ADVANCED SPECIAL SUBJECT 1.4.

VERB TENSES, MODAL VERBS, QUESTION TAGS & SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT

SECTION A. THEORY
I. Put the verbs in brackets into an appropriate tense.
PASSAGE A. Jim (1) was not looking (not/look) forward to the exam. He (2) ……………………………
(study) for the past two months, and still (3) ………………… (not/feel) sure that he (4) ………… (know) even
half of what he should know. he (5) …………………………… (question) his teachers repeatedly about the
material that (6) …………………………… (appear) on past exams, but he still (7) …………………………… (not/be)
convinced that anything he (8) …………………………… (learn) (9) …………… (be) relevant to this year’s exam.
He (10) …………………………… (still/study) at seven o'clock in the morning on the day of the exam; he (11)
…………………………… (revise) all night long, and (12) …………………………… (feel) exhausted. In fact, he (13)
…………………………… (be) so tired that he (14) …………………………… (fall) asleep in the middle of writing the
exam, and (15) …………………………… (wake up) only just in time to finish it.
PASSAGE B. In the last few years there (1) has been (be) a marked change in our attitude towards
environmental issues. It (2) …………………………… (start) with scientists revealing that a hole (3)
…………………………… (begin) to develop in the ozone layer above the Arctic Circle; when people (4)
…………………………… (start) to notice changes in the climate, it (5) …………………………… (become) obvious
that there (6) …………………………… (be) a serious threat. Those of us who (7) …………………………… (ever/use)
an aerosol spray will presumably think twice before using one again. And what (8) ………………… (happen) to
all that nuclear waste we have produced? Presumably most of it (9) …………………………… (be/dump) into the
sea, but the number of protesting voices (10) …………………………… (increase) steadily year by year.
II. Finish the following sentences without changing the meaning of the sentences
1. I'm sure it wasn't his fault.
It ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
2. Shall I tell you my opinion?
Would ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
3. He is unlikely to be promoted.
There ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
4. It is forbidden to enter that room without permission
You ....………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
5. Is it likely that he will return this afternoon?
Is he………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
6. They couldn't understand the message because of the interference on the radio.
The interference ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
7. Perhaps she has forgotten about the meeting
She ..………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
8. I suppose my mother left this message.
My mother ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
9. You should have signed this form at the bottom
Why………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
10. Did you need to spend so much money?
Was………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
11. He is certain to have noticed our absence by now.
He………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
12. You need to be more careful.
You ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
13. Could he have been telling the truth?
Is it………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
14. You mustn't play ball games inside the school
It is ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
15. I suppose she has seen the newspaper today
She………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
16. It wasn't necessary for you to apologise. After all, it wasn't your fault.
You………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
17. Perhaps they have made alternative arrangements.
They………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
18. How does Saturday suit you?
Would………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
19. How do you feel about going on an excursion?
Would………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
20. Was it necessary to invite so many people?
Did……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
21. I don't think we're near the village yet.
We…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
22. It is very possible that he'll pass his tests.
There is every……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
23. You'd better consult the map
You……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
24. Could we meet on Friday?
Would Friday……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
25. It is certain that the ship will arrive at 7 o'clock
The ship is………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
III. Choose an appropriate word A, B, C or D to fill in each blank
1. Many a candidate ………………… unsuccessful in the oral test.
A. was B. aren’t C. weren’t D. were
2. The number of learners ………………… not large; therefore, a number of headphones ………………… available
to them in the lab.
A. are - is B. is -are C. are-are D. is - is
3. His choice of words ………………… very good.
A. are B. be C. is D. being
4. Anybody who………………… my keys will be given a reward.
A. find B. finds C. are finding D. found
5. The Browns………………… here since 1950.
A. are living B. has lived C. have been living D. has been living
6. John, as well as I, ………………… a student.
A. are B. were C. is D. has been
7. Not only John but his brothers ………………… also in debt.
A. is B. have C. was D. were
8. The majority of the TOEFL tests ………………… difficult.
A. are B. is C. be D. being
9. Local news on TV every afternoon ………………… at 5:50 pm.
A. were B. was C. is D. are
10. A number of sheep ………………… died from a strange disease.
A. have B. has C. is D. are
11. The number of students ………………… increasing now.
A. are B. was C. were D. is
12. A number of students ………………… playing table-tennis now.
A. are B. was C. were D. is
13. Physics………………… my favorite subject.
A. are B. is C. was D. have been
14. The boy, with his two companions, ………………… the cherry tree now.
A. has split B. have split C. is splitting D. are splitting
15. The writer and poet ………………… going to preside over this meeting.
A. are B. is C. have been going D. is to
16. Neither the mother nor the children………………… aware of the danger.
A. were B. was C. is D. has been
17. She told me that she ………………… happy for what she …………………
A. is feeling - did B. was feeling - had done C. feels - did D. had felt - has been doing
18. The teacher said that Vietnam ………………… to South-East Asia.
A. has belonged B. had belonged C. have belonged D. belongs
19. He………………… he had read that story-book before.
A. told B. has told C. had told D. said
20. A number of people ………………… disappointed with the result of the football match.
A. are B. is C. was D. were
21. ………………… moved to that city recently.
A. A number of Vietnamese have B. A number of Vietnamese has
C. The number of Vietnamese has been D. The number of Vietnamese have.
22. Each of the reference ………………… available in the school library.
A. books on that list is B. books on that list are C. book on that list is D. book on that list are
23. Several ………………… sleeping under a tree.
A. of lions were B. lion was C. of the lions was D. lions were
24. Many of the………………… not used today. They are remnants of the past.
A. railroad tracks around here are B. railroad’s tracks around here is
C. railroad tracks around here is D. railroad’s tracks around here are
25. As we walked through the jungle, the………………… unusually quiet.
A. monkeys were B. monkeys was C. monkies were D. monkies was
26. At the news conference, several reporters didn’t get clear answers to………………… questions.
A. theirs B. their C. his and hers D. his and her
27. Everyone who………………… a ticket should be in this line.
A. don’t purchase B. doesn’t purchase C. hasn’t purchased D. haven’t purchased
28. There………………… in the world today.
A. is many new computer company B. is many new computer companies
C. are many new computers companies D. are many new computer companies
29. The quality of these recordings ………………… very good.
A. is not B. are not C. were not D. have not been
30. What………………… you used in picking a winner in the art contest?
A. is the criteria B. are the criteria C. are the criterion D. are the criterions
31. The science classes at this ………………… difficult.
A. schools are B. school is C. school are D. school’s is
32. One of the ………………… from Italy.
A. student is B. students are C. student are D. students is
33. ………………… to support the case against James?
A. Is there any proof B. Are there any proof C. Is there any proofs D. Are there any proofs
34. You have to pay extra if you take too ………………… with you.
A. much luggages B. many luggages C. much luggage D. many luggage
35. ………………… in your class have tickets for the lecture series?
A. Do any of the student B. Does any of the student C. Do any of the students D. Does any of the students
36. Bob got tired. It's going to be difficult for him to find job.
A. other B. another C. the other D. the another
37. There………………… available in this area of specialization.
A. isn’t a lot of job B. aren’t a lot of jobs C. isn’t a lot of jobs D. aren’t a lot of job
