CLOZE TEST

TEST 1
THE CONCEPT OF EVOLUTION
Charles Darwin did not invent the concept of evolution. When he was a student in Edinburgh in
the late 1820’s, evolution was already the (1) _____ of the town. But evolution was rejected by
the establishment. Those who (2) _____ to evolutionary thinking were called Lamarckists, after
the French scientist Jean-Baptiste Lamarck who was the first to propose that species are not
static, but change over time and give (3) _____ to new species. Lamarck had offer this (4)
_____ in a book published in 1809. He did not, however, propose a correct mechanism for (5)
_____ species change into each other. The mechanism was discovered first by Charles Darwin
and independently by Alfred Russel Wallace. From reading the economist Thomas Malthus,
Darwin was aware of the consequences of (6) _____ growing populations. Once resources
become limiting only a (7) _____ of individuals can survive. Darwin was also an (8) _____
observer of animal breeders. He analysed their methods and studied their results. Slowly he
understood that nature like a gigantic breeder.
1. A. talk B. story C. gossip D. tale
2. A. combined B. cohered C. adhered D. abode
3. A. occasion B. evidence C. raise D. rise
4. A. perspective B. perception C. prospect D. incentive
5. A. all B. how C. now D. once
6. A. expressly B. exponentially C. exquisitely D. exclusively
7. A. friction B. division C. section D. fraction
8. A. agile B. arduous C. ardent D. amorous

The word processor and the calculator are without a (1)...................

shadow of a doubt here to stay, and
in many respects our lives are much richer for them. But teachers and other academics are
claiming that we are now starting to feel the first significant wave of their effects (2).................
upon/on
a generation of users. It seems nobody under the age of 20 can spell or add up any more. Even
several professors at leading universities have (3).....................
commented on the detrimental effect the
digital revolution has had on the most intelligent young minds in the country. The problem,
available
evidently, lies with the automatic spellcheck now widely (4)...................... on word processing
software. Professor John Silver of Sydney University, Australia, said: «Why should we
(5)..................
bother to learn how to spell correctly, or for that matter to learn even the most basic of
the mathematical sums, when at the press of a button we (6)...................
have our problem answered
for us. The implications are enormous. Will the adults of the future look to the computer to
decisions
make (7)...................... for them, to tell them who to marry or what house to buy? Are we
incapable
heading for a future individual (8)....................... of the independent human thought?

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TEST 2
A popular character in the nation’s top television soap opera is (1)……… for something of
which she was probably innocent. Having been (2)……… guilty of a series of fraudulent acts,
she contemplates months of incarceration. A good storyline, but wait! Within hours the
television station is being (3)……… with calls of protest. A national newspaper soon
(4)……… up a campaign to have her freed. Thousands of T-shirts are printed with slogans
(5)……… for her release. Offices and factory floors (6)……… to the sounds of animated
debate. It is even mentioned in Parliament. It’s easy to (7)……… off such idiocies as ‘a bit of
fun’, but there’s surely a more serious side. A fair proportion of viewers were obviously
(8)……… in by the story to such an extent that their perception of fact and fiction was clearly
(9)……… Everywhere, millions will (10)……… over their seven-day TV guide to get a
preview of the week’s soaps. If a character is (11)……… to be past his or her sell-by date, and
the decision has been taken to (12)……… him or her out, possibly to have them (13)………
off in spectacular fashion, viewing figures are likely to soar by up to twenty-five per cent. A
life-threatening fire can be (14)……… upon to add millions to the ratings. A major wedding
can find half of Britain sitting (15)……… to the screen! It’s all very strange.
1. A. put B. imprisoned C. sentenced D. charged
2. A. arrested B. called C. found D. discovered
3. A. bombed B. attacked C. streamed D. inundated
4. A. opens B. starts C. puts D. establishes
5. A. demanding B. calling C. insisting D. sounding
6. A. echo B. ring C. fill D. deafen
7. A. laugh B. smile C. take D. put
8. A. thrown B. carried C. indulged D. taken
9. A. blurred B. hampered C. tampered D. glossed
10. A. flick B. go C. pore D. sit
11. A. decided B. resolves C. deemed D. suspected
12. A. write B. cast C. sort D. work
13. A. ridden B. taken C. driven D. killed
14. A leaned B. construed C. relied D. improved
15. A. swamped B. stuck C. paralysed D. glued

TO SLEEP OR NOT TO SLEEP

Are you one of those people who toss and turn all night, unable to (1) ______________
go to
sleep? Although many people who have sleeping problems, (2) ____________
either chronic or
occasional, automatically reach for the sleeping tablets when they see a difficult night (3)
___________ of them, there are a number of so-called “folk” remedies which are not only
cheaper but also much safer in the long run. Most people have tried having a hot drink such as
milk or (4) ____________ of a number of commercially available herbal infusions before going

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to bed, but there are other, (5) ____________
even well-known remedies, which can help you on
your way to a restful night’s sleep. One usual (6) ____________
unexpectedly effective technique involves
not warmth, (7) ______________
as you might think, but cold. Before going to bed, run very cold
water for several minutes over your forearms and legs from the knee (8) ___________,
below then dry
yourself quickly and hop into bed. You will find yourself feeling totally relaxed and drowsy.
Another unusual approach has to do with eating or, to (9) ____________ be more precise,
chewing. Take a large apple, wash it and eat it slowly, (10) ___________ particularly care to
be
chew the peel thoroughly. Chewing is not only relaxing in (11) _____________,
itself but the peel of
the apple contains a natural substance (12) _______________
which induces relaxation. Meditation,
stretching, walking and (13) ____________
books reading are also effective for many people. Clearly,
there are many ways to avoid the pillpopping route and (14) _____________
to enjoy a good
night’s sleep. Then again, if all (15) ___________
has fails, you could always try counting sheep!

TEST 3
As time (1) ……… passes , the power of newspapers seems to be on the (2)……… This is odd

because in the relatively (3)……….. past people were predicting that the influence of the
written word would diminish in (4) ………... proportion to the rate of increase of the spoken
word and moving image through TV and video. As people whole-heartedly (5)…............. the
Internet, cable and satellite television, why don’t we see newspaper (6)……........ out? How
have these organs survived, let alone (7) ………, particularly on a Sunday? Why don’t people
who have watched a football match live on the small screen (8) …....... the wisdom of rushing
out the next day to read a (9) ……... version of it in four or five columns ? Why would anyone
who has seen a film and formed a (10) ……… impression of it the following day read a review
of the (11) ……. film in a newspaper? To see if s/he is right? Isn't that what friends are for?
Don't we have colleagues for just that purpose - to see if our ideas on any (12) …….. song, film
or program tally with others'? What is this product that (13) …….. of not much more than
outrageous headlines, wayward comment, subjective editorials and hyperbolic sports pages still
doing in our lives? It seems for the time (14) …….. to be leading a charmed life. When it
finally goes, though, many may come to mourn its (15) …… .
1. A flies B passes C goes D drags
2. A increase B rise C expansion D build
3. A latest B distant C immediate D recent
4. A exact B direct C precise D equal
5. A embrace B view C agree D win
6. A going B decreasing C dying D declining
7. A flourished B bloomed C flowered D rooted
8. A press B question C ask D increase
9. A curtailed B cut C reduced D potted
10. A vivid B colored C bright D direct
11. A exact B self-same C last D copied

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12. A given B taken C subjected D written
13. A comprises B contains C consists D informs
14. A out B being C given D present
15. A perishing B dying C falling D passing

TIME TO RELAX? HOW

One of the greatest problems with holidays, (1) ______________
usually from the unusual travel
complications and accommodation difficulties, (2) ___________
lower the expectations people have
of (3) ___________.
travelling When we go on holiday we expect to leave all the stresses and strains of
our daily lives (4) ___________
from us. We imagine we will be able to escape to (5) __________
such a
degree that we even tend to believe, consciously or not, that we can change our own
personalities and become completely different people. The average business-person, tense,
preoccupied, shot-tempered, (6) ___________hard to relax, envisages herself/himself
(7)___________,
highly from the moment of locking the office door, a radically different
(8)_____________
type of person: carefree, good-humoured, ready to relax and enjoy whatever
adventures present (9) __________.
them In practice, we take ourselves with us (10) ____________
as
we go, and the personality that is shaped (11) ___________
over years of stress and tension is
almost impossible to shake off (12) ___________
for a moment’s notice. It is no wonder so many
holidays are a disappointment, no (13) ___________
matter how smoothly they go or how lovely the
weather is. In fact, the frequent problems that crop (14) __________
up during the average holiday
are probably a welcome distraction (15) ____________
or the nagging feeling that we are not
enjoying ourselves as much as we should.

TEST 4
QUEEN VICTORIA
Victoria first learned of her future role as a princess during a history lesson when she was 10
years old. (1)__________
After four decades later, Victoria’s governess recalled that the future queen
reacted to the discovery (2)____________
was declaring, “I will be good”. This combination of
earnestness and egotism marked Victoria (3)___________
as a child of the age that bears her
name. (4)____________
It was an era of industrialisation and colonial expansion
(5)_____________ had not happened before. By the end of her reign, about a third of the
known world was (6) ____________
under her rule. (7) _____________,
However the queen herself was
resistant to technological change (8)______________
even when mechanical and technological
innovation was reshaping the face of European civilization. (9)___________ significantly,
Victoria was a queen determined to retain political power; yet she presided (10)____________
over
the transformation of the sovereign’s political role into a ceremonial (11)____________
figurehead and
thus helped to preserve the English monarchy. When Victoria became queen, the political role
of the crown was by (12)__________
no means clear or defined; nor (13)___________
was the
permanence of the throne (14)_____________.
neither When she died, the change in the monarch’s
roles was one of social (15)___________
focus than of political focus.

