PRACTICE TEST I 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 II Choose the best answer The prospects of picking up any survivors are now A thin B narrow C slim D restricted Hopes of finding the missing boat are beginning to A darken B go C fade D drain The silver medalist was later for running outside her lane A banned B disqualified C disallowed D outlawed Mecci’s second goal was because he was off-side A banned B disqualified C disallowed D outlawed I’ll the idea with the other members in the family and let you know A discuss B argue C explain D talk Can you to it that no one uses this entrance? A ensure B guarantee C assure D see The minister to say whether all the coal mines would be closed A refused B avoided C denied D bothered Our local youth club tries to for all interests A equip B apply C organise D cater Next year I hope to my ambition of climbing Mont Blanc A complete B follow C realise D impose Police had told everyone not to anything in case evidence was destroyed A annoy B disturb C bother D confuse Only of the students did well in the test A a few B few C little D a little This book will be a delight to readers of science fiction A amateur B skilled C seasoned D loving Pauline managed to win the car rally at the first A attempt B try C rate D entry Our town has a real problem with youth crime, many other British towns A so B nor C as D like When we start work in the morning, I usually at the schedule for the whole day A glimpse B watch C monitor D glance The doorway is low, so your head when you go in A mind B attend C observe D notice As it’s not out on DVD yet, we might get it on video, I suppose A also B as well C too D as such The more challenging the exercises are, we feel A the less bored B the least bored C the less boring D the least boring Sam is on his way, so make him a coffee he arrives A if B until C while D when He works hard, but of his health A at the expense B at the limit C at a cost D at a loss Fill in each gap with one suitable particle or preposition Once he has signed the agreement, he won't be able to back the scheme Watch the signpost I don't want to miss the turning That chair is not very strong Do you think it is your weight? She went a bad cold just before Christmas The Italian course started in September and it's March now I'm afraid you won't be able to catch the class now Whenever he runs a difficulty he always comes to me for help A mother will usually stand her children, no matter what they have done 10 There's no point in doing the old regulations if you are going to introduce equally stupid new ones I'm afraid there's no milk left; we'll have to fall dried milk for our tea It's your turn to make some suggestions; I've run ideas III 10 Supply the correct form of the word given It is said that she was quite an in her youth! EYE The thief was caught in the very ACTIVITY What is done can’t be DO It is of him to lose his temper like that He’s usually very calm CHARACTER I was surprised by the of the occasion All the men wore dark suits and ties FORMAL The unresponsive audience made the lecturer somewhat What a shame! HEART Any opposition to the rule is TOLERATE The report was kept secret because of its nature CONTROVERSY High vehicles must take an route because of low clearance under the bridge ALTER I leave a light on when I am out to burglars COURAGE IV Read the text carefully Some of the lines are correct and some have a word which should not be there If a line is correct, put a tick (✓)? in the space provided If a line has a word which should not be there, write it in the space provided THE SURPRISING SEASON Throughout all history, spring weather conditions have all varied more than those of the other three seasons In the 00 ✓ early spring of 1083 the River Thames it froze for over 14 weeks, while in spring 1412 it is dried up Spring flooding in 1092 meant to the year was remembered for much poor crops In fact, through the centuries the most greatest number of major droughts, floods, hurricanes and earthquakes will have occurred during springtime Indeed, looking at agricultural records, 1660 is the only spring having recorded as “very pleasant” Spring arrives at slightly different times in different regions of the British Isles 10 In lowland English it appears on around the middle 11 of March In the west and south, it arrives even at 12 earlier, while the north and in hilly areas it does 13 not come until April Here, spring is mentioned about, 14 it means the average temperature which is over 60C 15 WRITING Complete the second sentence in such a way that it is closest in meaning to the sentence printed before it Use the word given DO NOT change the word given Most of the committee voted for the proposal FAVOUR The majority Margaret is said to be a very good cook REPUTATION Margaret _ John was disappointed not to win the competition CAME Not winning the competition They should have given us more time to finish the work INSUFFICIENT We were _ I imagine it was tough for you to refuse every beggar that asked you for money TURN It must _ every beggar that asked you for money 10 Pop in for a chat whenever you are in town HAPPEN If _ in town, pop in for a chat We get on very well with Laura’s parents TERMS We _ Laura’s parents Dr Sharp wants you to look after his patients while he’s away CARE Dr Sharp would like you to his absence I was surprised not to see Meg at the party but I later heard she was ill APPARENTLY I was surprised that Meg _ she was ill I don't mind staying in on a Saturday night if I have good company AVERSE I'm night if I have good company READING I Read the text below and decide which answer (А, В, С or D) best fits each gap CHEAPER HOLIDAYS We can (0) money on all aspects of our holiday, from where and when to go to how to get to and from the airport; here are some (1) on how to get the most for your money when (2) a holiday For the best deals (3) your holiday between the high and low seasons; you could save up to 70% on some holiday (4) while still enjoying good weather and other high season (5) and there will be fewer crowds You can also save money by going somewhere where living costs are (6) It might cost more to get there but once you are there you will (7) less on eating out and getting around as food and transport will be (8) cheaper And start saving before you even leave the country by choosing the most cost effective way to the airport There are many bus services from (9) cities to airports which are cheaper than trains If you go by train book well in (10) to get cheaper tickets and if you decide to go by car, book your carparking as soon as possible; some airports offer up to 50% (11) for early bookings Finally, make sure you research all the available options on-line Signing up to email (12) can be a good idea as then you will be the first to know about cheap offers The earlier you book the better the bargains are likely to be 10 11 12 A save A information A deciding A book A places A pros A lower A pay A largely A main A ahead A under A alarms В keep В advice В choosing В ask for В sites В advantages В smaller В cost В obviously В important В before В below В warnings С store С tips С agreeing С order С situations