38. He made the soup by mixing………………… meat with some rice.
A. little B. few C. a little D. a few
39. Many of the ………………… not expect to win.
A. participants in the race do B. participants in the races does
C. participants in the race does D. participant in the race does
40. The English………………… strong traditions.
A. has many B. have much C. have many D. has much
41. Don’t make the mistake again, ………………… ?
A. do you B. mustn’t you C. won’t you D. will you
41. Peter’s a new car, ………………… ?
A. is he B. isn’t he C. hasn’t he D. does he
42. Economics is not taught at high school, ………………… ?
A. isn’t it B. is it C. are they D. does it
43. The film was not really good, ………………… ?
A. does it B. does not it C. was it D. was not it
44. You used to live in New York, ………………… ?
A. were not you B. did you C. don’t you D. didn’t you
45. Pollution causes many diseases, ………………… ?
A. does it B. doesn’t it C. do they D. don’t they
46. Give me a hand, ………………… ?
A. will you B. do you C. don’t you D. don’t I
47. Let’s do something to help Peter, …………………?
A. will we B. do you C. shall we D. have we
48. I think Peter won’t come with us, …………………?
A. do I B. does he C. will I D. will he
49. I am responsible for the preparation, ………………… ?
A. am not I B. aren’t I C. am I D. do I
50. We have not got enough food for the dinner, ………………… ?
A. do we B. don’t we C. have we D. will we
SECTION B. USE OF ENGLISH
PART A. PHRASAL VERBS
I. Fill in the correct preposition(s) or particle(s) in each blank
1. I don't think his statement bears __________ this case.
2. You can't change your mind now. It's too late to back __________ the deal.
3. The plant manager answers directly __________ the head of the company.
4. I was prepared to back __________ her story because I knew it was the truth.
5. The baby has been acting __________ all day. I think she must be teething.
6. The murderer will answer __________ his crimes in the highest court in the land.
7. Faced with such formidable opposition to his plans, he had no choice but to back __________.
8. The teacher accused him of answering her_______ when he attempted to explain what he had been doing.
9. If you can bear __________ me a little longer, I'll tell you the rest of the story.
10. After a violent attack in the press on their welfare policies, the Conservatives answered __________ with a
statement of their reforms since taking office.
11. The cinema which was adjacent to the bank was damaged when a bomb exploded in the bank.
12. What you're saying amounts __________ blackmail.
13. Mr Parker was arrested__________ driving while under the influence of alcohol.
14. She finds it difficult adjusting __________ the climate.
15. Your calculations do not accord __________ mine.
16. She was very appreciative __________ all the support she got from her friends.
17. I was totally abashed __________ his rude manner.
18. His abstinence __________ alcohol lasted only two months.
19. I have an aversion __________ spiders.
20. The child showed no animosity __________ her new stepbrother.
21. The recommendations are based on a recent report by the Home Office.
22. My little sister still believes __________ Father Christmas.
23. Beware__________ strong currents when swimming in this area.
24. I bumped __________ an old school friend in town last week.
25. The tourists bartered __________ their souvenirs at the local market.
26. The children arrived at the fair and made a beeline __________ the ghost train.
27. There's a ban __________ using hose-pipes because of the drought.
28. The cat basked __________ the warm sunshine.
29. He continually boasts __________ his fantastic job.
30. The man begged his wife __________ forgiveness.
31. Please take care of your sister while I'm out.
32. Your story is consistent __________ our reports.
33. Does this record belong __________ anyone?
34. The gunman aimed __________ the policeman and then fired.
35. My husband was agreeable __________ my plans for a summer holiday.
36. You're very careless __________ not locking the house; anyone could walk in.
37. She was bored__________ the tedious conversation and wanted to go home.
38. If you concentrated more __________ your school work, your grades would improve.
39. My mother is confined __________ a wheelchair and doesn't go out very much.
40. She didn't like flying and was apprehensive __________ making the journey alone.
41. If you can bear __________ me a little longer, I'll give you all the information at once.
 42. You have no choice __________ the matter. You have to do what he says.
43. Susan gets all the perks because she's __________ the administration
44. She feels it is __________ her to socialize with uneducated people.
45. As an ex-smoker, Paul is __________ people who smoke.
46. He'll be__________ it when his parents discover he took the money.
47. Half the staff are__________ the flu this week.
48. She doesn’t eat crisps or chocolate; she's __________ health foods.
49. Our dog has been __________ its food for days now.
50. Do you know what's__________ at the cinema tonight?
51. I don’t know what he's been__________, but he looks very embarrassed.
52. The roses have been__________ for a few days now.
II. Match the phrasal verbs in bold italics with the definitions given.
1. The prisoner broke away from his captors in a bid for freedom. A. to end sth suddenly
2. I wish you wouldn't keep breaking in while I'm speaking. B. to fail to function
3. The two countries have broken off diplomatic relations. C. to enter a building by force
4. War in the Falklands broke out in the early 1980's. D. to end a relationship
5. The car broke down just as we were leaving the house. E. to escape from
6. Burglars broke in while we were away and stole all our jewels. F. to make a discovery
7. When accused she broke down and confessed her guilt. G. to give up sth
8. After centuries Parliament broke with tradition and elected a lady H. to start suddenly (of violent
speaker. events)
9. Scientists are breaking through in the fight against AIDS. I. to lose control of feelings
10. Since they did nothing but quarrel they decided to break up. J. to interrupt
III. Choose an appropriate phrasal verb to replace each bold phrase below
break through, bear out, blink at, blow up, bank on, brush up, blow over, become of, build up, book up
1. What has happened to John? I haven't seen him for ages.
2. He didn't even show surprise at his daughter's punk hairstyle.
3. He may come tomorrow but don't depend on it.
4. Their disagreement about where to spend their holidays soon stopped.
5. The tables in that restaurant were all reserved so we went to another.
6. I accept your excuse. His statement supports the truth of your story.
7. Fortunately no one was in the car when it exploded.
8. I must improve my Italian before going to that meeting in Rome.
9. After days of rain the sun finally appeared from behind the clouds.
10. Over the years he has collected an impressive collection of artifacts from all over the world.
PART B. IDIOMS
IV. Fill in the blanks with one of the idioms.
ALL BUT – ALL IN – ALL TOLD – FOR ALL – OF ALL PEOPLE – ALL ALONG – ALL THE SAME – ALL IN ALL –
FOR ALL I KNOW – FOR ALL I CARE – TO TAKE STH INTO ACCOUNT – ON ACCOUNT OF – ON NO ACCOUNT
– ON THIS/THAT ACCOUNT – ON THE AIR – IN THE AIR – CLEAR THE AIR – UP IN ARMS – ON THE ALERT
1. I've __________ finished; just give me a few minutes.
2. He's promised to come to the party on Friday; __________, I don’t believe him.
3. __________ his hard work he didn’t get a promotion.
4. I don’t know how they found out, but they’ve known about it __________ .
5. I've been reading the newspapers and __________ I think the government will win the election.
6. She told me her name was Joan but__________ she could be lying.
7. I don't think I’ll go out tonight. I'm __________.
8. I never expected you, __________, to say such a thing!
9. Of course, you can't live with us! __________ you can live in the street!
10. __________, there were 50 people at the party, but not everyone stayed the whole evening.
11. Instead of bottling up your feelings, let's have a good talk and __________.
12. There’s talk __________ of a possible stock-market crash.
13. The villagers are __________ about the proposed motorway.
14. I haven't been able to travel much lately __________ my car having broken down.
15. His future is still up__________; he can't decide whether to become a surgeon or a psychiatrist.
16. You must __________ his educational back- ground when deciding what work to give him.
17. The meeting tomorrow is very important; __________ must you be late.
18. There's been a storm in Manila, so __________ we won't be going there on holiday.
19. You can't go into the studio just yet as the programme is still __________ .
20. The police are always __________for terrorists, particularly at airports.
V. Match the idioms with the definitions
1. black and blue all over A. fed up 1. __________

