NEW PROFICIENCY READING – UNIT 8 – TEST

I.

 atavistic, barmy, crouch, credentials, fathom, grapple, mechanics, obliging, ploy,

profess, stalk, swathe, swiftly, undergrowth, vile

1. There were six people in the clearing, crouching around the campfire.
2. White clumps of cloud were moving swiftly across the sky.
3. Something rustled in the undergrowth.
4. Police are making more effort to catch criminals who stalk women.
5. This time the front door was open and a swathe of sunlight lay across the red-tiled
floor.
6. The authorities have been grappling with the problem for a decade, bur cars still
choke the streets in rush hours.
7. But the trouble was, he was so vile I couldn't respect him.
8. He may not understand the mechanics of cooking, but he certainly enjoys fine food.
9. The government professed to care about the poor.
10. She had excellent credentials for the job.
11. The religious element of their election campaign was a cynical ploy.
12. Monica’s new boyfriend is completely barmy; he calls her almost every day from
Australia.
13. The shop assistants were very obliging, and brought me at least fifteen pairs of shoes
to try on.
14. Mark couldn't fathom why she resented him so much.
15. She sensed it; she knew it in some atavistic way that had nothing to do with intellect.

II. Types of crimes

 arson, blackmail, bribery, embezzle, forgery, joyriding, libel, mugging, petty theft,
pickpocket, poach, trespass

1. He embezzled large amounts of money to finance his gambling.

2. The drug bosses were using bribery to stay out of jail.
3. She was arrested for trespassing on government property.
4. The painting, believed to be by Renoir, turned out to be a very clever forgery.
5. A group of youths went joyriding in stolen cars, causing three accidents before the
police caught them.
6. Police are investigating a spate of petty theft that took place on the campus last week.
7. The school was destroyed in an arson attack.
8. Deer have been poached here for years.
9. He was vindicated when he successfully sued the tabloid that broke the story for libel.
10. There had been a rash of mugging in the hotel and we were all warned to be vigilant.
11. They said if I didn't do the overtime I'd lose my job - it was blackmail.
12. There are a lot of pickpockets in crowded tourist areas, so look after your belongings.

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III.

1. a marked man = in danger because his enemies want to harm him

2. Sharp practice = behaviour that is dishonest but not illegal
3. besetting sin = particularly bad feature
4. foul play = death by murder
5. ill-gotten gains = money acquired dishonestly
6. Put-up job = an attempt to trick the police by secretly arranging for sth to happen
7. a near miss = a dangerous situation that one only manages to avoid
8. funny business = illegal or dishonest activity
9. rough diamond = an uncultured person with a kind heart
10. spot check = a quick examination to check that everything is correct

IV. Phrasal verbs with “get”

1. He probably got away with about a dozen crimes before he was finally arrested for
one.
2. I used to argue a lot with my parents, but now we get along fine.
3. In the end he got off because there wasn't enough evidence against him.
4. Go upstairs and see what the kids are getting up to.
5. We need to get down to some serious talking.
6. Most companies manage to get out the restrictions.
7. See if you can get out of that meeting tomorrow.
8. I was determined to get ?? the truth.

V.

1. Even the king's closest advisers were not above suspicion.

2. Kent blew up things just for kicks.
3. He left the company under a cloud of suspicion.
4. Agatha Christie keeps the reader on tenterhooks until the final pages of the story.
5. We spent thousands of pounds getting the house up to scratch.
6. The testimony of the two witnesses seemed to put Richardson in the clear.
7. The neighbours are back from holiday from the looks of it.
8. Two of the escaped prisoners are still at large.
9. The company was started from scratch in 1995, but its annual sales are already over
$20 million.
10. At 17 he suddenly went off the railsand started stealing.

VI.

1. Parents need to lay down the law regarding how much TV their children watch.
2. Lately Nick and Lou have been as thick as thieves.
3. Citizens should not be expected to take the law into their own hands.
4. The builders may have adhered to the letter of the law, but not its spirit.

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5. He can get away with anything, he could get away with murder and my mom would
still love him.
6. I know he used to drink a lot, but at that time he was as sober as a judge.
7. I don’t know what upset her; she just began to scream blue murder.
8. £2.50 for a cup of coffee? It's daylight robbery!
9. He is on the slippery slope to a life in crime.
10. Many blame the poor economy for the recent crime wave.
11. Let's see if she's at Fiona's house. It's a leap in the dark, but we've got to start looking
somewhere.
12. The loss of fertilizer proved to be a blessing in diguise. It forced us to use compost,
which is better for the soil and crops.
13. She's keeping a low profile until the scandal is forgotten.
14. After the train robbery he spent three years on the ______.
15. Their whole account of the event was a pack of lies.