1. It was late at night but the light was on in Ted’s room.

When I __________________ (COME) in,

he didn’t even turn to me. I looked at his monitor and realized that he __________________ (SURF)
the Internet for job vacancies. “Why do you need a job?” I asked. “You __________________
(EMPLOY) by Mr. Green only a week ago as far as I remember.” “Yes, I was. I got a job of a waiter
in his restaurant. But I __________________ (LOSE) that job already. They said I was rude to a
client.” “Were you?” I was surprised since Ted was the __________________ (PATIENT) and
tolerant person I’d ever met. “Yes, it was probably rude of __________________ (I)to tell those
ladies that I wouldn’t bring them anything else. Just imagine – they had changed their order three
times! Each time they tried a dish, they __________________ (NOT LIKE) it. When they said that
for the __________________ (FOUR) time, I lost control. One of the __________________
(WOMAN) called for the manager and complained.” Ted nervously turned back to his computer. “I
didn’t like that job anyway.”

2. The academic term was coming to its end and Kate decided to arrange a party to celebrate the
coming holidays. To be frank, there __________________ (BE) one more reason for the party. Kate
wanted her classmates to meet someone from her family. She was sure it would impress
__________________ (THEY) and would help her popularity. Kate __________________
(MAKE) sandwiches in the kitchen when Hugo came in. “It looks like I’m the
__________________ (ONE) guest, doesn’t it?” Hugo looked embarrassed. “Sorry for coming so
early.” “Oh, it’s ok,” said Kate, “Come in! You __________________ (HELP) me in the kitchen,
won’t you?” “Sure,” Hugo entered the room and __________________ (STOP) in surprise. “Are
you saying you made all this yourself?” On the table there was a huge pie. It __________________
(DECORATE) with different fruit and looked fantastic. “No,” Kate looked pleased with his
reaction. “My cousin helped me. She__________________ (LEAVE) for the shop. She’ll be back
any minute. The front door opened and a girl entered. Hugo understood that he
__________________ (SEE) her many times in different TV programmes for teenagers. “A TV
star?” Hugo sounded so silly that both girls burst out laughing.

3. I was happy to take part in the exchange programme and to go to college in Britain. An opportunity
to spend two __________________ (MONTH) in London sounded fantastic. Our teacher told us
that we __________________ (LIVE) in a student hostel. It was going to be __________________
(CONVENIENT) than staying with a host family as the hostel was very close to the college. When
we arrived in London, the __________________ (ONE) thing we had was a bus excursion round the
British capital. Unfortunately, when we __________________ (PASS) Westminster Abbey, it
started to rain hard. We had to go down to the lower level of our double-decker and we
__________________ (NOT MANAGE) to enjoy the wonderful sights. Anyway, London is very
impressive. People from all over the world live there. Some of __________________ (THEY) come
as tourists, others choose this place to study or to work in. It is a dynamic multicultural city, though
there __________________ (BE) so many historical buildings in it. Amazingly, many of the houses
__________________ (BUILD) centuries ago!

4. I was sitting in an arm-chair and watching my sister Alison. She was getting ready for a party. Alison
was 15 years __________________ (OLD) than me and she always treated me like a child. Alison
took her jewellery box from the table. The box __________________ (MAKE) of wood and had
colourful stones on the top. “You know you must never touch it, right?” Alison said. “If the box was
mine, I __________________ (ALLOW) you to touch it whenever you wanted,” I answered. Alison
said nothing to that. When she put on her jewelry, she looked like a princess. She moved gracefully
as if her __________________ (FOOT) didn’t touch the ground. Alison kissed me goodnight and
left. I tried to resist my curiosity but I __________________ (NOT CAN). I opened the box. There
__________________ (BE) lots of rings, ear-rings, bracelets and necklaces inside. I got them all out.
The __________________ (ONE) piece of jewelry I tried on was a silver necklace. After that I lost
track of time. Suddenly I __________________ (SEE) Alison. She was standing at the doorway and
looking at me angrily. I __________________ (NOT KNOW) what to say. Many years have passed
since that night. Now I am a designer –I create clothes and accessories. My sister likes my work very
much.
5. Anniewas waiting for her guests. Her birthday was on 25th December and she felt this was both
lucky and unlucky. It __________________ (BE) great to have her birthday on a special day like
Christmas. But, on the other hand, very few of Annie’s friends came to her party. Most of them had
family plans for that day. The doorbell __________________ (RING) and her classmate, Brian,
appeared. He had a plastic bag in his hand. “Happy birthday, Annie!” Brain said and got an old oil
lamp out of his bag. Annie __________________ (NOT BUY) hide her surprise: “What’s this? And
where did you buy it?” “A magic lamp. And I didn’t buy it. It __________________ (FIND) in the
attic of an old country house a year ago. My friend found it when they __________________
(REPAIR) the house. He says if you light the lamp and make a wish, the wish __________________
(COME) true. It works particularly well with reasonable wishes that are not too big for the lamp. Its
magic is not very strong.” Annie laughed aloud. “I’ve never got a present __________________
(ORIGINAL) than this. Ok, let’s test your lamp.” Annie lit it and said: “I wish the whole class would
come to __________________ (I) party today”. As soon as she __________________ (SAY) it, the
doorbell rang impatiently.

6. Dad usually comes up with original ideas. Last Sunday Dad __________________ (DECIDE) that
we should all go on a camping trip. The idea came to him while he __________________ ( READ)
an article about camping. The article said that camping brings families together. “Not true”, I smiled.
“What about television? It usually __________________ (HELP) families to feel a lot more united.”
“If the weather is fine, we __________________ (GO) on a trip next weekend,” Dad said and put his
magazine on the coffee table. I quickly looked over at my __________________ (YOUNG) brother,
Paul. He gave me a knowing smile, “Do you remember __________________ (WE) last trip?” I
certainly did. Last summer Dad told us that fishing would be a great family activity. We bought four
expensive fishing rods and drove for three long hours to a big lake in Virginia. When we got there,
we discovered that we __________________ (FORGET) to take the fishing rods. Ten minutes later
we made another unpleasant discovery: we __________________ (NOT HAVE) the tent which
meant we couldn’t stay overnight and we had to drive all the way back home again. We
__________________ (BE) tired and disappointed with the trip.

7. A few years ago I was on a camping holiday in Bristol. There __________________ (BE) lots of
other girls from around the UK, but I was the only one from Scotland. The camp
__________________ (LOCATE) in the woods, not far from the river. The camp life was even
__________________ (INTERESTING) than I had expected. We enjoyed all kinds of camping
activities – sports and games, different shows and contests. Everything was fine apart from one
incident that took me aback. Once, at lunchtime, when I __________________ (EAT) ice cream,
one of the girls asked: “So, do you have ice cream in Scotland?” I __________________ (NOT
KNOW) how to react. My neighbour repeated her question. I nodded, “Yes.” My answer provoked a
wave of absurd questions about my country: “Have you ever seen a ghost in your castle?”“Do all
Scottish __________________ (MAN) wear checked skirts?” I __________________ (FIND) out
that some people believe silly stereotypes about Scotland. They believe that Scots really carry
bagpipes in __________________ (THEY) bags to play the instrument on the streets, and that Scots
practise magic. At last, the girls said that they __________________ (COME) to Scotland one day
to see it with their own eyes and to separate the truth from the myths.

8. Anna was glad that the academic year was about to finish. Like most __________________
(CHILD) she was looking forward to the summer but not because she wanted to relax. Her plans
__________________ (BE) ambitious. Anna wanted to buy a professional digital camera and it
wasn’t easy to save enough money. Anna had already chosen the model she wanted. Her dad said
that he __________________ (GIVE) her the camera in a couple of years. But Anna
__________________ (NOT CAN) wait so long, she needed it right then. “If I
__________________ (HAVE) it now, I would be able to take part in the Professional Photograph
Competition. Everyone says I’ve got talent,” she said to herself, looking at the magazine where an
article about the competition __________________ (PUBLISH). While she was reading the article
for the __________________ (SECOND) time, a brilliant idea came to her – why not take up a
 summer job as a photographer? She reached for the phone and dialed the number of the
__________________ (LARGE) photography agency in the town. “Hello, can I help you?” the
woman’s voice sounded encouraging and Anna __________________ (THINK) that she probably
had a chance.

9. Mr. and Mrs. Wormwood were our neighbours. They had two __________________ (CHILD).
Their son Michael __________________ (NOT DIFFER) from the other children very much, but
their daughter Matilda was a brilliant child. By the time she was five, Matilda was able to read very
well. She studied every magazine and newspaper that she __________________ (CAN) find around
the house. Actually, she could read __________________ (WELL) than most school pupils. One
afternoon when the parents were out of the house, Matilda put on __________________ (SHE) dress
and shoes and went to the library. The librarian was surprised to see such a small child. “Are you
here for the __________________ (ONE) time? Would you like me to find a nice book with lots of
pictures for you?” she asked. “No, thank you, I __________________ (FIND) what I need,”
answered Matilda showing a thick book of fairy tales. Then she added, “I __________________
(COME) for a new book as soon as I finish this one”. The librarian was really shocked when she
saw Matilda only two days later. “I wish all children __________________ (LIKE) reading so
much,” the librarian said. From that day on Matilda went to the library every afternoon.