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 A BLACK DAY FOR SPORT
Appeals were being made last night for Corsicans to come forward and donate blood following
the collapse of the football stadium in Bastia. The tragedy (1) ______ 26 fans dead; the number
of injured has been put at 700.
(2) _____ to eyewitnesses, workers were still tightening bolts on the temporary scaffolding
only an hour and a half (3) _____ the match was (4) _____ to begin, and as fans passed into
the stadium, the structure, which holds up to 10,000, swayed violently and (5) _____ collapsed.
Many of the (6) _____ were given emergency treatment on the pitch while more serious cases
were (7) _____ to hospital on the mainland.
A spokesman from the firm responsible for the stand’s construction could only (8) _____
horrified disbelief. According to him, although some of the bars had collapsed, others should
have (9) _____ the structure, thus preventing it from falling down.
1. A. did B. left C. made D. remained
2. A. With a view B. As far as C. According D. Referring
3. A. before B. until C. since D. after
4. A. up B. about C. bound D. due
5. A. gradually B. actually C. eventually D. definitely
6. A. injured B. wounded C. damaged D. wrecked
7. A. delivered B. trafficked C. travelled D. transferred
8. A. speak B. express C. say D. tell
9. A. supported B. held C. defended D. carried

TEST 5
A MUSICAL CITY
Strolling to the end of Narodni brought us to Wenceslas square, which is really a(n) (1) _____
boulevard, dominated at one end by a(n) (2) _____ statue of the good king in front of the
National Museum. Concerts are (3) _____ there every evening and (4) _____, the audience sits
on the stairs (a(n) (5) _____ feature at other venues) of the museum’s main hall. Wherever you
go in central Prague, you will be (6) _____ bits of paper (7) ______ the virtues of various rival
concerts, which are a feature of this (8) _____ city. Most of the concerts last about an hour and
revolve around the more popular classics. (9) _____ musical evenings take place at St. Francis
of Assisi at the approach to the King Charles’s Bridge. These tend to be a little “heavier”,
however, (10) _____ the work of more serious composers such as Bach.
1. A. extensive B. broad C. ample D. immense
2. A. impressive B. touching C. inspiring D. stirring
3. A. held B. taken C. retained D. contained
4. A. traditionally B. historically C. conventionally D. ordinarily
5. A. normal B. public C. common D. usual
6. A. handed B. passed C. circulated D. provided

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7. A. commending B. applauding C. supporting D. extolling
8. A. vigorous B. virulent C. vibrant D. virile
9. A. Customary B. Typical C. Routine D. Regular
10. A. exhibiting B. featuring C. exposing D. showing

ISLAND LIFE
Life on a small island may (1) __________very
seem inviting to the tourists who spend a few
weeks there in the summer, but the realities of living on (2) __________
what is virtually a rock
surrounded by water are quite different from what the casual visitor imagines.
(3) ______________
Although in summer the island villages are full of people, life and activity, (4)
___________the
when tourist season is over many of the shop owners shut (5) ___________their
down
businesses and return to the mainland to spend the winter in town. (6) ___________Needless to say,
those who remain on the island, (7) ___________
whether by choice or necessity, face many hardships.
One of the worst of these is isolation, with (8) __________
so many attendant problems. When the
weather is bad, which is often the (9) __________
case in winter, the island is entirely cut off; this
means not only that people (10) __________
cannot have goods delivered but also that a medical
emergency can be fatal (11) __________
to someone confined to an island. At (12) ___________
times
telephone communication is cut off, which means that (13) ___________ no word from the
outside world can get (14) __________.
through Isolation and loneliness are basic reasons why so many
people have left the islands for a better and more secure life in the mainland cities, in (15)
spite
__________ of the fact that this involves leaving "home".

TEST 6
THE BBC ENGLISH DICTIONARY
The BBC, in the form of the language-teaching arm of the World Service, and Harper Collins
have joined forces to publish the BBC English Dictionary, “A Dictionary for the World”. It is
(1) _____ at the 120 million listeners to the world service who cannot find the expressions in
(2) _____ dictionaries. (3) _____ on 70 million words broadcast at least ten times a year on the
World Service, the compilers, (4) _____ by Prof. John Sinclair, have included (5) _____
expressions and word usage, without judging whether they are being used (6) _____. Elizabeth
Smith, the BBC’s Controller of English Services, said: “Our language is (7) _____ on
statements by real people, like politicians and (8) _____ which the BBC has accurately
recorded. As broadcasters, we try to use a few idioms and metaphors but only to show that we
(9) _____ in the real world.
1. A. pointed B. directed C. trained D. aimed
2. A. functional B. traditional C. conventional D. partial
3. A. Counting B. Trying C. Drawing D. Bearing
4. A. headed B. chaired C. dictated D. treated
5. A. recent B. current C. nowadays D. late
6. A. correctly B. truly C. sincerely D. finely

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7. A. designed B. made C. formed D. based
8. A. so many B. thus far C. as to D. so on
9. A. inhabit B. live C. stay D. be

A SPORTING GOAL FOR WOMEN

Football is traditionally, a man's sport, but now the women are muscling in on their act, or so
it (1)___________.
appears So many top male footballers have been transferred (2) _____________
an
astronomical sums of money that the game has become more a high-powered business than a
sport. This is (3)______________
when the women come in, more motivated, more interested in the
game (4) _____________
more than in promoting themselves and generally better behaved both
(5)_____________
on and off the pitch, (6) ___________________a
making strong contrast to
(7)______________male
their counterparts' greed and cynicism. Indeed, according to FIFA, the
world football governing body, the future of football belongs to women, and the organisation
has (8) _____________out
carried to actively promote women's football. Perhaps, in
(9)_______________of
spite the fact that women are half the world's population, this is how it
should be. In the USA, many members of national women's football teams are
(10)____________
well known than male footballers, and some professional female players in
(11)________________
both North America and Europe have attracted lucrative sponsorship deals.
Generally, two problems beset women's football: the need to be (12) _______________
acknowledged more
seriously and for more funding to be made available. (13)_____________these
For have been
achieved (14) ______________
successfully with the blessing of FIFA, we should see footballers who are
accessible, co-operative, decent and sporting in (15)________________of
stead the spoiled
mercenary star boys of sport.

TEST 7
ACCESSORIES FOR SALE
Made of good quality cowhide, this unisex belt bag is ideal for travelling or any other energetic
outdoor pursuit where it is beneficial to have both hands (1) _____. Compact and lightweight,
the bag (2) _____8”x 4 ½” and fits up to a 41” waist. The main zipped section, and a flapover
compartment with pop fastening are large enough to (3) _____ sunglasses, a passport, a small
camera and more. There is also a small zipped pocket (4) _____for coins. Available in black,
navy and brown for $15.50, (5) _____ is included. Our slim, hideaway travel wallet is (6)_____
to slot over a belt and sit securely in position under trousers or a skirt. Features (7) _____ a
strong stitched band, a full length zipped pocket for notes, travel cards etc, and a small zipped
section which is ideal for postage stamps or a key. Measuring a compact 7” x 4”, this (8) _____
black leather wallet is available for only $ 5.95. Return within seven days for a (9) _____ if not
completely satisfied.
1. A. free B. lose C. available D. loose
2. A. weighs B. measures C. counts D. rates
3. A. contain B. hold C. include D. take

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4. A. suitable B. appropriate C. able D. enough
5. A. transport B. sending C. delivery D. conveyance
6. A. proposed B. planned C. designed D. aimed
7. A. include B. contain C. comprise D. embrace
8. A. refined B. intriguing C. neat D. subtle
9. A. compensation B. refund C. repayment D. guarantee

BEWARE OF VITAMINS!
Vitamins are good for our health, aren't they? Perhaps not. New research suggests that rather
than ward off disease, high doses of certain vitamins may (1) ___________ more harm than
good and could even put you in an early grave. A variety of recent studies suggest that
(2)____________ from improving health, these vitamins, (3) ____________ taken in very high
doses, may actually increase the risks of cancer and a range (4) ______________ debilitating
diseases, a discovery that has sent the medical world into a spin. Scientists are unsure
(5)______________ to why vitamins, so essential to health, can be toxic in high doses. The
most likely explanation is that the body is only equipped to deal with the levels found naturally
in the environment. If the intake is too far (6)____________ the normal range, then the body's
internal chemistry can be shunted out of alignment. (7) ______________ this means is that the
commercially sold vitamins and (8)______________ provided by nature are not always
compatible. The commercial forms may interfere with the body's internal chemistry
(9)______________ 'crowding out' the (10) ______________ natural and beneficial forms of
the nutrients. The vitamins obtained (11) ______________ food are also allied
(12)______________ a host of other substances which may moderate (13) _____________
augment their activity in the body. The latest advice (14) _____________ to eat a balanced diet
to ensure you get all the nutrients you need, and if you must take supplements make
(15)_______________ you take the lowest recommended dose and follow the instructions on
the bottle.

TEST 8
HAIR-RAISING FACTS
Panic is rising among hair stylists in Denmark. Some of those who often colour, perm or
highlight hair- 125 stylists in all- are complaining (1) _____ symptoms which may indicate
brain damage. Authorities have been forced to investigate, and it appears that many stylists are
(2) _____ from memory loss, nausea and frequent headaches. The reason is that the chemicals
(3) _____ produce harmful fumes. The hairdressers’ unions are funding investigations into the
problem. However, scientists are (4) ______ because the quality of chemicals used is not
enough to be harmful. Many stylists are now worried, so Denmark has (5) _____ strict
regulations. Manufacturers must now list all the chemicals contained in the products. (6) _____
ventilation must be provided in hairdressing salons and clients will wear a special perm-helmet,
(7) ______ the fumes away from the stylist. All of Europe will have to (8) _____ these new
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regulations. At the moment, everything is still at the committee stage, but soon the
revolutionary perm-helmet will be worn in all salons. Final decisions will be (9) _____ when
hairdressers’ unions meet in Brussels to discuss the problem.
1. A. from B. about C. of D. because
2. A. experiencing B. suffering C. impaired D. injured
3. A. operated B. consumed C. exploited D. used
4. A. sceptical B. thoughtful C. doubtful D. scornful
5. A. introduced B. launched C. passed D. initiated
6. A. Abundant B. Surplus C. Ample D. Plenty
7. A. guiding B. leading C. turning D. directing
8. A. apply to B. comply with C. follow d. fulfil
9. A. introduced B. done C. made D. given
DANGERS OF TECHNOLOGY
Much has been heard recently about possible health hazards, including memory loss and brain
tumours, from the use of mobile phones. With the possible half a billion mobile phones in
(1)___________
use throughout the world, in Britain (2)____________
alone , one person in four owns
one, (3) _____________
which is worrying enough, even if, so far, no concrete evidence has come to
(4) ____________.
light One study by Dr. Alan Preece and his team at Bristol University has shown,
however, in a report in the International Journal of Radiation Biology, that tests on
volunteers demonstrated no effect on (5) _____________short-term
such memory or attention
span. Subjects (6) ____________exposed
were to microwave radiation for (7)________________to
up
thirty minutes, but the one noticeable effect was positive (8)________________than
rather negative;
the subjects reacted more rapidly in one test (9)______________awith visual choice. One
explanation of (10) ______________is
which that following the transmissions, a warming of the
blood led to increased bloodflow. For the experiment, places were chosen where the signal was
good and the microwave dose light, and then where the signal was poor and the dose
(11)_______________
much higher. The subjects were tested for recall and mental alertness
(12)___________
with exposure to microwaves characteristic of analogue phones, digital phones or
no phones at all, without knowing (13)______________
that they were exposed to. It is, of
course, early days (14) ___________
yet and the sample may not be large (15)___________
enough to
generalise from. More research needs to be done.

