MIXED EXERCISES 4

I. Choose A, B, C or D that best fits each blank in the sentences

1. It is not definite that the company will accept our offer, but there's a ______ chance so there is no reason not to try.
A. sporting B. bragging C. pumping D. bubbling
2. She was ______ with excitement, imagining how fun her first vacation abroad would be after years working without
resting
A. bubbling over B. bristling at C plodding along D. fawning over
3. I had to give up on having a pet dog because whenever it got sick, a trip to the vet would ______.
A. clear me out B. clean me out C. wipe me out D. dry me out
4. Annie and John hid their relationship so well that it took Mary quite a time to ______ to the fact that they were dating.
A. come down B. glom onto C. dawn on D. cotton on
5. By successfully _______ two seconds off his last best time, our son has not only won the first prize but also set the
world record.
A. cutting B. clipping C. sizing D. gashing
6. Parkour, an activity which used not to be heard of by many people in India, is now ______ in this country.
A. big B. faddy C. rife D. conventional
7. I like both teaching and researching so the position of a professor in college is a kind of halfway ______ between the
two for me.
A. house B. line C. road D. hunch
8. Living in the commuter______ is fine, but I’m planning to move into the city centre.
A. belt B. pane C. line D. skirt
9. Be careful before you sign the contract, remember to read every details including the ______ print.
A. bold B. hidden C. fine D. clean
10. The food tour was great, except for the insects, they looked and tasted so horrible that I ______ with disgust.
A. gloated B. grimaced C. grinned D. chuckled
11. ______ your heart and mind of sinful thoughts before you enter the pagoda.
A. Clean B. Purify C. Liberate D. Cleanse
12. Unfortunately, the victim didn’t make it to the hospital, he was pronounced ______.
A. dead from the neck up B. dead on sight C. dead in the water D. dead on arrival
13. Despite the harsh flow of the stream, she ______ her way through the water.
A. powered B. struck C. directed D. led
14. A career in marketing has always been what she desires, so she just ______ herself in her work.
A. immersed B. submerged C. engulfed D. dipped
15. The polls are too close to call, and it looks Eke this election is going to be a real __________.
A. brain-teaser B. enigma C. cliffhanger D. buoyancy
16. These days, schools no longer ______ girls away from STEM subjects thanks to the propagation of gender equality.
A. direct B. drive C. steer D. guide
17. I cannot understand what does Jenny ______ against Tom that makes her treat such a nice guy so badly.
A. hold B. have C. keep D. make
18. It turned out I was wrong to think that I could reach the finish line as I started to ______ in the heat just thirty minutes
after the race started.
A. shrivel B. weed C. wither D. wilt
19. After Janice had to wait two hours to see her doctor, she became ______ with the office staff.
A. distressed B. averse C. vexatious D. belligerent
20. Is it ironic when people ______ glasses of wine and drink to each other's health?
A. splat B. clunk C. clank D. clink
21. Don’t think that being children of celebrities is great because you would not only have fame but also expectations
______ you since birth.
A. thrust upon B. pasted to C. forced on D. rammed on
22. __________! You have been in the bathroom for an hour and the concert starts at nine.
A. Tut tut B. Aye aye C. Chop chop D. Up up
23. As an introvert, I really admire anyone who is a ______ with great confidence and communication skills.
A. quick wire B. cup of beer C. good mixer D. hot dish.
24. I know you are ______ to French fries, but you had better cut down on it.
A. smitten B. hooked C. partial D. tied
25. There is a very strong movement in my country now against ______ sports like hunting or shooting even though they
are parts of national traditions.
A. lethal B. death C. blood D. red
26. The ______ of central control has stifled local initiative.
A. dead hand B. smirky fingers C. eagle eyes D. tight grip
27. After a sleepless night, tiredness gradually ______ him while he was driving.
A. lurk up on B. crept up on C. cinched on D. edged on
28. Alexa has got her boyfriend ______ he will do everything she says.
A. eating out of her hand B. following her through the garden C. to wash her clothes D. to sell her his heart
29. A large proportion of the households in this area is ______ to the internet thanks to a generous foreign donor.
A. linked up B. hooked up C. wired up D. crossed up
30. It came as a shock to Dan to find out that the police officer killed in the ______ of duty yesterday was his dad.
A. hours B. line C. call D. strike
31. The spokesperson said the information campaign was a ______ to hide the most regressive tax in history.
A. red curtain B. witch cloak C. book cover D. fig leaf
32. Depression was once thought to be a ______ of an individual's imagination but research has shown that SAD is a
real disorder.
A. figment B. figure C. byproduct D. docket
33. Dennis is very ______ about things: he never lets anything stress him out.
A. tolerant B. impetuous C. warm-hearted D. laid-back
34. Were I to have the courage of my ______, I would tell the boss how domineering he was
A. convictions B. points C. slant D. stance
35. Joe thinks he can win the fight with that muscular man, he is really a ______ short of a load.
A. stone B. log C. brick D. hog
36. It has taken them all this time to ______ on a name for their baby.
A. decide B. conclude C. assent D. consent
37. After winning the lottery, the man squandered his money on gambling and was soon in ______ after a year.