10. Mike Fay is a famous biologist. He is well-known for his 2,000-mile walk across Africa. It
__________________ (TAKE) him 455 days. His expedition started in 2001. It
__________________ (ORGANIZE) to draw attention to the African forests. During his expedition
Mike Fay made several films about the beauty of the forests. He said they were
the__________________ (WONDERFUL) natural sights he had ever seen. His
films__________________ (BE) a success. Thanks to them the governments of several African
countries agreed to create 13 national parks. Mike commented that 26,000 square kilometres of the
forest were saved for the future and for our __________________ (CHILD). At the moment Mike
works for the National Geographic. Recently he __________________ (COMPLETE) several
projects for the magazine. His job involves lots of travelling, which is sometimes not very safe. Not
long ago, Mike came face to face with an elephant which attacked__________________ (HE). Mike
was injured but luckily not seriously. But danger could never stop Mike. “I wish everyone
__________________ (UNDERSTAND) that life is a very delicate thing. If we go on in the same
irresponsible way, we __________________ (KILL) all life on the planet, and ourselves too”.

11. Bella was a good student. She __________________ (ENJOY) learning but she always started to
feel very nervous when she had to write tests. That Monday __________________ (NOT BE) a
lucky day for her and she realised it as soon as she came into the classroom. “Oh, no! I
__________________ (LEAVE) all my pens at home.” She turned to Jenny: “Have you got a spare
pen?” “Let __________________ (I) see,” Jenny opened her bag and pulled out a pen. “I’ve got this
one. But it’s green.” “Give it to me anyway,” Bella said. “If I don’t find a proper pen, I
__________________ (WRITE) in green ink. I hope it won’t affect my grades.” When the teacher
handed out the tests, Bella felt even __________________ (BAD) than she had felt before. The test
was really long – the tasks __________________ (PRINT) on both sides of the page! Bella did the
first task quickly, but the __________________ (TWO) one was a real problem. Bella got panicky.
Time ticked on but she __________________ (NOT CAN) concentrate on the tasks.

12. It started as a normal Monday morning. My alarm clock woke __________________ (I) up early in
the morning. I had breakfast, brushed my teeth and __________________ (RUN) outside to catch
the bus. At school I noticed that something was different. I came up to my friend Laura and asked
her: “What’s going on? Why __________________ (BE) everyone so excited?” “Don’t you know?”
she said. “All the teachers __________________ (LEAVE) for a conference. Only the headteacher
and a few of the school staff are here. The senior students will be teaching us today. They are only
two or three years __________________ (OLD) than us. How can they possibly teach us?”
However, she was wrong. Our substitute teacher, a student two grades above, was very serious. He
said that he __________________ (EXPLAIN) some French poetry to us. It was an unusual, but
 interesting French class. The poem __________________ (WRITE) on the board, our new teacher
read it and then we discussed the poet’s message, choice of words and other poetical things. Probably
because the teacher was almost the same age as us, we felt relaxed and spoke freely. He also told us
several amusing __________________ (STORY) about the poet and his time. When the class was
almost over, our substitute teacher invited us to attend the next session of the school literary society.
“I’m the Chairman of the society,” he added, “If you come, we __________________ (HAVE) a
special welcome party for new members.”

13. It was the middle of November and Tina felt down and depressed. Late autumn was the
__________________ (BAD) season of the year. It often __________________ (RAIN), and Tina
had to spend most of her time indoors. Because of this, she really welcomed the changes in her
school routine. The school administration introduced a new class - a dance class. But not everyone
was happy! The boys said that it __________________ (BE) a waste of time. They often missed the
class and, when they attended, they __________________ (NOT LISTEN) to the teacher’s
instructions but tried to make fun of everything. “I wish we __________________ (HAVE) a class
for girls only,” Tina thought. The Junior Dance Competition __________________ (HOLD) in their
town every year. It was a spectacular show. “Your dancing __________________ (IMPROVE)
every day,” the teacher said one day. “If you go on like this, you __________________ (HAVE) a
chance to take part in the Dance Competition next month.” Tina imagined herself wearing a beautiful
dress and elegant shoes on her __________________ (FOOT). She decided it was something she’d
like to try.

14. It was a nice sunny day and mum decided to take us to the zoo. My younger sister, Wendy, was
delighted. She enjoyed books and films about animals but she had never been to the zoo. “How many
animals live in the zoo? Can we give __________________ (THEY) some food? Are there any
crocodiles? Who __________________ (TAKE) care of the lions?” my sister was very excited and
asked a lot of questions. She kept talking all the time and __________________ (NOT MIND) that
nobody was answering her questions. When we __________________ (ARRIVE) at the zoo, it was
midday. There __________________ (BE) a lot of people everywhere. The territory of the zoo was
large, and the animals __________________ (KEEP) in large enclosures that imitated their natural
environment. When we went up to the enclosure that had a family of Indian elephants, they
__________________ (HAVE) their lunch. They were focused on their food and didn’t pay much
attention to the visitors. “They are the __________________ (LARGE) animals I’ve ever seen”
said Wendy in an impressed voice. “I wish we __________________ (CAN) keep a baby elephant
as a pet.” Mum said nothing and we proceeded to the pool that had the seals and penguins.

15. A few days ago Kim’s family moved house. Kim had very mixed feelings about it. On the one hand,
she __________________ (FEEL) happy with her new room. It was larger than the room she used
to live in. Everything in this room __________________ (ARRANGE) in Kim’s favourite colours
and according to her taste. The flat was on the __________________ (FIVE) floor in an old brick
building. From her window Kim could see the large garden, which now was covered with bright
yellow __________________ (LEAF), and the tiled roofs at a distance. “I’d be very happy if I
__________________ (LIVE) here,” Kim’s friend, Jessica, said when she visited her for the first
time. “And how is your new school?” she asked, still admiring the fresh wallpapered walls with a
few framed photos on __________________ (THEY). “You __________________ (MAKE) new
friends there, right?” These words made Kim feel nervous. “No, not yet.” she answered. Then she
said that she __________________ (GO) to her new school only the next Monday and that the
school looked nice and modern and there was a swimming pool in it. What Kim
__________________ (NOT TELL) her friend was that she was awfully afraid of going there and
meeting her new classmates and teachers.

16. Jeff woke up late. The house was very quiet and Jeff __________________ (UNDERSTAND) that
he was alone there. He got up and headed to the kitchen. There __________________ (BE) nobody
in it but he felt the delicious aroma of fresh baking. A large bowl of doughnuts was on the table. It
__________________ (COVER) with a white kitchen towel but Jeff could not resist it and pulled
 out a doughnut. When he was consuming his __________________ (FIVE) one, his grandmother
appeared at the doorway. She __________________ (WEAR) light working trousers, a T-shirt, and
an old straw hat. Jeff guessed that she had been working on __________________ (SHE) roses, in
the front garden. “Fine, you __________________ (WAKE) up at last!” said Granny, “But why are
you still undressed? Go and wash and get dressed immediately!” Jeff remembered that Granny had
always been very strict about the morning routine. She never allowed her grandchildren to look
untidy or avoid brushing their __________________ (TOOTH). “Ok-ok, just a second,” laughed
Jeff picking up another doughnut and retreating through the other door. “I __________________
(COME) as soon as I am ready.”

17. Susan’s father often had to go to different countries on business. That evening, he came home
__________________ (LATE) than usual. He looked tired. Susan __________________ (KNOW)
that the next week her father was going to China to discuss a new project. At dinner, her father asked
Susan if she __________________ (WANT) to go with him. It was a bit unexpected but Susan liked
the idea at once. It was her __________________ (SIXTEEN) birthday in a few days. And Susan
thought it __________________ (BE) fun to celebrate it abroad. However, there was one thing she
wanted to clear up before the trip: “Are you going to be busy from morning till night? I
__________________ (NOT WANT) to sit in the hotel all the time alone.” “You won’t have to,”
her father reassured Susan. “I __________________ (PREPARE) all the project papers already. So,
while our partners are studying them, we’ll have plenty of time for sightseeing.” “Great!” Susan ran
up to her room to pack. “Remember to take some comfortable shoes. Otherwise your
__________________ (FOOT) will hurt after the long excursions.” Her father’s advice was always
practical. In half an hour everything __________________ (PACK) in a suitcase and Susan called
her best friend to tell her the news.

18. Dana Miller was a bus driver in the city of Philadelphia. Her working hours __________________
(BE) from 10.00 pm till 6.00 am. It was a hard job and very few __________________ (WOMAN)
worked as bus drivers in those days but Dana loved her job very much. One of her regular passengers
was a guitar player. Every Friday night he got on the bus carrying his guitar. The guitar
__________________ (MAKE) of wood, not plastic, and Dana liked the way it sounded. “You
should come to see our show,” the guitarist kept saying to Dana. “I __________________ (SEE) it
one day,” Dana promised each time, but she never said when exactly she __________________
(COME). Another passenger who often used Dana’s bus was a Biscuit Lady. She worked at the
biscuit factory and often __________________ (GIVE) Dana a small bag of biscuits. Dana
__________________ (NOT LIKE) sweets and pastries very much, but she could never resist those
biscuits – they were so fresh and tasty. “How was __________________ (YOU) night?” Dana’s
husband liked to ask her when she came home. “Good music, good food and a great view of the
city,” she cheerfully answered. “I wish I __________________ (ENJOY) my work as much as you
enjoy yours,” her husband said, “ but I’m going to have just another boring day at the office.”