TEST 9
ANCIENT ADORNMENTS
To some, the wearing of jewellery for adornment may appear self-indulgent. If
(1)____________,
so it is a self-indulgence common to all ages and all places. (2)__________
From
prehistoric times crude necklaces and bracelets were (3) __________
being fashioned from leather or
reeds and strung with berries, pebbles, feathers, shells or animal bones, and decorative thorns or
sharp bones were used (4) ___________
as clasps. They may have complemented the caveman's
fur outfit (5) ___________
or been worn as part of a religious ceremony, to indicate superior rank
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and even as amulets to ward off bad luck. Gradually, ivory, wood and metal took over from
(6)___________
less durable materials, and ears, noses and lips (7) _____________
were pierced for the
insertion of ornaments. (8) ____________ 3500 BC, the discovery (9) ______________
By that gold
heated with fire could be pounded into thin sheets and shaped (10) _______________
into objects
had revolutionised jewellery-making. Similarly, silver, copper and bronze were now being
used. In the late 2000s BC the Egyptians began inlaying jewellery with glass, enamel and
precious gemstones, some of (11) _____________
which were believed to possess magical properties
or bring the wearer good fortune, (12) _____________
both now and in the afterlife, as mummies
were adorned with them. Slightly later, the Greeks (13) _____________
went in for fine filigree
metalwork, twisting gold into intricate patterns and rarely using precious stones.
(14)______________,
These later were reinstated by the Romans, who (15) ____________
may have been
the first to use jewelled rings as engagement tokens.
APPALACHIA
Steep green wooded hills with alpine meadows (1) _____ to their sides stretched away for as
far as the eye could see. Before me a sinuous road led down to a valley of rolling farms
(2)_____ out along a lazy river. It was as perfect a (3) _____ as I had ever seen. I drove through
the soft light of dusk, (4) _____ by the beauty. This was the heart of Appalachia, the most
(5)_____ impoverished region of America, and it was just inexpressibly beautiful. It was
strange that the urban professionals of the eastern seaboard cities hadn’t (6) _____ an area of
such arresting beauty, filling the dales with rusticky weekend cottages, country clubs and fancy
restaurants.
1. A. holding B. clinging C. seizing D. embracing
2. A. spread B. stacked C. stood D. sat
3. A. set B. scenery C. setting D. scenario
4. A. digested B. absorbed C. dissolved D. immersed
5. A. severely B. strictly C. sharply D. harshly
6. A. possessed B. encamped C. overtaken D. colonised
HOLLYWOOD
Image is paramount in Hollywood. You drive a car that (7) _____ of money, you wear clothes
that scream success. You eat, if you can possibly wangle your way in, at the currently hip
restaurants and embarrasing (8) _____ in order to be seated at the right table. Even then you
can’t really relax because you can’t eat what you want. Hungry? Forget it! Eating lots in LA
isn’t cool. You pick at delicate, fashionable food, (9) _____ juice and mineral water. Smoke at
your (10) _____. It’s stressful, it’s tacky, and thousands of starry-eyed hopefuls (11) ______ off
buses coming in from all over the States, just to be a part of it. The glamour, the money, the
sunshine, the celebrities – most people’s (12) _____ of the American dream.
7. A. remarks B. suggests C. speaks D. tells
8. A. disturbance B. scene C. drama D. performance
9. A. dribble B. quench C. sip D. dab

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10. A. risk B. peril C. harm D. danger
11. A. pack B. clear C. speed D. pour
12. A. belief B. thought C. idea D. sense
NO BREAKS ON SKY
Sky offers three dedicated movie channels with a choice of over 450 movies to watch each
month. Once you (13) _____ down to watch a film there are no interruptions from (14) _____
breaks during the films on any of the three movie channels-and subtitles are available for most
movie premieres. Films are also (15) _____ at different times during the week, so you can
(16)_____ one at a time to suit you. It also means you can continue to watch a film at a later
date should you not (17) _____ to have enough time to see the whole film at one sitting (or you
(18) _____ off!)
13. A. drop B. settle C. ease D. slide
14. A. sponsored B. marketing C. commercial D. advertised
15. A. replayed B. reviewed C. rescheduled D. repeated
16. A. make B. catch C. attend D. join
17. A. happen B. succeed C. enable D. occur
18. A. nod B. fall C. slip D. go
TEST 10
A DYING ART
"Read a book? There must be something better to do." This phrase is heard more and more
frequently (1) ______________not only the desire but also the incentive to read declines. Young
people nowadays are provided (2) _______________ too many alternatives
(3)_______________ reading for them to find a justification for actually sitting down and
opening a book, let (4) ___________ curling up in a chair for the afternoon to enjoy a good long
read for the pure pleasure of it. Even in schools, where books have been the standard
(5)______________ of storing and transmitting all types of knowledge for centuries, they are
(6) ________________ supplanted by the tools of the video and computer revolution.
(7)________________ bother to turn a page when by tapping a button or touching a screen the
(8) ______________ information can be flashed before your eyes within seconds? Even the act
of reading (9) ______________ is being "revolutionised" by the advent of portable walkman-
like devices which (10) _______________ store and display the texts (11) _____________
innumerable books without the reader (12) ________________to turn a page. One wonders
(13) _______________ future generations will ever know the actual, physical pleasures of
reading: the sturdy weight of the book itself, the rough (14) _______________smooth
texture of the paper, the soothing rustle of the pages, and the indescribable scent of old paper
and ink which is much (15) _____________ a perfume to the dedicated reader.

VETERAN FRAUD
Once or twice a year, William Hitt, a house painter, got down off his ladder to play the
(1)_____ of a severely disabled veteran. According to authorities, he often (2) _____ so far as
11
to strap on an arm brace and sit in a wheelchair during visits to the veteran’s association. The
FBI, which began investigating Hitt last year after they were (3) _____ that he was conning the
Department of Veteran affairs into thinking that he was handicapped, estimate that his
fraudulent claims amount to approximately $ 500,000 to (4) _____. Hitt had claimed that a
WW2 injury to his right hand and the subsequent treatment using bone from his leg had left
him disabled. The evidence against Hitt at his trial included photos of him painting and
shopping, and winesses’ (5) _____ that they saw him going up ladders and hauling cans of
paint. Hitt was (6) _____ of 40 counts of fraud and making false statements.
1. A. part B. scene C. cast D. act
2. A. came B. made C. took D. went
3. A. teased out B. tipped off C. taken in D. led on
4. A. date B. present C. period D. time
5. A. statement B. testimony C. proof D. petition
6. A. sentenced B. imprisoned C. convicted D. judged

THE CHILD SUPPORT AGENCY

The principle behind the Child Support Agency is morally and financially (7) _____: men have
a duty to support their children. They must not feel free to walk away and expect the rest of us
to (8) _____ up the bill. But the operation of the CSA is far from perfect: as many as half the
maintenance assessments made last year may have been wrong or invalid, according to an
independent report. The agency has (9) _____ in legitimate arrangements made in court
between divorced and estranged couples, while failing to (10) _____ missing fathers who
proved difficult to trace. However, all this can be (11) _____ to dab management and poor
supervision. Nothing justifies the recent (12) _____ for its abolition.
7. A. clean B. sound C. fit D. worthy
8. A. make B. take C. pick D. settle
9. A. involved B. implied C. indulged D. interfered
10. A. pursue B. preserve C. persist D. prevail
11. A. given over B. tied up C. put down D. handed out
12. A. accounts B. calls C. complaints D. reactions

THE PRESIDENT
Hectic schedules were a way of life in politics and Sanders had pretty well become (13) _____
to taking them in his (14) _____, even though sometimes such as tonight they (15) _____
considerable stress on his mind and physical system. And now, as he frequently did during brief
intervals at such times, he (16) _____ himself by thinking of the ranch near Lander and the
peacefulness of the Wyoming rolling plains. There were times, more (17) _____ of late, when
he found himself wishing he were there permanently. Life there (18) _____ a crispness, an
openness about it, which, once experienced, never let a man forget it, never stopped subtly
pulling him back.

12
13. A. habitual B. adept C. ingrained D. accustomed
14. A. stride B. pace C. step D. tread
15. A. brought B. placed C. set D. bore
16. A. refrained B. comforted C. poised D. eased
17. A. imminent B. incessant C. looming D. recurrent
18. A. knew B. brought C. kept D. had
TEST 11
CHOOSING A LIFESTYLE
Alternative lifestyles have existed in a variety of forms since the beginning of organised
society. (1) ____________
There have always been, and probably always will be, people who feel a
need to escape from the mainstream of society and find a (2) _____________ way to live that
conforms more closely (3) ______________
to their individual tastes and needs. The term
"alternative lifestyle" (4)______________
itself is a by-product of the social revolution of the 1960s
and 70s, (5) ________________
when the "Hippie movement" and (6) _______________
other various
back-to-nature and cultist offshoots were in (7) ______________
their prime, but the concept must
be as old as mankind itself. (8) _____________
it seems evident that in every society there must
Few
have been a (9) _____________ people who found themselves unable or unwilling to accept
the status quo, who felt compelled to seek a better - or at (10) ______________ different - life
out of reach of the restrictions and standards that any society must impose (11) ____________
its members. The monk in his monastery, the hermit in his cave, the solitary "witch-woman"
living (12) ______________ isolation in the forest, must also have been seeking an alternative
(13) ______________ the current standards of acceptability prevalent in their own societies. In
our times the punks, gang-members and followers of cult- leaders are seeking, in their
(14)_____________ ways, to find a life (15) _____________
more suited to their individual needs,
desires and dreams irrespective of the criticism they might draw.
PERFECT RETREATS
Escape summer’s tourist hordes and (1) ______ the wide open spaces of Scotland, Stobo Castle
Health Spa, just 15 minutes from Edinburgh, close to the River Tweed and surrounded by
stunning Border countryside, is a nineteenth century baronial style castle (2) ______ traditional
style with modern comfort. The hotel’s elegant communal rooms include a lounge with huge
squashy sofas and a roaring log fire, while a multimillion pound spa (3) _____ a range of over
seventy different health and beauty (4) _____ and a wide variety of fitness options. Healthy
eating is made easy-meals are calorie-counted but (5) _____. All bedrooms are ensuite and
many have (6) _____ views.
1. A. make for B. set off C. drop in D. pass by
2. A. composing B. comprising C. combining D. constituting
3. A. caters B. offers C. conducts D. runs
4. A. cures B. treatments C. remedies D. cares
5. A. tempting B. teasing C. tasteful D. tender
6. A. side-splitting B. heart-rending C. face-lifting D. breath-taking
13
 SCENE OF THE CRIME
I can imagine two reasons for criminals returning to the scene of their crime: to see if they left
any (7) _____ evidence, or to recapture the thrill or pleasure that doing the deed (8) _____
them- maybe. A third reason, I suppose a (9)_____ one in some cases, is in order to be
(10)_____, accused and captured. The annals of crime are full of examples of return, and
murderers often admit a desire to go back and (11) _____ at the spot, plainly to be (12) _____
and to receive attention. Some crime writers have labelled this desire “guilt fulfilment” but
others, including myself, find this explanation too simplistic.
7. A. culpable B. incriminating C. liable D. offending
8. A. awarded B. indulged C. afforded D. merited
9. A. candid B. factual C. credible D. worthy
10. A. spotted B. viewed C. remarked D. envisaged
11. A. endure B. prolong C. detain D. linger
12. A. captivated B. apprehended C. confiscated D. abducted
SINGAPORE
Singaporeans tend to consider their nation an outpost of progress in an untidy world- a 19 th
century English colonial outlook transposed into a “modern” Asia (13) _____ on hard work and
intelligence. That’s understandable , for Singapore is an object lesson in how to (14) _____
national priorities – and (15) _____ through on them year upon year. From an inhospitable
swampland has (16) _____ a modern affluent city-state-part financial services centre, part hi-
tech manufacturer, part entrepot to its less developed neighbours. Few doubt that, by the end of
the decade, living (17) _____ in Singapore will be on a (18) _____ with those of the developed
world.
13. A. rooted B. grounded C. stemmed D. located
14. A. base B. set C. lay D. place
15. A. get B. lead C. follow D. take
16. A. emerged B. established C. embodied D. encompassed
17. A. measures B. levels C. standards D. rates
18. A. scale B. patch C. term D. par
TEST 12
AN ECONOMIC PROBLEM
Inflation is not a new phenomenon, but one that has existed at various times in various places.
In (1) ____________
its severest form, (2) ____________,
however hyperinflation can destroy a nation's
economy. (3) ______________
this happened in revolutionary France and Weimar Germany,
(4)______________
where bundles of notes were needed to pay for a loaf of bread. But what is
inflation? Briefly, it may be defined (5)____________
as a continual increase in prices affecting
the economy. The rate of inflation is determined (6) by changes in the price level, which is an
average of all prices. When (7)____________
some prices rise while others fall, this will not
14
necessarily affect the price level, as inflation occurs (8) _____________
only if most major prices
increase. The problem with inflation is that it reduces the value (9)__________ of purchasing
power of money, as well as eroding people's savings. Wage increases which are below or equal
(10)_____________
to the level of inflation will result in a declining or static
(11)______________
standard of living for workers, while wage increases above the rate of inflation
will merely stoke the fire for further inflation. So, what can a government do to stop the
process? It can increase taxes, raise interest rates, decrease the money supply, reduce
government spending or set a ceiling (12)______________ on price and wage rises.
(13)_______________none
Why of these is a popular measure is understandable, but if they reduce
inflation (14) _______________ a mild two to four percent per annum, as opposed to allowing
to
it to rise to double-digit severe inflation, it is preferable in the (15)_________________
long run.