A. Queer street B. Baker street C. Pauper street D. Tramp street
38. Facebook's shares are ______ after the company launched a new Instagram feature that will compete with TikTok in
the US.
A. holding her thumb B. on high skies C. coming up roses D. on a tear
39. The two generals, although ______ cooperating to attack the enemy, actually detest each other.
A. showily B. ostensibly C. audaciously D. benignly
40. The company is ______ to see if this plan provokes any interest in the young customer group.
A. flying a kite B. dropping the ball C. shooting the messenger D. dropping the penny
41. They offered to buy her a BMW but she's holding ______ a Porsche.
A. out for B. out on C. back with D. up with
42. Although I am not a ______ person. I sometimes do find some sex scenes on TV a bit excessive and unacceptable.
A. prudish B. sanctimonious C. raffish D. dyspeptic
43. I never cease to admire the ______ endurance of my grandfather when captured by the Nazi during World War Two.
A. placid B. stoical C. obstinate D. immutable
44. Different from a misanthrope who has a hatred of people in general. Joey is more of a ______ being distrustful of
human goodness and sincerity.
A. pessimist B. tyrant C. cynic D. misogynist
45. When will you realise that it was your self-righteous and ______ attitude that prevented you from learning better
ideas from other people?
A. fallow B. ghoulish C. bigoted D. conniving
46. He's been working with a ______ over the past few weeks to make up for wasted time.
A. drudgery B. servitude C. vengeance D. nudge
47. He felt his heart ______ as his bride-to-be began her walk down the aisle.
A. fasten B. quicken C. expedite D. heighten
48. Constance ______ a sigh of relief when she heard that her loan was approved.
A. gave B. uttered C. expressed D. breathed
49. The telephone lines were ______ with callers trying to get through to the electricity supplier.
A. jammed B. throttled C. congested D. glutted
50. If there happened to be both rich and poor people, as there happen to be both black and white ones, then the
advantages of the ______ might well spread in time to the hard-up.
A. well-heeled B. big-hearted C. open-handed D. tight-fisted
51. Most popular magazines have a(n) ______ page where letters about difficulties with relationships are answered.
A. sharing B. personal C. advice D. problem
52. Two agents in our team were shot in ______ for the killing of a rival gang member.
A. return B. renouncement C. reprisal D. recrimination
53. His talent meant he could create wondrous things, but his ______ meant he hardly ever felt like working.
A. adversity B. lethargy C. ineptitude D. tactlessness
54. I left in high ______ after waiting for them over an hour and not receiving any apologies.
A. rage B. taciturnity C. oscillation D. dudgeon
55. Everyone knows about his genius even though he never admits, good wine needs no ______.
A. barter B. advertisement C. bush D. barrel
56. We don’t have enough ______ data to prove that the phenomenon is really affecting the environment in a negative
way.
A. empirical B. informed C. substantive D. static
57. She acts as if she really is the ______ of our team and everyone has to rely on her.
A. lone wolf B. white elephant C. big shark D. queen bee
58. The police have been ______ war on drug dealers in the city since January but their effort does not seem to be very
effective.
A. waging B. staging C. fighting D. raging
59. The foreigners were amazed at the ______ variety of goods in the huge department store.
A. beleaguered B. bewildering C. baffling D. bizonal
60. James kept trying to ______ his duties, but his manager told him if he didn’t start taking responsibility for his work he
would have to leave the company.
A. beaver away B. weasel out of C. chicken out of D. clam up
61. From our tent, we could see the delightful ______ of lake Lukedeer.
A. scene B. prospect C. background D. layout
62. In Australia, the government controls the maintenance of war ______, post-war commemorations and battle exploit
memorials.
A. graves B. tombs C. grounds D. catacombs
63. Perhaps tomorrow’s event will mark the ______ of my life, I cannot wait any longer!
A. bright buff B. full spark C. high spot D. full bloom
64. An unusual noise from the back of the class during the exam ______ the teacher’s attention.
A. held B. sustained C. arrested D. upheld
65. The new employee failed to realize the importance of obedience in this company and refused to toe the ______ line.
A. party B. camp C. function D. union
66. Bao is a ______ off the old block of his father while his sister is more like the mother.
A. tip B. chip C. piece D. copy
67. He regarded this second prize just as a ______ in order to prevent him from suing the judges for corruption.
A. factoid B. sob C. whizz D. sop
68. Although his presidential campaign won ______ from several celebrities, it failed to compensate for his incompetence
in dealing with last year’s economic crisis.
A. involvement B. warrant C. endorsement D. patronage
69. Cinderella wore a beautiful dress to the party and was the ______ of the ball.
A. beauty B. belle C. center D. charmer
70. Much as I like Literature, I cannot stand my teacher’s voice-slow, emotionless and without ______.
A. inflation B. reflection C. inflection D. infliction
71. I couldn’t come to your party as the date ______ with my holiday.
A. clashed B. struck C. opposed D. occurred
72. At the start of the course every student is assigned a(n) ______ of studies.
A. advisor B. consultant C. counsellor D. curator
73. You should prioritize the public interest over a group’s ______ interests.