19. Tim liked going to the zoo. One day his mother said: “We’re going to a different place today, Tim.
It’s an animal shelter. I’m sure you __________________ (LIKE) it.” The place was much
__________________ (SMALL) than a zoo, but clean and well kept. There were volunteers in
special uniforms. One of them showed Tim and his mum round the shelter. Lots of animals
__________________ (KEEP) there. Cats and dogs made up most of the population, but there were
also horses, monkeys, __________________ (FOX) and other animals. Each of the animals had its
own story written on a sign next to its cage or enclosure. All the stories were sad – the animals had
either been abandoned by __________________ (THEY) owners or saved by the animal police from
cruel treatment. ‘If people __________________ (BE) more responsible for their pets, we wouldn’t
have so much work here,” the volunteer remarked. “But unfortunately some people
__________________ (NOT UNDERSTAND) that animals are not toys.” Tim’s mother thanked the
volunteer and __________________ (MAKE) a donation. Shelters always needed money to pay for
the animals’ food and medical care. On the way home Tim told his mother that he
__________________ (WANT) to go to the shelter again, not only to watch but also to help the
volunteers.
20. It was about 6 pm when I heard a knock on the door. It __________________ (BE) Jason, my
teenage neighbour. He looked cold and upset. “What’s wrong, Jason?” “I __________________
(LOSE) my key and I can’t get into my house.” “Come in. Today’s not a day for long walks, or long
waits,” I looked out the window. It __________________ (SNOW) hard and it was windy. The
weather was getting __________________ (BAD) every hour. Jason __________________ (TAKE)
off his coat and boots. His __________________ (FOOT) were wet and I gave him a pair of socks
to change into. A cup of hot tea and some biscuits soon made the boy feel warm. “Where are your
parents, Jason?” “I __________________ (NOT KNOW). I can’t call them because of this,” he
pulled his phone out of his pocket and showed it to me – the screen __________________ (BREAK)
and the phone was obviously dead. Jason focused on the food again. He took his
__________________ (FOUR) biscuit and said, “I wish my mum could make biscuits like this.”

21. It was a cold January day in York, Pennsylvania. Dr. James turned on the television to check on the
weather. The weatherman said that it was going to stay cold for several days. According to him, the
roads __________________ (BE) very dangerous because of the snow and ice and he strongly
recommended staying at home if at all possible. Dr. James __________________ (NOT CAN) stay
at home. He worked in a hospital and there were patients waiting for him there. He put on a sweater,
jacket, gloves, boots and a hat, and opened his front door. Everything __________________
(COVER) with snow. A cold wind blew inside. “Wow,” Dr. James said. “The weatherman was
right! I wish I __________________ (HAVE) a reindeer instead of my old car.” When Dr. James
__________________ (DRIVE) slowly to work, he saw an accident. He stopped and
__________________ (RUN) to the damaged car. There was a man and two __________________
(CHILD) inside. “Is everyone okay?” Dr. James asked. “Yes, yes, we are fine,” answered the man.
“I __________________ (CALL) 911 already. They are coming to help __________________
(WE). It looks like we won’t get to school today.”

22. We arrived at the lake very early. It was cold but in spite of that there were several
__________________ (MAN) there. Dad pulled our fishing rods out of the rucksack and we joined
the others. “Hey, look what I __________________ (CATCH)!” a man sitting several metres
upstream proudly showed us his bag. There was a large fish in it. “Good job,” Dad
__________________ (SAY) and everyone became quiet again. “How long do we have to wait?
When will they bite?” I whispered. “I __________________ (NOT KNOW),” Dad whispered back
and a moment later he was holding a little, silver fish. “See?” he turned to me. “But this one is too
small. We’d better let it go and wait for the next one.” And he let __________________ (HE) fish
go. The second fish was __________________ (BIG) than the first one and soon Dad caught a few
more. “If it goes on like this, mum __________________ (COOK) us a great dinner,” he said. We
kept fishing till noon but I didn’t catch anything myself and got really bored with it. To me, it
__________________ (BE) a stupid waste of time but I certainly wasn’t going to tell Dad that. He
wouldn’t have liked __________________ (I) words.

23. I play the violin in the college orchestra. Last month we ____________________ (TAKE) part in a
music festival in France. I worried a lot before we left for France as I had never been away from
home for so long. Mum tried to encourage ____________________ (I). She said that we
____________________ (PERFORM) well. And she was right. We performed very successfully. It
was a great journey though there ____________________ (BE) some things I missed very much
while being in France. One of them was my favourite mug. Without it, neither tea nor soup tasted
like at home. Another thing was the warmth. The floor in my room at home _________________
(COVER) with a thick carpet. In our place in France the floor was icy cold with no carpet at all. My
________________ (FOOT) were always cold. “If it goes on like this, I _______________
(CATCH) a cold,” I told my roommate, Cathy. “I wish I _________________ (HAVE) a pair of
woolen socks. But I left them at home.” “You can take mine if you want,” said Cathy. I thanked her
but her socks were two sizes ________________ (SMALL) than I needed!
24. When my brother and I were small, our parents spent a lot of time with us. They believed that
__________________ (CHILD) should learn something new every day and every hour. A weekend
in our family meant that our parents __________________ (WAKE) us up even earlier than on
weekdays. We had breakfast and set off to see some place of interest, or museum, or exhibition.
Usually they __________________ (NOT ASK) us where we wanted to go. It was
__________________ (THEY) decision. One day they told us that we were going to visit a
historical museum which was a good distance away from the city. The day __________________
(BE) cold and gloomy. The sky __________________ (COVER) with heavy dark clouds. But the
weather didn’t make our parents change their plan. “Are you ready to go?” Dad asked. “Mum
__________________ (PACK) the sandwiches for us already. In case we get hungry and there’s no
cafe nearby.” “And what will we do if it __________________ (RAIN)?” my brother asked quietly.
“Getting wet is not a problem,” Dad replied. “I’m sure you understand that visiting a museum is
much __________________ (GOOD) for you than watching TV at home.” My brother and I sighed.
The film we wanted to see so much was on TV on that very day. We looked at each other and
decided that we needed a plan...

25. Emma lived in a big city and worked for a large company. Her days were usually very busy – she
__________________ (CAN) hardly find half an hour for lunch. However, at weekends she
__________________ (FEEL) bored and lonely. Emma had moved to the city because of her job.
Only two months before she had thought she was the __________________ (LUCKY) girl in the
world. She had a job most of her friends could only dream about. It was her __________________
(ONE) full-time job. The company __________________ (CALL) ‘Imagination’. They focused on
Internet technologies. Emma __________________ (NOT KNOW) much about the Internet but her
boss said that it didn’t matter. He also said that she __________________ (BE) creative and had
imagination and that was why she had a good chance of succeeding in the job. When Emma told her
friend, Lucy Pitt, about the new job, Lucy said: “I’m very happy that you __________________
(FIND) a good job. But I also feel very sad about it because you’ll go to the city and will forget
about your friends.” “I wish we could always be together but it’s impossible,” Emma said. “I
promise that I __________________ (COME) to visit you as soon as I can.”

26. Veronica loved autumn. It was her favourite season. There were many good things about it. She
loved the smells, the changing __________________ (LEAF), and the cool breezes. There
__________________ (BE) also apple pies, apple doughnuts and pumpkin pies. For Veronica,
pumpkin pies were the __________________ (GOOD), especially when her mother cooked them.
Veronica had never tried to make a pie herself, but she knew how, as she had seen how
__________________ (SHE) mother made it many times. One day, on her way from school,
Veronica __________________ (BUY) a pumpkin and decided to cook it. She tried to do everything
the same way her mother usually did. Veronica was in the kitchen and __________________ (NOT
HEAR) the door bell. Her mother had to use her key to enter the house. “Who __________________
(MAKE) a pie?” her mother asked. “I can smell it. How soon is it going to be ready? I’m very
hungry.” When the pie was ready, Veronica put it on the table. The pie looked nice: it
__________________ (DECORATE) with nuts and coloured sugar. Veronica’s mother had a large
piece. She smiled and said that she __________________ (LIKE) it very much.

27. Martin was in a hurry as he had to be in the office as soon as possible. His boss
__________________ (NOT LIKE) it when anyone missed the morning meetings and Martin had
already been late several times that week. His boss had warned him: “If you are late again, you
__________________ (LOSE) your job.” Martin was afraid of losing his job. His colleagues were
nice to him, the salary was good and he sometimes __________________ (GO) on business trips
abroad. It was actually the __________________ (GOOD) job he had ever had. He ran out of the
house, jumped into his car and backed up without looking. BOOM! There __________________
(BE) a sound like someone hitting a drum. Martin had hit the car behind him. “Oh, no!” Martin
exclaimed. Martin glanced at his watch. It was 7:18. He looked around. There were no
__________________ (POLICEMAN) on the street and he decided to drive off quickly. It took
__________________ (HE) 20 minutes to get to work. The boss was not around. “Thank goodness,”
 Martin said to himself and sat down at his desk to work. The boss arrived an hour later. “Somebody
hit my car and left without leaving a note,” he said angrily. “I wish I __________________
(KNOW) who he was. My car was absolutely new! It __________________ (BUY) only a week
ago.” Martin went up to the window, saw the car and understood that he would lose his job anyway.

28. My mum calls me Snow White. It was my __________________ (ONE) nickname but it stuck to me
forever. And it’s not because I love the fairy tale about the princess and the seven dwarfs. It’s
because my skin is very sensitive and intolerant to the sun. Every time it is exposed to the sun's rays,
it __________________ (GET) red and swollen. I __________________ (NOT CAN) really
recognize myself in the mirror. Mum says that from my very early days I differed from all the other
__________________ (BABY) around and needed special care. Whenever we went for a walk, she
__________________ (HAVE) to apply sun protective lotion all over my face and the parts of the
body that were not covered with clothes. I grew older but the situation didn’t get any
__________________ (GOOD). Until now I __________________ (NOT FIND) a medicine to
cure my strange illness. My skin problem is not a serious thing of course, but it doesn’t allow me to
do everything I want. I wish I __________________ (CAN) sunbathe, windsurf and play beach
volleyball with my friends. But all I can do is watch them from the shade. According to our family
legend, it __________________ (RAIN) hard at the moment when I was born. Since that time, rainy
days have always been my luckiest.