THE STILT HOUSE

James’ friends lived in a decrepit stilt house which was one of the lesser properties of a well-
known local politician. It was a rickety (1) ______, which shook as we climbed the stairs.
There were six rooms, clustered around a communal space (2) _____ with cheap shoes and
rubbery slippers. James knocked on one of the doors, which was so flimsy that it swayed on its
hinges at his (3) _____. The door swung open and a slender youth (4) _____ out. James
greeted him effusively. The youth- Jimon- (5) _____ from the door and beckoned us in. the
place was humble. Indeed, it was one step above squalor, which was (6) _____ at bay by what
was clearly a determined effort to keep it clean and tidy.
1. A. layout B. site C. structure D. household
2. A. congested B. littered C. scattered D. dispersed
3. A. push B. touch C. contact D. stroke
4. A. blinked B. glimpsed C. scanned D. peered
5. A. held back B. backed away C. got in D. stood out
6. A. kept B. put C. made D. forced
THE BODY SHOP
Many of the positive aspects of the Body Shop resulted from an initial lack of financial
resources. Big-budget advertising and expensive packaging were out of the (7) ______, but this
in turn meant that products could be sold inexpensively without sacrificing quality. As word
(8)_____ and the range became more successful, all the profits could be ploughed back into the
company to explore new ideas and (9) _____ more products. Limited finance was also the
reason the business was extended by franchise. The owners of franchises were highly
(10)_____ in the company and helped to maintain its energy. Ideas and information were
(11)_____ in the interest of all concerned and (12) _____ of communication were constantly
open.
7. A. perspective B. question C. picture D. frame
8. A. took off B. went away C. got round D. passed on
9. A. contrive B. devise C. originate D. deduce

15
10. A. incorporated B. implicated C. involved D. infiltrated
11. A. pocketed B. pasted C. pooled D. piled
12. A. passages B. channels C. branches D. courses
USING SPACE
Space is the greatest luxury of the modern era. With most of us crowding into towns and cities,
(13) _____ through traffic jams or jostling for elbowroom in packed commuter trains, there is
an (14) _____ need for our personal space to allow us room to relax in comfort and relative
privacy. Space-as in square metres – is expensive. There (15) _____ a point when moving to
gain another bedroom or bigger kitchen becomes financially impossible. The answer is to find
the way to make the most of the space at your (16) _____. There are many small apartments
and houses, for example, that give an appearance of being wonderfully spacious by (17) _____
of being well-organised. Or because sympathetic and sensitive decorative choices work to
dispel any feeling of rooms being (18) _____ or enclosed.
13. A. beating B. battling C. burdening D. bulging
14. A. eager B. utmost C. optimal D. acute
15. A. reaches B. makes C. comes D. passes
16. A. disposal B. control C. discretion D. charge
17. A. manner B. virtue C. effect D. account
18. A. hampered B. laden C. cramped D. jammed

TEST 13 MASKS

Simply defined, a mask is a form of disguise. It is an object that is frequently worn

(1)______________
over or in front of the face to hide the identity of a person and, with
(2)______________ own features, to establish (3) ______________ being. This essential
characteristic concealing and revealing personalities or moods is common (4) ______________
all masks. (5) ______________ cultural objects, they have been used (6) ______________ the
world in all periods (7) ______________ the Stone Age and have been as varied in appearance
as in (8) ______________ use and symbolism. Masks have been designed in innumerable
varieties, (9) ______________ the simplest of crude "false faces" held by a handle to
complete head coverings with ingenious movable parts. Mask makers
(10)______________ shown great resourcefulness (11) ______________ selecting and
combining available materials. Among the items used (12) ______________ woods, metals,
shells, clay, feathers, paper and cloth. The artist is usually sought (13) ______________
for
as a maker of masks (14) ______________ of his known ability to give a visually
expressive (15) ______________ an aesthetically pleasing presentation of the required image.

LIVE AID
It was the Live Aid concert that began the fashion for (1) ______ in famous names to deal with
world catastrophes. With thousands of people dying of hunger in Ethiopia, the Irish pop singer
Bob Geldof (2) _____ the problem by staging a worldwide satellite-linked all-star concert to
16
raise money. His message was admirably (3) _____ of the usual showbusiness hollowness.
“Give us your money” he said, sometimes varying the message to “Give us your money now.”
Though some cynics in the pop press tried to suggest that Geldof had organised the event to
revitalise his (4) _____ career, there could be no serious doubt that his motives were genuine.
Geldof himself was uneasily aware of such jibes but most his fellow stars, like most of the
audience, (5) _____ in this exciting new development by which fame (6) _____ tribute to the
real world of suffering.
1. A. taking B. talking C. moving D. calling
2. A. confronted B. conflicted C. contested D. contended
3. A. lacking B. astray C. blank D. devoid
4. A. falling B. fainting C. forestalling D. flagging
5. A. glamourised B. revelled C. savoured D. relished
6. A. put B. passed C. paid D. posed

MAKE LUNCH A REAL HOUR

A lunchtime break from work provides an essential rest of mind and body, but these days who
can (7) _____ the time? A new survey by Diet Coke reveals that more than two-thirds of us
routinely work through lunch, with women the worst offenders. This obviously impact on
health and is bad news for productivity in the long (8) _____. Most British women snatch just
twenty minutes a day, while men (9) _____ slightly better with 30 minutes. Occupational
therapists warn that this is a worrying (10) _____ and that we are doing neither ourselves nor
employers a favour by (11) _____ breaks short. You work more productively in the afternoon if
you’ve had a change of (12) _____ and a chance to think about something other than work.
7. A. spare B. lapse C. grant D. miss
8. A. stretch B. run C. span D. spell
9. A. surpass B. exceed C. fare D. excel
10. A. scale B. rate C. extent D. trend
11. A. cutting B. running C. taking D. limiting
12. A. view B. prospect C. scene D. sight
CLIMATE CHANGE
Among scientists around the world, the study of our planet’s climate surely (13) ______ as one
of the most highly charged fields of modern inquiry. Humans and all other species on Earth live
– and often die – in direct response to climate. And yet, we’re still (14) _____ for sure answers
to the basic questions about this extraordinarily complex system: How and why does our
climate change? Among scientists and non-scientists (15) _____ many now say that it’s a
(16)_____ that human induced warming threatens to disrupt life on earth. On the other side of
the debate people (17) _____ that such warning is taking place at all. One thing, however,
seems certain: with so much at (18) _____, the debate will rage as long as the evidence is in
any way equivocal.
13. A. maintains B. ranks C. classifies D. holds

17
14. A. striving B. pursuing C. seeking D. attempting
15. A. respectively B. alike C. likewise D. both
16. A. must B. definite C. deal D. given
17. A. decline B. contradict C. deny D. revoke
18. A. peril B. stake C. interest D. doubt

TEST 14

POWERFUL EFFICIENCY
The energy crisis has been with us for some time now, promoting calls for developing a better,
more efficient use (1)______________ our ever-dwindling conventional power sources and the
need to develop new (2) ______________. As regards the latter, nuclear physicists haven't as
(3)______________ come up with a reliable fast breeder reactor or properly regulated nuclear
fission. For solar energy, scientists need to find new (4) ______________ of gathering,
concentration and storage. In (5) ______________, new methods have to be found to recover
the energy contained (6) ______________ liquid and solid wastes. In the meantime, a
top priority is the development of a safe, clean transportation fuel
(7)______________ a replacement for petroleum. (8)______________ power companies were
able to produce it cheaply enough, hydrogen could replace fossil fuels. (9) ______________
fuel cells and solar cells have supplied the power for space programmes, they are
(10)______________ expensive for individual use. Conventional fossil fuels can, however, be
(11) ______________ wisely used than they are at present, (12) ______________ petroleum
and mining engineers developing more economical and eco-friendly methods of extracting oil,
gas and coal from the earth and engineers designing more efficient transportation systems
which (13) ______________ reduce levels of energy in transit as (14) ______________ as
more energy effective power plants and machinery. The watchword, therefore is to develop
new energy sources (15) ______________ conserving and properly managing existing ones.