2. behind bars B. very lively 2. __________

3. full of beans C. sudden clever idea 3. __________

4. drop a brick D. show neither loss nor profit 4. __________

5. browned off E. be very expensive 5. __________

6. a brainwave F. covered with bruises 6. __________

7. out of the blue G. suddenly and unexpectedly 7. __________

8. break even H. in prison 8. __________

9. cost a bomb I. on the whole 9. __________

10. by and large J. do/ say sth tactless 10. __________

VI. Match the phrases and explain the proverbs.
1. Too many cooks A. is worth two in the bush 1. __________

2. A stitch in time B. has a silver lining 2. __________

3. A bird in the hand C. louder than words 3. __________

4. Too many chiefs D. catches the worm 4. __________

5. The early bird E. but it pours 5. __________

6. Make hay F. spoil the broth 6. __________

7. Every cloud G. and not enough Indians 7. __________

8. It never rains H. crying over spilt milk 8. __________

9. There’s no use I. while the sun shines 9. __________

10. Actions speak J. saves nine 10. __________

VII. explain the following idioms in bold italics.
1. He killed her in cold blood simply to get her money.
2. Stop beating about/around the bush! Come to the point.
3. You should take the bull by the horns. Don't wait any longer.
4. The name rings a bell but I can't remember who she is.
5. The scandal was laid bare by an ambitious journalist.
6. Tom is mother's blue-eyed boy. She likes him a lot.
7. His life was hanging in the balance. We didn't know if he would live or die.
8. I'm afraid I'm broke. I can't lend you any money.
9. Being the school bully, he was in the teachers' black books.
10. The criminal decided to make a clean breast of it.
11. The bad news came as a bolt from the blue.
12. Your ideas must be set out in black and white so that everyone can understand them.
13. Our neighbour is very old and ill. He's going to kick the bucket soon.
14. He's always playing practical jokes on us; we have to get our own back.
15. Being fired from my job was a blessing in disguise as I soon found a better one.
16. My parents' attitude towards me makes my blood boil.
17. It's going to rain; I feel it in my bones.
18. That's the wrong person to ask; you are barking up the wrong tree.
19. Butter the boss up before asking for a rise.
20. Don't hold your breath waiting for him; he'll never show up now.
21. The thief was caught red-handed while he was trying to open the safe.
22. John's injury dealt a blow to his hopes of getting onto the Olympic swimming team.
23. He has his faults but by and large he's a good worker.
24. We were relieved to see the back of our houseguests because they never stop complaining.
PART C. MIXED EXERCISES + COLLOCATIONS
VIII. Choose an appropriate answer A, B, C, or D
1. He works like a ______.
a) Trojan b) dwarf c) windmill d) mule
2. It is said that actions speak ______ than words.
a) more b) higher c) louder d) better
3. It is difficult to break ______ old habits.
a) away from b) out of c) down d) up
4. “Do you know him?” “No, I don’t know him from ______.”
a) Eve b) Adam c) Noah d) Cain
5. Several members of the Socialist Party have broken ______ to form a new party.
a) out b) away c) down d) up
6. Mrs Robinson, my neighbour, talks and talks. She’s a real ______.
a) talking box b) talking hat c) chatterbox d) talking case
7. Stop saying that to the workers. It’s only adding ______ to the fire.
a) coal b) wood c) fuel d) petrol
8. The boss want to break ______ those sales figures into age groups.
a) down b) up c) away d) into
9. His idea are completely crazy. I think he has a screw ______.
a) slack b) loose c) lose d) lacking
10. His remark only added insult to ______.
a) wound b) harm c) hurt d) injury
11. He broke ______ loud cursing when he saw his car smashed.
a) into b) up c) down d) over
12. The old tramp ______ down to pick up a piece of bread.
a) stooped b) stopped c) leant d) toppled
13. It’s been ______ since I last saw you.
a) centuries b) ages c) time d) myriads
14. He isn’t a well-mannered boy; he often breaks ______ on our conversations.
a) on b) up c) into d) in
15. That’s a very common ______ among working class people.
a) complain b) moan c) complaint d) moaning
16. “Are they dead?” “Not at all, they are alive and ______ .”
a) kick b) kicking c) struggling d) tailing
17. Thieves broke ______ the jewellery shop and stole several gold rings.
a) in b) up c) on d) into
18. They ______ Brandon to his feet and Craig slapped his face hard.
a) hushed b) joisted c) hoisted d) hosted
19. He’s come back too soon for our plans. That upsets the ______.
a) cartload b) balanced c) carriage d) applecart
20. I would not advise you to ride a wild horse until it has been broken ______.
a) up b) in c) out d) down
21. The thieves took to their ______ when they saw the police car.
a) heels b) feet c) knees d) hills
22. “Have you finished the job?” “Well, it’s as good as ______.”
a) finished b) done c) over d) terminated
23. He was telling me a story about himself but broke ______ when his wife entered.
a) up b) down c) in d) off
24. He’s tired; he’s been burning the candle at ______.
a) both sides b) both ends c) the middle d) the ends
25. “How much is this worth?” “You’ll get £50 at ______.”
a) most b) maximum c) best d) top
26. Classes will break ______ at half past ten for tea.
a) off b) up c) out d) away
27. That hooligan’s got ______ with my wallet.
a) out b) away c) off d) over
28. My wife is not feeling well. She’s a little ______.
a) colourless b) discoloured c) off colour d) out of colour
29. He is a fair man who has no axe to ______.
a) sharpen b) grind c) polish d) grin
30. They broke ______ their engagement two weeks before their wedding.
a) up b) down c) off d) out
31. He’ll get away with the murder. He’s got a good ______.
a) align b) alibi c) alias d) alien
32. Don’t worry about him; his bark is worse than his ______.
a) bite b) nibble c) cry d) shout
33. A riot broke ______ in the neighborhood during the night.
a) out b) in c) off d) down
34. The four commandos ______ on their stomachs towards the ammunition dump.
a) dragged b) crept c) creaked d) cawed
35. I’m not the person you want. You’re barking up the wrong ______.
a) man b) branch c) bush d) tree
36. The kidnapped girl was locked up in a cellar but managed to break ______.
a) out b) up c) off d) down
37. The Prime Minister player ______ at the reception.
a) hostage b) hostess c) host d) hob
38. He’s mad. Everybody knows he’s got bats in the ______.
a) head b) mind c) belfry d) roof
39. After she ate the chocolates, her face broke ______ in a rash.
a) out b) in c) off d) up
40. At last the bank has granted us a ______ to buy the car.
a) lent b) lend c) lending d) loan
41. He didn’t bat a(n) ______ when the bomb exploded.
a) wink b) eyebrow c) eyelid d) inch
42. When he saw the gambler was cheating, he broke ______ in curses.
a) out b) up c) off d) over
43. When he came back to England, he ______ the Daily Mirror.
a) entered b) engaged c) joined d) joined with
44. The boss is like a bear with ______ head this morning.
a) a sore b) a thick c) an aching d) a painful
45. The car broke ______ in the middle of nowhere and they had to walk back.
a) up b) down c) in d) off
46. They’ve put up ______ round the old building.
a) scalding b) scaffolding c) scaffold d) scaleboard
47. What ______ me is their lack of enthusiasm.
a) bits b) beets c) beats d) bites
48. In the afternoon, the sun began to break ______ the clouds.
a) up b) into c) over d) through
49. May I have a couple of ______ with marmalade?
a) toast b) slices of toasts c) slices of toast d) toasts
50. The children made a ______ for the cake.
a) straight-line b) beeline c) bird-flight d) wasp-line
51. The demonstration broke ______ in disorder.
a) up b) down c) off d) out
52. Mr. Thompson ______ the documents aside and stood up.
a) tossed b) tousled c) torn d) tore
53. She is always doing something. She is as busy as ______.
a) a bee b) a wasp c) an ant d) a spider
54. He could sense an eye ______ at him from a little hole.
a) pearing b) peering c) pairing d) gazing
55. The ______ lorry hurtled into the crowd.
a) rundown b) runaway c) runabout d) runoff
56. There he was stark-naked, standing in the middle of the street in his ______.
a) birth suit b) swimsuit c) tracksuit d) birthday suit
57. The police broke ______ the meeting.
a) up b) out c) off d) away
58. He ______ the document thoroughly before he raised his eyes.
a) viewed b) eyed c) glanced d) scrutinized
59. He has bitten off more than he can ______.
a) digest b) eat c) chew d) swallow
60. After World War II, the USA and the USSR broke ______ their alliance.
a) out b) up c) over d) down
61. He ______ his hand into the drawer.
a) dipped b) downed c) dimmed d) dinted
62. All this you are saying on the phone, I’d like to have it down in ______.
a) written b) blue and green c) black and white d) black ink
63. Pasolini was an innovative poet who broke ______ the classical tradition.
a) up from b) away from c) out of d) into
64. He stepped over the ______ and out of the rain and cold.
a) treehold b) threehold c) threshold d) verge
65. Poor old Mr. Brook is as blind as a ______.
a) vat b) mat c) rat d) bat
66. His plans broke ______ through lack of money.
a) up b) down c) over d) out
67. The noise startled him. Suddenly he was ______ awake.
a) wide b) very c) most d) broad
68. They say that blood is thicker than ______.
a) wine b) beer c) oil d) water
69. When they heard the joke, they broke ______.
a) in b) into c) up d) out
70. I would ______ that plot of land if I were you. They’ll be building there soon.
a) hang on to b) hang on c) hang over d) hang at
71. The old man blew his ______ when he heard the news.
a) lap b) top c) roof d) cover
72. We neither won nor lost any money; we broke ______.
a) event b) even c) pair d) the same
73. The criminal nailed murderous pitch-______ eyes on the frightened girl.
a) black b) dark c) blue d) red
74. We were talking about her when suddenly she came out of the ______.
a) black b) blue c) white d) red