29. English, Welsh, Scottish…all these languages sound familiar. But I'm sure you
__________________ (NOT HEAR) of Cornish. I wish I __________________ (KNOW) it, like
my Granny does. Cornish is a Celtic language, used in Cornwall, a county in south-west England.
__________________ (CENTURY) ago, when the Anglo-Saxons invaded Britain, many Celts
moved to the mountain areas. Some Celts even __________________ (LEAVE) the country
completely and settled in France. Speakers of Cornish stayed in the south-west. There the language
__________________ (SPEAK) until the late 1700s. But the number of speakers got smaller and the
language almost disappeared. At the beginning of the __________________ (TWENTY) century,
academics became interested in Cornish and started to study the ancient texts. From those old
documents they managed to restore the language! Nowadays, if you visit Cornwall, you will hear a
lot of it. The language __________________ (OFFER) as an option in many universities, and
students themselves choose to learn it. Like I did. I think it’s the __________________
(DIFFICULT) language I have ever learnt, but it’s interesting and it sounds very nice. I believe the
Cornish language __________________ (SURVIVE).

30. Tracey was very unhappy and scared. She was starting a new school. “I __________________ (NOT
WANT) to go to school today,” Tracey told her father. “I understand, Tracey,” he said. “Starting a
new school can be very difficult. But you have to.” A month before __________________ (THEY)
family had moved to a new town and everything was still new and strange for Tracey. Dad smoothed
Tracey’s hair down and __________________ (GIVE) her a little hug, “When your classes
__________________ (BE) over, I’ll pick you up, ok?” When Tracey got to school and looked at the
big building, she thought, “I wish I __________________ (CAN) run away,” but she knew it was
impossible. She took a deep breath and walked up the steps to school. She went straight into her
__________________ (FIVE) grade classroom. “That must be Tracey,” “Hello, Tracey!”,
“Welcome, Tracey!” the __________________ (CHILD) in the room welcomed her. Everyone
seemed friendly and Tracey felt a little __________________ (GOOD). The father picked her up
after school. “How was your day?” he asked. To his surprise Tracey answered that she
__________________ (LIKE) her new school. “You are a brave girl,” her father said. “I’m proud of
you.”

31. It was Friday evening. Liz was looking forward to Saturday because it was her husband’s birthday.
She had been preparing for this event for a long time. She had invited __________________
(THEY) college friends and they were all coming from different cities. The best part was that
Carlos, her husband, __________________ (NOT KNOW) anything about the arrangements. It was
 going to be a surprise. Liz __________________ (MAKE) sandwiches when Carlos came into the
kitchen. “Look, darling,” he said, “I know it’s my birthday tomorrow but I don’t want to do anything
special for it.” Liz thought, “I wish I __________________ (CAN) cancel the party but I can’t –it’s
too late. The party will take place anyway and it will be the __________________ (GOOD) party
ever”. When Carlos came home on Saturday, there __________________ (BE) lots of people there.
Carlos __________________ (TELL) them that he felt very happy to see them all and it was true!
The guests enjoyed the dinner and then Liz brought in a cake. The cake __________________
(DECORATE) with chocolates and jellies, and it had as many candles as the number of years Carlos
had reached that day. Carlos couldn’t blow them out on the __________________ (ONE) try and his
friends were delighted to help him.

32. Jane liked going to the park with her mum. One day when they were there, she said, “There is so
much rubbish on the ground.” They looked around. There were old __________________ (BOX),
waste paper and cans on the ground. Several benches __________________ (BREAK). “You are
right,” her mum said. “I wish people __________________ (CARE) about the environment more.”
“I do care about it but I __________________ (NOT KNOW) what I can do to help the park,” said
Jane. Jane and her mum went home. In the evening she painted a picture of the park. At the top of the
picture she __________________ (WRITE) “PLEASE KEEP ME CLEAN”. The next day Jane and
her mum went to the park __________________ (EARLY) than usual. Jane taped her picture onto a
big rubbish bin and started picking up rubbish. Some children ran over to see what was going on.
They decided to help Jane. Soon all the rubbish was in the bags. “Good job,” Jane said, “We
__________________ (CLEAN) half of the park. If we come and complete the other part tomorrow,
the whole park __________________ (BE) clean and tidy. I hope people won’t throw
__________________ (THEY) rubbish here any more.”

33. Jane was not an ordinary girl. She was an extremely popular person due to __________________
(SHE) unusual gift. She was very good at arranging all sorts of __________________ (PARTY) and
events. In fact, all the scripts and programmes for our school events __________________
(WRITE) by Jane. We helped her as much as we could but she always did most of the work. Once I
asked Jane if she could help me to make a surprise for my mum. Jane __________________
(AGREE) at once. “I __________________ (HELP) you, no problem,” she said, “But I need to
know some details about your mum.” Jane asked me about what time my mum usually got up and
when she went to bed, what food she liked and hated, what her favourite films, colours, and flowers
__________________ (BE). She asked me a lot of questions and I __________________ (NOT
CAN) answer most of them. I felt uneasy but Jane laughed, “It’s a common thing. Unfortunately, we
often do not notice even our own family – our parents, sisters and brothers. If we
__________________ (KNOW) other people better, we would understand them better. And we
would be much __________________ (KIND) to them, wouldn’t we?”

34. Kathy looked at her new room’s white walls. “They’re so plain.” “Don’t worry,” Dad said, “If you
don’t like them, we __________________ (MAKE) the walls any colour you like.” “Do you want
pink?” Mum suggested. Kathy __________________ (SHAKE) her head. “No, pink is either for
__________________ (BABY) or for silly girls who like Barbie dolls. I’m neither of those.” Her
parents smiled but __________________ (NOT SAY) anything. “But what colour to choose? I wish
we __________________ (CAN) ask a designer for professional advice,” said Kathy. “Oh, no! It’s
out of the question!” said Kathy’s mother, firmly. A designer’s advice is much
__________________ (EXPENSIVE) than we can afford.” “Ok. It was just an idea.” “Getting back
to the wall colour, why not make your room yellow or orange?” Dad suggested. “When the walls
__________________ (PAINT) in those colours, the room will look cheerful.” “Yes!” Kathy
definitely liked the idea. “We’ll make three walls yellow, but the __________________ (FOUR)
one will be orange.” The next day, when Kathy came back from school, her Dad said: “Look what
I__________________ (BUY).” There were paints and brushes on the floor. “Everything’s ready for
us to start.” He smiled and handed Kathy the brush.
35. In 2010, a terrible earthquake hit the Haitian city of Léogâne. It was the __________________
(TWELVE) of January, my birthday. It was a normal day in the morning. I __________________
(PREPARE) for my party when the earthquake hit. My first thought was that everybody was going
to die. I __________________ (NOT UNDERSTAND) what was happening. It was the
__________________ (BAD) day of my life so far – I have never felt that scared! After the
earthquake I asked my wife: "How are we going to go on living?" "I have no idea", she said. "But
we're lucky. Our house is still standing, and thousands of people lost everything, even
their __________________ (LIFE)". She was right. We had to help the others, so we decided to start
a charitable fund. At first we__________________ (GIVE) it the name of ‘Hope’ but then changed
it. Now our fund __________________ (CALL) 'Seeds for Change'. We work with small farmers
and provide people from rural areas with everything necessary for farming. They say it helps them a
lot. Their gratitude is the best award for __________________ (WE). If we manage to involve more
people in our fund, we __________________ (GET) more impressive results in the future.

36. A robot is a special kind of machine that follows the instructions coming from a computer. A robot
__________________ (NOT MAKE) mistakes and it never gets tired. Robots are all around
__________________ (WE). Robots make cars, explore dangerous places, clean things, answer
telephone calls. Some of them can even take care of __________________ (CHILD) and elderly
people. If we didn’t have robots, our life __________________ (BE) less comfortable and more
dangerous. According to the dictionary, the word ‘robot’ __________________ (MEAN)
‘compulsory labour’. The word ‘robot’ __________________ (USE) for the first time in a science
fiction play in 1920. The robot from that play was a destructive machine that
finally__________________ (DESTROY) the human race. However, in real life, robots are still
obedient to people. As for robots, the most enthusiastic nation is the Japanese. By now they
__________________ (CREATE) a quarter of the world's robots. And they have very ambitious
plans for the future. The Japanese engineers think that soon robots __________________
(REPLACE) 3,5 million workers in their country.

37. “What would you like me to bring you from London?” Dad often asked me this question when he
was going somewhere on business. He worked a lot and __________________ (NOT SPEND) a lot
of time with the family. We knew that he loved __________________ (WE) a lot but he was really a
very busy person. And it was his __________________ (THREE) business trip that month. I
thought for a moment and said: “I want a Paddington Bear.” My dad __________________ (PACK)
his suitcase but he looked up at me at once when he heard that. He was surprised and asked me why I
__________________ (WANT) a Paddington Bear. I didn’t know what to answer. My dad
__________________ (STOP) packing and sat down beside me. “You know, when I was small,”
dad said quietly, “that bear was my favourite fictional character.” I read the book too and I also saw a
film about that character. He was a very polite bear who travelled to London from some exotic
country. He __________________ (DISCOVER) in Paddington Station by the Brown family, who
adopted him. The soft toy changed their life and made it much __________________ (GOOD).
“Ok. I __________________ (BRING) you the bear if you want”, said Dad. “And we’ll also see the
film about him as soon as I come back. Agreed?” “Sure.” I was delighted with his plan.

