRACTICE TEST 2
1. The designer was given free _____ to produce any design he wanted.
A rein B range C ride D rope
2. They were _____ over by his kindness and didn’t know what to say.
A turned B knocked C hooked D bowled
3. The office was closed for a week for refurbishment and now the staff have to deal with
the _____ that built up during their absence.
A backstage B backlash C backlog D backdrop
4. Even though there have been setbacks, because of their determination I’m sure they’ll
achieve their goals, _____ .
A suffice to say B be that as it may C so be it D come what may
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5. John and Sarah lived in the back of _____ and it always took us a whole day to drive
there.
A the country B isolation C nowhere D beyond
6. My parents looked back with _____ on the days when all of us lived at home and
which, they said, were the best years of their lives.
A nostalgia B reminiscence C homesickness D recollection
7. I don’t trust him and it really goes against the ________to give him the money.
A. cloak B. grain C. rice D. grapevine
8. It’s time we had a ________talk with each other in an effort to clear the air.
A. heart to heart B. eye to eye C. face to face D. cheek to cheek
9. As she didn’t understand the teacher’s question, she merely gave him a _______ look.
A. clear B. dim C. blank D. hopeless
10. Sister Morrison might take _______ with me on that matter.
A. words B. discussion C. issue D. matter
11. I don't think that revealing your past to your boyfriend scared him _______.
A. back B. down C. off D. through
12. There were probably moments when you wondered if anyone spoke the truth or was
______
A. spolit for choice B. below par C. off the beg D. on the level
13. Substantial members of the ______members ignored the union advice.
A. all and sundry B. flesh and blood
C. head and shoulders. D. rank and file
14. Many victims of the earthquake pay ______ to the ones who took them out of rubble.
A. respects B. homage C. tributes D. deference
15. The movie takes considerable liberties ______the novel that it is based on.
A. to B. out of C. at D. with
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16. Don’t believe Samuel. He just ______an act that he is the most miserable person in
the world.
A. puts on B. puts into C. settles up D. settles in
17. Diagnosed with tumor in the brain, she refused to meet her ______but turned to
religion for help.
A. paleontologist B. oncologist C. entomologist D. seismologist
18. Their father was a hero in World War II, whose account has awakened
______memories of the old days.
A. down-in-the-dumps B. disconsolate
C. poignant D. grief-stricken
19. I don't like intellectual novels, serious music or films; my tastes are quite ______
A. flat-topped B. lowbrow C. shamefaced D. slow-witted
20. The sixth time he called me at night was the _________.
A. lost cause B. last straw C. touch and go D. hot air
21. There’s no doubt about the outcome of the trial. The man is a ______ criminal.
A. self-conscious B. self-contained C. self-confessed D. self-centered
22. Rebecca ______on our conversation to tell us that James had just been rushed to
hospital.
A. cut in B. faced up C. got ahead D. broke up
23______ her job, her sons and the housework, she doesn’t have a minute for herself.
A. What with B. If it weren’t for C. Barring D. Given
24. It’s ______that he never mentioned our argument; I wonder why he didn’t.
A. special B. rare C. curious D. eccentric
25. He praised his wife for her dignity under the ______of the tabloid press.
A. onslaught B. assault C. onset D. offensive
26. Brain cancer requires ______ treatment such as surgery.
A. aggressive B. confrontational C. malignant D. rigorous
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27. The government has been forced into a ________ after the revelation of a cover-up.
A. climbdown B. getaway C. outbreak D. breakout
28. I don’t know if Ash would be right for the job; he’s a bit of an unknown ________.
A. quality B. qualification C. quantity D. identity
29. Searching for one man in this city is like looking for a _________.
A. salt of the earth B. sand in the desert
C. needle in a haystack D. drop in the ocean
30. The Conservatives declared their intention of______the whole Act once they came
into power.
A. repulsing B. repelling C. impelling D. repealing
31. The growth of psychobiology owes ______to major conceptual advances in the way
people think about the brain.
A. much B. as much as C. much which D. there is so much
32. The class went to see the performance of Macbeth because it ______ in well with the
project they were doing on Scottish history.
A. crammed B. stood C. tied D. booked
33. I have tried every product on the market and still I can't rid these curtains of the
______of cigarette smoke.
A. fumes B. fragrance C. stench D. aroma
34. Her condition seems to be ______. We’ll have to take her to intensive care.
A. ameliorating B. deteriorating C. amputating D. imitating
35. Not only is little Jonny’s grammar incoherent and his spelling atrocious but also his
pronunciation______.
A. slothful B. sluggish C. hazard D. haphazard
36. I need to ______ your offer very carefully before I make a decision.
A. look over B. see out C. figure out D. mull over
37. There’s nothing to ______ as it’s a general knowledge quiz.
A. come round to B. face up to C. swot up on D. come up with
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38. The account of their journey has been ______ together from personal letters and
diaries.
A. pieced B. set C. pulled D. got
39. The noise from the unruly fans celebrating their team’s victory didn’t _____ until
early in the morning.
A. shut off B. give away C. let up D. fall over
40. Following years of intense training, the accomplished athlete ______ the medal
triumphantly.
A. took off B. went off C. ran off D. carried off
41. We’d been working hard for a month and so decided to go out and ______.
A. paint the town red B. face the music
C. read between the lines D. steal the show
42. The country is an economic ______ with chronic unemployment and rampant crime.
A. lost cause B. basket case C. false dawn D. dark horse
43. You’ve got to ______ to succeed in advertising.
A. go to your head B. have your wits about you
C. have your head in the clouds D. gather your wits
44. The Prime Minister will decide whether to release the prisoner or not; that’s his
______.
A. prerogative B. derogatory C. abdication D. humanity
45. The Secretary of State handled the matter ______ and prevented a war.
A. adroitly B. intensely C. abjectly D. slightly
46. The robbery was carried out in ______ daylight and with hundreds of witnesses
present.
A. open B. wide C. broad D. clear
47. Most of the examination is written but there is also a(n) ______ part which I am
really worried about.
A. vocal B. verbal C. oral D. wordy
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48. ______ with anger, Mr. Jensson stormed into the local tax office and demanded to see
someone about his case which had dragged on for nearly three years.
A. Brimming B. Pouring C. Stewing D. Seething
49. When I say I want you to be here at six o'clock, I mean six o'clock ______.You
cannot be late under any circumstances!
A. on the edge B. at the moment C. on the dot D. in detail
50. The opposition protests against the government now threaten to get out of ______ and
the security forces are likely to make arrests around the country today.
A. reach B. kilter C. hand D. the ordinary
51. Fingerprints are the most ______ types of evidence used in criminal cases because
it’s one of the most reliable forms of identification
A. culpable B. incriminating C. liable D.offending