75. I’d like to break ______ on your discussion.
a) in b) out c) off d) over
76. “When are you going to ______ the dishes?” “I’ll wash them now.”
a) do b) make c) have d) clear
77. These people are earning barely enough to keep ______ together.
a) belly and boots b) stomach and back c) body and soul d) head and mind
78. When Placido Domingo finished the performance, the public broke ______ cheers.
a) in b) out c) into d) away
79. He was so worried that I had to tell him a ______ lie.
a) blank b) pink c) pitiful d) white
80. The boss is ______ with anger this morning.
a) bursting b) boiling c)) exploding d) bubbling
81. After the six-day war, Israel and the USSR broke ______ diplomatic relations.
a) up b) off c) down d) out
82. When he blew on the shelf, a cloud of dust.
a) arouse b) arose c) raised d) lifted
83. When it comes to telling the truth, he makes no ______ about it.
a) spines b) bonds c) bones d) thorns
84. If you want to buy a motorbike, you’ll have to break ______ your own savings.
a) in b) into c) up d) over
85. The poor boy found himself lying on the road ______ of most of his clothing.
a) stripped b) streaked c) naked d) bared
86. They are warning that the world is on the ______ of turbulent changes.
a) brim b) edge c) brink d) border
87. A fire has broken ______ in the woods.
a) over b) off c) out d) up
88. After the race, the winner answered the questions in ______.
a) gaps b) gasps c) gulps d) bumps
89. Tell me the truth. Make a clean ______ of it.
a) chest b) breast c) shoulder d) head
90. The boss wants me to break the new clerk ______ gently.
a) down b) on c) up d) in
91. Car number 4 finished last ______ one.
a) except b) but c) less d) minus
92. They robbed the bank in ______ daylight.
a) broad b) wide c) plain d) plane
93. Little Mary broke ______ the man that was holding her.
a) off b) away from c) out d) over
94. They love going to the pictures. They’re very keen ______.
a) filmstars b) moviegoing c) movie goers d) buffs
95. That boy of yours keeps breaking everything. He’s like a bull in a ______.
a) tea shop b) china shop c) porcelain jar d) warehouse
96. When I realized the danger we had just gone through, I broke ______ in a cold sweat.
a) up b) over c) out d) off
97. Local writers promoted the ______ of Robin Hood and his merry men.
a) myth b) maths c) moth d) mirth
98. Get it from him by hook or by ______.
a) look b) rook c) crook d) book
99. Negotiations will break ______ and both countries will compromise.
a) up b) through c) in d) over
100. East-West relations are improving. There are signs of a ______.
a) thawing b) thou c) thatch d) thaw
101. The will is by no ______ satisfactory to him.
a) way b) means c) mean d) reason
102. Road accidents have taken a heavy ______.
a) tall b) tale c) toll d) told
103. The talks broke ______ without any agreement being reached.
a) on b) in c) down d) over
104. The telephone operator put me ______ to Mr. Johnson’s office.
a) through b) over c) up to d) cross
105. Stop building castles in ______. We must keep our feet on the ground.
a) the water b) the sand c) the wind d) the air
106. Your children will suffer if you break ______ your marriage.
a) up b) down c) over d) in
107. You must change a few habits. Why don’t you ______?
a) do up your shoes laces b) do up your buttons c) put your tie on d) pull your socks up
108. She was like a cat on hot ______ all evening.
a) stove b) oven c) bricks d) pans
109. I have to break my new shoes ______ to make them comfortable.
a) out b) in c) up d) over
110. He wore a huge scimitar in its silver ______.
a) sheath b) sheathe c) sheave d) shed
111. They caught him with his trousers ______.
a) off b) down c) out d) up
112. The doctors made a ______ in their fight against lung cancer.
a) breakthrough b)breakfast c) breakout d) break-in
113. As he grew old; he became rather ______.
a) excentric b) eccentrical c) eccentric d) excentrical
114. He’s very thorough, he never leaves anything to ______.
a) change b) chance c) venture d) random
115. The poor man is bound to break ______ under all this pressure.
a) up b) on c) over d) in
116. A(n) ______ was raised by the sheriff of Dodge City to go after the rustlers.
a) group b) alarm c) posse d) hunt
117. What you said you may be true, but I have to ______ it over.
a) chew b) ruminate c) plan d) masticate
118. I called ______ the Post Office and arranged to send a parcel to Germany.
a) to b) at c) in d) into
119. You should know that fame is something very ______.
a) fleeing b) flying c) fleeting d) ephemera
120. She’s no spring ______; she’s forty if she’s a day.
a) hen b) chick c) cub d) chicken
PART D. LEXICOLOGY
IX. WORD FORMS: Choose an appropriate word form to fill in each blank
PASSAGE A. Most snap (1. JUDGE) __________ about people are form on the basis of their (2. FACE) ____________
features. The eyes, regarded as clues to one’s true character, are said (3. POETRY) ____________ to be the
windows of the soul: closely positioned, they imply (4. SLY) ____________; set wide apart they suggest (5.
HONEST) ____________ and directness. Thin mouths are equated with meanness and full mouths with (6.
SENSUAL) ____________. Unconsciously, we make such instant judgements and they are made about us. There
is no hiding place for the face. Always exposed and vulnerable, it (7. VOLUNTARY) ____________ expresses
happiness, desire and joy, anger, fear, shame and (8. LOATHE) ________. Precisely for that reason, a masked
face evokes fear and horror: once someone’s distinguishing (9. CHARACTER) ____________ are hidden, we
cannot read or recognise the person and fear of the unknown immediately arouses suspicion.
PASSAGE B. The twentieth-century study of Vermeer’s works was (1. GRAVE) ___________ hampered by the
activities of Hans Van Meegeren, whose (2. NOTORIOUS) ________ stems from a series of stunning forgeries
painted in the 1930s and 40s. Van Meegeren exploited the art world’s (3. IGNORE) __________ of Vermeer’s
early life by painting s number of fakes that went on to be (4. AUTHENTIC) ___________ as genuine works of
Vermeer by the leading authorities of the day. His (5. DECEIVE) __________ were only exposed in the aftermath
of World War II, when a supposed Vermeer was found amongst the numerous illicit (6. ACQUIRE) __________
of Hermann Goering. It was soon established that he had been sold the painting by Van Meegeren, who was
arrested as a collaborator. In order to escape possible (7. EXECUTE) ______________, Van Meegeren confessed
to having forged the picture only to find that his story was met with total (8. BELIEVE) ___________. To test his
claim, he was locked in a studio with a panel of experts and ordered to produce another ‘Vermeer’: stunned
by the (9. MASTER) _____________ of his technique, the judges released him before he had even completed the
painting.
X. Choose a word that can be filled in 3 blanks at once
1. The harsh _____________ of the Arctic regions cannot be underestimated.
There is no money for children's centers in the current _____________.
How can we change this _____________ of opinion?
2. Invaders generally adopt a policy of _____________and rule.
People managed to _____________the country down the middle over the strike.
Will this deepen the _____________between the country's rich and poor?
3. When his career ended, he became a _____________ of his former self.
My car finally gave up the _____________.
You don't have a _____________ of a chance.
4. His sincerity _____________her.
He _____________on us the need for immediate action.
Her words _____________themselves on my memory.
5. You must be ready to leave at a moment's _____________.
_____________the way the bridge is supported by its suspension cables.
A bulletin board or __________ board in British English is a surface intended for the posting of public messages
6. I try to keep my private life _____________from my work.
When we finished school, we all went our _____________ways.
The information you requested is being forwarded to you under _____________cover.
7. They have refused to allow UN troops to be stationed in their _____________.
She has to work late most days, but in her kind of job that goes with the _____________.
We decided to meet on neutral _____________.
8. The written record of the conversation doesn't _____________to what was actually said.
Your account of events does not _____________with hers.
They _____________regularly with their former teacher.
9. The runners set off at a pace that simply could not be _____________
He still_____________that he was innocent after the verdict despite all the evidence against him.
It is not surprising that the number of accidents is increasing when our local roads are so poorly_____________
10. With the likelihood of further rain today, there appears to be little prospect of any_____________from
the suffering.
The white-washed houses stood out in sharp _____________ against the smooth grey cliffs.
My sense of _____________at not having to go must have been obvious to everyone.
11. When meat is as _____________ as this, it really needs to be cooked slowly for hours.
It’s _____________on Mary that she won’t be able to come with us.
We need to introduce_____________ new laws to stop industries from dumping their waste into
rivers.
12. We’re hoping that the weather will _____________ so we can at least spend part of the evening
outside.
The police_____________ offenders overnight if they are arrested for being drunk and disorderly.
I realize that I will have to learn to_____________ my tongue in situations where people are likely to
take offence.
13. Not being _____________for the school team is probably one of my most painful memories of childhood.
John’s problem was that he had_____________ fights with colleagues who were better placed in the
company than he was.
The carcass had been_____________ clean by vultures and other animals.
14. The match is being televised_____________ in over sixty countries around the world.
People who fish on this part of the river usually use_____________ bait.