С favours С poorer С spend С quite С great С advance С off С news D guard D clues D electing D buy D resorts D drawbacks D greater D waste D significantly D major D early D over D alerts II Fill in each gap with one suitable word THE NILE RIVER The Nile allowed the first Egyptians (0) settle successfully in the otherwise very dry part of North Africa; The great river provided a dependable source (1) water that was used for everything from irrigation, transport, cooking, drinking, hunting and fishing (2) waste disposal (3) its river, Egypt would have been no more than an unforgiving desert Instead, it became the most fertile land in the whole Mediterranean (4) to its position and many natural resources, Egypt was able to remain an independent country for 3,000 years; (5) the deserts were used for their valuable minerals, they were uninhabitable The narrowness of the belts of fertile land on (6) side of the Nile prevented expansion (7) the east or west Villages were situated (8) the river (9) beads on a thread Agriculture in ancient Egypt relied completely on the annual flooding (10) July and October (11) flood waters cleaned the land and laid down a thick layer of highly fertile silt (12) an added bonus, fish were left in the fields (13) the water levels had fallen, and they were dried and smoked for future consumption As Egypt relied totally on the Nile, it is (14) surprising that the water level was closely watched at (15) times Too high, and the water would flood the towns; too low, and there would be food shortages, unrest, and perhaps (16) the downfall of a dynasty III You are going to read an extract from a novel Choose the answer (А, В, С or D) which you think fits best according to the text Emily woke up before her alarm went off and knew instantly something wasn’t quite right in the house Bailey, her chocolate-coloured pet Labrador, should have been there at the bedroom door demanding food but there was no sound of him She decided to get up and go and see where he was It felt cold in the hall but she knew she had left the heating on last night As she walked down the stairs she heard a noise in the kitchen; the strange feeling that something was wrong was getting stronger What was going on? She got to the bottom of the stairs and opened the door to the living room, which led to the kitchen Why was the door closed? She always left it open Bailey was nowhere to be seen and his toys, which were usually all over the living room floor, were in a neat pile in the corner next to his basket Had they been there when she had gone to bed last night? She couldn’t remember She walked into the kitchen and turned the light on, it didn’t work, nothing happened She stood very still and listened, nothing There wasn’t a sound That was really strange; she lived in the middle of a busy city, there were always people around She woke up to the sound of traffic, car horns, police cars, her neighbours shouting in the house next door, how could there be silence at o’clock on a Friday morning? She went back into the living room and turned the TV on, but again nothing happened She went back into the kitchen and looked out of the window; it was a bright clear day The back door was shut but when she tried the handle she realised it was unlocked She walked out into the tiny back garden and opened the back gate; still nothing, not a sound and no sign of Bailey She called him but he didn’t come She went back into the house and did what she realised she should have done as soon as she got up and called her mother But there was no answer She called her boyfriend but his mobile was switched off and she got the answer phone message She tried a couple of other numbers but with equal success She sat down on the sofa and thought about what she could She couldn’t decide if she should stay at home or go out and find someone Just as she decided the best thing would be to stay at home and wait, there was a loud banging on the front door She jumped up and ran to the door ‘Who is it?’ she shouted through the door ‘It’s me,’ came the reply But she had no idea who ‘me’ was She didn’t want to open the door until she was sure she knew who it was, not with all the other strange things that were happening this morning, and she didn’t want to shout through the thick front door, so she walked back into the living room and tried to look through the front window to see who was standing at the front door It was a man but she couldn’t make out who he was; he didn’t look familiar He was tall and was wearing a big coat with a hood over his head Just as she was thinking of running out the back door she saw that the man had Bailey with him, and Bailey seemed quite happy, which meant that the man had to be someone he knew and liked; he would have been barking otherwise She still wasn’t taking any chances though; she put the safety latch on the door and opened it just enough to see who was there She was instantly relieved; it was her brother, who lived just a few streets away She opened the door all the way and let him in As he walked through the door he was almost knocked over by Bailey jumping up and looking more pleased than ever to see her ‘So what’s going on?’ she asked her brother He looked at her as if she was stupid ‘Haven’t you heard?’ How did Emily know there was something wrong? A Her alarm clock didn’t go off В Her dog wasn’t outside the bedroom door С Her dog was quieter than usual D She had woken up very early How did she feel when she opened the living room door? A confused В excited С annoyed D strong What could she hear when she stood in the kitchen? A traffic and everyday noises of the city В silence С the television D something in the garden Why did she go into the garden? A to see what the weather was like В to talk to her neighbours С to look for Bailey D to make a phone call Who did she speak to on the telephone? A her mother В her boyfriend С two friends D no one Why did she return to the living room after someone knocked on the front door? A Because she didn’t want to leave the house В Because she wanted to try and see who was at the front door С Because she didn’t want to talk to the person at the front door D Because she wanted to sit down and think about what to Why did she think she must know the man at the door? A She recognised the clothes he was wearing В Bailey was barking at him С Bailey seemed relaxed with him D She recognised his voice What does the author mean when it says that ‘she still wasn’t taking any chances though’? A She wasn’t feeling lucky В She was going to take advantage of the situation С She wasn’t going to waste the opportunity D She wasn’t going to take any risks ... is dried up Spring flooding in 1 092 meant to the year was remembered for much poor crops In fact, through the centuries the most greatest number of major droughts, floods,... country by choosing the most cost effective way to the airport There are many bus services from (9) cities to airports which are cheaper than trains If you go by train book well in (10) ... Nile prevented expansion (7) the east or west Villages were situated (8) the river (9) beads on a thread Agriculture in ancient Egypt relied completely on the annual flooding