AUSTRALIAN CINEMA
Thirty years ago, the New Australian cinema (1) ______ the attention of the world with heroic
stories set in the late- nineteenth and early-twentieth centuries. They were tales of the formation
of a national identity, of the recent European settlers’ transactions with their strange new world
and its frighteningly mystical inhabitants. When this vein was (2) _____, local film makers left
home or turned to the problematic present of people living lives of noisy desperation in the
(3)_____ suburbs of the big coastal cities, home to most Australians. As television series, these
cosy, unheroic stories (4) _____ worldwide popularity, but relatively few films of this sort have
found success elsewhere, except for a small handful, among which are these, (5) _____
accomplished and calculatedly theatrical films. They are loving assemblages of conventions
and cliches from musicals of the past, produced with an exuberance that (6) _____ the audience
up in uncritical enjoyment.
1. A. appropriated B. captured C. annexed D. mastered
18
2. A. exhausted B. drained C. emptied D. squandered
3. A. lounging B. stooping C. stretching D. sprawling
4. A. reached B. achieved C. fulfilled D. managed
5. A. deeply B. heavily C. highly D. widely
6. A. sweeps B. lifts C. brushes D. carries
EUREKA!
Recent archeological studies of the isolated region have (7) _____ astounding evidence of
Mesolithic hunter-gatherers, neolithic farmers and even an aristocratic dynasty which populated
the area during the late Bronze (8) _____. The few centuries before the time of Christ saw the
area at its most remarkable. Artefacts, relics and the remains of dwellings, bear (9) _____ to its
importance. An extraordinary sequence of buildings (10) _____ in the erection of a gigantic
wooden structure, at least 40 metres in diameter, which was probably used for ceremonial
(11)______ before it was eventually burnt to the (12) ______ and subsequently covered over
with turf to create the huge mound which is still visible today.
7. A. unburied B. uncovered C. unfolded D. unmasked
8. A. Years B. Period C. Era D. Age
9. A. testimony B. evidence C. witness D. proof
10. A. terminated B. culminated C. finalised D. ceased
11. A. aims B. intentions C. purposes D. targets
12. A. surface B. ground C. earth D. field
AT LIMITED RISK
We believe that there are two types of people who will take the time and (13) _____ to read this
advertisement. In the first category are those unbelievers who, in all likelihood, will think to
themselves, “sounds good, but I don’t think this is for me. I could never manage to do that”.
They then go back to doing the same (14) _____ job that they have (15) _____ been doing for
the past decade or so. Then, there is the second category. This group is made up of those people
who believe in taking (16) _____ but not at the expense of peace of mind. These individuals
carefully (17) _____ the advantages against the disadvantages. You know, those people who
look before making the proverbial (18) _____.
13. A. exertion B. effort C. struggle D. stress
14. A. substandard B. unreliable C. insufficient D. unfulfilling
15. A. distastefully B. reluctantly C. hesitantly D. adversely
16. A. risks B. dangers C. hazards D. stakes
17. A. measure B. weigh C. compare D. count
18. A. jump B. vault C. leap D. spring

19
TEST 15
STILL STAND TALL
The Highlands is an imprecise term for the upland area which covers (1)________________
northern part of mainland Scotland. This area (2) ________________ includes the northern
islands and is known for (3) ________________ mountains, sea, moors, lakes and wide,
exhilarating space. This is (4) ________________ of Europe's last wildernesses, beautiful as
(5) ________________ as imaginative. The north and west of the Highlands,
(6)________________ the mountains and sea collide, exhaust superlatives. South of mysterious
Loch Ness stand the magnificent Cairngorm Mountains, Britain's (7) ________________ land
mass. The Cairngorm Summit is (8)______________to many bird species which are unique
(9)________________ this area. It also offers woodland and cycle routes
(10)________________ some of the last naturally regenerating pine forests
(11)________________ existing in Britain. Famous for (12) ________________ one of the
most popular walks in the Highlands, and (13) ________________ particularly strenuous is
the Lost Valley walk. The Lost Valley is a hidden mountain sanctuary,
(14)________________ to be haunted by the ghosts of the murdered MacDonald clan. This
highly atmospheric trek (15) ________________ fails to inspire awe in its countless visitors.

NEW DEVELOPMENTS
After the war designers could experiment more (1) _____ with materials once regarded as
substitutes – in particular plastics, acrylics and nylon. In 1948, American architect Charles
Eames (2) _____ knowledge gained during the war to design the now ubiquitous Dar chair – a
one – piece moulded plastic seat, (3) _____ by wire legs. However, in this era of optimism
there were a few casualties. The BBC had extended its service with outside broadcasts of major
sporting events, plays, gardening and children’s programmes. With such delights on (4) _____
in their homes, people were increasingly (5) _____ to visit the cinema and as a result the film
industry was struggling. By contrast, the music industry was on the up. “Micro-groove” seven-
inch records, made of unbreakable vinylite, had begun to be produced and for the first time,
consumers could choose from a (6) _____ range of equipment on which to play them.
1. A. copiously B. freely C. loosely D. wildly
2. A. exerted B. allotted C. applied D. practised
3. A. held B. shouldered C. supported D. sustained
4. A. offer B. show C. sale D. approval
5. A. disappointed B. displeased C. disconnected D. disinclined
6. A. wide B. lavish C. plentiful D. excessive

MAKING THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN

Akira Kurosawa’s 1954 classic Seven Samurai is about a bunch of down-on-their luck warriors
who agree to defend a small village from a band of thieves in (7) _____ for three meals a day
and much honour. Since Kurosawa’s (8) _____ influence was the epic Westerns of John Ford,
20
it is ironic that in 1959 Hollywood thought Samurai would make a good cowboy film – and The
Magnificent Seven appeared on the screen. Originally, Yul Brynner was to direct the remark
but after much (9) _____, director John Sturges took the helm. Aside from Broadway actor, Eli
Wallach, Brynner was the only famous name in the movie; Charles Bronson, Robert Vaughan
and James Coburn got their career changing roles by (10) _____ of mouth. Now, in this
digitally rejigged (11) _____, you can find out what happened on the action – filled set via an
exclusive new documentary and see how the film nearly did not become the (12) _____ classic
it is today.
7. A. reciprocity B. trade C. exchange D. substitute
8. A. deep B. major C. large D. most
9. A. argument B. combat C. brawling D. jostling
10. A. talk B. speech C. word D. claim
11. A. edition B. recital C. variety D. version
12. A. idolised B. revered C. sacred D. worshipped

UNUSUAL INSPIRATION
When I was a teenager studying literature, I used to be annoyed by the way my father, a doctor,
would (13)_____ the inspiration for great literature to various illnesses. Leontes in
Shakespeare’s The Winter’s Tale was a “case study” in pathological jealousy. Monet and
Turner achieved their great work because of (14) _____ eyesight, making things (15) _____
blurred, and so on. I realise now that such thinking is characteristic of the (16) _____ that
doctors have for their subject. Thomas Dormandy, a consultant pathologist is no exception to
the (17) _____. He argues in his very (18) _____ book that during the 19 th and much of the 20th
century, tuberculosis was a formative influence on art, music and literature.
13. A. credit B. ascribe C. account D. suggest
14. A. contracting B. failing C. deficient D. short
15. A. hardly B. slightly C. barely D. narrowly
16. A. passion B. vigour C. fury D. emotion
17. A. law B. principle C. ethic D. rule
18. A. informative B. knowledgeable C. informed D. instructed
TEST 16
A MAN-MADE LEGEND
Phoenix-like from amidst the ecological ashes comes a story of hope. At dawn, on a usually
deserted beach on the Greek island of Cephalonia, crowds compete (1) _____________ with
journalists and television crews, gathered together to witness the arrival of something special.
Four years ago, eggs (2) _____________
laid by the rare Loggerhead turtle were found in a nest on
(3) _____________ very beach. It was judged by experts that it was too late in the season for
the hatchlings to have any chance of survival in the wild, so action was (4) _____________
taken The
British charity, Care for the Wild, decided to fly the eggs back to Southampton University and
attempt to hatch them (5) _____________
under special conditions, in incubators. All four eggs
21
hatched successfully and it was decided that when they were four years old, they were
(6)_____________
capable of surviving in the wild. They were returned (7) _____________
to the remote
beach, which remains untouched by the ravages of tourism, and released in front of an
audience of excited well-wishers. An example, (8) _____________you might say, of positive
human intervention in the process of natural selection! (9) _____________,
However their fight for
survival is (10) _____________
far from over. The Loggerhead turtle is one of the most endangered
species of all. It has inhabited the earth for approximately ninety million years and is now
facing a man-made threat which has placed (11) _____________
its survival in a precarious state.
The turtles can live as long as one hundred years but they don't even begin to show
characteristics of their gender until they reach thirty. Effectively, our four heroes will have to
struggle for another quarter of a century (12) _____________
until they begin to fight back and
fulfil some of the hopes invested in them. In (13) _____________
that time, they will be forced to
resist not (14) _____________
only natural threats, but also dangers imposed on them by the fishing
industry and tourist development. Their chances are slim to say the (15) _____________,
least but it
is hoped that their story might raise awareness of the plight of the turtles.

THE ROTHSCHILDS
th
When, in the 18 century, Mayer Anscher Rothschild (1) ____ his studies to join a banking
firm in his native Frankfurt, he took the first steps towards creating one of the most successful,
and most influential banks.
For nearly two centuries, the fortunes of the British Government and those of the bank were
fundamentally (2) _____. Thanks to the Rothschilds, the Duke of Wellington was able to pay
his army in 1814-15 (the bank received a two per cent commission on the deal). Ten years
later, the Rothschilds again came to the (3) _____ when 145 British banks failed, helping
prevent the (4) _____ of the whole UK banking system.
The 19th century Prime Minister, Benjamin Disraeli (5) _____ one of his great coups as buying
enough shares in the Suez Canal to secure Britain a controlling interest – again thanks to a $4
million Rothschild loan. Today, the company (6) _____ among the world’s largest privately-
owned banks, with 40 offices in 30 different countries.
1. A. abdicated B. abandoned C. absconded D. discarded
2. A. bound B. fastened C. bonded D. linked
3. A. deliverance B. rescue C. salvation D. relief
4. A. subsidence B. descent C. collapse D. demolition
5. A. observed B. beheld C. saw D. watched
6. A. ranks B. classes C. ranges D. positions

AN ENGLISH VILLAGE
Down by the river lie the currant and gooseberry bushes – literally the fruit of the potter’s field
– for the loam there is (7) ______ with Roman pottery. Just above, the bit of straight – or the
army path as the Saxon farmers called it – (8) ______ past towards the coast. The heights are

22
crowned with mill sites and within the village proper there exists an empty secondary horse
village, a deserted (9) _____ of packways, stables, harness rooms and tackle. Nothing has
contributed more to the swift destruction of the old pattern of life in Suffolk than the death of
the horse. It (10) ______ with it a quite different conception of time. The old farmsteads ride
high on the hills. They must remain remote unless some huge (11) _____ project thrusts up to
meet them. And this is not likely. Akenfield itself has no development plans and even if
Ipswich’s overspill ever threatened it, it is doubtful if any preservationist society would launch
an (12) ______ to save it. It is not that kind of village.
7. A. splashed B. spattered C. littered D. dispersed
8. A. shoots B. bolts C. dashes D. hurls
9. A. scheme B. collectivity C. entirety D. complex
10. A. drew away B. carried away C. made away D. ran away
11. A. housing B. sheltering C. accommodating D. dwelling
12. A. attack B. effort C. appeal D. order