It’s hard to imagine that a qualified electrician would have left_____________ wires exposed in an area where
children play.
15. He has his own small veterinary_____________ and only has one other person to help.
It is common_____________ these days for someone to greet you as you enter large American stores.
With_____________ you’ll soon get the hang of using the crutches.
16. The council is planning to_____________ a road right through here next year.
The bank decided it was not prepared to_____________ the risk of investing in such a speculative venture.
The project could_____________ into trouble if the committee refuse to make further funds available.
17. Don’t agree to anything until you have been through everything and checked exactly what is_____________
It’s clearly none of your business so why did you feel the need to get_____________?
Becoming_____________ with someone so soon after the divorce was not exactly what he had planned.
18. What I do in my free time is not your_____________
The extent of public_____________ about the outbreak was testified to by the number of phone calls placed to
hospitals.
I am disappointed that he has shown so little_____________ for staff feelings on the matter.
19. The rain came_____________ down just after the event had begun.
She does seem to be _____________ her heart out to anyone who will listen.
The home fans came _____________ onto the pitch at the sound of the final whistle.
20. Standards at the school seemed to be_____________ before the new head arrived.
I had planned on_____________ out before the meeting ended, but I didn’t get a chance to.
Time was_____________ away and making the deadline seemed an ever remoter possibility.
SECTION C. READING
I. You are going to read an extract from an article. For questions 1-6, choose the answer (A, B, C or D)
which you think fits best according to the text. Mark your answers on the separate answer sheet.
PASSAGE A. BRITAIN ON THE COUCH
 This book is about the angst of normal people, of people like us. It offers an explanation of why we
are so much more likely to be miserable than our grandparents, why are so discontented and self-attacking,
why the moments of emotional richness and freedom of our childhood are less frequent, why so many of us
feel there is something missing from life.
It establishes that, compared with 1950, the general rise in aspirations has spawned depression and
an epidemic of compulsions like drug abuse, gambling and eating disorders. We compare ourselves
obsessively and enviously, corrupting the quality of our inner lives. No sooner do we achieve a goal than we
move the goalposts to create a new one, leaving ourselves permanently depleted. There is an outbreak of
living in the future and a pathological reenactment of the past.
People with most of these problems are more likely than those without to have low levels of the
neurotransmitter serotonin, the so-called ‘happiness brain chemical’. Given that there is a chemistry of
despair, one might suppose that it has a chemical, physical cause. Perhaps the problem is pollution. Is it
something to do with the processing of the foods we eat or the methods of cultivation of the raw materials?
Maybe the new technologies such as mobile phones and computers are interfering with our brain? Though
far from impossible that some of these things are contributing, the strongest contender by far for explaining
what has gone wrong is the way we organise society. I shall show that advanced capitalism, as currently
organised, creates low-serotonin societies. Far from being the product of other chemicals, serotonin levels in
animal and human brains largely reflect what is happening around them, socially and emotionally.
Put crudely, advanced capitalism makes money out of misery and dissatisfaction, as if it were
encouraging us to fill the psychic void with material goods. It can also profit from fostering spurious
individualism by encouraging us to define ourselves through our purchases, with ever more precisely
marketed products that create a fetishistic concern to have ‘this’ rather than ‘that’, even though there is
often no significant practical or aesthetic difference. It can even make money from restoring the chemical
imbalance in our brains which results from these false ambitions and identities, by selling pills and
therapeutic services.
I am not suggesting that there is a conspiracy by a secret society of top-hat-clad, black-coated
bankers and blindly materialistic retailers to make us miserable. Writing of advanced capitalism as if it has
volition is to make human an abstract entity which has no will of its own, just as describing genes as selfish
is nonsense. But it has to be acknowledged that the way advanced capitalism happens to have evolved, it
does very nicely at boths ends (creating and curing misery), with our inner lives footing the bill.
Nor am I suggesting that a spiritual renaissance is what is required, and that we must eschew our
materialism and return to the simple agrarian life of idealised noble savages; rather, that we are suffering
from a crucial delusion that we need to be richer as a nation in order to be happier.
Increased prosperity is the cornerstone of all major political parties’ manifestos and yet, if studies of
national well-being are to be believed, voters are mistaken in supposing that greater national wealth will be
accompanied by greater happiness. Once a society passes beyond a basic level of wealth, anything beyond
that makes no difference to overall contentment. Advanced capitalism has made most of us physically better
off by meeting biological needs with unprecedented efficiency, but it has actually made us more prone to
low-serotonin problems such as depression and aggression.
New disciplines of evolutionary psychology and psychiatry suggest that advanced capitalism does
not meet our primordial needs, evolved over millions of years, for status and emotional attachment. Our
genes were developed to cope with completely different psychological and technological circumstances than
the ones facing us today. For example, most of our adult lives we fight against the problem of being
overweight. This a wholly new problem in the history of the world, caused in the first instance by
technology creating diverse and abundant foods. Unfortunately, like all animals, humans were designed to
assume that food would be unlimited supplies of highly calorific food available at all times.
1. The writer argues that people feel there is something missing in life because they
A. exaggerate the freedom of their youth. B. no longer know what they want.
C. are constantly aiming for what they do not have. D. do not possess sufficient depth of emotion.
2. What does the author suggest is a vehicle for advanced capitalism to profit from feelings of despair?
A. work promotion B. marketing C. therapy D. aesthetic values
3. The writer makes it clear that
A. advanced capitalism has no answers for the problems it creates.
B. we need to reject materialism.
C. particular groups are not directly responsible for the problems.
D. the system governing society has a will of its own.
4. In the writer’s view, political parties aggravate the problem by
A. setting out to achieve basic standards of wealth. B. thinking only of efficiency.
C. depressing people further by enriching themselves. D. equating happiness with prosperity.
5. In the last paragraph, what does the writer suggest is the defining characteristic of our times?
A. Evolution is speeding up.
B. We no longer get what we most need from society.
C. Machinery has displaced humans in certain fields of activity.
D. Meeting primordial human needs is no longer enough.
6. In the writer’s general view, a possible way forward for society lies in
A. further prosperity creating time for reflection. B. our capacity to find remedies for compulsions.
C. restoring the way of life of pre-industrial times. D. a reassessment of the value of material wealth.
PASSASGE B. MASS CULTURE
In recent decades, the development and spread of new information technologies, such as satellite
television, has engendered many debates about consequences of their use. One of the first writers to see the
possibilities of these changes was the American writer Marshall McLuhan, who argued in the 1960s that
communications technology would have two effects: first, it would create a global village where everyone
and everything were accessible to the television camera and secondly, that it would become the case that
‘the medium is the message’, that is, how the message is transmitted would outgrow in importance over
what the message is.
Other theorists have gone further in arguing that the explosion of, and increasing dependence on,
information technology have brought about profound changes in the way society is organised. Some, for
example, believe that we can now describe a ‘post-modern society’, characterised partly by an information-
based international division of labour that allows increasing freedom of movement. At the cultural level,
distinctions between ‘high’ and ‘low’ culture have disappeared as new technology transmits across class
boundaries, while stylistically, form has become more important than substance, and the ubiquity of
television means that everything is seen in television codes. McLuhan’s global television-led culture is now
with us.
The accuracy of such a description, however, has been questioned. At one level, many people are
reluctant to accept any argument that technology can lead to social and economic changes, arguing instead
that the relationship is exactly the other way round. In other words, they are critical of any tendency to
technological determinism. Furthermore, evidence can be cited that queries the notion that information
technology has spread evenly throughout the world or even throughout Britain. This has been described as
the uneven development of the information economy. Many areas of Great Britain, for example, are not yet
