The British are widely (1) _____ to be a very polite nation, and in (2)______ respects this is

true. An Italian journalist once commented of the British that they need (3) _____ fewer than
four “thank you” merely to buy a bus ticket. The first, from the bus conductor means, “I’m
here.” The second accompanies the handing over of the money. The third, again from the
conductor, (4) ____ “Here is your ticket.”, and then the passenger utters a final one as he
accepts the tickets. Such transactions in most (5) ____ parts of the world are usually
conducted in total silence. In sharp contrast to this excessive politeness with strangers, the
British are strangely lacking (6) _____ ritual phrases for social interaction. The exhortation
“Good appetite”, uttered in so (7) ______ other languages to fellow-diners before a meal,
does not exist in English. The nearest equivalent – Enjoy your dinner! – is said only by
people who will not be partaking of the meal in question. What’s more, the British (8) ____
happiness to their friends or acquaintances only at the start of a new year and at (9)_____
such as birthdays, (10) _____ the Greeks routinely wish all and sundry a “good week” or a
“good month”.

Cell Phones
Cell phones have been popular in Japan (0. since) the early 1990s, but it was (81)________
until 1999 that their use really took off. The age of cell phones has emerged, but with it
come problems.
Cell phones are used on buses and trains, in restaurants, and in all areas of (82)________.
They cause problems when they (82)________ during meetings, concerts, weddings, or
even funerals. What's more, people speak loudly in public, and students read and text
messages during lessons. (83)________ seriously, when a cell phone is used near a person
(84)________ a pacemaker to fegulate his heartbeat, its radio waves may interfere with the
functioning of the pacemaker.
Now, something is being done to solve these (86)________. In many places, new
technology is being used to block cell phone calls. Airline (87)________ are requested to
stop using cell phones while on board. Concert halls ask their audience to switch their phones
to the (88)________ mode. However, phone users fear that if they do not (89)________ their
phones, they will lose valuable business opportunities. That's why many do not (90)________
off their phones even when they are asked to.

Instruments similar to the guitar have been played by musicians for over (71) ________ years.
What we know about many of these instruments comes from (72) ________ rather than actual
physical examples or music played on them. In some ways, these early stringed instruments
were closer to (73) ________ than the guitar as we know it today. We do have examples of six-
string guitars that are 200 years old. However, the (74) ________ of six-string guitars made by
guitar makers who are also known as luthiers before the final decade of the eighteenth
century is often open to question.

Although the electric guitar was invented in the 1930s, it took several decades for electric
guitars to develop, with the company Rickenbacker playing a major part in this
development. Most (75) ________ electric guitars in use today are similar in design to guitars
produced by the Fender Musical Instruments Company and the Gibson Guitar Corporation
in the 1950s.

SPLENDID SPAS OF ASIA

Lying on a bed almost on the (1) ________ of a cliff, with a stupendous ocean view and the
(2) ________ of waves, aches and pains are soothed away (3) ________ expert hands. Only
two steps are needed to reach the private pool, which seems to merge (4) ________ the
ocean.
Such a scenario is no longer a fantasy (5) ________ an increasingly popular reality in Asia
for many stressed out businessmen and visitors from all over the world in search of that
peaceful time and space for their body and mind.
In the last four years, at (6) ________ 17 hotel spas have opened in South East Asia to
(7)________ this need. The tropical climate of the region and its reliable sunshine make for
an ideal spa setting. Picturesque environments (8) ________ with a series of rejuvenating
treatments bring the desired result. The Asian spa resorts have acquired a formidable
reputation for their professional services as (9) ________ as for the decor of their large
treatment rooms. Visitors relax with Thai music and soak in the warm tones of the room. As
all these take (10) ________ in individual rooms, precious privacy is guaranteed, a rare
privilege often absent from other spas where guests share rooms or changing areas.

Vitamins are substances required for the proper functioning of the body. In this century,
thirteen vitamins have been discovered .
A lack of any vitamins in a person’s body can cause illness. In some cases, an excess of
vitamins can also (44)……….to illness. For example, sailors in the past were prone to suffer
from scurvy (45)………is a disease resulting from the lack of vitamin C. It causes bleeding
of the gum, loss of teeth and skin rashes. Sailors suffer from scurvy because they did not eat
fruits and vegetables. Fruits and vegetables contain vitamin C ,which is necessary for good
(46)…………..
Vitamin B complex is composed of eight different vitamins. A lack of any of these vitamins
will lead to different(47)……….. For instance, a person who has too little vitamin B1 will
suffer from beri-beri, a disease that causes heart problems and mental disorders. A lack of
vitamin B2 results in eye and skin problems while deficiency of vitamin B6 causes problems
of the nervous system. Too little vitamin B12 will cause anemia. The knowledge that vitamin
deficiencies caused certain diseases led doctors to (48)………people suffering from these
illnesses by giving them doses of the necessary (49)………….Today, vitamins are available
(50)……….the form of pills and can easily be bought at any pharmacy
Australia is a big country, but nearly all Australians live near the sea. On hot summer days,
you can see thousands of people at the beach. Many beaches have waves (46)______ are very
high.
These large waves are known as surf and the people who ride them are called surfers.
Surfing is a skill, and it needs learning. Don’t (47)______ to be able to surf properly the
(48)______ time you try. However, by practising a few times you will learn (49)______ to do it.
Surfing is not a new sport. Perhaps its origins need explaining. It started hundreds
(50)______ years ago in Hawaii. Men swam (51)______ to sea to catch fish and found they
could come back to land very quickly by riding the waves. These first surfers did not
(52)______ a board. They were “body surfers”. Many people (53)______ do this type of surfing
today.
After a while people started to use boards and rode the waves by lying, kneeling or
standing (54)______ them. These first surfboards were made of wood and the water made
them rot after a while. Today, surfboards are made of plastic or fibreglass (55)______.