38. Cindy liked parks. She took long walks in the nearby park almost every day. Her classmates,
however, __________________ (NOT SHARE) her interest and Cindy usually walked alone.
Cindy’s parents worried that she __________________ (HAVE) no friends. “I wish you
__________________ (SPEND) more time with your classmates. Don’t you feel bored in the park?”
“It’s ok, Mum, I just feel much __________________ (GOOD) alone than with people who can’t
understand me,” Cindy usually answered. “Parks are a lot more fun to spend time in than hanging out
in a shopping centre.” And her mother didn’t know what to say. One day, Cindy returned from the
park very excited. “Guess, who I met in the park!” she said, and she told her parents the whole story.
“I __________________ (WALK) along the central avenue when I saw a group of people. They
__________________ (BE) students of the Biology faculty of the university. They told
__________________ (I) about the plan to rearrange the park. A large lake is going to be made in
the centre. There will be wild animals there like hares, squirrels and even __________________
 (FOX). Yesterday, the plan __________________ (APPROVE) by the City Council and work starts
tomorrow. I want to join the volunteer team!”

39. Judy was afraid of the dark. At night she always __________________ (LEAVE) the lights on. Judy
couldn’t explain what exactly she was afraid of. She __________________ (NOT BELIEVE) in
monsters or in ghosts. She was one of those rare girls who never screamed when she saw spiders,
__________________ (MOUSE) and frogs. But everyone in her family knew that a dark room was
the __________________ (BAD) of her fears. One day, when Judy __________________ (DRAW)
something in her room, her mother came in holding a big shopping bag. “Guess what
I__________________ (BUY),” she said to Judy. “I have no idea. Is it for __________________
(I)?” Judy felt very curious about the bag. Her mother pulled two packages from her shopping bag.
In the first package there were some very nice slippers. They __________________ (MAKE) from
soft, pink fabric and had bright flashing lights. Inside the second package were glow-in-the-dark
pyjamas! Judy said she __________________ (WANT) to try them on immediately. Amazingly, she
felt safe all through the night. In a few days the lights stopped flashing but Judy realised she didn’t
feel afraid of the dark any more.

40. It was a hot summer day. Tom and his mum were heading to the beach. Tom was only wearing
shorts and a pair of sandals on his __________________ (FOOT) but he felt hot anyway. When they
came to the beach, they found out that the sea __________________ (NOT BE) calm – powerful
waves were breaking on the shore. Mum __________________ (STOP) in hesitation. “It’s fine. I
can easily swim in these waves,” Tom wanted to demonstrate his swimming skills. But his mother
said that they __________________ (STAY) out of the water till the sea calmed down. Sitting close
to __________________ (THEY) was a boy about Tom’s age. He was alone because his parents
__________________ (LEAVE) to buy some sandwiches. He came over and said his name was
Gary. His shoulders __________________ (COVER) with protective suntan lotion, but they looked
red anyway. “It’s getting __________________ (HOT) every minute,” said Gary. “How about a
swim?” “No way,” Tom’s mother was definitely against the idea and Tom had to obey. “As you
like,” Gary said and headed to the water. The __________________ (THREE) wave hit him hard
and he lost his balance. Everything was happening very fast – Gary fell down and went under the
water. Fortunately, Tom and his mother were close enough to get him out in time.

41. Kitty lived next door to me and we’d been friends since childhood. We studied at the same school
and __________________ (WALK) there together. I was sixteen and she was four years
__________________ (YOUNG) than me. But we had a lot in common and enjoyed chatting on
__________________ (WE) way to school. Every morning Kitty knocked on my door and I had to
be ready by that time – she __________________ (NOT LIKE) waiting for me. One day she didn’t
knock. When I caught up with her at the bus stop, she __________________ (READ) a magazine
and didn’t even look at me. I __________________ (NOT CAN) understand what was going on.
“Hey, Kitty, what’s wrong? Why aren’t you talking to __________________ (I)?” “You yourself
know why,” Kitty said angrily. “No, I don’t. I wouldn’t ask you if I __________________
(KNOW).” “You went to the cinema with Lisa Parker yesterday,” Kitty was almost crying. I felt
puzzled and didn’t know what to say. The two __________________ (WOMAN) at the bus stop
looked amused at our conversation and didn’t hide their smiles.

42. Mary’s birthday was on Saturday and she decided to arrange the party all by herself. At first, making
a party to celebrate her __________________ (FIFTEEN) birthday looked like an easy thing to do.
But when Mary started planning the event, a lot of questions came up. And the main problem was
that she __________________ (NOT KNOW) what to start with! Mary called her cousin Vicki and
asked if she __________________ (CAN) help with the arrangements. Vicki was a year
__________________ (OLD) and more experienced in arranging parties. Vicki agreed and went to
Mary’s house at once. When Vicki arrived, Mary __________________ (DESIGN) a menu for the
party. Vicki looked at the draft of the menu and __________________ (TELL) Mary that her
approach was totally wrong. “We shouldn’t start with the menu,” she said, “We should start with the
list of guests and with the programme for the event. You __________________ (DECIDE) who you
 want to invite to your party, haven’t you?” “No,” answered Mary, “I haven’t.” It took the girls half
an hour to make a list of guests. Each name __________________ (WRITE) carefully on glossy
paper. “It looks fine,” said Vicki, “But there are too many of __________________ (THEY). Don’t
you think so?”

43. Tim woke up later than usual. It was Sunday and he __________________ (HAVE) lots of plans for
the day. He was in the bathroom cleaning his __________________ (TOOTH) when he heard some
unfamiliar voices from the veranda. “Who could they be?” Tim __________________ (THINK).
When he came into the room, his mum and two other women __________________ (CHAT)
happily and didn’t notice him. Tim coughed to attract __________________ (THEY) attention. “Oh,
Tim, you’re up already!” his mother sounded excited. “Meet my school friends, Linda and Emma.”
Linda shook his hand, Emma smiled and said: “We __________________ (BE) happy to meet you,
Tim. Your mum showed us your photo, but you are much __________________ (YOUNG) there.
Join us for tea. I wish we __________________ (CAN) talk about our school days for ages, but we
have some other business to discuss with your mother. It’s going to be interesting for you, too.” Tim
sat at the table. Emma had some papers in her hands but Tim couldn’t read what
__________________ (PRINT) there – the letters were too small.

44. Most people love jokes. A good joke can break the ice and make the conversation enjoyable. My
friend’s hobby is collecting jokes. When he __________________ (HEAR) a good joke, he writes it
down on a special card. The cards __________________ (KEEP) in a box in his room. When I visit
__________________ (HE), I never miss a chance to read a joke from his collection. Yesterday’s
joke was about famous detectives. Here it is. One day Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson went
camping. They put up a tent, made a fire and had a good dinner of meat and __________________
(POTATO). That night, Holmes __________________ (WAKE) up and asked: "Watson, look up
and tell me what you see." Watson said that he __________________ (SEE) millions of stars. "And
what does it tell you?" Holmes went on his interrogation. "Well, if we apply our deductive method,
we’ll come to several conclusions. Astronomically, there are billions of planets.
My__________________ (TWO) conclusion is astrological – I observe Saturn in Leo. And,
meteorologically, it’ll be a beautiful day tomorrow. I wish we__________________ (HAVE) this
kind of weather more often in this country. And what does the sky tell you, Holmes?" Holmes was
silent for a moment and then said, "Someone __________________ (STEAL) our tent!"

45. Paul was going to be late for his morning class again. He __________________ (NOT
UNDERSTAND) why it happened to him so often. This was going to be the __________________
(THREE) time in one week and that was too much even for Mrs Pitt. She was the
__________________ (KIND) teacher in the world but Paul wasn’t sure that she would forgive him
again. “If I don’t invent a very good excuse, she __________________ (CALL) my parents.” Paul
thought. His parents __________________ (NOT BE) very strict people but they didn’t approve of
Paul’s habit of playing computer games till late at night. As a result, he couldn’t make himself get up
in the morning and __________________ (BE) regularly late for school. Paul quietly opened the
door and __________________ (GO) into the classroom. His classmates __________________
(WRITE) something in their notepads and didn’t pay any attention to him. Mrs Pitt looked at him
and said in a flat voice: “You are late again, Paul. What __________________ (HAPPEN)?” Paul
was not ready with an answer.

46. Lucky, a big black cat, went missing shortly after our family moved to a new house. He was curious
and enjoyed exploring the environment. It often made us worry about __________________ (HE).
Mum often said “I wish our Lucky __________________ (BE) less curious. I feel better when he is
in the house, safe and lazy.” As we __________________ (NOT CAN) keep him at home, we made
him wear a special tag. Our address __________________ (WRITE) on it in large printed letters.
Mum said: “If one day Lucky gets missing, the tag __________________ (HELP) us find him”.
Lucky disappeared on the __________________ (THREE) day after moving house. We looked for
the cat everywhere. We asked all our new neighbours about him. We even asked all the
__________________ (POLICEMAN) in our district if they had seen him. But nobody had seen a
 cat that looked like our Lucky. In the end, we __________________ (LOSE) hope. Two weeks later
I was passing by our old house. On the porch there was a cat that looked strikingly like Lucky. And it
was Lucky! I grabbed him and brought him home. “Mum, look who I __________________
(FIND)!” I cried to mum. “The new owner told me the cat had been waiting for us in our old house.
Nobody could inform us about him because the address on the cat’s tag is our old address.”

47. I come from England but now I live permanently in Québec, Canada. When my parents
__________________ (BRING) me to Canada, I was fifteen. It was winter and I
__________________ (IMPRESS) by the amount of snow there. I asked my new friends what they
usually __________________ (DO) for entertainment in such a cold climate. Their answer was
simple, “In winter __________________ (CHILD) and adults go skiing and skating.” Before
arriving in Canada I had never tried skating and my Canadian ice experience was really painful. To
start with, it took __________________ (I) half an hour to put on the skates. I __________________
(NOT KNOW) how to move so my new friends showed me some basic techniques. However, when
I was left alone on the ice, I __________________ (FALL) over immediately. When I opened my
eyes, my new friends were standing around. They weren’t laughing, they looked worried. “Are you
OK?” they asked. “Fine,” I said, “I wish I __________________ (CAN) skate as easily as you do.”
“You definitely will,” they smiled. And they were right. By the end of my __________________
(ONE) winter in Canada, I felt confident on the ice. More than that, I found out that skating was a
really exciting activity!