NOTHING BUT STYLE

Style is now more important than substance or at least more important than skills; that is the
message of a report (13) _____ last month in Britain that questions the (14) _____ employees
project and how it compares to the one a would-be employer wants to promote. It is now more
important to employers that their employees (15) _____ the lifestyle being sold by the
restaurant, café or shop in which they work, than have technical skills. The idea that workers
personify a company has long been an (16) _____ part of management-level jobs, but this
concept has (17) _____ to jobs such as shop assistants and waiters. Employers now rely more
on appearance and accent than on qualifications. So, is getting a job all a (18) _______ of style?
At many coffee houses and restaurant chains, the answer would seem to be yes.
13. A. taken out B. caught out C. worked out D. brought out
14. A. impression B. image C. picture D. notion
15. A. reflect B. expose C. feature D. flaunt
16. A. exceptional B. accepted C. expressed D. observed
17. A. soaked down B. dripped down C. filtered down D. leaked down
18. A. business B. subject C. concern D. matter
TEST 17
FARADAY AND LIGHTHOUSES
Faraday was (1) _____ adviser to Trinity House in 1863, a job he held for almost 30 years. By
the 1830s, he had already made the greatest (2) _____ of his career – including the principle of
the electric motor, the transformer and the dynamo, work that (3) ______ the way for the
development of technologies based on electricity. The research he did for Trinity House was far
less exciting. Over the years, he experimented with different oils, looking for one that would
burn brighter and more (4) _____. He checked out new designs of lamps and made
improvements to the optics. Lighthouse keepers had a lot of problems with water. One which
23
constantly arose was the amount of condensation that ran down the windows of the room at the
top of the tower that (5) _____ the oil lamps. Condensation reduced the intensity of the light
beam and in cold weather the water froze, (6) ______ the light still more.
1. A. applied B. positioned C. appointed D. allotted
2. A. breakthroughs B. breakdowns C. breakouts D. breakaways
3. A. set B. established C. made D. paved
4. A. efficiently B. competently C. capably D. effectually
5. A. encased B. housed C. sheltered D. accommodated
6. A. fading B. lessening C. dimming D. shading

HOW OCEANS MAY HAVE FORMED

Astronomers may have taken a step towards understanding the origins of Earth’s oceans –
thanks to a (7) _____ comet.
All the evidence suggests that when the Earth was formed it was too hot to (8) _____ water. So,
astronomers (9) ______ that the oceans came from comets bombarding Earth shortly after its
formation. However, (10) _____ show that these icy celestial objects contained too much
“heavy” water (one hydrogen atom in the water molecule contains an additional neutron) to be
(11) _____ for Earth’s oceans. Further progress was not made until comet Linear fell to pieces
during late July, 2000 and released more than three billion kilograms of water into space.
Chemical analyses suggest this comet probably contained the right elements for Earth’s oceans.
Astronomers are now searching for more comets like Linear to (12) _____ their ideas.
7. A. decomposing B. disintegrating C. dismantling D. disentangling
8. A. enclose B. hold C. embody D. carry
9. A. proposed B. recommended C. stipulated D. specified
10. A. examinations B. reviews C. dissertations D. studies
11. A. responsible B. liable C. answerable D. accountable
12. A. ratify B. confirm C. certify D. resolve

CADET SCHOOL
The Director nodded, “Yes. Well, we’ve (13) _____ our system over a long period of time, and
we’ve found that home visits just don’t fit into the picture until the cadet is thoroughly oriented
to our (14) _____ of doing things. We say a year merely as a general guide. Sometimes it’s
longer than that. Parents can visit here at (15)_____ times. The Director (16) _____ enquiringly
at Mr. Holston, who tried to think of some more questions but could not. “Actually,” the
Director continued, “the cadets seem to prefer it this way, once they get started. What we’re
(17)______, Mr. Holston, is to motivate them to achieve success, which means success in
becoming a fully oriented member of this community and you can see how home visits might
cause a little (18)_____ in the process.
13. A. written out B. worked out C. phased out D. brought out
14. A. usage B. process C. way D. custom

24
15. A. specific B. distinctive C. characteristic D. distinguishing
16. A. leered B. gazed C. ogled D. gaped
17. A. standing for B. looking for C. hunting for D. making for
18. A. distortion B. disorganisation C. disruption D. distinction
AUSTRALIA’S DOG FENCE
The dog fence is Australia’s version of the Great Wall of China but longer, erected to keep
(1)__________
out hostile invaders, in this (2) ____________
case hordes of yellow dogs. The empire it
preserves is (3)______________
that of the woolgrowers, sovereigns of the world’s second largest
sheep flock, (4)___________
after China’s – some 123 million head – and keepers of a wool export
business worth four billion dollars (5)___________ to the national economy. It
(6)_______________
seems to matter little that more and more people – conservationists, politicians,
taxpayers and animal lovers – say that the construction of such a fence (7) ____________
would never
be allowed today. With some sections of it almost one hundred years old, built
(8)_____________
by bushmen travelling with camels, the dog fence has become,
(9)______________
as must conservationists ruefully admit, “an icon of frontier ingenuity”.
To appreciate (10)_______________
this unusual outback monument and to meet the people
(11)________________
whose livelihoods depend on it, I spent part of an Australian autumn
travelling the wire. For most of its prodigious length the fence winds like a river
(12)______________
across a landscape that, (13)______________
despite heavy rain has fallen, scarcely has
rivers. It marks the traditional dividing line (14)_________________
between cattle (outside) and sheep
(inside). Inside is where dingoes, legally classified (15)_______________
as vermin, are shot,
poisoned and trapped.
TEST 18
FOLKLORE
Folktales have always been a (1)______ of the social and cultural life of American Indian and
Inuit peoples regardless of whether they were sedentary agriculturalists or nomadic hunters. As
they (2)_____ around a fire at night, the hard-working Indians could be transported to another
world through the talent of a good storyteller. The effect was not only (3)_____ from the
novelty of the tale itself but also from the imaginative skill of the narrator, who often added
gestures and songs and occasionally adapted a particular tale to (4)_____ a specific culture.
One adaptation frequently used by the storyteller was the repetition of incidents. The
description of an incident would be repeated a (5)______ number of times. This type of
repetition was very effective in oral communication, for it firmly (6)______ the incident in the
minds of the listeners, much in the same manner that repetition is used today in radio and
television advertising.
1. A. section B. part C. portion D. piece
2. A. joined B. merged C. gathered D. united
3. A. derived B. issued C. stemmed D. ensued
4. A. connect B. blend C. suit D. compare
25
5. A. peculiar B. certain C. typical D. positive
6. A. planted B. allocated C. assigned D. trapped

GOLD
Almost every culture throughout history has valued gold in its various (7) _____ and sought it
as a precious material, either to worship or (8) _____ in. A symbol of power and success, the
desire to own it tends to provoke greed and lust. Its very presence can make or break a nation.
The esteem associated with it has (9) _____ mankind to great lengths to obtain it and the great
gold rushes of the 19th century saw hundreds of thousands die in their attempt to (10) _____ it
rich. Despite declining gold prices and uncertainties in the market, as countries such as
Australia and the UK sell off large (11) _____ of their gold reserves, the desire to find gold is
as strong as ever. In the US, panning for gold has become a huge leisure industry, where once
men (12) _____ and slaved for the glitter of gold, families now take their gold pans and picnics
for a day out. However, for most, gold is still only the stuff of dreams.
7. A. kinds B. forms C. states D. designs
8. A. bargain B. engage C. trade D. handle
9. A. sent B. thrown C. forced D. driven
10. A. hit B. discover C. strike D. make
11. A. helpings B. fractions C. portions D. servings
12. A. exerted B. toiled C. strained D. ground

BEARS
Bears are famous for waking up with sore heads, at least according to popular (13) _____.
Someone who’d disagree with this (14) _____ is Professor Hank Harlow of the University of
Wyoming. He has found that bears wake up raring to go after their winter sleep. “ After 130
days of hibernation, a bear can come (15) _____ out of its den and climb a mountain,” he says.
His team is investigating how bears manage to (16) _____ this trick, in the hope of helping
humans with muscle-wasting conditions. There are a number of possible explanations of how
bears (17) _____ their strength during hibernation. One possibility is that bears sacrifice their
less essential muscles to keep “fight or light” muscles up to (18) _____ which is a useful idea
for anyone trying to get back to normal after a plaster cast is removed.
13. A. knowledge B. belief C. judgement D. awareness
14. A. pledge B. fallacy C. claim D. avowal
15. A. away B. far C. clear D. straight
16. A. pull off B. set off C. take off D. start off
17. A. keep B. maintain C. hoard D. uphold
18. A. scratch B. level C. score D. mark

26
 CUSTOMER RIGHTS
I once called over the wine waiter in an expensive restaurant to tell him that I thought the wine
I had ordered was off. (1) ______________ the mere suggestion that something
(2)______________ be wrong, he became most unpleasant. (3) _____________ reluctantly
tasted it, however, he immediately apologised and brought another bottle. It helped that I knew
I was legally (4) _____________ the right. (5) ______________ in a restaurant or a bar, the
food or drink must be fit (6) _______________ human consumption and of a quality that you
are entitled to expect in an establishment of that category. (7) ________________ the
customers, you have considerable rights. The menu, for example, is a vital legal document and
a restaurant can be fined up to $5000 (8) _________________ it fail to display one outside or
immediately inside the door. Potential customers have the right to know in advance what they
are committing (9) _______________ to and it is on offence (10) ________________ the Trade
Descriptions Act for any establishment to give a false description of its food. Everything must
be (11) _________________ it claims to be and in cases (12) _______________ it is not, you
should complain. Fresh fruit salad must only consist of fresh, (13) _______________ tinned,
fruit; pâte maison must be on (14) _____________ premises.
The same principle applies to wine. If you are brought a vintage different from
(15)___________________ stated on the wine list, send it back.

TEST 19
HI-TECH HITS CRICKET
A new system has recently been installed which should make a great deal of (1) _____ to future
test cricket matches. The system has been dubbed “Hawkeye” and is a good example of how
military technology has been used for peaceful purposes. Based on missile tracking technology,
six digital cameras placed around the (2) _____ will track the path of the ball and help the
umpire when he makes lbw decisions, (for non-cricketers lbw = leg before wicket, when the
umpire must (3) _____ whether the ball would have hit the stumps had the batsman’s leg not
got in the way). Modern bowlers deliver the ball at such incredible speeds that umpires have
difficulty following the ball with the (4) _____ eye.
New software predicts with an accuracy of 5mm whether the ball would have gone on to hit the
stumps. At the same time, the system collects statistical data, including the height it (5) _____
and the speed it travelled at. Since lbw decisions are often (6) _____ disputed, this system will
greatly help umpires.
1. A. contrast B. difference C. variance D. diversity
2. A. land B. ground C. soil D. earth
3. A. describe B. infer C. evaluate D. determine
4. A. naked B. exposed C. bare D. uncovered
5. A. managed B. increased C. reached D. ranged
6. A. fierily B. smoulderingly C. blazingly D. hotly
27
 A MOUNTAIN HOME
In the household of the Notch, he found warmth and simplicity of feeling and the wisdom of
New England, which the family had gathered from the mountains and valleys and brought to
the very (7) _____ of their home. He had travelled far and wide. His whole life, indeed, had
been a lonely path; for with the pride of his (8) _____, he had (9)______ himself apart from
those who might otherwise have been his comparisons. The family, too, though so kind and
friendly, had a feeling of (10) ______ among themselves and separation from the world. But
this evening, the refined and educated youth (11) _____ out his heart before the simple
mountaineers. The secret of the young man’s character was a (12) _____ ambition. He could
have borne to live an ordinary life, but not to be forgotten in his grave.
7. A. root B. kernel C. essence D. heart
8. A. nature B. trend C. mood D. temper
9. A. shut B. taken C. kept D. backed
10. A. individually B. entity C. personality D. unity
11. A. poured B. drained C. streamed D. flowed
12. A. glowing B. swollen C. inflamed D. burning