A. personal B. sectional C. segregated D. exclusive
74. I hardly want to participate in extracurricular activities but this volunteer job is so interesting that I accepted the offer
with ______.
A. solace B. consternation C. chastisement D. alacrity
75. Sandy stole my ______ when she announced that she was pregnant two days before I'd planned to tell people about
my pregnancy.
A. thunder B. limelight C. stage D. mind
76. Dressed in a bright red suit for the wedding, Jack apparently was making a ______ of himself.
A. mess B. light C. spectacle D. spot
77. You don’t have the sound business ______ that is necessary for success so I would advise you to find another
career.
A. starkness B. acumen C. punditry D. wit
78. More than 500 ______ were involved in the coronation scene of Puyi in “The last Emperor”.
A. adjuncts B. appendages C. extras D. additives
79. Entering the National Competition for the gifted ______ tremendous concentration and effort.
A. stipulates B. extracts C. exacts D. inquires
80. Despite their disagreement, the representatives of the two nations managed to reach a(n) ______ settlement,
bringing temporary peace for both sides.
A. affable B. fraternal C. amiable D. amicable
81. The first successful flight in human history completed by the Wright brothers ______ the law of gravity and stunned
everybody.
A. refuted B. defied C. quelled D. disproved
82. The concert ended and the crowd quickly ______ returning the quietness to the small town.
A. disassembled B. dissembled C. dismantled D. disgorged
83. After winning the lottery, they moved into a more ______ house in a high-class residential area and had a more
comfortable life.
A. well-attended B. well-built C. well-appointed D. well-disposed
84. Tony, you are trying to make her believe your lies so just keep it simple, do not overegg the __________.
A. brulee B. pudding C. sponge D. madeleines
85. My school always forces students to follow the rules to the ______ without caring about their feelings.
A. book B. letter C. lines D. dots
86. Although my new house is fine, I still prefer the old one which ______ a river.
A. backs onto B. faces off C. stands by D. sides with
87. We are required to ______ empirical data and evidence from reliable sources to support our argument.
A. adduce B. attest C. elicit D. accost
88. Since John is the bee’s ______ in terms of English, it is no wonder so many friends ask him for support in this
subject.
A. wings B. knees C. antenna D. spiracle
89. There is no need to ______ over the cracks. I know you are having problems, just tell me and I will help you.
A. carpet B. paper C. lay D. curtain
90. The boss made no ______ to their gender, all the female workers were forced to do the heavy work as their male
counterparts.
A. concession B. compromise C. allowance D. regression
91. Without discipline, students may think that they have the ______ to do whatever they want.
A. licence B. autocracy C. prerogative D. dispensation
92. It's a good film, but the ______ near the ending scene is a bit complex and demands watchers to be extremely
analytic to understand.
A. flummery B. delineation C. aberration D. convolution
93. It was very childish of you to ______ over your opponent’s failure immediately on the stage when the result was
announced.
A. jolly B. relish C. gloat D. brag
94. After 11 years in the ______, Johnson made an unexpected comeback in the movie Bear.
A. damp B. wilderness C. badlands D. wasteland
95. It is often hard for parents to take the opinions of their children on ______ due to the generation gap.
A. board B. mind C. check D. self
96. Luckily, our research is supported by a(n) ______ from the National Science Foundation.
A. grant B. bursary C. aid D. endowment
97. Your father was only 17 when he ______ at Harvard, now look at your school report.
A. matriculated B. registered C. postulated D. imparted
98. Elen has stayed in bed for a whole week, take him out for a walk, that will surely put the ______ back into his cheeks.
A. colours B. roses C. daisy D. pinky mallow
99. Before going back to school, you have to ______ for at least a week after the operation.
A. rejuvenate B. recuperate C. overhaul D. reinvigorate
100. This naughty class always ______ with their new teachers, which usually greatly discourages them from teaching.
A. hits it out B. tries it on C. kicks it up D. rubs it in
II. Choose A, B, C or D that best fits each blank in the passage
SHARING A ROOM
Everyone who goes to college knows how important it is to get along with a roommate. Well, at least, they know how
important it is after they have tried it. When I first went to college, I hadn’t (1) ___ it much thought. Until I was introduced
to Martin, that is. It’s not that Martin was some terrible monster or anything-just that we were, well, incompatible. The (2)
___ sharing of the space didn't present much of a problem. He had his side and t had mine; that worked very well. No,
the problem was more to do with sharing time. Martin, you see, was a night (3) ___, and I am not. So. when, at midnight.
I was tucked up in bed with a book, Martin was I just (4) ___ started. And when, at three in the morning, his friends were
still coming round to pay a social visit, my smile was (5) ___ thin. Despite all this, Marlin and I remained (6) ___ friends
throughout college. Surprised? OK. perhaps our friendship was helped along a little by the tad that we were able to swap
roommates after our first week.
1. A paid B given C dedicated D had
2. A real B virtual C actual D potential
3. A owl B eagle C bird D mare
4. A having B being C about D getting
5. A wearing B fading C breaking D tearing
6. A strong B tight C near D firm