48. When I was little, I loved reading books written by Roald Dahl. They were my favourite choice of
bedtime story. When Mum asked me what book I wanted, I always__________________
(CHOOSE) a book by Dahl. Mum readily agreed. She said she __________________ (ENJOY)
reading him too in spite of the fact that she was an adult and had a very serious job. In those years
there __________________ (BE) lots of Dahl's books in our home library. And to me he is still the
best children's author of the __________________ (TWENTY) century. Roald Dahl started as an
adult writer. His first book __________________ (PUBLISH) in 1942. Later he began writing
children's books. Many of the __________________ (STORY) are based on Dahl's own childhood
memories. Several of his books are now successful films, for example ‘Matilda’, ‘Charlie and the
Chocolate Factory’ and ‘Fantastic Mr Fox’. I'm sure you __________________ (SEE) at least one of
them! When you shop for children's books, Dahl is the __________________ (EASY) choice. His
books are entertaining and full of jokes. Roald Dahl is an author that you can never grow tired of.
Now I read his books to __________________ (I) son. He is too small yet and cannot read himself.

49. Most adults miss their childhood. Your school years are the __________________ (GOOD) years of
your life, they say. Just recently, while I was on my way to work, I started thinking back to my own
school years. They probably were not trouble-free but there __________________ (BE) many
reasons for us to feel happy at school. One of them was spending every single day with friends. We
__________________ (NOT GET) tired of being together. The __________________ (TWO) one
was uniform. Yes, in my opinion, the school uniform had more advantages than disadvantages. It
was dark green, unfashionable but comfortable. It __________________ (MAKE) of natural
materials. Besides, the uniform __________________ (SAVE) a lot of time in the mornings. Now it
__________________ (TAKE) me hours to decide what to wear. Another thing is that I don’t really
like sport. But at school we __________________ (PLAY) football, netball, hockey and so on. Sport
was compulsory. Now I realise that this was a good thing! And of course there were… holidays!
Christmas, Easter, half-term, and the jackpot – the summer holidays. I wish I __________________
(HAVE) as much free time now.

50. This story happened long ago. My son was six and we lived in an old house near a large park. There
__________________ (BE) lots of people in the park at weekends and we enjoyed walking and
playing there too. One day, my son __________________ (BRING) an injured bird from the park. It
was a crow. Its wing __________________ (BREAK) and the bird could not fly. I didn’t know what
to do with the crow, but my son said that he __________________ (TAKE) care of it. “If you were a
couple of years__________________ (OLD), you could manage it. But I doubt you can do it now,” I
 tried to talk him out of keeping the crow but finally agreed to take the bird home. The next day we
took the crow to the vet. The vet fixed and bandaged the wing and explained to
__________________ (WE) what medicines we should give to the bird. “Ok,” he said, as we left, “I
__________________ (DO) everything I can. There’s no need to bring this crow here any more. The
bird is young and strong, and I think it __________________ (RECOVER) soon. This is the good
news. The bad news is that it will never be able to fly again.” “We’ll see,” my son
__________________ (NOT WANT) to agree with this fact too easily.

51. Kate called me early in the morning. It was the __________________ (TWO) day of holidays; I felt
angry with her for waking me up. “What __________________ (HAPPEN)?” I didn’t sound very
polite, but she paid no attention to that. “Oh, nothing! I want to go shopping today and wondered if
you wanted to go with __________________ (I).” “No, I don’t want to.” “But it
__________________ (NOT TAKE) you long! I promise”. My first impulse was to say “no” –
unlike most __________________ (WOMAN) I hated shopping. But Kate sounded so unhappy that
I felt sorry for her. “Ok, what do you need to buy?” Kate’s voice __________________ (BECOME)
cheerful again. She excitedly explained to me that she __________________ (WANT) to buy a pair
of hiking boots and a raincoat. That __________________ (BE) strange as Kate had never been fond
of hiking. “I want to take up hiking as a new hobby,” went on Kate. “Bob Smith says that it’s really
exciting.” Now I knew what was going on. Bob Smith, the captain of the school baseball team, was
the __________________ (POPULAR) boy in our school. All the girls wanted to attract his
attention.

52. I'm studying Italian in a summer school in Tuscany. I arrived a few days ago. It’s my
__________________ (ONE) trip to Italy. I like this country very much though I
__________________ (NOT SEE) its main tourist attractions yet. Actually it was my mum's idea to
send me here. In her opinion Italy is the __________________ (INTERESTING) country in the
world. And she also said that it __________________ (HELP) me improve my Italian in real-life
communication. Yesterday, while I __________________ (HAVE) dinner in the cafeteria, four other
students sat at the same table. We got acquainted. Two of them were Argentines, then a Russian and
a Greek. A mix of cultures! We started chatting in Italian, laughing, telling jokes and sharing our
life__________________ (STORY). It was lots of fun. I even started to speak Spanish with the
Argentines, and our sentences became a mixture of both Italian and Spanish. But it did not matter at
all! No problem. We easily __________________ (UNDERSTAND) each other. I wish all people
__________________ (SPEAK) foreign languages. The more languages you know – the better.
Languages help __________________ (BE) understand the culture and mentality of other people.

53. Have you heard of Band Aid 30? Probably not. Then let me explain what ‘Band Aid’ is. In 1984,
Bob Geldof and Midge Ure __________________ (BRING) together a group of British and Irish
singers and musicians and produced a song, called ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas?’. The song was a
charity single. The musicians said that the money from the sales __________________ (GO) to help
poor people in Ethiopia, who were suffering from a famine. The group __________________
(CALL) Band Aid. Over forty singers were involved in the project, including Paul McCartney,
Bono, David Bowie and Sting. In 2014, the group changed its name to ‘Band Aid 30’ because it was
the __________________ (THIRTY) time the song was recorded. That year, the song aimed to help
those who were suffering from the Ebola virus. Since the time of its birth, the song
__________________ (MAKE) a lot of money. The money is still used only for charity. Although
the song has sometimes been criticised, over 312,000 __________________ (COPY) of the song
have been sold. Usually, I __________________ (NOT LISTEN) to music a lot, I have other
hobbies. But one of my friends, who is a __________________ (GREAT) music expert than I am,
says that, if the song helps people in need – it can never be a bad thing! I agree with
__________________ (HE).

54. The phone rang in Clark Taylor’s house at nearly three in the morning. He answered it only after the
__________________ (FIVE) ring. “Hello,” Clark said in a sleepy voice. “Mr. Taylor. Thank
goodness. I need your help.” Clark definitely __________________ (KNOW) the voice. However,
 he was sleepy and __________________ (NOT CAN) remember who it was. “Mr. Taylor!” the man
said. “I am in trouble. The police allowed me only one phone call. And I am calling you.” Then, the
fog cleared. Although nearly ten years had passed since __________________ (THEY) last meeting,
Clark was able to recognise the voice. It belonged to Martin Hall, one of the __________________
(BRIGHT) math students he had ever had. “Martin, what’s happened? Where are you? ” Clark
asked. “In the police station. I __________________ (ARREST) at the railway station two hours
ago. I was going to a conference. The police mistook me for another person. The irony is that I really
do look like the criminal that they are looking for. Besides that, I __________________ (LOSE) my
ID card and I can’t prove who I am. You are the only person in this town who knows me. Can you
help me?” Martin Hall asked. “If you give me the address, I __________________ (COME) at
once,” Clark said, jumping up of the bed. It was not difficult for him to prove that Martin Hall was
his former student. Clark brought a scientific journal with Martin’s article and a photo of him. The
__________________ (POLICEMAN) were surprised to find out that their prisoner was a capable
young scientist.

55. By today’s standards, my mobile phone is pretty basic. It’s a Nokia. It’s a small device that receives
telephone calls and sends text messages. Other than that, my phone __________________ (NOT
DO) much. Most of my friends wish they __________________ (HAVE) smartphones because they
are cool and trendy. They say the __________________ (GOOD) thing about a smartphone is that
you ‘can do everything with it!’ That’s right, smartphones have many more functions than a simple
phone, however, not all of them are needed. In everyday life, smartphones __________________
(USE) mainly for checking social networking sites, replying to emails, and playing games. Grown-
ups as well as __________________ (CHILD) like playing games. Anyway, I prefer my good old
Nokia. It’s my __________________ (ONE) mobile phone. When I bought it, it didn’t cost
__________________ (I)very much. And I am not afraid anyone will ever steal it. It’s also very
reliable. Yesterday I dropped it. It __________________ (FLY) down the staircase and hit the wall.
I thought that __________________ (BE) the end of it. But nothing of the kind – it still works
properly!

56. When you look at this lovely house in the Welsh countryside, you may think it’s a picture from a
children’s book. ‘In fact it’s a real house designed by a real person. When __________________
(THEY) first son was born, Simon Dale’s wife, Jasmine, said: “I wish we __________________
(LIVE) in the country. It would be so good for the baby”. However, they __________________
(NOT HAVE) enough money to buy or rent a house in the country so they decided to take matters
into their own hands. The house __________________ (BUILD) by Simon himself, with a bit of
help from his friends. The result is impressive. The home is made of natural materials, such as wood,
stone and mud. It uses solar panels for energy, and its water __________________ (COME) from a
nearby spring. It took Simon four months to complete his fairytale home. He managed to create a
modern wooden eco-home – one of the __________________ (WONDERFUL) houses you can
imagine. Simon Dale said, “I __________________ (START) working on a new house of the same
eco-style. My __________________ (TWO) house will be smarter than the first one. My son
__________________ (BE) five now and I hope to celebrate his tenth birthday in a new house.”