equipped with the on-line communications systems necessary to receive technologies such as cable and
interactive television, and the take-up of these technologies varies according to socio-economic factors. We
are still a long way from the full-scale and comprehensive implementation of the information super-
highway.
What does seem to be the case, however, is that the stereotypical image of the nuclear family sitting
together in the front room cheerfully choosing their evening’s viewing from a limited range of television
stations is disappearing. This is partly due to the increased number of sets per household, as well as the
rapid growth in the number of channels, a development mirrored by the niche marketing of magazines to a
multiplicity of interest groups. The amount of time spent watching television per head has stabilised in
recent years to around 27 hours a week. Women watch on average four more hours of television per week
than men and all statistics show a relationship between social class and viewing.
This is not to say that diversity and choice have necessarily been achieved. It remains the case that satellite
television caters for mass-appeal interests such as music, sport, news, children’s programmes and American
films and light entertainment ignoring many disadvantaged social groups. New media technologies have not
empowered people in the sense that there are increased numbers of community-based television networks.
In Britain, it is no less valid today to describe a mass culture based on a centrally directed mass media.
Doubts have also been raised about the ability of satellite stations to succeed in creating a global
television culture. Rupert Murdoch is widely known to own substantial parts of the global media industry. A
few years ago, he added a controlling share of Star TV to his collection, meaning that he gained access to 2.5
billion people in 50 countries, or forty percent of the world’s television sets, in a region stretching from
Jordan to Japan. Capturing the market in India, however, and hooking the population onto his talkshows and
American mega-series such as Baywatch and LA Law, has not been as straightforward as first imagined.
Cultural differences are complicated in a nation of 18 official languages and further compounded when you
consider the staggering figure of 1,700 dialects. Hindi films transmitted by the state broadcasting network
still rank a coveted first in the ratings table. Murdoch’s response to this realisation was to immediately buy
into a local TV station as well. Indian culture, for the present at least, remains resistant to western
broadcasting and highlights that the creation of a global mass culture will not be solely induced by
technology.
1. Theorists describing society as ‘post-modern’ claim information technology has
A. meant more people doing identical jobs around the world.
B. broken down the boundaries between ‘high’ and ‘low’ culture.
C. benefited artistic creativity.
D. resulted in other technologies challenging the dominance of TV.
2. The author raises doubts about ‘technological determinism’ because it
A. argues that cultural change determines economic change.
B. has exaggerated the importance of the Internet.
C. underestimates people’s resistance to change.
D. assumes technology will impact on everyone in a similar way.
3. What reason does the author suggest for changes in household viewing habits?
A. Viewing habits are more stable than in the past.
B. Different family members will watch TV at different times.
C. TV stations can now target specific audiences.
D. Typical nuclear families are less common.
4. According to the author, the spread of TV culture through an increasing number of networks has
A. limited centralized control of the media.
B. been of the little benefit to minorities.
C. enabled local community television to emerge.
D. increased diversity in mass culture.
5. The popularity of films in Hindi in India
A. has caused TV companies to change strategy.
B. indicates less cultural and language diversity in India than people imagine.
C. resulted from screening programmes unpopular in their home markets.
D. is a result of the state TV monopoly.
6. The author’s general view of ‘technology’ is that it
A. has the power to drive social change.
B. can liberate the economically disadvantaged.
C. is not the most important factor in cultural change.
D. hasn’t really changed our cultural habits.
II. STATEMENT MATCHING
PASSAGE A. You are going to read some opinions from an article about maintaining a healthy
lifestyle. For questions 1-10, choose from the people (A-D). The people may be chosen more than
once. Which person gives each of these opinions about health?
It’s a good idea to be a bit skeptical. 1. ______
The current interest in health is not completely genuine 2. ______
There is a lot of contradictory information. 3. ______
Modern options may be too complicated 4. ______
The best way to be healthy requires considerable sacrifices. 5. ______
There is nothing wrong with occasionally indulging in some bad foods 6. ______
The mental aspects of health are as important as the physical 7. ______
Some interventions may do as much harm as good 8. ______
We must wait some time to know an outcome 9. ______
A similar behavior could benefit most living things 10. ______
HOW CAN WE LIVE A HEALTHY LIFE?
A. Louise
From what I’ve read, we can do a myriad of things to improve our health. Keeping fit is important in keeping
the weight down and keeping active. Eating a healthy diet is vital too, naturally; some people say going
vegetarian is healthy, but I don’t think I could do it. I do try to cut back on red meat and processed meats like
sausages and such to once or twice a week. Of course, smoking and drinking is detrimental. It’s becoming
incredibly confusing though, because there’s such a glut of information out there. One week they tell us we
must drink eight glasses of water every day, then they tell us water is irrelevant, but tea drinkers live longer
than non-tea drinkers. They tell us chocolate will make us fat and the fat will kill us, then they tell us that
chocolate can lower blood pressure and prevent heart disease. They tell us running is critical to heart health,
but it will wreck our knees. I’ve read all manner of things. I try to take it all with a grain of salt.
B. Anna
I’m not a doctor, but I do work in biological research, and I must say that some of the work they’re doing
with calorie restriction is very interesting. You see, they have quite reliably established that all sorts of
animal, from worms to fruit flies to rats, all the way up to primates, have extended healthy lifespans if their
calorie intake is restricted considerably - I mean, something like thirty percent below general
recommendations - while they continue to get enough nutrients by eating only very high quality foods. Of
course, it’s easier for laboratory animals. This would be very difficult to implement for most humans. It’s not
an easy diet to follow, for sure - no more pizza. Some people are trying it already, though, I’ve read. I think
they’re part of a study, but it’s early days still. We’ll have to wait a lifetime, quite literally, to see how they get
on.
C. Alan
There’s a saying, several maybe, about moderation being the key to this and that. The way I look at it, this is
also the key to having a healthy life. Everything in moderation. There’s nothing wrong with a piece of
chocolate cake once in a while; eating a chocolate cake every day - not so good. Too much coffee is not
healthy at all, while some say a cup or two is actually good for you. Conversely, exercise is so important, as
everyone knows, but if you get too much, well, the body gets worn out long before it should. So really I think,
the way I look at it, a bit of anything is fine, and too much of anything is foolhardy. A varied diet is too
important, and doing various activities throughout the day. Try new things; if the mind is alert and
interested, health follows. And being happy is the most important of all, I think.
D. Ronald
I think our whole search for the healthy lifestyle is a bit contrived. It comes from an overabundance of
leisure time and a tendency to hypochondria. For most of human history, we were content to have a meal on
the table, and escape dying from the plague, and maybe procure a new suit of clothes once in a while. Now,
we have choices. We have antibiotics, we have the supermarket, and we have all sorts of vitamin pills and
supplements. Does it really matter what brand of multivitamin supplement you take? Will one extend your
life by six months and the net by two years? I doubt it. I think, in general, people need to stop dwelling on
their health so much and just get on with it and live their lives? That pharmaceutical product you’re taking
to lower your risk of heart disease might just end up increasing your risk of cancer. We really don’t know,
but worrying it will surely lower your quality of life!
PASSAGE B. Which person gives each of these opinions about mobile phones?
The convenience comes at a price. 1. ______
Research may not have been impartial. 2. ______
They let people be more spontaneous. 3. ______
A new application makes them even more useful. 4. ______
They encourage a tendency to worry. 5. ______
Children may be particularly vulnerable to certain risks. 6. ______
We shouldn’t take for granted that the technology will always work. 7. ______
They haven’t made the world a safer place. 8. ______
We should make conscious decisions about mobile phone use. 9. ______
In a bad situation, a mobile phone can be crucial. 10. ______
THE IMPACT OF MOBILE PHONES
A. Lawrence
There’s a fair bit of controversy surrounding the health risks of mobile phones. Concerns have been raised
about the radiation they emit, and implications for cancer risk, especially to children. There has also been
widespread mistrust of phone masts and the radiation and magnetic fields emanating from them. Since
masts have become pervasive in our cities, to say the least, and even in the countryside, these issues have
