Part 1

Read the text. For each question (1-5), choose the correct answer.

Hollywood’s Originality. Or lack thereof

Vast as it may seem, Hollywood has been delivering less and less original content in the last
couple of decades. Movies based on original ideas are slowly fading away, making room for
cinema products in the likes of adaptations, sequels, remakes and spin -offs.
This hasn’t always been the case, though. Ever since the growth in popularity of the
blockbuster movies at the start of the millennium, big studios such as Warner Bros or Disney have
shifted their attention from funding new ideas to settling for more profitable projects. Thus,
franchises such as Star Wars have been brought back to life and superhero movie universes have
started to expand. Needless to say, such actions have not fallen short of producers’ expectations
and the income generated this way has encouraged them to keep to the trend.
From 2004 to 2018, of all the movies that saw the light of day only 39% were original, earning
significantly less than the big productions, despite being of a far more complex nature in most
cases. This goes to show that the general audience tends to be more attr acted to flash over
substance, which is not at all condemnable, but rather serves as proof to why the studios choose to
finance certain projects. For instance, ever since the release of Finding Nemo in 2003, the
highest-grossing movie of each and every year has been either a sequel to a fantasy or a superhero
film, both types relying heavily on special effects. This finding is totally in line with the fact that
cinemas worldwide are now equipped with state-of-the-art laser projectors and most varied and
complex sound systems and as a result cinemagoers have expectations that producers need to live
up to.
Although not such a pressing matter, the slow decrease in Hollywood’s originality might affect
the entire film industry in the future, forcing screenwriters to focus mainly on already-built
content. Rather than creating something from scratch, their main goal would be to incorporate or
adapt a certain idea into an already shaped industry. It remains to be seen how this trend will
affect the industry in the long term. Only time will tell!
1. Cinema productions which rely on originality ..... .
A) are decreasing in number
B) seem to be blooming these days
C) have been mushrooming for a few decades now

2. Film studios have produced and promoted movies based on already popular characters and concepts
with a view to ..... .
A) testing the market for such productions
B) investing in quality over popularity
C) generating more substantial profits

3. The money that is generated by productions based on remakes or sequels ..... .

A) has left producers disheartened
B) has curbed this new trend
C) has provided producers with the reassurance they needed

4. Most people who go to the movies these days tend to ..... .

A) appreciate productions which are more visually appealing.
B) favour productions which rely on deep content rather than impressive special effects.
C) lose interest in films which make use of complex special effects.

5. Most movie theatres today ..... .

A) are not yet equipped with the technical devices needed to deliver a high standard experience
B) are prepared to deliver the visual and aural experience that audiences now expect
C) are not interested in showing films which are devoid of original content
 Part 2
Read the text. For each question (6-15), choose the best answer.

Bruges
Taking a walk ..... (6) central Bruges is an experience which is ..... (7) to take you on a romantic
journey ..... (8) the past. Everywhere you look there are centuries-old buildings along a web of canals and
cobblestone streets, which makes Bruges one of the most beautiful places in Western Europe. It is no
surprise that the city ..... (9) been known as the Venice of the North.
Bruges is the capital of West Flanders and it is located northwest ..... (10) Brussels and not very far
from the North Sea. A simple walk along the canals is reason ..... (11) to make the trip worthwhile but
there are also a few must-see places around the city. There is even an early work by Michelangelo for all
those art lovers ..... (12) there. Bruges is without a doubt an open air museum.
Chocolate fans will be fascinated with the variety this place has to offer – from family-..... (13) petit
chocolate shops to impressive workshops that will make one think of all those Oompa Loompas working
for Willy Wonka. There is even a chocolate museum ..... (14) travellers can go if they wish to learn all
about chocolate making.
When walking along the canals, one can be lucky enough to see the famous dog that enjoys sleeping
at the window of a house. If you haven’t heard of this dog… look it ..... (15)! You will be surprised.

6. A) through B) on C) at D) under

7. A) possibly B) probably C) luckily D) likely

8. A) into B) onto C) hereto D) up to

9. A) has B) was C) would D) had

10. A) by B) to C) of D) at

11. A) itself B) for C) enough D) good

12. A) outside B) out C) only D) onto

13. A) possessed B) owned C) owed D) had

14. A) which B) where C) that D) what

15. A) in B) down C) over D) up

Part 3
Read the first sentence. For the second sentence, choose the best answer for each gap (16-20)
so that the meaning stays the same.

16. If Blair hadn’t encouraged me, I would never have accepted the job.
It was ..... accepted the job.
A) to spite Blair that I have B) because of Blair that I have not C) thanks to Blair that I

17. You were so blunt that he was offended by what you said.
He ..... what you said.
A) got offence at B) took offence at C) was offence at

18. It wasn’t until I left that I realized who she was.

Only after ..... who she was.
A) I left I realized B) I left did I realize C) did I leave that I realized

19. The back yard was completely devoid of vegetation.

There ..... in the back yard.
A) was no vegetation whatsoever B) wasn’t no vegetation C) was not too much
vegetation

20. Being impolite to customers creates a bad impression of the inn.

Treating customers with a lack ..... the inn.
A) of courtesy reflects badly on B) of impoliteness reflects negatively on
C) of honesty reflects seriously on

Part 4
For each question (21-50), read and choose the correct answer.