57. Harry’s class was going on an excursion to the firehouse. Harry __________________ (FEEL)
proud because his Uncle Jim, a fireman, was going to show the children around the place. Naturally,
the __________________ (ONE) thing Harry’s classmates wanted to see was the huge fire truck.
There __________________ (BE) eight vehicles at the firehouse at that moment. Uncle Jim
explained how the trucks got water and even let the kids get inside the truck. “Have you ever fought
a fire yourself?” a red-haired boy asked. “Yes, many times, unfortunately,” Uncle Jim answered. “I
wish people __________________ (BEHAVE) more responsibly when they used electrical devices
at home or had picnics outdoors. But they often __________________ (NOT THINK) anything can
happen to them. Please remember that you __________________ (NOT MUST) make fires in the
woods. There is dry grass and dry __________________ (LEAF) on the ground. They start to burn
very easily. And there is nothing __________________ (DANGEROUS) than forest fires!” The
 children promised not to make any fires in the woods and Uncle Jim went on with the tour. He
__________________ (SHOW) them the fire alarm equipment, when a siren started wailing...

58. As a child, Steven lived in a village. Outside the village there was a house where a strange old
woman and her granddaughter Eliza lived. The __________________ (CHILD) often played
together. One day, Eliza __________________ (BE) unusually sad. When Steven was about to
leave, the old woman said, “I know you are friends. But never come to our house again. Never ever!”
The girl took the boy to the gate. “Will you miss me?” she asked. The boy said, “Yes, I will!” To his
surprise, the girl said, “But I won’t! I __________________ (NOT WANT) to see you anymore!”
She closed the gate. The next day the girl __________________ (LEAVE) for the city. Steven was
upset but he hoped that one day he __________________ (SEE) Eliza again. Five years later Steven
became a student and moved to the city. He rented a small apartment on the __________________
(ONE) floor. One day, when he __________________ (WALK) to the university, he saw Eliza. She
was sitting on the bench in the park with an ice-cream in her hand. He ran up to her and said “Hello!
It’s nice to see you again!” But Eliza looked up at __________________ (HE), stood up and walked
away. “I wish I __________________ (KNOW) what is going on,” Steven said to himself, and
decided to start his own investigation.

59. The camel was very thirsty. His last drink had been weeks ago. His feet sank in the hot sand and he
__________________ (CAN) hardly move. "When will I reach water?" he thought. "And I
__________________ (NOT EAT) for ages." It was obvious that if the camel didn’t find any water
and food soon, he__________________ (DIE). He made a few steps toward another dune. It was
__________________ (EASY) to walk along the top of a hill, than along the bottom. At last he
__________________ (SEE) something green in the distance. Was it a mirage or an oasis? He hoped
for the best and the hope helped __________________ (HE) move faster. Soon, that distant green
colour turned into real trees and grass. There __________________ (BE) a small stream of water
and some palm trees that gave shade. Their wide __________________ (LEAF) could protect the
camel from the sun's rays. Though the sun __________________ (SHINE), it didn’t burn anymore.
Unfortunately, it was impossible to stay there forever. A short rest and the camel had to move on
towards his destination.

60. Robbie's dog Roxy was smart. At least Robbie __________________ (THINK) so. Robbie had
found him on a street. The puppy looked cold and unhappy. Robbie took the puppy home and
fortunately his mum __________________ (NOT MIND) it. One day Robbie saw the ‘Dogs'
contest’ advert. According to it, all dogs that were able to perform tricks could participate. "I wish
Roxy __________________ (KNOW) some tricks”, Robbie thought. “But Roxy can’t perform any.”
He decided to take Roxy to the contest anyway, not as a participant but as a viewer. When they
arrived there __________________ (BE) lots dogs on the contest ground. The collars of some dogs
__________________ (DECORATE) with medals. The contest started, and the judge threw a ball.
Roxy suddenly pulled away from Robbie and began running fast. He was the __________________
(ONE) dog to catch the ball and he didn’t forget to bring it back to the judge! “The winner is the dog
with no entry name on my list. Whose dog is this?” asked the judge. “It’s __________________ (I)
dog.” said Robbie. The judge handed Robbie a small symbolic medal and a certificate for free dog
food. “Congratulations! You__________________ (WIN)!” said Robbie to Roxy and gave him a big
hug. “Let’s go home and celebrate. Mum will be surprised when she __________________
(LEARN) the news.”

61. After school, I decided to go to university. I __________________ (CHOOSE) St Andrews

University in Scotland. At that time I __________________ (NOT KNOW) much about the
University but when I arrived there, I liked it at once. Now I'm in my last year and I wish I
__________________ (CAN) stay here forever! St Andrews University is a truly special place. It
__________________ (BUILD) 600 years ago and it is one of the oldest universities in the English-
speaking world. It has many traditions – for example, the ‘May Dip’. It is held on the
__________________ (ONE) of May every year. All the students run into the North Sea at sunrise
to celebrate the coming of spring and for good luck! One of my classmates said that the tradition
 __________________ (HELP) him to pass his exams last summer. For me the ‘May Dip’ was the
__________________ (COLD) experience of my life! Because the weather is famously cold, St
Andrews students designed __________________ (THEY) own uniform which consists of a warm
jacket, jeans and boat shoes. The uniform __________________ (MAKE) us all look the same, but
it is the only way to keep warm!

62. Martin and Jane were shopping. They were in the __________________ (LARGE) shopping centre
in their city. In fact, it was their favourite place because it was nice and not very expensive. The
centre __________________ (CALL) Dress for Less. Unlike most __________________ (MAN),
Martin liked shopping. Today he felt really happy because he __________________ (BUY) a shirt
and a pair of jeans. Jane was still in the changing room so Martin had time for a cup of coffee in
the lobby. It was the first time Martin had had a good look at the building itself. The shopping centre
building __________________ (BE) impressive. The engineers had used advanced technologies to
make it light, warm and spacious. “Hi!” Martin __________________ (HEAR) Jane’s voice. “What
are you having? Coffee? No, I __________________ (NOT DRINK) coffee. Never. It’s not good
for your health.” “Look, Jane, do you know the name of the architect of this building?” Martin
interrupted her. Jane looked puzzled. “I wish we __________________ (CAN) change our life a
bit,” went on Martin. “We probably spend too much time on things like shopping and miss more
important things. When was the last time we visited a museum?” Jane quietly sat down on the chair
beside __________________ (HE).

63. It was a great day yesterday. My friends and I __________________ (GO) to see a performance at
the Bolshoi Theatre. You certainly know that the Bolshoi Theatre is the __________________
(FAMOUS) theatre in Russia and probably in the world. But not everyone __________________
(KNOW) the history of the Bolshoi Theatre. According to historical documents, it
__________________ (BEGIN) in March 1776 when Prince Pyotr Urusov was granted Royal
permission to build a public theatre in Moscow. Catherine II, Empress of Russia, was fond of arts.
She __________________ (NOT MIND) having a new theatre in her country. The original building
of the theatre had a hall with almost 1,000 seats, a stage and an orchestra pit. Directly over the stage
there __________________ (BE) boxes where the most noble fans of the theatre had their seats. The
theatre has changed several times during __________________ (IT) history. The building we can
see today opened in 1825. It __________________ (DESIGN) by architect Andrei Mikhailov who
was also the architect of the Maly Theatre. Since that time, the building has been rebuilt and
renovated several times. Now it looks beautiful from the inside and outside. If I
__________________ (HAVE) the opportunity to go there more often, I would do it every week.

64. School was finally over and I was about to enjoy my holidays. I was going to stay with my Aunt
Helen, who lived in California. I thought that visiting __________________ (SHE) would be great
fun, but I felt nervous and scared. When my mum __________________ (DRIVE) me to the airport,
she noticed that something was wrong with me. “Are you all right?’ she asked. “You’re afraid of
flying, aren’t you?” “Yes, I __________________ (NOT WANT) to tell you. I’m a bit scared.
Sorry.” “There __________________ (BE) nothing to be sorry about! It’s natural to feel nervous
before your first flight. I wish I __________________ (CAN) go with you, but you know that I
can’t.” It was true. My mum was the __________________ (BUSY) woman in the world. “I’m fine,
Mum. Don’t worry.” I tried to sound calm. “I __________________ (CALL) you as soon as we
land.” The plane __________________ (TAKE) off smoothly. The pilot informed the passengers
about the details of the flight. Then we __________________ (OFFER) refreshing drinks. I had
some orange juice and closed my eyes.

65. Jenny loved climbing. It was a strange hobby for a girl and her family wanted her to stop it, but
Jenny __________________ (NOT LISTEN) to anybody. "There are still several trees in the garden
I haven’t climbed yet," Jenny said. One day, she__________________ (CLIMB) the apple tree in
the yard, when she suddenly slipped and fell down. Jenny __________________ (FEEL) a terrible
pain and started to cry. Her mum came outside and saw that her hand was swollen and looked dark.
"I wish you __________________ (HAVE) some other hobby!" she said. "Jenny, please, promise
 __________________ (I) that you'll never do this silly climbing again!" Jenny nodded. Her mother
took Jenny to the doctor. It turned out that two of the bones __________________ (BREAK). For
the__________________ (ONE) time Jenny had a cast on her arm, from her fingers down to her
elbow. For several weeks, Jenny had to have the cast on. It was a huge relief to get it off, finally. At
last she could get back to her favourite __________________ (ACTIVITY) which were running,
swimming, and climbing. But now climbing was out – Jenny was determined to stick to her promise.
“If I break my promise, mum __________________ (GET) upset. And I don’t want her to feel like
this.”