53. Another, perhaps inspired by the nursery rhyme, is that a(n) ______ for sweet things
during pregnancy makes you more likely to be having a girl, while a boy will make you
crave savoury, salty foods, meat and cheese in particular.
A. inspiration B. affinity C. predilection D. propensity
54. Most of the old road has been ______ by the great interstate highways
A. overdone B. superseded C. excelled D. overwhelmed
55. She got very ______working such long hours
A. tumble-down B. downcast C. run-down D. down - and – out
56. Just because we’ve had a good year, this does not mean that we cannot do better: we
must not ______
A. have our head in the clouds B. bury our heads in the sand
C. count our blessings D. rest on our laurels
57. As soon as the problem at work blew up, he instantly thought about how he could
come out of it looking good. He is such a ______person.
A. self-evident B. self-conscious C. self-centred D. selfless
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58. We carried on down the path, ______of the notice warning of avalanche risk.
A. careless B. carefree C. heedless D. blind
59. The judge declared a ______today due to unfair media coverage and the trial will be
restarted again early next year.
A. postponement B. annulment C. cancellation D. mistrial
60. His performance was so spectacular that he was ______out for praise by the team
manager at the end of the game.
A. singled B. filtered C. distinguished D. selected
61. He's just getting up my ______ so much at the moment.
A. feet B. chest C. nose D. mind
62. Something's wrong with this room, but I can't quite ______what it is.
A. put my finger on B. know off-hand
C. give my right arm to D. lay eyes on
63. Group E is now wide open with all four teams ______ a chance of qualifying for the
knock-out phase going into the final group matches.
A. in with B. up for C. in for D. up with
64. There's so much good theatre and cinema in London, really one is ______for choice.
A. overcome B. ruined C. spoilt D. overwhelmed
65. The structure parameters of these chucks are ______ those of K11 3-jaw self-centring
chucks.
A. much the same as B. nearly as
C. nothing like as D. nowhere near as
66. There are ten prisoners on the ______.
A. loose B.run C. track D. go
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68. They dismissed him as "disrespectful, very arrogant and ______ rude".
A. totally B. downright C. outright D. heavily
69. The statement from the ministers contrasts ______ with comments by European
Commission President Jean-Claude Juncke
A. sharply B. heavily C. utterly D. flatly
70. I know how to use computers, but I don't really understand the ______of how they
work.
A. ins and outs B. odds and ends C. dribs and drabs D. waifs and strays
71. The doctor says that it's ______whether Mary will be okay.
A. prim and proper B. spick and span C. touch and go D. up and coming
72. Our staff take pride in providing ______ service.
A. mundane B. atrocious C. impeccable D. lousy
73. It was a ______move to buy your house just before property prices started to rise.
A. astute B. crafty C. shrewd D. wily
74. They adopted a sensible, ______ policy on defence spending.
A. state-of-the-art B. trick-of-the-trade
C. run-of-the-mill D. middle-of-the-road
75. He'd be ______if he found out what you're doing
A. annoyed B. irritated C. livid D. cross
76. A lot of older people are ______ because they've been complaining all their lives
A. irate B. crotchety C. indignant D. infuriated
77. She had a ______ row with Eddie and stormed out of the house.
A. blazing B. heated C.firing D. smouldering
78. Intimate relationships were limited to a stack of old nudie magazines with ______
pages, which he kept on the floor beneath his cot.
A. head-on B. nail-biting C. narrow-minded D. well-thumbed
79. He awoke with a ______ heart, sweating with fear
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A. plucking B. flexing C. gritting D. pounding
80. We reached ______in the meeting and failed to come to a solution
A. standstill B. gridlock C. standoff D. stalemate
81. He was ______aware of his lack of experience
A. widely B. painfully C. deeply D. heavily
82. As an average retail investor I consider myself ______ capable of understanding the
operation of crossing networks
A. perfectly B. bitterly C. widely D. highly
83. The littlest thing tends to anger my mother, so I feel like I have to walk on ______
whenever I'm at her house.
A. eggshells B. nutshells C. bombshells D. seashells
84. Students can be expelled at the ______ of the principal
A. disposition B. dispersal C. discretion D. disposal
85. He became emotionally ______from his friends and family after the illness.
A. distant B. faint C. secluded D. far-away
86. The sound of his footsteps gradually ______ away.
A. died B. passed C. vanished D. dwindled
87. He is disliked because of his sly and ______ways of getting what he wants.
A. calculating B. callous C. inquisitive D. meticulous
88. She dismissed him with a ______nod of the head.
A. blunt B. curt C. reckless D. ruthless
89. His performance is described in the paper as "a ______ display of physical agility".
A. breathtaking B. gripping C. harrowing D. piercing
90. The police are sometimes more ______with female offenders.
A. lax B. lenient C. easygoing D. withdrawn
91. Don’t be taken in by his lying, ______ words
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A. slack B. scrupulous C. treacherous D. feeble
92. With the amount of traffic nowadays, even a trip across town is ______with dangers.
A. beset B. surrounded C. assaulted D. devoid
93. He was forced to ______ control of the company.
A. discard B. relinquish C. quit D. surrender
94. Getting up at 8 o’clock was early by her ______
A. reasons B. standards C. limits D. levels
95. The passion of Argentinian football fans ______no bounds
A. recognizes B. holds C. sees D. knows
96. My library books are a week ______
A. undue B. overdue C. unpunctual D. belated
97. Every shelf is ______with ornaments.
A. muddled B. bundled C. cluttered D. burdened
98. There was a danger of the country reverting to its ______ sin of complacency
A. redeeming B. overriding
C. besetting D. overwhelming
99. Police are investigating a(n) ______ of burglaries in the Kingsland Road area.
A. rate B. influx C. tide D. spate
100. He kept telling us about his operation, in the most ______ detail.
A. elaborate B. knotty C. graphic D. burning
19
PRACTICE TEST 3
1. The war in Iraq is a ______ debated issue.
A. deeply B. hotly C. profoundly D. heavily
2. He will be remembered by the staff with great ______.
A. fondness B. fancy C. passion D. crush
3. He carefully ______ his sunflower plants.
A. tended B.attended C. grew D. maintained
4. She already has a couple of good wins ______.
A. under her collar B. under her belt
C. up her sleeve D. in her shoes
5. Whenever she refused, he'd beat her ______.
A. black and blue B. black and white
C. blue in the face D. out of the blue
6. Their qualifications ______them to a higher salary.
A. enable B. entitle C. entail D. envisage
7. Since he is not polite, he often makes ______ remarks.
A. immaterial B. impertinent C. impervious D. implausible
8. He had failed because of a lack of talent for ______ speaking
A. impeccable B. impressive C. imposing D. impromptu
9. I get ______ pains up my spine whenever I try to move.
A. splitting B. thumping C. shooting D. stinking
20
10. Dealing with the failed waste incinerator project is a ______ issue in west Norfolk
A. burning B. heating C.boiling D. firing
11. He had the ______ to blame me for his mistake!
A. valour B. chivalry C. gracefulness D. audacity
12. He had always been ______ by his elder sister.
A. overtaken B. overstated C. overshadowed D. overwhelmed
13. He remained loyal to me through ______
A. null and void B. life and soul C. thick and thin D. up and coming
14. The long-standing dispute about working conditions finally came ______when the
workforce voted for strike action
A. to a head B. to the point C. to a standstill D. out of its shell
15. If you're caught stealing you'll be ______.
A.in black books B. for the high jump C. in a quandary D.in the doghouse
16. Such a questionable assertion is sure to ______ criticism.
A. commence B. instigate C. launch D. provoke
17. Such people ______an indistinct anger and hatred.
A. exude B. exclude C. expunge D. extricate
18. In a culture where knockoffs are normal, from sportswear to DVDs, it will not be
easy to ______deep-rooted academic habits
19. I tried to ______myself from the situation but it was impossible.
20. She is ______grateful to her family for their support
A. continually B. continuously C. perpetually D. eternally
21. The child's ______talking started to irritate her.
A. constant B. incessant C. steady D. ongoing
21
22. She had a(n) ______ parade of young men coming to visit her.
23. They were able to respond swiftly because they already have a secret ballot strike
mandate over a(n) ______pay dispute.
24. The police have expressed ______concern about the missing child's safety.
A. critical B. essential C. significant D. grave
25. Naylor was one of those men who ______ to the challenge of danger.
A. raise B. rise C. ride D. arise
26. Like more and more women, she believes marriage would ______her style.
A. restricts B. impedes C. obstructs D. cramps
27. He's not nearly such a good writer as he's ______up to be.
A. creased B. cracked C. lined D. valued
28. During the bad weather we experienced a few disasters and events, but they were of
little ______.
A. consequence B. result C. care D. circumstance
29. The costs of gathering the initial data are relatively small in ______to the costs of the
research itself.
A. reference B. affinity C. relation D. connection
30. The design is ______ from Japanese porcelains of the fourteenth century.
A.imitated B. copied C. emulated D. faked
31. ‘Will you stay for lunch?’ ‘No, but thanks ______’
A. all along B. all in all C. all the same D. all told
32. I might be going on a training course next week, but it's still ______
A. in the air B. on the air C. off the air D. up in the air
33. I don't want to sound ______, but I thought my picture was the best.
A. big-headed B. blue-eyed C. narrow-minded D. thick-skinned
22
34. The whole team were ______ at winning the competition.
A. up in the arms B. on the up and up C. on the cards D. over the moon
35. If you use credit cards to pay off a debt, you're jumping out of the frying pan into the
______.
A. fire B. flame C. heat D. blaze
36. Some people let their under-fives ______ riot.
A. run B. go C. make D.take
37. He's of no fixed ______and we found him on the streets.
A. residence B. abode C. home D. domicile
38. The project is being held in ______until agreement is reached on funding it.
39. I wouldn't want to cast ______ on your honesty.
40. I need a new French dictionary. Can I pick your ______about the best one to buy?
A. brains B. mind C. head D. intellect
41. This is not to ______ questions of strategy and tactics, merely to place them in an
appropriate context.
A. evade B. shirk C. duck D. dodge
42. You can't ______, it's your duty. You are so lazy!
A. evade B. shirk C. duck D. dodge
43. The speed at which you eat strongly ______how much you want to eat.
A. sways B. affects C. influences D. impresses
44. Many tourists cannot tell the difference between ______ Indian craftwork and
imported imitations.
A. real B. authentic C. valid D. natural
45. They put forward many ______ reasons for not exporting.
A. real B. authentic C. valid D. natural
23
46. She always showed ______concern for others
A. genuine B. authentic C. valid D. natural
47. We had all the usual problems ______upon starting a new business.
A. subsequent B. consequent C. attendant D. relevant
48. She did not tolerate press ______into her private life.
A. invasion B. intrusion C. infringement D. interference
49. They resent foreign ______in the internal affairs of their country
50. These phone calls are a gross ______of privacy.
51. They were sued for ______ of copyright.
52. He was thorough and ______, rather than brilliant.
A. pedantic B. laborious C. particular D. conscientious
53. Don't be so ______ - does it really matter if I don't pronounce it right?
54. Collecting the raw materials proved a long and ______task
55. Don't expect to have me at your beck and ______.
A. cry B. ring C. need D. call
56. The ______from the sale will be used to repay the loan.
A. produce B. proceeds C. receipts D. returms
57. Sometimes even well-meaning interviewers will throw you a really ______question.
A. awkward B. risky C. unpleasant D. touchy
58. We must ______ this notion that you can rely on the state for everything.
A. peter out B. dispel C. disperse D. annihilate
24
59. Just one of these bombs could ______a city the size of New York.
A. peter out B. dispel C. disperse D. annihilate
60. Already there were indications that the contest had helped some of those
______writers emerge from total obscurity.
A. hopeful B. aspiring C. striving D. wishful
61. Vlasov showed great energy and leadership ______, transforming his division into a
conspicuous example of efficiency.
A. attributes B. features C. values D. qualities
62. The difference is scarcely perceptible to the ______reader.
A.common B. medium C. average D. middle
63. Kids today are ______on a constant diet of pop music and television.
A. fostered B. raised C. nurtured D. grown
64. They feel strongly that their religion is ______with the political system.
A. incongruous B. inconsistent C. incidential D. incompatible
65. These findings are ______with those of previous studies.
A. incongruous B. inconsistent C. incidental D. incompatible
66.Such traditional methods seem ______in our technical age.
A. incongruous B. inconsistent C. incidental D. incompatible
67. Eye problems can indicate an unhealthy lifestyle with ______suppression of the
immune system
A. subsequent B. consequent C. attendant D. relevant
68. This is by no means an ______list but it gives an indication of the many projects
taking place
A. exhaustiveB. exorbitant C. execrable D. exalted
69. She was the only woman to rise to such an ______position
A. exhaustive B. exorbitant C. execrable D. exalted
25
70. Sharon became involved with music in the time-honoured ______-- through her
family.
A. protocol B. way C. fashion D. procedure
71. My sisters don't see ______with me about the arrangements.
A. face to face B. at loggerheads C eye to eye D. on tenterhooks
72. The Chancellor is ______with the Prime Minister over public spending.
73. He was still on pins and needles waiting for his directors' decision about the job.
74. The principles of democracy are sometimes in ______with political reality.
A. conflict B. rivalry C. odds D. friction
75. She gave him a sweet smile, totally at ______with the look of dislike in her eyes.
A. conflict B. rivalry C. odds D. friction
76. Their conclusions run ______to any simple proletarianisation thesis about the effects
of new technology on skill.
A. counter B. against C. opposed D. opposite
77. She was ______ to tears by their criticisms.
A. brought down B. diminished C. reduced D.belittled
78. Don't ______her piano playing just because you're jealous.
A. bring down B. diminish C. reduce D.belittle
79. On his wanderings he's picked up Spanish, Italian, French and a(n) ______of Russian
A. command B. smattering C.knowing D. acquaintance
80. She's a ______vegetarian and refuses to eat any poultry or fish
A. firm B. devout C. staunch D. strict
81. He has been a ______supporter of the Liberal Party for over thirty years.
26
82. She was a ______Catholic and, so far as I am aware, morally unassailable.
83. I'm a ______believer in'where there's a will , there's a way.
84. She must know the play ______by now.
A. forwards B. backwards C. sideways D. upside down
85. You need to become fully ______with the company's procedures.
A. conversant B. mindful C. answerable D. attuned
86. The whole venture has been an ______disaster.
A. unmatched B. unmitigated C. undiluted D. unmindful
87. She dealt with the problem with ______skill.
A. consummate B. comprehensive C. confirmed D. compulsive
88. The aim of the repetitions of the same commercial on television is nothing but to
brainwash consumers into ______consumption.
A. consummate B. comprehensive C. confirmed D. compulsive
89. On the rampant black market prices were particularly ______.
A. exhaustive B. exorbitant C. execrable D. exalted
90. The durable goods orders report should help to ______ fears of a marked slowdown
in factory activity.
A. avert B. restore C. allay D.hit
91. UN troops intervened to ______ a threat of violent conflict.
A. avert B. restore C. allay D.hit
92. The recent proposals made by the Royal College of Psychiatrists are unjustified,
unnecessary and ______
A. incompatible B. unavoidable` C. unworkable D. insurmountable
93. Lack of money has proved an almost ______obstacle.
A. incompatible B. unavoidable` C. unworkable D. insurmountable
27
94. This history book is completely ______to me.
A. illegible B. impenetrable C. impermeable D. incorrigible
95. Because he was an ______criminal, he was sentenced to life imprisonment.
A. illegible B. impenetrable C. impermeable D. incorrigible
96. The current cuts in public expenditure will inevitably ______ this situation.
A. exacerbate B. deepen C. sharpen D. fulfill
97. The lecturer wanted to lay ______on the importance of education.
A.mention B. point C. highlight D. stress
98. The President is clearly in a ______about/over how to tackle the crisis.
A. dilemma B. puzzle C. loss D. problem
99. The government is at a ______to know how to tackle the violence.
A. dilemma B. puzzle C. loss D. problem
100. He's studied in the US and has a good ______ of English.
A. command B. smattering C.knowing D. acquaintance
PRACTICE TEST 4
1. The money was taken out of the bank in small amounts so as not to ______suspicion.
A. awake B. arouse C. instigate D. incite
2. Hopes of a peaceful settlement have been ______
28
A. torn B. tarnished C. dashed D. smashed
3. The motor industry is ______at the cut in car tax.
A. cheering B. relishing C. rejoicing D. enjoying
4. He's very understanding: if I'm ______by the middle of the week he'll always let me
have a few groceries on tick till Friday.
A. hard up B. pricey C. indebted D. bankrupt
5. The sales assistants were so rude to me, I decided to take my ______elsewhere.
A. income B. custom C. capital D. fortune
6. The police are going to ______down on illegal stock exchange activities in the streets.
A. dragging B. kicking C. dumbing D. clamping
7. She had a strong desire to be a dancer but failed to make the ______.
A. grade B. term C. mark D. degree
8. The sexual scandal will ______from the president's fame.
A. ruin B. detract C. spoil D. impair
9. There isn't a ______of truth in those rumours.
A. pinch B. grain C. trace D. speck
10. Every ______of emotion seemed to have drained from his face.
A. pinch B. grain C. trace D. speck
11. Here I sit ______ - no food, no money, no anything
A. high and dry B. thick and thin
C. huff and puff D. wear and tear
12. The media regarded Gorbachev as the ______favorite to dethrone the old champ
A. last-minute B. odds-on C. so-called D. well –earned
13. The research has ______implications for medicine as a whole.
A. far-fetched B. far-reaching
C. long-winded D. nerve-wrecking
29
14. Jacques launched into a ______explanation that left us just as confused as before
A. far-fetched B. far-reaching
C. long-winded D. nerve-wrecking
15. We ______ deny that we have ever cheated or tampered illegally with any match ball
in any game during our careers.
A. categorically B. fully C. distinctly D. highly
16. All personal details are treated as ______confidential and remain on computer file.
A. severely B. strictly C. sharply D. harshly
17. The people in that company always talk ______, even on the weekends.
A. dirty B. shop C. turkey D. money
18. It took me ages to ______up the courage to ask for a promotion
A. pick B. hurl C. yield D. pluck
19. They still ______enormous influence in politics.
A. possess B. utilize C. brandish D. wield
20. I don't know where he is but I could ______a guess.
A. hazard B. conjecture C. expose D. imperil
21. Don't ______a hard bargain over such a little thing .
A. make B. push C. drive D. bring
22. His patience began to wear ______ during the long wait.
A. thin B. rusty C. empty D. perished
23. And undoubtedly, their mysterious, indefinable quality is the source of their ______
power.
A. disconcerting B. disembodied
C. dismissive D. discordant
24. The depths of this understanding - which I had not at all expected - put me in a
______.
A. doubt B. quandary C. hitch D. complexity
30
25. He walked out after a ______row with his wife.
A. blazing B. heated C. stormy D. smouldering
26. I am ______ to listen to your pathetic excuses.
A. sick and tired B. in no mood C. having enough D. sick to death
27. Anyone who breaks the law does so at their ______
A. peril B. interest C. stake D. doubt
28. Thousands of lives will be at ______if emergency aid does not arrive in the city soon.
A. peril B. interest C. stake D. doubt
29. Sandra will be at least 15 minutes late - that's a ______
A. must B. definite C. deal D. given
30. The researchers determined that concentration effects are applicable to