21. You need to have a good ..... of English for this job.
A) command B) speaking C) owner D) master E) possession

22. P.I. Tchaikovsky wrote the music for the The Nutcracker ballet between 1891-1892. Who wrote the
story?
A) Charles Perrault B) Theophile Gautier C) E.T.A Hoffman
 D) H. C. Andersen E) Charles Dickens

23. Our new digital photo-print machine, the manual ..... is lost, awaits to be set up properly.
A) of what B) whose C) of whom D) where E) of which

24. Can you please ..... my website just before I publish it?
A) take over B) go through C) look up to D) set out E) go into

25. Which city is also known as The Emerald City?

A) Los Angeles B) San Francisco C) Seattle D) Las Vegas E) Chicago

26. John had the answer on the ..... of his tongue, but Anne said it first.
A) top B) back C) tap D) tip E) peak

27. In what ..... the demands of your employer, measures have been taken to ..... them.
A) regards/ meet B) are/ satisfy C) views/ suit D) considers/ gratify E) concerns/ solve

28. Hey, there’s some free candy over in the lounge. You’d better go get some before it’s all gone! What
does ‘d stand for?
A) did B) should C) would D) could E) had

29. Match the words from the two columns:

1. conduct a. a conversation
2. discover b. improvements to a house
3. record c. research
4. make d. an outdated product
5. redesign e. a new shortcut
A) 1c, 2a, 3e, 4b, 5d B) 1c, 2e, 3a, 4b, 5d C) 1b, 2a, 3e, 4d, 5c
D) 1b, 2c, 3a, 4e, 5d E) 1a, 2b, 3e, 4d, 5c

30. Which character in Shakespeare’s Hamlet survives until the end of the play?
A) Hamlet B) Gertrude C) Polonius D) Laertes E) Horatio

31. Timmy has gone through some tough times lately, but believe it or not, he’s back in the ..... again!
A) saddle B) car C) cart D) wagon E) bus

32. She was determined not to be ..... in again by his innocent smile.
A) played B) brought C) put D) taken E) called

33. Mary is still in Paris, so you ..... her at the library.

A) couldn’t see B) mustn’t have seen C) can’t have seen
D) weren’t able to E) ’d better not see

34. It has been announced that for ..... third consecutive month there has been ..... rise in ..... number of .....
unemployed.
A) a/ a/ the/ – B) the/ the/ a/ the C) the/ a/ the/ the
 D) the/ –/ the/ a E) –/ the/ the/ a

35. Mrs Timothy can’t go to work today because her child has gone ..... a mysterious illness.
A) out with B) down with C) off to D) in for E) to

36. Match each park name to its location.

1. Hyde Park a. Paris
2. Güell Park b. New York
3. Central Park c. Stockholm
4. Luxembourg Gardens d. Barcelona
5. Royal National City Park e. London
A) 1e/ 2c/ 3b/ 4a/ 5d B) 1b/ 2d/ 3e/ 4a/ 5c C) 1b/ 2c/ 3e/ 4a/ 5d
D) 1c/ 2a/ 3b/ 4e/ 5d E) 1e/ 2d/ 3b/ 4a/ 5c

37. The screams coming from the old, dark house made my hair stand on ..... .
A) straight B) edge C) head D) hard E) end

38. I’m going to tell you for the last time: Do not ..... in my affairs!
A) melt B) mix C) get D) mould E) meddle

39. Which of the following presidents is not represented on Mount Rushmore?

A) Abraham Lincoln B) Thomas Jefferson C) John F. Kennedy
D) George Washington E) Theodore Roosevelt

40. Having broken the vase, the child was on the ..... of tears.
A) verge B) ledge C) rim D) brim E) border

41. Some rooms don’t have curtains at the window, they have ..... .
A) blinds B) rugs C) mats D) stores E) enclosures

42. He fell over while playing tennis and ..... his knee.
A) sliced B) skimmed C) chopped D) beat E) grazed

43. We were very disappointed that we only saw a few ..... of fish during our dive.
A) swarms B) packs C) shoals D) heaps E) bangs

44. Yesterday I called in sick and I ..... in bed all day.

A) laid B) lay C) lied D) lain E) lying

45. If you are really interested in helping the homeless you should put your money where your ..... is.
A) neck B) leg C) mouth D) hand E) hair

46. I am concerned with his dependency ..... other people to solve his problems: if others don’t give him
a(n) ....., there are times when he cannot make ends ..... .
A) of/ hand/ properly B) to/ advice/ happily C) for/ suggestion/ happen
D) on/ hand/ meet E) towards/ indication/ right.
47. People doing yoga benefit ..... an increased feeling of well-being.
A) on B) for C) to D) from E) of

48. Choose a true fact about King Henry VIII.

A) Henry VIII ruled in the 17th century. B) Henry VIII founded the Anglican Church.
C) Henry VIII got married twice. D) Henry VIII had no children.
E) Henry VIII was King of England and Wales.

49. Which word does the verb „pay“ not collocate with?
A) attention B) a sweater C) a visit D) a driver E) a compliment

50. If you want to visit the Museum of Piping, you have to go to ..... .
A) England
B) Northern Ireland
C) Wales
D) Scotland
E) the Republic of Ireland