Vitamins are substances required for the proper functioning of the body. In this century,
thirteen vitamins have been (1)…………
A lack of any vitamins in a person’s body can cause illness. In some cases, an excess of
vitamins can also (2)…………to illness. For example, sailors in the past were prone to (3)
…………from scurvy that is a disease resulting from the lack of vitamin C. It causes
bleeding of the gum, loss of teeth and skin rashes. Sailors suffer from scurvy because they did
not eat fruits and vegetables. Fruits and vegetables (4)…………vitamin C which is necessary
for good (5)…………
Vitamin B complex is composed of eight different vitamins. A lack of any of these vitamins
will lead to different (6)…………For instance, a person who has too little vitamin B1 will
suffer from beri-beri, a disease that causes heart problems and mental (7)…………A lack of
vitamin B2 results in eye and skin problems while deficiency of vitamin B6 causes problems
of the nervous system. Too little vitamin B12 will cause anemia. The (8)…………that
vitamin deficiencies caused certain diseases led doctors to cure people suffering from these
illnesses by giving them doses of the (9)……...vitamins. Today, vitamins are (10)…………in
the form of pills and can easily be bought at any pharmacy.

Travel Insurance
When going on holiday, it is always a good idea to take out travel insurance. This is just in
case something goes (1) _____ along the way. You could lose your luggage, you could be
robbed, or even become ill and need expensive medical treatment. For millions of holiday
makers, travel insurance is just a precaution (2)_______ will help them have an enjoyable and
worry-free holiday. But for (3)_____, travel insurance is a way of earning money (4) ______
making false claims against insurance companies. For (5) ______ some people pretend that
they have had expensive equipment stolen which in (6) ______ never even existed, and then
claim large sums in compensation. Such claims cost insurance company a total (7)_____ £ 50
million per year. But the cheats’ luck is about to run (8)____ . (9) ______ to a new computer
system, companies will be able to tell at a glance (10) _____ someone has made a claim
within the last three years. Honest travelers will no longer have to pay through the nose for
other people’s dishonesty.

The legend of the root

Ginseng is one of the great mysteries of the east. Often referred to as the “elixir of
life”, its widespread use in oriental medicine has led to many myths and legends building up
around this remarkable plant. Ginseng has featured (1) ____ an active ingredient in oriental
medical literature for over 5,000 years. Its beneficial effects were, at one time, (2) ____
widely recognized and praised that the root was said to be worth its weight in gold.
(3) ____ the long history of ginseng, no one fully knows how it works. The active part
of the ____ (4) is the root. Its full name is Panax Ginseng – the word Panax, (5) ____ the word
panacea, coming from the Greek for “all healing”. There is growing interest by western
scientists in the study of ginseng. It is today believed that this remarkable plant may (6) ____
beneficial effects in the treatment of many diseases which are difficult to treat with
synthetic drug.
Today, ginseng is (7) ____ longer a myth or a legend. Throughout the world it is
becoming widely recognized that this ancient herb holds the answer to relieving the
stresses and ailments of modern living. It is widely used for the treatment of various
ailments (8) ____ as arthritis, diabetes, insomnia, hepatitis and anemia. However, the truth
behind (9) ____ ginseng works still remains a mystery. Yet its widespread effectiveness
shows that the remarkable properties are (10) ____ than just a legend.

Choosing clothes can be difficult. Some people (51)________ to be fashionable, but they
don’t want to look exactly like everybody else. Not all clothes are suitable for work or
school, perhaps because they are not formal enough, or simply not comfortable. It is easy to
buy the (52)_________ size, and find that your trousers are too tight, especially if you are a
little bit overweight. Very (53)________ clothes make you feel slim, but when they have
shrunk in the washing machine, then you have the same (54)________! If you buy light cotton
clothes, then they might not be warm enough for winter. If your shoes are not tight, and if
you aren’t dressed for the cold, you might look good, but feel (55)________!
13
About 50 years ______(1) now, it is possible to use virtual reality to bring the_____(2) back to
life, people will drag out _____(3) old and boring movies and choose a relative _____(4) bring
back to life. The visual will be combined ______(5) records about that person to create a
virtual relative.
Then the family can _____(6) a chat with that relative, _____(7) it running, and live with it. The
experience will be_____(8) living with a ghost. People who died long ago will be
resurrected,____(9) they can take on new _____(10).
MTV stands for Music Television. It's a television (56)________ dedicated to pop music. It
was(57)________ on 1st August 1981 in the United States. Because of MTV's instant success
in the US, the company expanded into other (58)________. MTV Europe (59)________
operating on 1st August 1987. MTV Europe (60)________ 24 hours a day from its London
studios. It can be seen in 33 countries and reaches an estimated (61)________ of 110 million
viewers. People of 19 different nationalities work at London headquarters, and they try to
offer a (62) of music from all over Europe. The channel broadcasts in (63)________ but
Germany provides the biggest number of viewers. Currently, one fifth of the (64)________ is
by German artists. Most of TV output is video and concerts, but there is also a programme
(65)________ Unplugged, where major artists play live and acoustic in front of a small studio
audience.