overrepresented minorities living in ______ impoverished ghettos.
31. She's been told that her husband is being______ treated in prison.
32. Alcohol is ______ forbidden on school premises.
33. These results contrast ______with other medical tests carried out in Australia.
34. I felt a bit _______ and seemed to have more aches and pains than usual.
A. out of sorts C. on the mend
B. over the worst D. under the fever
35. A: ‘Oh, I’m exhausted! I’ve been doing homework all day.’
B: ‘Come and put your _______ up for 5 minutes and I’ll make you a cup of tea.’
A. hands B. hair C. heart D. feet
36. I overslept this morning and caught the last bus to school by the skin of my _______.
31
A. mouth B. leg C. neck D. teeth
37. If you want a flat in the centre of the city, you have to pay through the _______ for it.
A. teeth B. head C. nose D. arm
38. You will be putting your life on the _______ if you take up skydiving.
A. ground B. line C. way D. lane
39. As far as her future goes, Olivia is _______. She hasn't got a clue what career to
follow.
A. on the level B. all at sea
C. behind the scenes D. in the know
40. Your husband was a bit out of control at the party, to _______ mildly.
A. take it B. put it C. say D. tell
41. There is a large effort ________ to rebuild arts education in the New York city
public schools.
A. under way B. a long way C. out of the way D. in the way
42. A woman who appears to be a __________person who lives under bridges, turns out
to be has a metamorphose into a princess and has a regal personage.
A. tumble-down B. downcast C. run-down D. down-and-cast
43. It included 105 job losses and a _____________ in shift work, with some of the large
staff numbers recruited in the past year expected to be let go first
A. breakdown B. layout C. cutback D. out-take
44. I was so tired that I just ______ in the armchair
A. flaked out B. broke up C. dropped out D. fell over
45. Our teacher tends to ______ certain subjects which she finds difficult to talk about
A. boil down B. string along C. skate over D. track down
46. It’s a good idea to ______ people before taking them into your confidence
A. tumble to B. root out C. bank on D. size up
47. Some people can just ______ a cold,but my colds seem to linger for weeks
32
A. shrug off B. cough up C. pull through D. stamp out
48. The man in the market was selling leather coats very cheaply: they were such
bargains that were soon ______ .
A. cleared off B. done for C. bought out D. snapped up
49. I couldn’t remember where I had left my car, when it suddenly ______ me that I
didn’t have a car any longer!
A.dawned on B.ran into C.went through D.tumbled to
50. After years of working together, the partners found themselves _______ linked.
A. permanently B. indelibly C. perpetually D. inextricably
51. The medicine takes one hour to _______.
A. bear with B. kick in C. make out D. get by
52. Jennifer _______ the invitation to join us for dinner.
A. called on B. come out C. got out of D. passed on
53. It takes a very determined person to achieve results as good as this; you really have to
put your______ to it.
A. mind B. head C. brain D. thoughts
54. There's a______ balance between success and failure.
A. small B. narrow C. fine D. light
55. The manager hesitated to assign the job to the newcomer as he was__________ .
A. wet behind the ears B. feeling your ears burning
C. ringing in your ears D. keeping your ears open
56..I’m afraid Jennifer’s very ______ . She believes everything she’s told.
A. gullible B. trustworthy C. credible D. honest
57. I slept badly last night and am feeling particularly ______ this morning.
A. slow-witted B. far-reaching C. off-hand D. top-heavy
58. Unanswered, the demands for nuclear deterrents have _______ fears of civil war.
A. flashed up B. prognosticated C. sidetracked D. stoked up
33
59. A new computer has been produced, which will ______ all previous models
A.overdo B.supersede C.excel D.overwhelm
60. My cousin was nervous about being interviewed on television, but she rose to the
_____ wonderfully.
A. event B. performance C. incident D. occasion
61. My decision to drop out of university after a year is one I now _____ regret.
A. painfully B. harshly C. heavily D. keenly
62. Both the favourite and then the second favourite pulled out. Naturally, we thought we
were ______ a chance.
A in with B up for C in for D up with
63. Don’t quote me. What I am about to say is ______ the record.
A. on B. off C. without D. above
64. I’m not sure if I’m doing it right, but I’ll try to ___________ahead with it anyway.
A. drive B. bang C. touch D. press
65. We all have to follow the rules, and none of us is ________ the law.
A. beyond B. over C. above D. onto
66. He wants to pay the bill himself, but I won’t hear _________ it.
A. from B. about C. of D. for
67. When his manager went on a business trip, Smith stepped into the _____ and chaired
the meeting.
A. hole B. pool C. breach D. crack
68. James didn’t take _____ to your suggestion that she was mean with money.
A. kindly B. pleasantly C. cheerfully D. agreeably
69. We need a more _______ assessment of the chances of ending this war.
A. moral B. sober C. plain D. vivid
70. Mark Stringly is rarely interviewed as he hates being in the ______.
A. flashlight B. limelight C. headlight D. floodlight
34
71. I tried to push my way through the standing passengers to get to the door and, failing
to keep my ____ about me.
A. head B. soul C. wits D. mind
72. Steve used to be easy to work with, but since his promotion he’s begun to______ .
A. throw his weight around B. throw in the towel
C. throw him off balance D. turn up trumps
73. The new regime determined to ________ compulsory military service.
A. stop of B. end up C. phase out D. break off
74. As their bookshop wasn’t doing well, they decided to branch ______and sell compact
discs and cassettes as well.
A. out B. over C. down on D. out for
75. I’d been cooped ______in my office all morning so I went out for a walk and a spot
of fresh air.
A. over B. by C. down D. up
76. Why don’t you get your homework ______with so you can enjoy the rest of the
evening?
A. around B. over C. by D. away
77. Morag is very good at ______off the teacher in her school.
A. sending B. calling C. taking D. putting
78. The class went to see the performance of Macbeth because it ______in well with the
project they were doing on Scottish history.
A. crammed B. stood C. tied D. booked
79. I was sitting in a train looking out of the window, when my mind suddenly
______back to that amazing trip we made to India.
A. put B. flashed C. stirred D. associated
80. Roberto should try not to let his regrets for what he has done ______away at him.
A. come B. eat C. stick D. flood
81. I wish he wouldn’t make such unkind and ______remarks.
35
A. lapse B. disparaging C. inconsolable D. rough
82. Could you lend me some money to ______ me over to the end of the month?
A. hand B. tide C. get D. make
83. Lisa attempted to ______ herself with her new boss by volunteering to take on extra
work.
A. ingratiate B. please C. gratify D. command
84. Before they open the new factory, a lot of the young people round here were
________the dole.
A. in B. under C. on D. at
85. The factory paid ________nearly a million pounds to their employees who were
injured in the explosion.
A. off B. out C. for D. into
86. Harry blew a ________ when his holiday was cancelled.
A. switch B. fuse C. plug D. socket
87. I know you have a good voice and have ambitions to be an opera singer but don’t
give up your day________ yet.
88. Not only is little Johnny's grammar incoherent and his spelling atrocious but alsohis
punctuation ______
A. slothful B. sluggish C. hazard D. haphazard
89. The media are always keen on reporting ______
A. mishaps B. calamities C. reverses D. hardships
90. They continued fighting despite all the ______they met with.
A. adversities B. amenities C. properties D. liabilities
91. I was informed by the police officer that he would be forced to take me into______
A. guardianship B. bail C. custody D. protection
92. By being rude to his superiors he is considered to have __________ the mark.
36
A. transcended B. outrun C. surpassed D. overstepped
93. I have been back to the doctor three times and he still hasn't ____________ the reason
for all the pain I have been suffering from recently.
A. indicated B. highlighted C. pinpointed D. looked up
94. As soon as the bomb was discovered by one of the cleaning staff, the police had the
area ___________ off and no-one was allowed within two blocks of the cafe.
A. fenced B. cordoned C. walled D. isolated
95. A couple of boys were _____________ in the pool.
A. impinging on B. larking about C. ploughing ahead D. floating out
96. We were ____________ the task of writing a report of the college´s games.
A. assigned to B. taken over C. run up D. saddled with
97. Anti-terrorist squad officers _________ the area to search for possible bombs.
A. sealed off B. set off C. come through D. split up
98. The secretary dashed ___________ the weekly report to his director
A. up B. off C. of D. for
99. I __________ an important deal yesterday and she was so thrilled!
A. came across B. mucked up C. shot down D. gunned for
100. There’s been a slight improvement in his heallth, but he’s not out of the _______
yet.
A. bush B. wood C. hand D. reach
37
PRACTICE TEST 5
1. Be realistic! You can’t go through life looking at the world through _______.
A. rosed-coloured spectacles B. bright sights
C. magnificent spectacles D. green fingers
2. I realized ______ that he was a thief.
A. sooner of later B. all along
C. at the beginning D. eventually
3. The minister made no _______ of any further negotiations.
A mention B. comment C. indication D. remark
4. I don't think Jones and Marlowe should work together on this project. They have
shown us before that they are quite _________ as partners.
A. rebellious B. disinterested C. disagreeable D. incompatible
5. Let me ______ over the matter and give you my decision in a few days.
A. bite B. munch C. chew D. gnaw
6. Find someone who will let you talk things through, or _____ that, write down your
thoughts.
A. except B. failing C. for all of D. given
38
7. They will need time to _________ the proposals we have submitted.
A. lash out B. scroll over C. shrivel up D. mull over
8. Karen was terribly nervous before the interview but she managed to pull herself
________ and act confidently.
A. through B. over C. together D. off
9. I don't agree with his policies but I'm going to ______ them for now.
A. play along with B. play cat and mouse with
C. play havoc with D. play down
10. His promise is as good as ______. We can rely on him.
A. gold B. gem C. diamond D. jewel
11. These days the castle is swamped with ________ of tourists.
A. hordes B. cliques C. mobs D. assemblies
12. His flat looks so ______ that it is difficult to believe he just had a party last night.
A. spick and span B. by and large C. safe and sound D. sick and tired
13. I am not able to go anywhere this weekend because I am up to my ______ in work.
A. neck B. nose C. waist D. ankle
14. Brain cancer requires ______ treatment such as surgery.
A. aggressive B. confrontational C. malignant D. rigorous
15. He praised his wife for her dignity under the ______of the tabloid press.
A. onslaught B. assault C. onset D. offensive
16. The old man led a _______ existence after she left and refused even to see his
children.
A. reclusive B. deserted C. remote D. vacant
17. I thought I had made it_____ that I didn’t wish to discuss this matter.
A. distinct B. plain C. frank D. straight
18. We work too much. Our teacher keeps our noses to the ________ .
39
A. stone B. mill stone C. stonemill D. grindstone
19. He is a simple fellow. He usually wears his heart on his _________ .
A. arm B. sleeve C. face D. brow
20. This is the straw that breaks the _________ back.
A. horse’s B. mule’s C. donkey’s D. camel’s
21. The juvenile delinquent was place on ___________ for a year.
A. trial B. charge C. probation D. surveillance
22. I soon got the ____________ of the new machine.
A. hang B. sway C. string D. drift
23. Harry was offered a scholarship to study in Japan and he _____ the opportunity with
both hands.
A. grasped B. grabbed C. held D. passed
24. A full scholarship to Harvard and you are worried about leaving your job? You’d be a
fool to _____ up a chance like that.
A. turn B. brush C. pass D. cast
25. He admitted taking a bribe and he doesn’t think he’s _______ his chances of getting
re-elected?
A. pulled B. wiped C. thrown D. blown
26. Given the appalling weather conditions on top of the mountain, I’d say the chances of
their finding any survivors are very _______ indeed.
A. narrow B. lean C. remote D. shallow
27. I suppose there is a _______ chance that he could win, but I can’t see it happening,
myself.
A. thin B. slim C. meagre D. short
28. If someone offered me a posting in South Africa, I’d _______ at the chance.
A. bound B. jump C. grab D. seize
29. During winter the shelters are full of people of no fixed _______.
40
A. residence B. abode C. home D. domicile
30. Until your finances are in the _______, it is not a good idea to take out a loan.
A. credit B. funds C. profit D. black
31. The matter has been left in _______ until the legal ramifications have been explored.
32. It was an extremely hostile article which cast _______ on the conduct of the entire
cabinet.
33 Could I pick your _______ on the subject before the meeting?
A. brains B. mind C. head D. intellect
34. Simon's business has been on the _______ for some time and I understand he's going
into liquidation.
A. fire B. rocks C. wave D. clouds
35. She wouldn’t have heard anything. She is _______ deaf.
A. stone B. rock C. post D. bat
36. We've made some great improvements over the past three months, but we're still not
out of the _______ .
A. jungle B. bush C. dark D. woods
37. We need a process that ______ corrupt police officers.
A. tides over B. beats about C. barks up D. weeds out
38. If you had never seen a telly ad, you would be all at ______ with popular culture.
A. crossroads B. distance C. sea D. length
39. Kristina felt on top of the ______ when she won the beauty pageant.
A. world B. earth C. sky D.universe
40. Mary is the black ______ of the family. She's always in trouble with the police.
A. dog B. cat C. sheep D. horse
41. His fee is a drop in the ______ compared with the real cost of broadcasting.
41
A. bucket B. ocean C. lake D. sea
42. I'd been living in this country for a few years, but it wasn't until I had kids that I felt
like I had really put down ______ here.
A. roots B. seeds C. nuts D. fruits
43. I'm absolutely ______ under with work at the moment.
A. snowed B. iced C. rained D. fogged
44. I have been ______ by ill health ever since I left university.
A. hounded B. wormed C. ducked D. dogged
45. It was a very wild winter. I think we had one ______ of snow and that was it.
A. gust B. flurry C. drop D. patch
46. I always clean the flat before my mom comes round, but she always find at least one
______ of dust and says it’s filthy.
A. scrap B. gust C. speck D. blade
47. As winter ends, I always seem to feel a ______ of energy.
A. charge B. spring C. revival D. burst
48. The entire staff was thrown off ______ when the news of the takeover was
announced.
A. composure B. disarray C. stable D. balance
49. Gavin will ______ to the challenge of his new promotion.
A. raise B. rise C. ride D. arise
50. I know you have a good voice and have ambitions to be an opera singer but do not
give up your day ______ yet.
51. I am in the ______ as to where Chris was last night.
A. shade B. dark C. pink D. black
52. Breaking his leg dealt a ______ to his chances of becoming a professional footballer.
A. thump B. strike C. hit D. blow
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53. Let’s make a dash for the train now as the rain seems to be ______ off.
A. easing B. slowing C. reducing D. running
54. Our firm is so successful because it is at the cutting ______ of compoter technology.
A. limit B. fringe C. verge D. edge
55. Monsoon Wedding was described as a cinematic jewel when it hit the
_____________ screen.
A. golden B. silver C. bronze D. diamond
56. For busy people in today’s society, lifestyle management is gaining ______ .
A. points B. speed C. ground D. terrain
57. We at Buyrite throw down the ______ to competitors to match us for price, quality
and service.
A. mitten B. gauntlet C. sword D. hat
58. This time she's leaving for ______. She will never return.
A. all B. always C. good D. once
59. The old house was ______furnished and we had to buy almost everything new.
A. thinly B. sparsely C. mildly D. rarely
61. That old house hasn't been lived in for nearly thirty years, hence the fact that it looks
so ______ .
A. decrepit B. trashed C. rotten D. derelict
62. Despite harsh criticism, she's sticking to her ______ on this issue.
A. weapons B. guns C. thumb D. neck
63. If traffic increases beyond a certain level, the city grinds to a ______
A. halt B. stop C. pause D. end
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64. Various ecological issues have come to the ______ since the discovery of the hole in
the earth's ozone layer.
A. front B. back C. side D. fore
65. I've seen her perform on television, but never in the ______
A. meat B. flesh C. blood D. vein
66. The full horror of the war only hit ______ when we started seeing the television
pictures of it.
A. base B. down C. home D. back
67. She's always ______ to me about how badly she's treated at work.
A. grumbling B. whining C. objecting D. complaining
68. I didn't mean to leave her name off the list; it was a(n) ______ .
A. neglect B. disregard C. insult D. oversight
69. The most important parts of your job may seem difficult now but they will become
second ______ to you within a couple of weeks.
A. instinct B. thought C. nature D. mind
70. The winning team were roundly criticised by the local media for the way in which
they had ______ over the losing team. It was considered very unsporting.
A. gloated B. relished C. showed up D. dominated
71. Jack was disappointed not to be promoted as he was given to ______ that the job
would be his.
A. know B. understand C. realize D. say
72. I retired three years ago and didn't know what to do with myself. Getting this dog has
given me a new ______of life.
A. burst B. loan C. lease D. extension
73. I found the last scene extremely ______ and particularly well - directed.
A. pathetic B. sympathetic C. pitiful D. moving
74. I'm about to start my long-planned swimming regime. But I've got really terrible
cellulite, which makes me feel rather ______
44
A. self-assured B. self - centred
C. self-conscious D. self-evident
75. What can we do to persuade drivers that alcohol can turn a car into a ______weapon?
A. lethal B. fatal C. mortal D. venal
76. Large UK-owned companies are ______ their European rivals when it comes to
creating wealth, a study has concluded.
A. outstripping B.. catching up
C. overruning D. exceeding
77. Donald Trump’s pledge to rip up existing trade deals with Mexico would ______
substantial damage on the US economy and kill the region’s competitiveness on the
world stage, according to the Mexican economist who led the country’s trade talks with
the US.
A. induce B. inflict C. impose D. wreak
78. Another, perhaps inspired by the nursery rhyme, is that a(n) ______ for sweet things
during pregnancy makes you more likely to be having a girl, while a boy will make you
crave savoury, salty foods, meat and cheese in particular.
A. inspiration B. affinity C. predilection D. propensity
80. The proposal would ______ a storm of protest around the country
A. spark B. sparkle C. ignite D. trigger
81. She refused to answer questions that ______ her private affairs
A. infringed on B. imprinted in C. impinged on D. indulged in
82. The book is such a ______ that I can not put it down
A. page-turner B. best-seller C. duvet-cover D. mind-reader
83. The European Parliament has called for a humanitarian conference to be ______ to
discuss how to tackle the growing crisis.
A. gathered B. collected C. assembled D. convened
45
84. The rates of extreme poverty have halved in recent decades. But 1.2 billion people
still live ______
A. on the house B. on the tenterhooks
C. on the breadine D. on the cards
85. From football to fashion, from TV to stage, we name the ______ stars whose careers
are likely to rocket in the future.
A. out and about B. up and coming
C. down and out D. in and out
86. Obama expressed regret as a US drone strike has______ killed innocent hostages.
A. incongruously B. vehemently C. inadvertently D. graciously
87. You never know whether to take Vic seriously or whether his remarks are tongue in
______ .
A. cheek B. mouth C. tooth D. face
88. Applications for the course are coming in thick and ______.
A. thin B. quick C. fast D. skin
89. Mike ______ the tone of the formal dinner by appearing in a pair of ripped jeans and
an old T-shirt.
A. set B. lowered C. degraded D. put
90. The exercise routine works in ______ with the diet.
A. tandem B. league C. hand D. cooperation
91. The audience were in ______ as they watched the latest Aykebourne comedy.
A. stitches B. pleats C. tears D. shreds
92. Do not mention work to Ray, as it is a sore ______ with him at the moment.
A. finger B. point C. place D. thumb
93. It is hard to get back into the ______ of things after a long holiday.
A. pace B. way C. swing D. rhythm
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94. The trouble with socializing with colleagues is that they usually end up talking
______
A. sense B. shop C. back D. safe
95. Take your mobile phone with you just to be on the ______ side.
A. sunny B. secure C. straight D. safe
96. Dealing with the failed waste incinerator project is a ______ issue in west Norfolk
A. burning B. heating C.boiling D. firing
97. With the amount of traffic nowadays, even a trip across town is ______ with dangers.
A. beset B. surrounded C. assaulted D. devoid
98. He was forced to ______ control of the company.
A. discard B. relinquish C. quit D. surrender
99. Getting up at 8 o’clock was early by her ______
A. reasons B. standards C. limits D. levels
100. He kept telling us about his operation, in the most ______ detail.
A. elaborate B. knotty C. graphic D. burning
CHAPTER 2: WORDFORM
PRACTICE TEST 1
1. Democracy died after a period of ________(cease) wars, imperial expansion abroad,