66. Dylan had a very old car. It was 20 years old. But the faded paint made it look even
__________________ (OLD) than that. It __________________ (BE) a shame to drive a car that
looked like that and Dylan took it to a paint shop. There the car __________________ (PAINT)
dark blue for $200. Dylan was very pleased with the new look. The only problem was that the car
stereo __________________ (NOT WORK) properly. Dylan managed to fix it himself. Then one
day Dylan had a new problem – petrol. He could smell it while he __________________ (DRIVE)
his car. Dylan asked himself “Am I driving a bomb? Could the car explode at any minute?” He knew
the car manual by heart. He had car problems at least once a month, and he always found a way to
fix __________________ (THEY) himself. However, this time, it was a job for a mechanic. So he
__________________ (TAKE) his car to the closest service station. The mechanic said they
__________________ (TEST) the car to find out what the problem was. He told Dylan to come
back in an hour. When Dylan came back, the mechanic said, "The problem is with the fuel pump.
You need a new one. It costs $400." "Let me think about it. I __________________ (GIVE) you a
call when I decide what to do." But Dylan had already decided what to do.

67. The phone woke Kim up. She answered the call almost immediately, after the__________________
(THREE) beep. The voice on the other end of the line sounded familiar but Kim
__________________ (NOT CAN) remember who it belonged to. “Hello,” the lady said. “Can I
speak to Mrs. Len?” “I’m sorry but she’s not at home. She’s out. She __________________
(WALK) in the park.” It was very cold out-of-doors and everything __________________
(COVER) in snow but Kim’s mother walked in all weathers. She believed that it
__________________ (HELP) her keep fit and gave her extra energy. She actually looked younger
than other __________________ (WOMAN) of her age and that was probably because of her
walking. “Can I take a message?” Kim asked politely. “No. I __________________ (CALL) her
later. When is she going to be back?” “She normally __________________ (COME) home at five.”
“Fine,” came the answer and the phone went dead. Kim felt a bit hurt. “It’s not polite to break off a
conversation like that,” she thought to herself. If I __________________ (BE) older, I would explain
to that lady how to talk to people politely.”

68. When I came into the room, my computer was on. It worried me since I __________________
(NOT REMEMBER) switching it on. I looked around – there __________________ (BE) nobody
in my room and everything was in its usual place. Suddenly I __________________
(UNDERSTAND) – the book had gone! I had left it on the table but it wasn’t there any more. I
checked the window – it __________________ (CLOSE). That meant that someone had come into
the room through the door. My __________________ (ONE) impulse was to call the police but I
called Jim instead. “What __________________ (HAPPEN)?” Jim sounded sleepy. I explained that
someone __________________ (TAKE) the book. “Oh, no!” Jim sounded unhappy. “Do you have
any idea how valuable it is?” “There’s another thing I __________________ (NOT CAN)
understand,” I interrupted Jim. “My computer’s on but I always switch it off before leaving home.”
“Ok, stay at home. I’ll be at __________________ (YOU) place in half an hour,” he said and the
phone went dead.

69. It was early morning. Ben jumped out of his bed as soon as the __________________ (ONE) rays of
sun came into the room. He grabbed his backpack and started to pack. Ben put in some of his
favourite things to take with __________________ (HE) on the trip to Grandpa’s. He put in his
favourite book, his kite and his teddy bear. Soon everything __________________ (PACK) and he
 started to get dressed. Visiting Grandpa had always been the __________________ (GOOD) part of
his summer vacation. Together, they went fishing and watched football matches. Grandpa
__________________ (TEACH) him how to repair bikes and other things. Ben’s mum entered his
room. “Grandpa’s here,” she said with a smile. Ben told her that he __________________ (BE)
ready to go. He grabbed his backpack and ran into the kitchen where Grandpa __________________
(DRINK) his tea. “Ready, big guy?” asked Grandpa. “Will you have breakfast before we leave?”
“No, I __________________ (NOT BE) hungry”, Ben answered, “I’ll have breakfast at your place.
Grandma __________________ (COOK) something nice for me, hasn’t she?”

70. Stonehenge is an ancient monument in south-west England. For me, it’s the __________________
(INTERESTING) place I’ve ever visited. I clearly remember my __________________ (ONE)
visit to Stonehenge with my aunt and uncle. They lived nearby and I often __________________
(GO) to stay with them for my summer holidays. On the day of __________________ (WE) trip the
weather was fine. There __________________ (BE) a cool wind blowing, the sun was bright in the
sky and Stonehenge looked calm and magical. In those days it was possible to walk among the stones
and even touch them. It's very different now. Stonehenge __________________ (BECOME) more
crowded than it was. As a result, now people __________________ (ALLOW) to walk around the
monument but they can’t come up very close to it. Today I wish I __________________ (HAVE) an
opportunity to get inside the circle again but unfortunately it is not possible any more. The
Stonehenge mystery is still unexplained but I believe scientists __________________ (SOLVE) it in
the near future.

71. When I was at school, I spent summers at my grandfather’s. They were the __________________
(GOOD) holidays I’ve ever had. Grandpa lived alone in a country cottage near a small river.
Grandpa’s hobby was making birdhouses. He always said that he __________________ (NEED) a
hobby to fill his free time. Grandpa’s workshop was full of all kinds of tools. There
__________________ (BE) a big table, hammers, nails, paints, and what not. And all the tools
__________________ (KEEP) carefully in their places. That was Grandpa’s number one rule. The
__________________ (TWO) rule was, “Never buy a new tool if the old one still works.” In the
workshop, when he __________________ (MAKE) the birdhouses, I asked him lots of questions
about birds. He __________________ (KNOW) a lot about them! He could tell one bird from
another by their songs and footprints. I was surprised that Grandpa __________________ (NOT
PAINT) the birdhouses in bright colours. He explained to __________________ (I) that birds prefer
natural colours that make their houses more difficult to notice and, for that reason, safer.

72. July 17th was coming. It would be Mark’s __________________ (THIRTEEN) birthday. His Mum
asked him what he __________________ (WANT) as a gift. Mark answered at once that his dream
was to have a telescope to watch the stars. Mum __________________ (SHAKE) her head
doubtfully. She knew that Mark enjoyed learning about space but a telescope was a
__________________ (EXPENSIVE) present than they had planned. After dinner the parents had a
discussion about the present. “I think we should give Mark the telescope,” Dad said. “But we
__________________ (SPEND) all our savings already,” Mum responded. “We bought some new
furniture and paid for our holidays. I wish we __________________ (CAN) buy him this present but
we really can’t.” “I think, we can,” Dad smiled. “Look, I’ve got an old friend, Nick, whose father
was interested in astronomy. His father died many years ago, and Nick keeps all his things in the
attic. I think he __________________ (AGREE) to sell us his telescope at half price.” Nick
__________________ (PLANT) roses in the garden when Mum and Dad arrived at his house. “Yes,
sure,” he said. “There are lots of __________________ (BOX) in the attic. You can take whatever
you want for Mark for free. I’m glad he’s taking up my father’s hobby.”

73. I remember my uncle Thomas very well. My mum says I can’t because I was a little girl, only three
at the time. But my memories of him are still very vivid. Uncle Thomas was a sailor. When he
returned from his last trip, he brought several large __________________ (BOX) with him. Inside
there __________________ (BE) bits of wood, metal, and painted cloth. “What is it for?” I asked
my uncle. He __________________ (GIVE) me a broad smile and said: “Have your breakfast first
 and then come to the backyard. You __________________ (SEE) everything with your own eyes.”
When I came to the backyard, Uncle Thomas __________________ (READ) an instruction manual.
It took all his attention because the manual __________________ (WRITE) in Spanish, a language
my uncle didn’t know very well. All in all, it took __________________ (HE) a couple of weeks to
assemble the object from the parts. To all my questions he said that it was a machine that
__________________ (CAN) fly like a bird. I was probably the only one in the family who took his
words seriously. They could never believe that soon we were going to see one of the
__________________ (ONE) airplane flights in the country.

74. Michael could not imagine his life without computers. His parents __________________ (BUY) him
his first computer at the age of six. It took __________________ (HE) several days to learn how to
use it. His mum said that younger people were much __________________ (FAST) than adults at
learning computer skills. That was probably true – most __________________ (CHILD) in
Michael’s class were very competent computer users. Michael was really surprised to find out that
the first personal computer __________________ (INVENT) in the 70s of the last century. “And
how did you chat or send your e-mails without computers?” he asked his mother. She smiled: “We
__________________ (NOT SEND) each other e-mails. And there were no networks.” She also said
that it __________________ (BE) fun to communicate face-to-face, to play out-of-doors and to visit
friends’ homes. “But if there __________________ (BE) no computers, I wouldn’t be able to
communicate with my friends who live far away from me,” Michael replied. “True. Technological
progress is a great thing,” his mother said. “And I think people __________________ (CREATE)
even more amazing communication devices in the near future.”

75. Tom woke up relatively early. But he __________________ (UNDERSTAND) at once that he was
not the first awake. There was somebody in the kitchen already. Tom went out to inspect, and found
that his dad was there – he __________________ (CUT) vegetables. It was rather strange
– everyone knew that dad __________________ (NOT LIKE) cooking. “I wish I
__________________ (KNOW) what you are doing,” he said. Dad gave __________________
(HE) a smile and answered “Wait and see.” He pulled out a juicing machine from the cupboard.
Nobody had used it for ages and the machine __________________ (COVER) with a thin layer of
dust. Tom’s dad washed it and turned it on. Then he put a handful of carrots inside. Next he added
cucumbers and __________________ (TOMATO). Dad made three large cups of the stuff. He took
one and drank it. He handed the __________________ (TWO) cup to Tom. To his surprise the juice
tasted really good. “You don’t eat enough vegetables,” his dad said. “If you don’t like eating them,
you’ll probably like drinking them.” Tom nodded. The juice was definitely __________________
(GOOD) than the stewed vegetables his mum cooked almost every day.