A SPECIAL BREED OF DOG

The Greenland dogs are a (13) _____ version of the Inuit dog, the original working dog of the
North. Though not fast, they are true cargo dogs – good at pulling sleds over vast distances in
(14) _____ conditions. They are the (15) _____ type of dog for Arctic exploration, but they
became increasingly hard to get, as the expeditions of the “Heroic Age” (roughly 1850 – 1910)
(16) ______ supplies.
The Greenland dog has been described as “a wolf in dog’s clothing” and in fact, purists believe
this sled dog is a descendant of the wolf. Today the dogs are to be found only in designated
sled-dog regions in Eastern and North Western Greenland where the (17) _____ of the breed is
protected by law. It is (18) _____ to import, or keep dog breeds other than police dogs in those
districts. A measure of the value placed on the dogs can be found in statistics. The population
of Greenland is currently 60,000 people (mostly Inuit) and 30,000 sled dogs!
13. A. healthy B. powerful C. potent D. resolute
14. A. profound B. excessive C. extreme D. unnatural
15. A. flawless B. ideal C. sound D. impeccable
16. A. depleted B. dissipated C. consumed D. spent
17. A. purity B. clarity C. innocence D. cleanliness
18. A. disallowed B. proscribed C. restricted D. prohibited
INVISIBLE HIGHWAYS
Virtually every scared site in the prehistoric world was linked with others,
(1)_________________
both major and minor, (2) _______________
by a radiating network of straight
lines. Few were as elaborate or as easily detected in (3) ________________
their heyday as the
Anasazis’ strange highways in America. Most, (4) _____________
like the Ley lines of Europe,
28
were invisible – which (5) ________________
made them, in a way, all the (6) _______________
more
mysterious. In rare cases, like the vast drawing-board that covered the desert floor at Nazca,
Peru, entire sites were devoted (7) ____________
to creating miles of straight lines and,
(8)___________
even more bewildering, very precise pictures that (9) _____________
can be
appreciated only from the air.
In cultures that had (10)______________
such a magical sense of the continuous life rolling through
the whole of creation – (11)______________
which today we sterilise and alienate by calling it the
“environment” – the lines, visible or invisible, (12)_____________
had to have meaning. The role
they played has been the greatest enigma of all in the study of ancient sacred places. It was
also, (13)_________________
as a handful of researchers have now (14)_______________
come to
realise, by far the biggest clue (15)______________
to the meaning and use of these sites, and it
was staring them in the face all the time.
TEST 20
AN AUSTRALIAN NAME
The name I answered to in my early years was Vivian James. Later on, my mother gave me the
choice of first name and I picked Clive out of a Tyrone Power movie.
She sympathised with the fix she had (1) _____ me into by naming me (2) _____ Vivian
McGrath, star of the 1938 Davis Cup squad. After Vivien Leigh played Scarlett O’Hara in
“Gone With the Wind”, the name became (3) _____ a girl’s name no matter how you spelled it,
so those few little boys who had been saddled with it at birth went through hell. I just got sick
of (4) _____ up on wrong lists and being sent to sewing classes. Australians are still (5) _____
to give their offspring names connected with the world of the movies or sports. You can tell
roughly the year when the swimming star Shane Gould was born by working out the year the
movie Shane was (6) ______.
1. A. brought B. got C. taken D. fetched
2. A. like B. after C. from D. as
3. A. interminably B. relentlessly C. irrevocably D. endlessly
4. A. making B. turning C. calling D. placing
5. A. biased B. partial C. fond D. inclined
6. A. issued B. featured C. released D. revealed
SUNDIALS
It is surely more than coincidence that the beginning of a new millennium is being
(7)______ by renewed interest in sundials: instruments used to measure time according to the
position of the sun. A hundred years ago, they were a vital time-keeping (8) ______, essential
for anyone who hoped to keep their clocks working accurately. Then, as clocks and watches
became more sophisticated and reliable, the sundial was relegated to the (9) ______ of garden
ornament - a romantic and intriguing ornament, but (10) ______ an anachronism, in a brave
new technological age. Now the clock has been turned back and they are again being taken
seriously.
29
 David Harber, a sundial maker, believes that their appeal (11) ______ in their direct link
with the planets. He says that when he delivers one, there is a (12) ______ of magic when it
starts working. They are still, calm, romantic objects that remind us of our place in the cosmos.
7. A. associated B. accompanied C. acquainted D. aroused
8. A. device B. utensil C. piece D. item
9. A. cluster B. set C. group D. status
10. A. conversely B. after all C. nonetheless D. in turn
11. A. stands B. displays C. evolves D. lies
12. A. moment B. point C. time D. pause

QUEEN OF MYSTERY
In December 1926 the private life of Agatha Christie, Britain’s “Queen of Crime”, created its
own authentic mystery. For some weeks, the famous novelist disappeared without (13) _____,
leading to a major police hunt and (14) ______ public concern. She was eventually found
staying in a health spa (15) _____ a false name and was quite unable to explain how she had
got there. The (16) _____ has never been satisfactorily explained: while the cynical regarded it
as a publicity (17) _____, others have linked to the stress caused by the (18) _____ of her
marriage – she divorced Archibald Christie in 1928.
13. A. hint B. trace C. scent D. trail
14. A. creeping B. mounting C. enlarging D. ascending
15. A. by B. in C. under D. as
16. A. event B. occasion C. occurrence D. incident
17. A. act B. fake C. stunt D. sketch
18. A. breakdown B. parting C. separation D. division
THE MELTING POT
In just twenty years, between 1830 and 1850, the proportion of foreign-born immigrants in
America rose from one in a hundred (1) _______________ one in ten. Never before had
(2)_________________ been such a global exodus – and not (3) ____________ to America,
but to Australia, Argentina, New Zealand, anywhere (4) ______________ showed promise,
though America had (5) _______________ far the largest share. From smaller countries like
Norway and Ireland and regions within countries (6) _______________ Sicily and the
Messorgiorno in Italy, the numbers represented a significant drain (7) ______________ human
resources. (8) _______________ was especially true of Ireland. In 1807 it was the most densely
populated country in Europe. By the 1860s it was one of the (9) ____________.
Those who had neither the inclination to work in heavy industry (10) _______________ the
wherewithal to take up farming generally clustered in cities – (11) _____________ if, as was
almost always (12) _____________, their backgrounds were agricultural. So effortlessly
(13)__________ Irish, Poles and Italians settle into urban life that we easily forget that most
came from rural stock and had perhaps never seen a five-storey building priop
(14)____________ leaving home. Often, they arrived in such numbers (15) ____________ to
30
overturn the prevailing demographics – as in 1851, when a quarter of a million Irish settled in
New York and Boston.

TEST 21
Cressida Cowell is the author of the widely-praised How to Train your Dragon series of
children’s books. She spent her own childhood holidays on a remote island, where she has left
very much to her own (1)__________.
devices As a result, she became an avid reader, entertaining
(2)___________
herself with books and developing a fervent imagination. She even (3)__________
made up
her own secret languages.
Cowell believes that today’s children still have a real (4)__________
knack for language, even
though their attention (5)___________
span may not be as great as in her day, (6)__________
makes them
less tolerant of descriptive passages in stories. Her books are outlandish and exciting, with
vivid imagery, cliffhangers and eye-catching illustrations. Dragons seem to (7)__________
appeal to
children of all nationalities, who also seem to (8)___________
bond with her protagonist, Hiccup,
quite easily. Hiccup is a boy who battles his way through’s life problems, often against the
(9)______________
odds .
Cowell is currently planning an illustrated book for teenagers. In her own words, she enjoys
breaking the (10)____________
norm and finds that kids are open-minded enough to accept this.

TEST 22
Recent research carried out in Ireland amongst chefs and consumers found that 48% of people
(1)___________
tend to regularly over-ordering in restaurants. A campaign has been launched as a
result calling for the food-service industry to join (2)___________
forces with chefs and consumers to
address the issue of food waste.
To bring the research findings to (3)____________,
life the owner of a restaurant in Dublin is
creating a "Great Irish Waste" menu, reconsidering food ingredients that have been thrown
away, rejected or (4)____________
deemed inedible and turning them into imaginative dishes that are
both appetising and of a suitable (5)___________
standard to serve his customers. He says that while
there will always be some (6)____________
degree of waste in the kitchen due to elements such as
bones or fat trimmings, there's an opportunity to minimize wastage in the restaurant
(7)_____________
minimize through better communication. "Even though so much food comes back on
customers' plates and goes in the bin, the majority of diners aren't aware of the environmental
or cost (8)____________
implications of that waste." Without consumers shifting their (9)________
behaviour
restaurants will struggle to reduce food waste significantly.
Tackling this problem as a consumer is straightforward. Ultimately, it (10)________
boils down to
smart shopping, clever cooking and shrewd storage.

TEST 23
The relationship between the modern consumer and his or her rubbish is a complex one.
Getting rid of rubbish has come to mean a great deal more than simply consigning breakfast

31
leftovers (1)________
to a plastic bag. With the (2)___________
absence of recycling, rubbish has now
invaded many people’s personal lives to an unprecedented degree.
There was a time, in living (3)___________,
standard when rubbish collection was a simple matter –
but today’s household rubbish, (4)___________
by being discarded, has to be filed and sorted into
colour-coded containers according to its recycling category.
What is more, we are (5)________
brought out in a rash of irritation by the suggestion that, if rubbish
collections (6)________
were to become more infrequent, people would then make the effort to cut
down on shopping and recycle more. We might be excused for wondering how this would be
(7)________.
possible Can people realistically buy fewer eggs or tubes of toothpaste than their lives
(8)____________?
require
Recycling is (9)________
ought to be good for us. But for some, it’s just a (10)________
matter of rubbish.

TEST 24
The environmental outlook for the future is mixed. Inspite of economic and political changes,
interest in and (1)________ about the environmental remains high. Problems such as acid
deposition, chlorofluorocarbons and ozone depletions still require (2)________and concerted
action is needed to deal with these. (3)________ acid deposition diminish, loss of aquatic life in
nothern lakes and streams will continue and forest growth may be affected. Water pollution will
(4)________ a growing problem as an increasing human population (5)________ untold stress
on the environment. To reduce environmental degradation and for humanity to (6)________ its
habitat, societies must recognize that resources are finite. Environmentalists believe that, as
populations and their demands increase, the idea of continuous growth must give (7)________
to a more rational use of the environment, but that this can only be brought about by a dramatic
(8)________ in the attitude of the human species.