and the rise of demagoguery at home.
2. The consequences of ________ (compel) gambling are comparable to those of any

other addictive disease and are not simply those of financial loss.
3. The prison service has the twin goals of punishment and ________ (habit).
4. The first ________ (conceive) is that legal study at university is exclusively for
students who intend becoming solicitors or advocates.
5. Too late, she remembered the ________ (settle) effect such comments would have on
Johnny.
47
6. Some economists are now predicting the danger of ________ (run) inflation.
7. The ________ (narrate) in this book plays second fiddle to the excellent photographs.
8. They were now faced with seemingly________(mount) technical problems.
9. When you come down on him too hard, you may only intensify his own ________
(critic)
10. Your speech should not have been ________ (lace) with these facts beside the point.
11. Their views lie outside the ________ (stream) of current medical opinion.
12. The teachers are fair and avoid ________ (favour) and scapegoating.
13. She has become ________(mesh) in a tangle of drugs and petty crime.
14. Do not set your goals too high or else you will always be failing and there is nothing
more ________ (moral)
15. The demise of the industry has caused ________(tell) misery to thousands of hard-
working tradesmen.
16. Attracting the banks are the ________ (surge) economy and reforms that have opened
up industries to foreign capital.
17. The ordinary reader is impressed by the tone and manner of publication, and the
words chosen to ________ (head) a story.
18. At all events, it was this group of the ________ (possess) that gave the first successful
impetus to the Revolution.
19. ________(prey) pricing by large supermarkets was threatening the livelihood of

smaller businesses.
20. He is a ________(voice) critic of the president's stance on abortion.
21. She made several ________ (par) remarks about the manager she dislikes.
22. As women we tend to be ________ (face) and make light of what we have achieved.
23. GEW lamp dimming promise uptime at least 1500 hours, raised productivity and
reduces ________ (time)
24. Would you mind if I took one of the pictures as a________(keep)?
25. Mania usually alternates with depression, to form a ________ (pole) disorder.
48
26. This was too wide a ________ (hole) for the tax planners: no wonder inheritance tax
is called a voluntary tax.
27. The teacher said that he found it difficult to cope with a class of ________ (affect)
teenagers.
28. He is ________ (fail) polite and tries desperately to understand other people's views.
29. The court ________ (turn) that decision on the grounds that the Prosecution had
withheld crucial evidence.
30. Some of these statements are misleading and some downright ________ (amend)
31. The state ________ (fast) refused to settle this matter at any time.
32. What is illustrated by these photographs is as much the culture of shamelessness as