the potential to be quite serious. There are claims that the industry’s response has been to disguise the
masts rather than address the health risks. We are assured that there is no proof of detrimental health
effects, but really, it’s quite another matter to say they are safe. They may well be safe, but it doesn’t help the
public to be reassured when the studies are, for the most part, funded by mobile phone providers.
B. Melissa
Well, I couldn’t live without my phone, and I suspect that’s true of most people. They’ve become completely
ubiquitous in our culture, and they shape the way we socialize, the way we plan, even how we think. They’ve
enabled us to cut way down on the separation time for just about anything. They’ve made last-minute
changes to plans acceptable and also far easier to pull off, indeed, to take in stride. They’ve made
misunderstandings and miscommunications easier to rectify. You could say that mobile phones have made it
considerably harder for any plans to go irreparably pear shaped. But things do still go wrong; a phone can
get stolen, batteries can die unexpectedly. Then, we’re lost. Particularly as the applications of our phones
multiply, as they will, in the future; it’s something to keep in mind.
C. Tina
I can’t even begin to count the number of times my mobile phone has gotten me out of sticky situation. Most
of them involve being lost. The worst, I suppose, was the result of extreme tiredness, on top of a dose of
preoccupation, leading to a wrong turn going unnoticed until I found myself walking around a questionable
industrial neighborhood, very late at night, with no idea at all where I was or how to get back to familiar
territory. It sounds a bit unbelievable, I know, and the fact that even I didn’t believe I could have gotten so
lost led to some rather haphazard attempts to backtrack and even more intractable disorientation. In the
end, O swallowed my pride and called a friend who, instructing me to find the street names of a nearby
intersection, looked me up on Google Earth and guided me out to a thoroughfare where a taxi ride home was
a welcome option. And nowadays, with mobile internet, I could have rescued myself!
D. Mike
I know it would be hard to give up mobile phone technology now, it is so entrenched in our everyday lives,
but I think we need to question its role, and not just accept all the repercussions that come with it as
inevitable. For instance, parents of teens may find it comforting to be able to contact their progeny easily
whenever they’re out on their own in the big bad world, but what of negotiating arrangements in advance
and finding a payphone in the case of a change of plans? It has worked in the past. And is the convenience
worth the cost of seeing a group of young people sitting together, sending each other text messages across
the room? There is clearly a social cost. And most of the time, our children are not any safer - it’s simply
easier for us to reassure ourselves that they are. Is our peace of mind worth it?
III. For questions 1-8, read the text below and decide which answer (A, B, C or D) best fits each gap.
Mark your answers on the separate answer sheet.
PASSAGE A. Steep green wooded hills with alpine meadows clinging 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 (1) _______ out along a
lazy river. It was as perfect as a (2) _______ as I had ever seen. I drove through the soft light of dusk, (3) _______
by the beauty. This was the heart of Appalachia, the most (4) _______ impoverished region of the United
States. Known for its music, and also known historically, and largely unjustly, for its isolation, for coal
mining, and for the dearth of education of its inhabitants, it is also one of the most misunderstood regions.
But to my (5) _______, above all else, it was simply inexpressibly beautiful. It seemed strange to think that the
urban professionals of the Eastern Seaboard cities hadn’t (6) _______ an area of such arresting beauty, filling
the dales with rustic weekend cottages, country clubs and fancy restaurants. At a second (7) ______, however,
there were a handful of quaint cottages (8) _______ among the farms. Perhaps Appalachia was on the cusp of
establishing a new identity.
1. A. spread B. stacked C. stood D. sat
2. A. set B. scenery C. setting D. scenario
3. A. digested B. absorbed C. dissolved D. immersed
4. A. severely B. strictly C. sharply D. harshly
5. A. nose B. thought C. eye D. taste
6. A. possessed B. encamped C. overtaken D. colonized
7. A. glance B. take C. attempt D. glare
8. A. brushed B. tossed C. concealed D. dotted
PASSAGE B. Once or twice a year, William Hitt, a top class artist, dressed up to play the (1) ________ of a
severely disabled man. According to authorities, he often (2) ________ so far as to strap on an arm brace and
sit in a wheelchair during visits to the benefit office. Hitt had claimed that an injury to his right hand, and
the subsequent (3) ________ treatment using bone from his leg, had left him in considerable pain, (4) ________
to walk, and in need of constant assistance. The Criminal and Financial Investigation team, who began
investigating Hitt last year after they were (5) ________ that he was coming the authorities into thinking that
he was disabled, estimate that his fraudulent claims amount to more than $400,000 in the (6) ________ of
housing benefits, aid from the Independent Living Fund, income support and disability living allowance. The
evidence against Hitt, (7) ________ at his trial, included photos of him shopping, video filmed by the
Metropolitan Police of him walking unaided, as well as a video of him dancing at a wedding. At Isleworth
Crown Court, he was (8) ________ of 12 counts of fraud, including deception and making false statements.
1. A. part B. scene C. cast D. act
2. A. came B. made C. took D. went
3. A. broken B. bungled C. thriving D. tactless
4. A. relieved B. required C. disabled D. unable
5. A. teased out B. tipped off C. taken in D. led on
6. A. form B. line C. way D. guise
7. A. presented B. stated C. testified D. proved
8. A. sentenced B. imprisoned C. convicted D. judged
IV. Fill in each blank with an appropriate word
PASSAGE A. The dog fence is Australia’s version of the Great Wall of China, but longer; erected to keep (1)
……………....... ……………....... hostile invaders, in this (2) ……………....... hordes of wild dogs, called dingoes. The
empire it preserves is (3) ……………....... of the woolgrowers. They are sovereigns of the world’s second largest
sheep flock after China’s, some 123 million head, and keepers of a wool export business worth four billion
dollars (4) ……………....... the national economy. It seems to (5) ……………....... little that more and more people –
conservationists, politicians, taxpayers and animal lovers – say that the construction of such a fence would
never be allowed today. With some sections of it almost one hundred years old, built by bushmen travelling
with camels, the dog fence has (6) ……………....... as even most conservationists ruefully admit, ‘an icon of
frontier ingenuity’. To appreciate this unusual outback monument and to meet the people (7) …………….......
livelihoods depend on it, I spent part of an autumn travelling the wire. For most of its prodigious length, the
fence winds like a river through a landscape that, (8) ……………....... heavy rain has fallen, scarcely has rivers.
It marks the traditional dividing line. Outside, dingoes thrive; inside, legally classified as vermin, they may
be shot, poisoned and trapped.
PASSAGE B. I once told the wine waiter in a reputable restaurant that I thought the wine I had ordered was
off. (1) …....... the mere suggestion that something might be wrong, he became most unpleasant. (2)
……………..... reluctantly tasted it, however, he immediately apologized and brought another bottle. It helped
that I knew I was legally in the right. Whether in a restaurant or a bar, the food or drink must be fit (3)
……………....... human consumption. (4) ……………....... the customer, you have considerable rights. The menu,
for example, is a vital legal document and a restaurant can be fined up to $5000 (5) ……………....... it fail to
display one prominently. Potential customers have the right to know in advance what they are committing
(6) ……………....... to, and it is an offence under the Trade Description Act for any establishment to give a false
description of its food. Everything must be (7) ……………....... it claims to be and in cases where it is not, you
should complain. Fresh fruit salad must only consist of fresh, not tinned, fruit; the same principle applies to
wine. If you are brought a vintage (8) ……………....... from that stated on the wine list, send it back.
PASSAGE C. Surprisingly to most people, postal services have (1) ……………....... in some parts of the world for
thousands of years. There is some (2) ……………....... that a postal service existed among the Assyrians and
Babylonians. (3) ……………....... China a regular postal service was (4) ……………....... in the 7th century B.C., and
over the centuries attained such a high (5) …………….... of efficiency that about 2,000 years after (6)
……………..... institution it (7) …………….... the admiration of travellers (8) …………….... as Marco Polo. Efficient
and highly developed postal services were (9) ……………....... established in the Persian and Roman empires.
These services in (10) …………….... times were mainly confined (11) …………….... the use of the state: private
citizens made (12) ……………....... of slaves, the couriers of other countries and merchants, to (13) …………….......
messages and documents. In Medieval Europe, postal services were organized by emperors and by the
papacy, (14) ……………....... private citizens continued to entrust their correspondence to (15) ……………........
kinds of travellers. Later, towards the 13th century, the universities and towns came to have their (16)
……………........ messengers. It was not (17) ……………....... the 14th century that merchants, the private citizens
who had the greatest (18) ……………....... of a speedy and regular exchange of correspondence, began to set