TEST 25
Just as a language may develop varieties in the (1)________ of dialects and argots, languages
as a whole may change (Latin, for example, evolved into the different Romance languages).
Sometimes rapid language change occurs as a result of (2)________ between people who each
speak a different language. In such circumstances a pidgin may arise. Pidgins are
grammatically based on one language but are also influenced, especially in vocabulary, by
(3)________; they have relatively small sound systems, reduced vocabularies, and simplified
and altered grammars, and they rely heavily on context in order to be (4)________. Pidgins are
often the result of contact by traders with island and coastal peoples. A pidgin has no native
speakers; when speakers of a pidgin have children who learn the pidgin as their first language,
that language is then (5)________ a creole. Once the creole has enough native speakers to
form a speech community, the creole may (6)________ into a fuller language. Many creole
speakers think of their languages as dialects of some colonial languages. Linguists nearly
always disagree with this view - from our (7)________, creoles have independent grammars
and all the equipment of full, proper languages.

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TEST 26
The issues for emerging economies are a little more straightforward. The desire to build on
undeveloped land is not (1)________ out of desperation or necessity, but is a result of the
relentless (2)________ of progress. Cheap labour and a relatively highly-skilled workforce
make these countries highly competitive and there is a flood of inward investment, particularly
from multinationals (3)________ to take advantage of the low wages before the cost and
standard of living begin to rise. It is (4)________ such as these that are making many Asian
economies extremely attractive when viewed as investment opportunities at the moment.
Similarly, in Africa, the relative (5)________ of precious metals and natural resources tends to
attract a lot of exploration companies and a whole sub-industry develops around and is
completely dependent on this foreign-direct investment. It is understandable that countries that
are the focus of this sort of attention can lose (6)________ of the environmental implications of
large-scale industrial development, and this can have devastating consequences for the natural
world. And it is a vicious (7)________ because the more industrially active a nation becomes,
the greater the demand for and harvesting of natural resources. For some, the environmental
issues, though they can (8)________ be ignored, are viewed as a peripheral concern. Indeed,
having an environmental conscience or taking environmental matters into consideration when it
comes to decisions on whether or not to build rubber-tree plantations or grow biofuel crops
would be quite prohibitive in. For those (9)________ in such schemes it is a pretty black-and-
white issue. And, for vast tracts of land in Latin America, for example, it is clear that the
welfare of the rainforests (10)________ little to local government when vast sums of money
can be made from cultivating the land.

TEST 27
It seems that a large percentage of today’s population is addicted to all forms of digital media
and no one seems (1)________ of the nagging phone that buzzes, rings or sings to its owners
incessantly. Many people no longer trust their own fallible memories and (2)________ every
detail of their lives to some digital device or (3)________ and are completely lost without it.
Generally speaking, it is the younger generation who are so addicted, but more and more people
seem to be (4)________ their way of life eroded by the digital world. People ‘tweet’ the most
mundane of (5)________ as well as the most interesting – in their world, having a cup of coffee
is as exciting as climbing Mount Everest! There is a grave danger that people are allowing
technology to take (6)________ over everything else in their lives. And in educational circles,
concern is (7)________ over the influence of social media, which seems to be adversely
affecting students’ progress in some cases.

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TEST 28
Social networking is here to (1)________ and interaction between people all over the world
has never been (2)________. We can share our lives with our network friends who can help us
solve problems or offer advice. Although these sites can (3)________ as a kind of group
therapy session with people who seem to care and who will listen, there is little or no
censorship, so cyber-bullying is a growing problem. Perhaps there need to be more
(4)________ on what people are allowed to say. Nevertheless, social networking sites can be a
great way to find people with shared (5)________ and they can also be very informative if used
wisely. For many people, it offers them a feeling of (6)________ from the real world.
Furthermore it gives them a chance to chat about anything and (7)________, often quite
meaningless, without fear of being rejected by others. (8)________ the drivers, it has become a
compelling activity for many, so it is hardly surprising that some people feel a (9)________ of
disconnectedness if they are unable to get online for any period of time. And when they do get
back online after a few hours of downtime, there is an unmistakable feeling of relief at being a
(10)________ of the world once more.

TEST 29
It is hardly surprising, in light of their desperation, that the peoples of the developing world
who are on the very bottom (1)________ of the ladder have little time for the conservationists
and environmentalists who (2)________ bloody murder at what they perceive to be a total
(3)________ for the environment in some parts of the “Third World”. And while they – the
nature campaigners, that is – have, on the (4)________ of it, a very valid point after all,
serious, and, in some cases, irrevocable (5)________ has been done to many precious habitats
and the rare creatures that inhabit same – we must understand that the rules of supply and
demand are in (6)________ here in the developing world just as much as anywhere else. For
example, on the African plains, where (7)________ is still rife, and in the mountain forests
where rogue hunters patrol, ask yourself this; would they bother if there wasn’t a market for
their kill? Believe me, for every bull elephant slaughtered for its ivory (8)________, there is a
rich, greedy, fat-cat collector ready to pay a premium to acquire this ‘find’ – in fact, there are
probably ten of them. Similarly, for every mountain gorilla murdered, whose dismembered
limbs appear in tourist outlets (9)________ so-called ‘ornaments’ – ashtrays and jewellery
boxes, if you don’t mind – there has to be a willing buyer; an admirer of these grotesque
trinkets. And there are plenty of them it (10)________ out. It’s the same principle with rare
animal furs and skins; who do you think buys the crocodilian handbag? I doubt the local
tribespeople could afford the price tag, don’t you? It is an absolute tragedy that endangered
species of animals are being (11)________ to the verge of extinction, of this there can be no
doubt. But we must try to understand the reasons why this is happening. The reality is that
poaching will continue while it is a lucrative occupation and while the (12)________ of finding
other forms of employment are very poor. Developing nations need our help, not our scorn.
(13)________ that for the few unscrupulous trophy hunters still out there; rich, spoilt,

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despicable Western brats who get a (14)________ out of taking aim at some of the world’s
most precious and endangered species; it is a good thing for them that we live in a civilised
world where the death penalty has, by and large, been removed from the list of possible
punishments our courts can (15)________ down. That said, since they have made themselves
judge, jury and executioner for the innocent creatures they have slain, perhaps nothing
(16)________ than a capital sentence would be good enough for these trigger happy
delinquents.

TEST 30
While the internet opens up a whole new (1)________ of knowledge and information for this
and future generations to explore, it also (2)________ a number of serious concerns for parents
with young, net-savvy children. For (3)________, it is exceptionally difficult to (4)________
your children's net activity and keep (5)________ of whom they are interacting with online.
Secondly, there is little (6)________ any censorship of the internet, so parents must be willing
to do the censoring themselves or rely on software products to do it for them. Even still, there
are ways around the best-intentioned of such programmes, and, besides, the alarming level of
growth in cyber-bullying is (7)________ of a trend parents should, perhaps, be far more
concerned about. lt used to be that children were (8)________ from the bullies one they
returned to the safe confines of their home, (9)________ escaped their schoolyard tormentors,
but not anymore. There is nowhere to (10)________ thanks to social networks like Facebook,
which, if anything, make the (11)________ far and wide of malicious rumours and the like
easier than ever before given the virulent (12)________ of the internet.

TEST 31
Today many people find that the pressure they have at work makes their jobs untenable as they
have to put their families totally in the (1)________. So working from home, being more at the
(2)________ of your family rather than your current boss, has great appeal to many as they start
up their own businesses from bedrooms or garages. But don’t just think about it. Now is the
time to start, so (3)________ while the iron’s hot. Providing you are disciplined in what you do,
and (4)________ the idea of working mostly alone and without the team spirit (5)________ by
working alongside others, then what’s stopping you? You gain far more flexibility as you can
choose the working hours that suit you. You will still have to meet deadlines, but they are ones
that you or customers have (6)________. And if you are at a (7)________ end during quiet
times, you can go out and do things you couldn’t do before. But don’t get (8)________ away
with the idea of making millions. You’ll need to be determined and work hard to succeed, but
it’ll pay off in the end.

TEST 32
It is said that we never stop learning until the day we die. Broadening our horizons has never
been easier, as the twenty-first century (1)________ ever more opportunities for learning and

35
developing our skills. And if you don’t want to (2)________ out in the job market and
(3)________ for a poorly-paid, boring job, there’s no (4)________ these days. Thousands of
online courses allow you to work at your own (5)________, while you are doing a full-time
job. Although be careful that you don’t (6)________ off more than you can chew! Modern-day
society puts a lot of pressure on people, many of whom have had to take out (7)________ and
run up enormous overdrafts, just to survive. The situation they find themselves in is often not of
their own (8)________ but rather that of the global economy. Facing up to difficult situations
by doing something about it rather than running away and coming up with new ways of solving
these problems is the (9)___________ to survival, and ongoing education helps you do this.
Don’t (10)_____________ around complaining. Get out there and do something about it.
Remember, actions speak louder than words!
TEST 33
According to some psychologists, we should examine our deeper (1)________ when we
attempt to help others who appear to be in need of our support. Helping others is clearly a good
thing to do, and it can have a therapeutic effect on both giver and (2)________. If, however, we
begin to focus on what we might (3)________ out of helping someone, rather than how that
person might be helped, we could be in (4)________ of adopting a somewhat calculating
attitude. This would be to lend (5)________ to the ideas of those psychologists who believe
that, ultimately, we only do things for our own (6)________ that no actions are truly altruistic.
And, of course, we can all think of examples of problems that have been exacerbated by the
well-intentioned, but ill-considered intervention of third (7)________. We should also
(8)________ in mind that doing too much for people and protecting them from the
consequences of their actions can (9)________ their motivation and even rob them of the
resources to (10)________ things out for themselves.

TEST 34
We live in culture that values participation over ability: the karaoke culture. In broadcasting, it
seems we cannot (1)________ the vogue for “access TV”, “people shows” and “video diaries”.
(2)________ is our apparent obsession with documenting our own lives that, in future,
programmes will be replaced by cameras in every room, so that we can watch (3)________
endlessly on TV. In the countless shows that (4)________ our daytime schedules, the audience
has become the star. The public make programmes, the public participate in programmes, the
public become performers. Anybody can do it!
But there is a world of (5)________ between enjoying something and joining in. If we all join
in, what is the (6)________ of artists or experts? If everything (7)________, there can be no
mystery, no mystique. I love listening to a genius and learning from (or even just appreciating)
his or her skill. To assume then that I can “have a (8)________ at” their craft would be
monstrous impudence on my part.

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TEST 35
Few inventions have had more scorn and praise heaped upon them at the same time than
television. And few have done so much to unite the world (1)________ one vast audience for
news, sport, information and entertainment. Television must be rated (2)________ printing as
one of the most significant inventions of all time in the field of communications. In just a few
decades it has (3)________virtually every home in the developed world and an ever-increasing
proportion of homes in developing countries. It took over half a century from the first
suggestion that television might be (4)________ before the first flickering (5)_______were
produced in laboratories in Britain and America. In 1926 John Logie Baird’s genius for
publicity brought television to the (6)________ of a British audience. It has since reached such
(7)________ of success and (8)________ on such a pivotal function that it is difficult to
imagine a world bereft of this groundbreaking invention.

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