the reigning admiration for ________ (apology) brutality.
33. The judge found that in her case there were________(mitigate) circumstances.
34. He impressed his audience by the ________ (profound) of his knowledge.
35. The causes of social ________(stress) include inadequate housing.
36. He was in the ________ (envy) position of having to choose between imprisonment
or exile.
37. He was ________ (capacity) by old age and sickness.
38. The bank is ________ (solve) and will be unable to live up to its obligations.
39. Natalie considered herself very ________ (virtue) because she neither drank nor
smoked.
40. Their refusal to ________ (tail) spending plans and to increase the burden on poll tax
payers is expected.
41. Rather than a benevolent "socialist" super power China, whose population is made up
over 90% Han Chinese, will ________ (stride) the world as a racially homogeneous, and
communalistic "Middle Kingdom”.
42. Broadly speaking, on-line shopping experiences can be categorized into two distinct
dimensions: ________ (use) and hedonic value.
43. It encouraged experimenters to propose ________ (beat) or novel approaches to

problems.
49
44. It's a bustling ________ (eat) where the fishy fare is served in cones of butcher's
paper.
45. Several spoke out against the harshly ________ (right) tone of the original motion.
46. Elections are essential for the ________ (sustain) of parliamentary democracy.
47. ________ (similar) is consequently difficult, particularly as the minority groups

experience considerable hostility.
48. Growth and ________ (mature) of vascular plants are often controlled by light,
usually in conjunction with temperature.
49. The practice of meditation and ________ (temple) is life-long, reflecting this daily
process of repentance and change at heart.
50. The new policy only serves to ________ (accent) the inadequacy of provision for the
homeless.
51. Pressure was applied with cool precision: women had discovered that to ________
(step) male dominance was to avoid destructive rage.
52. I found your book absolutely ________ (thrall)!
53. Listen to both sides and you will be ________ (light), heed only one side and you will
be ________ (night).
54. Bertha, exaggerating the seriousness of the affair, thought it ________ (charlatan) to
undertake a post without knowledge and without capacity
55. I write this down ________ (verb), for much the same reason I took notes in college.
56. She came to the party wearing a(n) ________ (land) costume and blond wig.
57. Opposition leaders said they would try to stage nationwide protests, but previous
opposition rallies have met only ________ (warm) support.
58. She gave me some friendly advice without a trace of ________ (descend)
59. It's that ________ (patron) tone of hers that I can't bear.
60. And then, to the audience's ________ (mystic), the band suddenly stopped playing.
61. The ________ (conspire) of the assissination of the president was brought to light in
time.
62. The report is critical of attempts by________(official) to deal with the problem of
homelessness.
50
63. The system of counties was essential to Frankish government, and a count could
wield considerable power, particularly in ________ (far) regions.
64. Jaubert had been a reasonable man to work for, had never asked her to do anything
illegal or ________ (taste)
65. Darwin's theory of evolution was a(n) ________ (shed) dividing the old way of
thinking from the new.
68. For twenty-five years he ________ (pain) amassed evidence to support his
hypothesis.
69. He felt out of place, a(n) ________ (conform) in a society where conformity was
highly prized.
70. She unveiled the picture with a(n) ________ (ceremony) gesture.
71. Travellers may be ________ (inquire) about the world, but they also travel to make
discoveries about themselves.
72. Both Hathor and her potential victims became ________ (exceed) drunk and merry,
so she failed at her task.
73. Operation Rescue was an organization notorious for its ________ (front) tactics and
its implacable opposition to abortion under all circumstances.
74. A(n) ________ (face) approach to sustainable construction is required for use by
policy - makers, practitioners and civil society.
75. Wage control is the ________ (corner) of the government's economic policy.
76. She's ________ (fail) cheerful no matter what the circumstances.
77. Instead of just ________ (moan) your fate, why not do something to change it?
78. For users, they are still expensive ________ (add) features and come with their own
set of integration problems.
79. Foreign observers also accused the authorities of widespread ________ (practice)
80. ________ (type) images of women are used to legitimise male dominance.
81. It will ________ (legal) sex - far from helping girls resist pressure, it will help boys
bully girls into sex.
82. Mongolia, although poor, has considerable ________ (tap) resources of oil and
minerals.
51
83. Towards the end of the ________(infant) period the child is becoming more
perspicacious.
84. It would be ________ (ingenuity) on our part to pretend ignorance of our book's
impact, both in sales and controversy.
85. I think I must have known ________(conscience) that something was going on
between them.
86. If evolution has________ (wire) into us a belief that there are objective moral
obligations, then we will believe that there are
87. You want clothes that are stylish as well as practical, versatile, ________ (task) and
low maintenance.
88. His failures ________ (line) the difference between theatre and film direction.
89. In other words, subcultural cleavage has attenuated and cultural ________
(homogeneous) has extended from structural orientation into policy orientation.
90. As the inspector and others came in, she regarded them ________ (disdain),
seemingly unconcerned about her capture.
91. The concert hall itself reminds one ________ (play) of reproduction art deco and is
also acoustically first-class and adaptable.
92. She didn't want to confront the ________ (escape) fact that she would have to sell the
house.
93. He made a fortune buying ________ (run) houses and fixing them up to sell.
94. Business schools, who currently dominate entrepreneurship teaching and research,
________ (compartment) knowledge into functional boxes.
95. Idealism was deeply________ (credit) by the failure to prevent the outbreak of the
Second World War
96. We will reform principal local councils into a(n) ________ (unit) system based on
natural communities and the wishes of local people.
97. Since ________ (regulate), banks are permitted to set their own interest rates.
98. These years witnessed the ________ (integrate) and destruction of the English
peasantry.
99. This was really a(n) ________thought, and I reproved myself often for the simplicity
of it. (whim)
52
100. There seems to be a(n )________ (satisfy) demand for more powerful computers
PRACTICE TEST 2
1. A portion of the proceeds will be ________. for providing school fees for poor
children for the coming academic year. (mark)
2. The administration ropes in all educational institutions, government offices, public

sector ________ and universities for the purpose of mobilising funds. (take)
3. Contraception is less ________ or affordable in South America. (cure)
4. Both toxic and ________ potentials are properties of all drugs. (cure)
53
5. While learning has changed for students in this new century, we are ________ by the
boundless opportunity presented in our lifetime. (bold)
6. It does not become an economic ________ but it does become a ‘newly industrialized
country’, like Malaysia, Taiwan and South Korea. (power)
7. We believe that the most effective enforcement tool is self-policing and ________
(strain).
8. It is possible to humanely raise and slaughter a variety of food animals, including

________ poultry and beef cattle. (range)
9. Most of this feature includes behind-the-scenes video ________ of the crew working
and goofing off. (foot)
10. Together they forged a(n) ________ intellectual climate that has profoundly shaped
my career. (vigour)
11. We will investigate the tradeoffs among data ________, data hiding capacity, and
probabilities of extraction errors in different applications. (perceive)
12. This is a(n) ________ thriller that promises to deliver. (page)
13. Death, from this perspective, seems unproblematically universal, a simple, irreducible
fact of our nature, ________ the same across all societies and throughout time (yield)
14. Of course there is a(n) ________ between such advantages of large cells and the
disadvantages of slower cell multiplication. (trade)
15. Today we look at claims that in Queensland, the regime that looks after the most
vulnerable people, the infirm elderly, and ________ adults, is failing. (capacity)
16. Scholars have tried to make a case for ________, competitiveness, and selfishness as
innate human trait. (acquire)
17. The judge ruled that Newman's comments were not a(n) ________offense. (act)
18. She was a very selfish, ________ bad-tempered little girl. (agree)
19. Before creating this sculpture, she studied all the masterpieces of classical ________
(antique)
20. He claims that the laws are ________ and have no contemporary relevance. (antique)
21. I fretted and sweated as they stalked in and stared around with that ________,
accusatory look of all cops everywhere. (approve)
54
22. A good teacher can encourage ________creativity. (art)
23. She's ________ and knows how to get round her parents. (art)
24. Most ________ or totalitarian regimes are nonconstitutional. (authority)
25. One encouraging feature of period-instrument performances in recent decades has

been a growing concern with reliable and ________editions. (authority)
26. It is essential that there is a(n) ________ (author) use of the confidential information.
27. He thought back to the ________ days of his childhood. (care)
28. They gave him a(n) ________ assurance that he would not be hurt.(category)
29. They are taking ________measures to safeguard their forces from the effects of
chemical weapons. (caution)
30. Their ________ greetings did not seem heartfelt. (ceremony)
31. The full costume is only worn on important ________ occasions. (ceremony)
32. Utilitarian notions in the social sciences are not enough for even providing a(n)
________ framework for grasping what actually happens. (concept)
33. It once seemed ________ to everyone that men should travel to the moon. (conceive)
34. The procedure is in strict ________ with standard international practices.(conform)
35. The present economic policy is a(n) ________ of the earlier one. (continue)
36. An historical awareness also imparts a sense of________(continue).
37. Last month's elections saw a ________ in power of the country's socialist party.
(continue)
38. It's very ________ to find out that your own team members have been lying to you.
(courage)
39. Do you believe in the ________ powers of the local mineral water? (cure)
40. She has an artist's ________ eye. (discriminate)
41. The government enacted laws to protect women from ________employment practices
(discriminate)
42. Maria loved both the children. There was never a hint of ________ (favour)
55
43. They often are involved in the hiring and dismissal of employees but generally have
no role in the ________ of personnel policy. (form)
44. An agreement on the ________ of a new government was reached on June 6. (form)
45. There are people who want to ________ you and grind you down. (humble)
46. The discussions reached a new level of ________ and by lunchtime the exchanges
were becoming very heated. (intense)
47. ________ and specialization in agriculture, especially in the vineyards, gave rise to
commercial exchange and opportunity for profit and saving. (intense)
48. Areas near the frontier were rough and ________ in the old days. (law)
49. It is ________ for a teacher to inflict corporal punishment on pupils. (law)
50. The relation of politics and economy is a ________ of historical gradual progress.
(master)
51. A builder from South London, McAvoy was the ________ of the robbery (master)
52. Photographs and ________ that cover the walls and fill several display cases
chronicle the foods this area is famous for. (memory)
53. The three countries have signed a(n) ________ pledging to work together. (memory)
54. Olympic gold medalist Ekaterina Gordeeva is writing a(n) ________ about her life
with Sergei Grinkov, her late husband and figure-skating partner.(memory)
55. Her first defeat was an early lesson in ________ (humble).
56. They cannot forget the ________ they suffered at the hands of their oppressors.
(humble).
57. Sales have slowed down quite ________ (mark).
58. To the untrained eye, the two flowers look ________ similar. (mark)
59. Always check the ________ before you buy a secondhand car (mile)
60. The invention of the wheel was a(n) ________ in the history of the world. (mile)
61. One ________ lapse in concentration could prove fatal. (moment)
62. It was in Glasgow, however, that many ________ events were taking place. (moment)
63. Guy was greedy, ________, obsessed with power and self-gratification. (moral)
56
64. Capital punishment was regarded as inhuman and ________ (moral)
65. Since their interest in the past was primarily ________, precise knowledge of actual
events and when they happened was not required. (moral)
66. A couple of victories would improve the team's ________enormously. (moral)
67. You become ________ when things are not going your way and you can't really see a
way out of it. (moral)
68. To the audience's ________, the band suddenly stopped playing. (mystical)
69. Electric-powered cars are still something of a ________ (novel)
70. Comparisons are simpler to make when ________ data is presented in diagrammatic
form and conclusions are easier to draw from it. (number)
71. ________ pictures have been deemed to contribute to a hostile environment (object)
72. Personal disinterest in a programme content will help your ________ in assessing its
potential for your public relations purposes. (object)
73. To say that the ________(observe) of this custom or law is sacrilegious or illicit must
be regarded as ________ (error).
74. Recent developments in biology have made it possible to acquire more and more
precise information concerning our genetic ________ . Scientists can even today identify
a number of genetic disorders that may cause illness and disease. (make)
75. Since 1990 the price of sugar has tended to fluctuate more wildly than any of the
other four commodity groups, and has almost ________ been the most expensive relative
to 2002-2004 prices. (vary)
76. A dozen international poverty and development organizations published a report last
week on the impact of building new coal power plants in countries where a large
percentage of the population lacks access to electricity. The report’s conclusions are
strikingly ________: on the whole, building coal power plants does little to help the poor,
and often it can actually make them poorer. (intuition)
77. The scandal surely ________ the end of his political career. (sign)
78. He gained ________ for being difficult to work with as an actor. (notorious)
79. Tre Transformer is quite intriguing. It is ________ one of the best movies of the year.
(doubt)
57
80. Her hip has been ________ for quite a while, and she'll probably need surgery on it.
(trouble)
81. Her latest novel is a(n) ________ thriller, set some time in the late 21st century.
(future)
82. The new policy only serves to ________ the inadequacy of help for the homeless.
(accent)
83. Successful candidates will be required to ________ an induction programme. (take)
84. Radio 4 also announced a new ________ of Primo Levi’s short story collection The
Periodic Table, starring Henry Goodman and introduced by Janet Suzman, to be
broadcast in 12 episodes of varying lengths this spring. (drama)
85. In the UK, the ratio of people of working age to people over 65 could fall from 3.7 to
1 in 1999 to 2.1 to 1 in 2040. This suggests a very big increase in the ________ ratio and
is consequently a cause for concern because with current spending pension commitments,
it will place a higher burden on the shrinking working population. (depend)
86. The UK government has already made tentative steps to raise the retirement age and
increase the role of private sector pensions. These policies will make an ageing
population more ________ (manage).
87. Ian Darkin of One Traveller, which specialises in offering holidays for mature single
travellers, says: “The new generation of ________ (retire) aren’t sitting at home knitting.
Their keenness to experience other countries and cultures is ________ (diminish) with
age.”
88. The UN Security Council unanimously adopted a(n) ________ calling for a halt to
hostilities. (solve)
89. Environmental degradation is ________ (character) as any change or aggravation to