(19) ……………....... regular courier services. The needs of business (20) ……………....... to the organizing of the
postal service as we know it today.
PASSAGE D. Although many people who have sleeping (1) ……………......., either chronic (2) …………….......
occasional, automatically reach for the sleeping tablets when they see a difficult night (3) ……………....... of
then, there are a number of so-called “folk” remedies which are not (4) ……………....... cheaper but also much
safer in the long (5) ……………....... Most people have tried (6) ……………....... a hot drink such as milk or one of a
number of herbal infusions before going to bed, (7) ……………....... there are other, less well-known (8)
……………......., which can help you on your way to a restful night’s sleep. One unusual but (9) …………….......
technique involves, not warmth as you might (10) ……………....... but cold. Before going to bed, run very cold
water for several minutes over your forearms and legs from the knee (11) ……………......., then dry yourself
quickly and hop into bed. You will find yourself feeling totally relaxed and drowsy. Another unusual (12)
……………....... has to do with catingor, to be more (13) ……………....... chewing. Take a large apple, wash it and
eat it slowly, taking particular (14) ……………....... to chew the peel thoroughly. Chewing is not only relaxing in
(15) ……………......., but the peel of the apple (16) ……………....... a natural substance which (17) …………….......
relaxation. Meditation, stretching, walking and even (18) ……………....... sheep are also effective methods for
many people. Clearly, there are many ways to (19) ……………....... the pill- popping route und still (20)
……………....... a good night’s sleep.
PASSAGE E. Until half a century (1) ……………......., the basic physical structure you were born with was, (2)
……………....... you suffered an accident, the one you died with. Apart (3) ……………....... normal wear and tear or
the possibility of a broken nose or other disfigurement, you (4) ……………....... not expect to change your
appearance drastically. However, people have not always been (5) ……………....... with their lot. Fortunes have
been (6) ……………....... by selling corsets, wigs and miraculous wrinkle removers. Magazines have been full of
(7) ……………....... on how to disguise the shape of your face by (8) ……………....... blushers and foundations (9)
……………....... the day these products were invented. Then fresh hope appeared in the (10) ……………....... of
cosmetic surgery. Although general practitioners warn their patients not to (11) ……………....... their lives to
be transformed when they (12) ……………....... their noses remodelled or their ears tucked back, nevertheless
there is a constant supply (13) ……………....... willing victims streaming (14) ……………....... the plush clinics of
the knife-wielders. It is the people in the public (15) ……………....... who normally have the most drastic
changes made. However, many ordinary people dream of looking dramatically (16) ……………......., save for
years to (17) ……………....... their dream come true, and are willing to (18) ……………....... up with the inevitable
swelling, scarring and black eyes. While some people sell stories to the tabloid press about (19) …………….......
their lives have changed, many others are sadly (20) ……………....... with the results.
PASSAGE F. One of the (1) ……………....... problems with holidays, (2) ……………....... from the usual travel
complications and accommodation difficulties, (3) ……………....... the expectations people have of (4)
……………....... When we go on holiday we expect to leave all the stresses and strains of our (5) …………….......
lives behind us. We imagine we will be (6) ……………....... to escape to such a (7) ……………....... that we even
tend to believe, consciously or not, that we can leave our (8) ……………....... personalities behind and become
completely different people. The (9) ……………....... business-person, tense, preoccupied, short-tempered, (10)
……………....... to relax, envisages herself/himself becoming, from the moment of locking the office door, a
radically different (11) ……………....... of person: carefree, good-humoured, ready to relax and enjoy whatever
adventures present themselves. (12) ……………....... practice, we take ourselves with us (13) ……………....... we
go, and the personality that is (14) ……………....... over years of stress and tension is almost impossible to
shake off at a moment’s (15) ……………........ It is no wonder so many holidays are a disappointment, no (16)
……………....... how smoothly they go or how lovely the weather is. In (17) ……………......., the innumerable
problems that (18) ……………....... Up during the average holiday are probably a welcome (19) …………….......
from the nagging feeling that we are not enjoying ourselves as much (20) ……………....... we should.
SECTION D. WRITING
I. Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first sentence
1. It won’t hurt to tell your boss how you feel. lose
You have _________________________________ your boss how you feel.
2. It was only because of Sarah’s quick reactions that we weren’t injured. it
If _________________________________ Sarah’s quick reactions, we would have been injured.
3. He did not pay any attention to the numerous warning letters he received. notice
He _________________________________ the numerous warning letters he received.
4. The meeting wasn’t nearly as bad as I had anticipated. turned
The meeting _________________________________ be much better than I had anticipated.
5. A child will be expelled from the school only as a last resort. else
Only if _________________________________ be expelled from the school.
6. He’s only just getting used to not having to go to work. terms
He’s only just _________________________________ not having to go to work.
7. I would prefer you not to come, if you don’t mind. rather
I ____________________________________________ if you don’t mind.
8. I forgot his birthday last week and don’t know how to make it up to him. amends
I don’t know___________________________________________ his birthday last week.
9. I really don’t see how people can blame John for what has happened. held
I really don’t see how _________________________________________ what has happened.
10. Sharon and I are not speaking to each other, I’m afraid. terms
Sharon and I ____________________________________________ each other, I’m afraid.
11. I think she’s now a little unsure about coming with us. second
I think she’s now _____________________________________________ with us.
12. We feel that all our hard work has gone unacknowledged recently. granted
We feel that all our hard work __________________________________________ recently.
II. Write a new sentence as similar as possible in meaning to the original sentence
1.I don't know how I can make it up to you for spoiling your plans. amends
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
2.I don't mind staying in on a Saturday night if I have good company. averse
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
3. The suspect could not explain why he had sand on his boots. account
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
4. Miss Hayes will explain the day-to-day running of the office to you. acquaint
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
5. What he told me made me very curious to hear the rest of the story. appetite
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
6. The burglar was caught while stealing the jewels. act
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
7. My father doesn't like people to smoke without asking first. approve
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
8. Those official files cannot be seen by the public until the 21st century. access
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
9. She is very precious to him. apple
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
10. You should consider the fact that he hasn't spoken French for years. allowances
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
11. Only Sheila came up with the solution to the problem. succeeded
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
12. My boss says I can use his yacht whenever I want to. disposal
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
13. The news was a shock to us. aback
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
14. James realised that he could never be an architect. cut
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
15. They chose not to drive because they thought there would be too much snow fear
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
16. I'm sick of that programme: I've watched it too often. off
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
17. I never have enough time. short
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
18. They tried very hard to finish by midnight best
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
19. The criminal got away through the back window. escape
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
20. His father was very angry with him when he heard he had damaged the car. blew
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
21. His speech was so confusing that nobody got anything out of it. baffled
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
22. My best friend's birthday is on the longest day of the year. coincides
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
23. Some children treat their pets badly. cruel
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
24. I bought a new jacket without having planned to. spur
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
25. Winning the lottery has definitely had its good and bad points. blessing
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
26. He's a pleasant man socially but he is a tough businessman. bargain
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
27. He has an obsession about the dishonesty of lawyers. bee
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
28. The young actress was very nervous before the audition. butterflies
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..