nature’s turf seen to be pernicious or ________ (desire).
90. The United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction describes
environmental degradation as the ________ of the limit of the earth to meet social and
environmental destinations, and needs (less).
91. Humans have destroyed a tenth of Earth’s remaining ________ in the last 25 years
and there may be none left within a century if trends continue, according to an
authoritative new study. (wild)
92. Technology has been lauded as a way to free up time for us, yet the reality of an all-
consuming medium often does the reverse. New innovations bring with them a host of
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________ consequences, ranging from the troubling to the downright depressing. Social
media makes us lonely. Too much screen-time makes teenagers fall behind their peers.
And at the more feeble end of the spectrum, many of us have walked into an obstacle
while texting. (intend)
93. Zombies are archetypal monsters from the bottom of the uncanny valley, with their
dead eyes and ________ faces (express).
94. The terrible scenes were indelibly ________ on his mind (print).
95. Phyllis Schlafly, the ________ conservative activist who helped defeat the Equal
Rights Amendment in the 1970s, has died. (speak)
96. The results ________ poor hygiene as one cause of the outbreak. (imply)
97. The country’s economic crisis had a(n) ________ effect on world markets. (settle)
98. The piece, which had been affected by centuries of ________ and grime, was
brought back its former glory by seven conservators from the museum's Hamilton Kerr
Institute. (colour)
99. The company has established total ________ over its rivals. (supreme)
100 Despite fighting between the government and SPLA rebels, citizens will be allowed
________ (hinder) access to humanitarian aid via "tranquility corrid.
CLOZE TEXT
Part 26.
A few countries, mainly in the south, have large herds of elephants that are growing in
number and are rapidly exceeding the (1)________ of game reserves to sustain them. In
most other countries, mainly in the centre of the continent, elephants are (2)________ but
extinct. The lines of conflict are (3)________ by this division. Countries with big and
growing herds push for culling and trade in elephant products. Those (4)________
favour a ban on trade in ivory.
For environmentalists, the answer is to (5)______ elephants from overpopulated to

underpopulated areas, can help to ease the pressures to cull and stops the bitter clashes
(6)________ what to do. However, this is often just too expensive.
The only real (7)________ lies in the opening up of large new elephant rangelands by
dropping the fences of game reserves and joining them up with other protected areas,
including those in adjacent countries. This would create new homelands for thousands of
elephants at a (8)________ of the cost. In fact, one such trans-frontier park was opened
early this year. between South Africa and Botswana in the Kalahari. The governments of
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South Africa, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Mozambique have agreed to (9)________ up
two more trans- frontier parks in areas (10) ________ high elephant congestion.
Part 27.
The advertising industry is suffering from a brain drain because an increasing number of
senior executives find the strains of the job (1)_______ with family life, a survey shows.
Stress counsellors say more mature staff are voting with their (2)_______ because they
are disillusioned by poorer pay and less fun since the spendthrift heyday of the late
Seventies. Rather than pursue a place on the board, many choose alternative but less
lucrative jobs as (3)_______ as furniture-making and alternative medicine, which enable
them to spend more time with their children.
Experts from the institute say their 2001 census of the 14,000 advertising employees in
Britain raises (4)_______ over a lack of experience in senior positions. There was a
danger that unless companies made greater efforts to retain experienced staff, they may
lose (5)_______ with the "grey market" as the population grew older.
Hamish Pringle, the institute's director general, says: "It bothers me that by definition this
means the industry has very few people with any significant business experience. There
are people advising clients on multimillion-pound decisions who are really very wet
behind the (6)_______. You've got to ask yourself whether that is really good for the
business."
He says increasing numbers of men and women tired (7)_______ by the dual demands of
desk work and essential socialising in the London-dominated industry are leaving around
the age of 40 to achieve a healthier balance between work and home life.
Part 28.
Sports psychology is the science of behaviour (1)_______ to exercise and sport

participation. With levels of competition rising ever higher and differences between
competing athletes being measured in fractions of a second, increasing numbers of
sportsmen and women are using sports psychologists to help them gain a competitive
(2)_______. During the past decade major national organizations addressing the area of
sports psychology have emerged. Parallel increases have been apparent in the number of
books on the topic, but there is a (3)_______ between the large amount of publicity about
the field and the relatively few trained professionals around. Until now it has been a
comparatively unknown area academically, however, in the (4)_______ of the next few
years, with a rising number of universities offering specialist training, this (5)_______ of
affairs will be resolved as more and more people take up the profession in earnest.
Part 29.
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The research in the University of Leicester Department of Media and Communication
examines interest in celebrities and gossip about them. It was carried out by Dr Charlotte
De Backer who (1)_______ in her study to explain interest in celebrity culture.
She said: “Life is about learning, (2)_______ experience and in that process we have a
tendency to observe and mimic the actions of others. Ideally we mimic what makes
others successful and (3)_______ unsuccessful actions others have trialed (and paid for).
“In reality, humans seem to have the tendency to mimic the overall behavior pattern of
higher status or more successful others.
“This explains why celebrities act as role models for broad (4)_______ of behaviour they
display - good or bad.”
Dr De Backer also examined another theory for interest in celebrity, known as the
Parasocial Hypothesis. In this (5)_______, the bonds are parasocial, or one-way because
the celebrity reveals private information (often involuntary), and the audience members
respond emotionally to this, but there is no feedback of the private life of the audience
going to the celebrity (or hardly ever), and (6)_______ do celebrities display emotions
towards their audience
Her study of 800 respondents and over 100 interviews confirmed that younger
participants showed greater interest in celebrity gossip, even if it was about celebrities
who were a lot older than them and even when they did not know the celebrities. They
showed greatest interest in internationally (7)_______ celebrities, because they
considered those as more prestigious.
Her study also found that older people were interested in celebrity gossip not because
they wanted to learn about the celebrities, but because it helped them to (8)_______
social networks with other people.
“We did find in the interviews that older people do not gossip about celebrities as
(9)_______ because they want to learn from them or feel befriended with them, but they
use celebrity gossip to (10)_______ with real - life friends and acquaintances.
Part 30.
How far should members of the public have to run the risk of personal harm where
scientific or technological innovation is (1)_______? In some legal systems, incuding
European Union law, the (2)_______ of the precautionary principle is a statuory
requirement. The precautionary principle advises society to be cautious about a
technology or practice where there is scientific uncertainty, ignorance, gaps in knowledge
or the likelihood of (3)_______ outcomes.
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This runs (4)_______ to the optimistic notion that any adverse effects that arise
unintentionally can be addressed. (5)_______, some claim these may provide an
opportunity to develop new solutions, and in this way contribute to economic growth. For
this reason, the US Chamber of Commerce dislikes the precautionary approach and
prefers the use of sound science, cost – benefit (6)_______, and risk assessment when
assessing a particular regulatory issue. Its strategy is therefore to : ‘Oppose the domestic
and international adoption of the precautionary principle (7)_______ a basis for
regulatory decision making.’ Yet history (8)_______ us that asbestos, halocarbons and
PCBs seemed like miracle substances at first, but turned out to be highly problematic for
human and environmental health.
Part 31.
Our biological clocks govem almost every aspect of our lives. Our sensitivity to stimuli
(1)_______ over the course of the day, and our ability to perform certain functions is
subjects to fluctuations. Consequently, there is an (2)______ time for tasks such as
making decision: around the middle of the day. Anything that (3)_______ physical co-
ordination, on the other hand, is best attempted in the early evening. What is more , there
is a dramatic drop in performance if these activities are carried out at other times. The
risk of accident in a factory, for example, is 20% higher during the night (4)________.
Primitive humans lived their lives in (5)_______ with the daily cycle of light and dark.
Today we are firmly convinced that we can impose schedules on our lives at (6)_______.
Sooner or later, however, we pay a price for ignoring our natural rhythms. A good
example is jet lag, caused when we confuse our body's biological clocks by
(7)_______several time zones, people suffering from iet lag can take several days to
(8)_______ to new time zones, and have a reduced ability to make decisions, which is a
wonying thought, as serious (9)_______ of judgment can be made, And this may be just
the tip of the iceberg. An increasing number of people suffer from seasonal affective
disorder (SAD), a form of depression that can be triggered by living in artificial
conditions. SAD can be serious, and sufferers, may (10)_______ need to take
antidepressant drugs.
Part 32.
In cities around the world a wide range of schemes is being instigated to promote
environmental awareness. ‘It’s just as easy to (1)_______ of litter properly as it is to drop
it on streets’, says the city councillor, who has called on the government to mount a
concerted campaign to deal with the problem of litter. It’s just a question of encouraging
people to do so as a (2)_______ of course. Once the habit is ingrained, they won’t even
(3)______ they are doing it. After all, think what we have achieved with recyclable waste
in the home. People have become accustomed to doing this, so it doesn’t (4) ______ to
them that they are spending any additional time in the process. Only if they have to carry
62
this waste for some appreciable distance to find a suitable container do they feel they are
(5) ______. Most people know they should behave in a responsible way and just need (8)
(6)_______ to do so. So a quirky, light – hearted gimmick might be enough to change
behaviour. With this in (7) _____, the city of Berlin is introducing rubbish bins that say
‘danke’, ‘thank you’ and ‘merci’. It might just (8)_______ the trick in this city, too.
Part 33.
One of the strongest influences on teenagers today is that of their peers. What their
friends think, how they dress and how they act in class and out of it (1)_______ the
behaviour of nearly every teenager. In their (2)_______ not to be different, some children
go so (3)_______ as to hide their intelligence and ability in case they are made fun of.
Generally, teenagers do not want to stand out from the (4)_______. They want to fit in, to
be accepted. In psychological terms the importance of peer pressure can not be
overemphasized. There is a lot of evidence that it has great (5)_______ on all aspects of
their lives, from the clothes they wear, the music they listen to and their (6)_______ to
studies, to their ambitions in life, their relationships and their (7)_______ of self-worth.
However, as adolescents grow up into young adults, individuality becomes more
acceptable and in their (8)_______ for their personal style, the teenager and young adult
will begin to experiment and be more willing to (9)_______ the risk of rejection by the
group. Concern about intellectual ability and achieving good exam results can dominate
as the atmosphere of competition develops and worries about the future (10)_______ any
fears of appearing too brainy.
Part 34.
As medical science progresses, we are becoming an increasingly elderly (1)_______ and,

although living to a ripe old age can only be a good thing, it brings with it a large number
of problems that we have yet to deal with properly. One (2)_______ problem is that the
burden of financing care for the elderly seems to be (3)_______ on a reduced percentage
of the working population. The gradual but steady trend (4)_______ smaller families is
likely to result in a smaller number of people to pay for the requirements of an
increasingly elderly population. The services needed by the elderly appear to have
stretched to breaking (5)_______. Nursing homes, homecare, meals on (6)_______ and
so on all need more investment if we wish our elderly to live as fulfilled and independent
a life as possible. Young people today are encouraged to start saving with personal
pension (7)_______ as early as possible to ensure an adequately financed retirement,
since it is predicted that state pension levels in the future will not be enough to guarantee
a (8)_______ of the lifestyle they have become accustomed to. But we still have to cope
with an expanding older population who are discovering too late that the (9)_______
they had taken to guarantee an income for their later years were not sufficient. Obviously,
the (10)_______ on public funds to subsidize this shortfall is enormous.
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Part 35.
Our ultimate escape from whatever life has thrown at us during our waking day is sleep.
Nature’s healer lowers our eyelids and (1)_______ us with the comforting blanket of
unconsciousess. Every night we are given a period in which our bodies and minds can
recuperate and (2)_______ us for the trials and demands of the following day. As we all
know, our subconscious controls our quiet periods, taking our (3)_______ on journeys
consisting of events and half-remembered thoughts from our conscious hours. Our
journeys are usually fragmented patterns of sensations and pictures, sometimes pleasant,
sometimes harrowing.
These periods of (4)_______ and dreams are essential for our health and well-being but
an increasing number of people today suffer from an inability to enjoy this necessary
form of escape. Insomnia affects a high proportion of us and this frustrating, debilitating
malady can have dire results. The insomniac wades (5)_______ his waking hours in a
fog. Creative thought can be deadened, reflexes slowed and sensations dimmed. If this
ability to sleep lasts for more than a week or two, what is known as chronic insomnia
(6)_______ in, sometimes causing severe depression and leaving the sufferer unable to
cope with daily life.
Part 36.
Throughout history people of all cultures have (1)_______ to their dreams as a means of
finding solutions to problems or answers to specific questions. Nowadays it may seem to
be a forgotten art, but controlled dreaming is increasingly being advocated as a means of
tapping (2)_______ the causes of deep – rooted problems. The procedure, known as
“incubating a dream”, is not difficult and almost anyone can develop the habit of
focusing on a specific question before (3)_______ off, in the hope that the subconscious
will provide enlightment. Answers may come in the (4)_______ of symbols or events and
may not be immediately obvious, but with guidance and practice, almost anyone can do
it.
Many dream enthusiasts have gone a step (5)_______ and perfected a technique known
as ‘lucid dreaming’. This (6)_______ training your mind to stay awake while dreaming
in order to coherently experience the dream and even control it. Most of us are familiar
with the kind of dream where we know we are dreaming, but being able to do it at
(7)_______ and having the capacity to influence events in the dream is a subtle art. This
technique has been shown to be a useful way of facing up to one’s fears, insecurities,
doubts or negative (8)_______. Conversely, lucid dreaming can be a kind of wish
fulfilment, opening up unlimited (9)_______ within the imagination, empowering the
dreamer in a way that can be carried over into waking life as an additional (10)_______
to one’s self-esteem or feelings of well-being.
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Part 37.
Some current evidence (1)_______ that dreams may serve no useful psychological or
physiological function, and perform no adaptive role in maintaining our psychological
health. In fact, some researchers believe that dreams are merely an evolutionary by-
product of sleep (2)_______ with a gradually awakening consciousness in human beings
– a developmental cognitive achievement assigned to the healthy functioning of a
complex neural network located in specific (3)_______ of the forebrain.
Nevertheless, the way dreams reflect our emotional preoccupations or run (4)_______ to
our awakened states of consciousness may explain why, throughout history, dreams have
been (5)_______ to various uses. For example, in many societies dreams would be used
by shamans or witch doctors as a means to diagnose or cure illnesses, or to (6)_______
off evil spirits. Occasionally, dreams would be used to predict the weather or (7)_______
prophecies. In modern times dreams have been used by psychotherapists as a means of
understanding the patient’s (8)_______ of mind, or simply to induce him or her to talk
about repressed feelings. Dreams may (9)_______ be used socially, as an ice-breaker, or
as a way for some people to express fantasies. But there are emergent functions, coming
(10)_______ as a result of dreams rather than causing them.
Part 38.
A few generations ago, a university education could only be aspired (1)_______ by an

elite minority. In the last few decades, however, a change has slowly but (2)_______
been taking place and prospective students who, a century ago, would have known that
even a basic education was beyond their (3)_______, can now look forward to gaining a
degree in higher education. Universities have been (4)_______ into places not only of
learning, but also of business and are (5)_______ out on a regular basis their finished
product – the graduate.
However, degree – holders are still faced with a problem. What used to be a passport to
employment is no longer a (6)_______ of success. And (7)_______ so: there are so many
graduates on the job market these days that it would be impossible to employ them all.
Were employers able to do (8)_______, everyone would surely be a great deal happier.
Consequenty, a number of schemes have been set up in order to help and advise those
(9)_______ who have been unable to find work. The matter of further education is still
(10)_______ that needs attention.
Part 39.
There has been a significant (1)_______ in entertainment trends over the last twenty
years or so. Entertainment used to be public; now it is becoming more and more
65
(2)_______. Formerly, people wanting to amuse themselves did so in groups; these days,
people (3)_______ entertain themselves on their own.
Long, long ago, there were storytellers. They used to travel around the country and their
(4)_______ was awaited with eager anticipation. In the more (5)_______ past, people
used to have musical evenings, they used to play games together, or simply sit around the
fire and chat.
Nowadays, instead of playing board games in a group, children play video games alone
or with one (6)_______ person. People of all ages spend their evenings alone watching
televisions, videos and DVDs. And large numbers of young (and not so young)
enthusiasts spend their free time surfing the net, which, by its very (7)_______, tends to
be a solitary activity.
Forms of entertainment have always been changing of course, but it could be said that
these recent changes – all products of technological development – (8)_______ a more
fundamental shift. One could (9)_______argue that this shift is symbolised by the
earphones that are in evidence everywhere. Can this deliberate attempt to (10)_______
out the rest of the world really be called entertainment?
Part 40.
An Italian academic, Giorgio Stabile, has (1)_______ to light the fact that the ubiquitous
symbol of Internet era communication, the @ sign used in email addresses, is (2)_______
a 500-year-old invention of Italian merchants. He claims to have stumbled on the earliest
known example of the symbol’s use, as an (3)_______ of a measure of weight or volume.
He said the @ sign (4)_______ an amphora, a measure of capacity based on the terracotta
jars (5)_______ to transport grain and liquid in the ancient Mediterranean world. The first
known (6)_______ of its use occurred in a letter written by a Florentine merchant on May
4, 1536. The ancient symbol was uncovered in the (7)______ of research for a visual
history of the 20th century. Apparently, the sign had made its (8)_______ along trade
routes to northern Europe, where it took on its contemporary accountancy (9)_______:
“at the price of”. According to Professor Stabile, the oldest example could be of great
value as it could be used for publicity (10)_______ and to enhance the prestige of the
institution that has it in their possession.
Part 41.
These days, there is a growing band of 'shoestring renovators' who, in a (1)_______

where finance is hard to come by, are scaling (2)_______ their refurbishment plans and
coming up with imaginative ways to transform their homes. Extra money is in short
(3)_______ so things are done (4)_______ the cheap - not in a nasty way but in a way
that makes use of materials that other people don't want. Sarah and her husband are an
66
example of this way of a (5)_______ budget: the loan on an old cottage they bought was
reduced by the bank so they had no choice but to do most of the work themselves.
Sarah spent every spare minute for a year painting and decorating. She sourced materials
and furniture from eBay and recycled friends' unwanted possessions. Do-It-Yourself,
however, is not (6)_______ its hazards: Steve, Sarah's husband, (7)_______ himself out
cold for two hours by hitting his head on a low beam above the front door. Another time,
they only just (8)_______ to save their new kitchen furniture from being ruined after a
mains water pipe burst. However, the upside is that the project has opened up a new
(9)_______ for Sarah - people have seen her work and have suggested she start up her
own home-styling business. And the cottage next door is for sale so more creative
furniture sourcing could lie just around the (10)_______ !
Part 42.
Many students in the UK consider doing a gap year before going to university. Critics
(1)_______ whether it is a just a long glorified holiday or if it's really worth doing. Does
it actually help students in their careers? Some educational establishments (2)_______
encourage students to take a gap year and recommend that students take advantage of the
opportunities (3)_______. However, most of them would prefer it if the students did
some (4)_______ of voluntary work instead of just having a holiday. There are numerous
organisations which organise these trips for students and it's a good idea to (5)_______
them out online. One of the main advantages is that it's a great way to get to know more
about different cultures and, for many, it is also a painless way to learn another language
by speaking to local people. Volunteers who stay in local homes say that they get the
chance to experience local culture and customs and, in (6)_______, to try a variety of
food which they wouldn't (7)_______ have tried. When I was 18 years old, I had set my
(8)_______ on going to work in Africa for a year, but unfortunately my parents wouldn’t
let me go and (9)_______ that I went to university immediately. I'm 49 years old and still
haven’t had my gap year! Maybe one day I'll get (10)_______ to doing it.
Part 43.
Violence is alive and well on television. Yet there appears to be a difference in the
quality, variety, and pervasiveness of today’s televised violence. Some observers believe
that, as a result of more than three decades of television, viewers have developed a kind
of (1)_______ to the horror of violence. By the age of 16, for example, the (2)_______
young person will have seen some 18,000 murders on television. One extension of this
phenomenon may be an appetite for more varied kinds of violence. On the basis of the
amount of exposure, certain things that initially would have been beyond the (3)_______
have become more readily accepted.
67
Violence on TV has been more prevalent than in recent years, in (4)_______ measure
because there are fewer situation comedies and more action series. But also because some
25 million of the nation’s 85 million homes with television now receive one of the pay
cable (5)_______ which routinely show uncut feature films containing graphic violence
as early as 8 in the evening.
The evidence is (6)_______ so overwhelming that just as witnessing violence in the

home may contribute to children learning and acting out violent behavior, violence on TV
and in the movies may lead to the same result. Studies have shown that a steady diet of
watching graphic violence or sexually violent films such as those shown on cable TV has
caused some men to be more (7)_______ to accept violence against women. Not only
actual violence, but the kind of violence coming through the television screen is causing
concern. One of the principal developments is the increasing sophistication of the
weaponry. The simple gunfight of the past has been augmented by high-tech crimes like
terrorist bombings. Programs in the past used the occasional machine gun, but
(8)_______ weapons as the M-60 machine gun and Uzi semi-automatic have become
commonplace today on network shows.
Many people are no longer concerned about televised violence because they feel it is the
(9)_______ of the world. It is high time that broadcasters provided public (10)_______
on TV screens that would warn viewers about the potentially harmful effects of viewing
violence.
Part 44.
Over the last century the world has become increasingly smaller. Not geographically, of
course, but in the (1)_______ that media, technology and the opening of borders has
enabled the world’s citizens to view, share and gain access to a much wider range of
cultures, societies and world views. In this (2)______ pot that the world has become,
today’s child is privy (3)_______ facets of the human experience that his immediate
predecessors had no inkling even existed. It (4)_______ to reason that in order to absorb,
configure and finally form opinions about this information-laden planet, children must be
supplied with certain tools. (5)______ in this list of ‘tools’ are: education, social skills,
cultural awareness and the acquisition of languages, the most important of these being the
latter. Until recently, a child who had the ability to speak more than one language would
have been considered a very (6)______ entity. This one-language phenomenon could be
attributed to a combination of factors. One of them is that the monolingual environment
in which a child was raised played a strong role, (7)_______ did the limited, biased
education of the past. With regard to immigrants, the sad fact was that non-native parents
tended to withhold the teaching of the mother tongue so that the child would acquire the
‘more prestigious’ language of the adopted country. Nowadays, the situation has
(8)_______ an almost complete reversal. In the majority of North American and
68
European countries, most children are given the opportunity to learn a second or even a
third language. Children acquire these foreign languages through various and diverse
means. In many countries, learning a foreign language is a compulsory subject in the state
school (9)_______. Other children rely on language schools or private tuition to achieve
their goal. In other instances, children are (10)_______ to bilingual parents, who, if they
so desire, may teach the children two languages.
Part 45.
Our daily lives are largely made up of contacts with other people, during which we are
constantly making judgments of their personalities and accommodating our behavior to
them in (1)_______ with these judgments. A casual meeting of neighbors on the street, an
employer giving instructions to an employee, a mother telling her children how to
behave, a journey in a train where strangers eye one another without exchanging a word -
all these involve (2)_______ interpretations of personal qualities. Success in many
vocations largely depends on skill in (3)_______ up people. It is important not only to
such professionals as the clinical psychologist, the psychiatrist or the social worker, but
also to the doctor or lawyer in dealing with their clients, the businessman trying to outwit
his rivals, the salesman with potential customers, the teacher with his pupils, (4)_______
to speak of the pupils judging their teacher. Social life, indeed, would be (5)_______ if
we did not, to some extent, understand, and react to the motives and qualities of those we
meet; and clearly we are sufficiently accurate for most practical purposes, although we
also recognize that misinterpretations easily (6)_______ - particularly on the part of
others who judge us! Errors can often be corrected as we go (7)_______. But whenever
we are (8)_______ down to a definite decision about a person, which cannot easily be
revised through his 'feed-back', the inadequacies of our judgments become apparent. The
hostess who wrongly thinks that the Smiths and the Joneses will get on well together can
do (9)_______ to retrieve the success of her party. A school or a business may be saddled
for years with an undesirable member of staff, because the selection committee which
interviewed him for a quarter of an hour (10)_______ his personality.
Part 46.
Can you feel your anxiety and stress levels increasing every time you get caught in a
traffic jam? Do you find it difficult to control your tongue when your boss points out your
shortcomings yet again? Do you (1)_______ for state-of-the-art technology in your home
that you haven’t had to pay for? If you are shouting an enthusiastic “Yes!” in answer to
these questions, then it could be (2)_______ to make a career and life change that may
not even require you to quit your job.
Working from home is a relatively new phenomenon, but is becoming an increasingly

popular (3)_______ with both businesses and employees. The technology available to us
69
means that we no longer need to be in the same office building as our colleagues to
communicate effectively with each other. Companies may choose to employ a proportion
of their staff as home-based workers, as, of course, a workforce set up in such a way
requires far less office (4)_______ and fewer parking facilities. The fixed costs of a
business can be dramatically reduced. Employees can enjoy the added benefits of
freedom to schedule the day as they choose and freedom to spend more time at home
with their families. We can even go so far as to say that the working-from-home
phenomenon could be one of the answers to the pollution problems which the modern
world has inflicted upon (5)_______. Fewer people travelling to work every day equals
fewer cars. Fewer cars, of course, (6)_______ to lower CO2 levels in the atmosphere.
But what are the drawbacks to working at home? For many of us, work is a means of
(7)_______ our nearest and dearest and making our own mark on the world. The
relationships we have with our colleagues are a significant part of our life - after all, full-
time workers spend a third of their day in their workplace. Some people who work from
home feel that they are actually much more (8)_______ and can get tasks done in a much
shorter time than in an office environment. Others, however, may be demotivated by the
isolation and find it difficult to get down to tasks which have a more intangible deadline.
As with most aspects of life, a (9)_______ is probably the best solution for the majority
of workers – a job based at home which requires regular contact with colleagues at
regular meetings. Management surveys show that successful business is easier if we
operate as a (10)_______: brainstorming and sharing ideas and offering support and
motivation to each other. After all, we are only human and we need others to complain to
if we have a bad day at work!
Part 47.
Beauty is the (1)_______ of a thing or person that gives you pleasure. Inner beauty refers
to psychological factors, such as intelligence, kindness, compassion, and honesty. Outer
beauty, or physical attractiveness, refers to factors such as looks, health, youthfulness,
and symmetry.
Is the ability to define physical or psychological attractiveness innate or learned ? Is

beauty objective or subjective? There is some (2)_______ that the sense of beauty is
subjective and culturally relative. The popular saying “beauty is in the eye of the
(3)_______” tells us that different people have different opinions about what is beautiful.
For example, most Westerners consider a woman with a wide mouth attractive, while
many Chinese regard a woman with a small mouth as beautiful. During part of China’s
history, women with big feet were considered to be ugly. Traditional Chinese foot-
binding was (4)_______ to keep a woman’s feet tiny and thus “beautiful”. To people in
70
the modern world, the foot-binding of women was painful, horrible, and ugly. These two
examples suggest that some ideas about beauty are learned and (5)_______ to change.
On the other hand, research indicates that a preference for beautiful faces (6)_______
early in a child’s development. A small child plays with facially attractive dolls longer
than with facially unattractive dolls. Children innately pay attention to the beauty of
nature.
People from various cultures and periods of time may have slightly different ideas about
beauty. Nonetheless, they usually share many (7)_______ of beauty. A kind, honest, and
intelligent individual is attractive. So is a healthy, youthful person with a mathematically
(8)_______ face and a well – proportioned body. The appreciation of many aspects of
both inner beauty and outer beauty is innate.
Many aspects of beauty have been valued throughout human (9)_______. Our notion of
beauty is innate, though that innate sense may be (10)_______ by the environment.
Part 48.
Early civilisations, as (1)_______ to merely primitive early societies, seem to have a

common positive characteristic in that they change human (2)_______ of things. They
bring together the cooperative efforts of large number of people, usually bringing them
together physically in large agglomerations.
Civilisation is usually marked by urbanisation. It would be a bold individual was willing

to draw a precise (3)_______ at the moment when the balance tipped (4)_______ a dense
pattern of agricultural villages clustered (5)_______ a religious centre or a market to
reveal the first true city. However, it is perfectly resonable to say that more than any
(6)_______ institution has provided the critical mass which produces civilisation.
Inside the city, the surpluses of wealth produced by agriculture made possible other
things (7)_______ of civilised life. They provided for the upkeep of a priestly (8)_______
which elaborated a complex religious structure, leading to the construction of great
buidings (9)_______ more than merely economic functions, and in due (10)_______ to
the writing down of literature.
Part 49.
The average citizen is bombarded with TV commercials, posters and newspapers

advertisements (1)_______ he goes. Not only this, but promotional material is constantly
on (2)_______, with every available public space from shop to petrol station covered
with advertising of some kind. People who are foolish enough to drive with their
windows open are likely to have leaflets advertising everything and anything thrust in at
them. The amount of advertising to which we are (3)_______ is phenomenal, yet
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Wadvertisers are being hurt by their industry’s worst recession in a decade and a
conviction that is in many respects more frightening than the (4)_______ and busts of
capitalism: the belief that advertising can go no further. Despite the ingenuity of the
advertisers, who, in their need to make advertisements as visually as attractive as
possible, often totally obscure the message, the consumer has become increasingly
cynical and simply blanks (5)_______ all but the subtlest messages. The advertising
industry has therefore turned to a more vulnerable (6)_______: the young.
The messages specifically aimed at children are for toys and games – whose promotional
budgets increased fivefold in the 1990s – and fast food, which dominate the children’s
advertising market. However the main thrust of advertising in this area is no longer
(7)_______ traditional children‘s products. Advertisers acknowledge that the commercial
pressures of the 1990s had an extraordinary effect on childhood: it is now generally
believed that the cut-off (8)_______ for buying toys has been falling by one year every
five years. Research suggests that while not so many years ago children were happy with
Lego or similar construction games at ten or eleven, most of today’s children (9)_______
them at six or seven. In effect, the result is the premature (10)_______ of children.
Part 50.
The game of solving difficult puzzles has always filled people with the feeling of a
profound excitement. No (1)_______, then, that the fascination of treasure hunting has
invariably been associated with the possibility of (2)_______ the most improbable
dreams. According to what the psychologists claim, there is a little boy in every treasure
hunter. Yet, the chase of hidden valuables has recenlty become a serious venture with
amateur and professional seekers equipped with highly sophisticated (3)_______ like
matal detectors, radars, sonars or underwater cameras.
What (4)_______ the adrenaline level in these treasure - obsessed fanatics are legends,
myths, old maps and other variety of clues promising immeasurable fortunes (5)_______
beneath the earh's surface or drowned in the ancient galleys.
For many reasure hunters the struggle of hint searching is even more stimulating than
digging out a treasure (6)_______ composed of golden or silver objects, jewellery and
other priceless artefacts. The job is, however, extremely strenuous as even the most
puzzling clues must be thoroughly analysed. Failures and misinterpertations (7)_______
quite frequently, too.Yet, (8)_______ the most unlikely clue or the smallest find is
enough to reinforce the hunter's self - confidence and passion.
Indeed, the delight in treasure finding doesn't always depend on acquiring tremendous
amounts of valuables. Whatever is detected, (9)_______ it a rusty sundial or a marble
statue, brings joy and (10)_______ after a long and exhausting search.
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LEXCICO – IDIOMS – PHRASAL VERB

A. apologetically B. grudgingly C. shamefacedly D. discreetly

A. deviation B. digression C. detour D. departure

A. of late B. for now C. in a while D. shortly

A. laugh B. smile C. grin D. chuckle

A. in one go B. there and then C. at a stroke D. on and off

6. We are not in a ________ hurry so let’s have another coffee.

A. dashing B. racing C. rushing D. tearing

A. world B. dumps C. heart D. bottom

A. faint B. gut C. slight D. vain

A. glorified B. tainted C. fraught D. bewildered

A. milestone B. springboard C. highway D. turning point

A. beyond B. over C. above D. onto

A. comes B. approaches C. arrives D. strikes

A. by leaps and bounds B. from time to time

C. slow but sure D. by hook and crook

15. Drug-taking is a crime which society simply cannot _________.

A. approve B. acknowledge C. consent D. condone

A. tight B. stiff C. hard D. solid

17. The whereabouts of the exiled president remains a _________guarded secret.

A. highly B. closely C. deeply D. entirely

18. We should all_________when advertisers attempt to use unfair practices.

A. make a stand B. make a comeback

C. make amends D. make a deal

A. validity B. liability C. compensation D. privilege

A. book B. instructions C. principles D. method

21. Recent defeats have _________his confidence in himself as a player

A. undermined B. disable C. impeded D. hampered

A. volume B. mass C. force D. bulk

A. fragile B. frail C. faint D. feeble

A. fantasies B. daydreams C. illusions D. deceptions

A. exacerbated B. developed C. augmented D. contributed

26. I'm in a bit of a _________ as to what to wear to the wedding.

A. loss B. quandary C. problem D. bewilderment

27. The problem _________because neither side was prepared to compromise.

A. amassed B. escalated C. proliferated D. enhanced

28. The Red Cross is ___________ an international aid organization.

A. intriguingly B. intrusively C. intrinsically D. intrepidly

A. sighing B. gasping C. panting D. blowing

30. My brother found it impossible to _________his anger and started shouting.

A. restrict B. inhibit C. reserve D. contain

A. minute B. careful C. painstaking D. minuscule

A. acknowledge B. reconcile C. concede D. allow

A. last B. tend C. keep D. tide

A. scrimping B. scavenging C. scouring D. scrounging

A. through B. over C. together D. off

36.This is the _________timetable for the conference. It may change later

A. conditional B. indefinite C. provisional D. indeterminate

A. gleam B. wink C. flicker D. flash

A. trend B. frame C. attitude D. tendency

A. repressive B. prohibitive C. restrictive D. exclusive

A. exert B. absorb C. endeavour D. deploy

41. In times of _________ unemployment figures usually rise dramatically.

A austerity B severity C sobriety D. gravity

42. The delight in treasure finding doesn’t always ________acquiring tremendous

A. dwell on B. poke around C. lay about D. hinge upon

43. Let’s _________ the place, it looks so gloomy and unpleasant .

A. miss B. abandon C. depart D. disappear

A. connection B. affinity C. relation D. reference

46. 1. It was a fantastic film. I enjoyed it _________.

A. endlessly B. unendingly C. without end D. no end

A. outlasted B. outdated C. outgrew D. outwore

A. depths B. profundities C. bottoms D. holes