THE GIRL ON THE BUS

Sitting next to me on the bus was a young woman talking loudly into her mobile phone. ’No, I don't want to go there
again. We went there last week. No, I told you. No, not there - too expensive’. She continued in a (1) ___ vein for about
15 minutes: in fact, until the bus (2) ___ to her bus stop. Through a series of protestations and (3) ___, coyness and
giggling, I (4) ___ that she was talking to her boyfriend, they had not been going out very long, he had more money than
her, and yet she was the more dominant partner. She was from London but she hadn't been back for years. High on her
list of priorities were her child from a previous marriage and her elderly father. The child had problems at school and the
father's (5) ___ was severely restricted. But, despite these two slight worries, she was a happy-go-lucky type, one who
liked to go a bit wild on Friday nights, mainly to forget about the stresses and (6) ___ of her job in the doctor's surgery.
As she got off, I hoped she would find happiness with her new man.
1. A similar B close C near D like
2. A slowed down B pulled in C rode up D set down
3. A sayings B speeches C talks D exclamations
4. A assembled B amassed C harvested D gathered
5. A mobility B accessibility C range D distance
6. A tightness B sprains C strains D stretches

THE JOY OF SMALL GARDEN

The great thing about this time of year is that no (1) ___ how big or small your garden is, you are bound to spend more
time outside enjoying it. If you don’t have a lot of space, you may find that container planting is the ideal solution.
Wheelbarrows, barrels, pots, old watering cans, troughs; you (2) ___ it, anything can be used for colourful, low
maintenance plants. Consider the use of hanging baskets as well. The beauty of these is that, because they are up high,
they tend to add a new (3) ___ to your garden. Don't forget that hanging baskets are often under the eaves of a house,
so even if it rains every day, they will still (4) ___ to be watered. There is a fantastic choice of plants available for use in
containers. And don't worry if your garden is in full shade-you will find plants that will (5) ___ even the darkest corner.
With just a little preparation and regular feeding and watering, you can guarantee that you have a (6) ___ of colour
throughout the summer. Perhaps the biggest joy of having a container garden, though, is that there is none of that
backbreaking digging to be done!
1. A problem B matter C wonder D question
2. A call B label C name D say
3. A dimension B outlook C angle D viewpoint
4. A demand B require C desire D need
5. A brighten up B shine out C tower above D look upon
6. A disturbance B riot C demonstration D rally

The Kingfisher
It was still dark as she (1) ___ down the back stairs and drew back the bolt of the kitchen door as noiselessly as possible.
It made a loud (2) ___ sound. She must remember to oil it! Every time it happened she thought that, but never
remembered until the next time it made the same noise. It never seemed to wake the (3) ___ of the house, though.
Probably because it was so early.
The grass was damp with dew as she crossed the lawn in front of the house. Wet feet, again. She should have worn her
wellingtons, but she didn’t know where they were. She might have left them in Maeve’s house, or Sheila could have
borrowed them. She often borrowed them, even though they were about three (4) ___ too big. She’d lost one of hers and
was afraid to tell Mam about it. Sheila was careless and was always losing things. She heard bird (5) ___ as she reached
the river bank and saw the first (6) ___ of the sun shining over the Doonagh Hills.
1. A slithered B crawled C bounded D crept
2. A squeaking B screeching C screaming D squealing
3. A remains B last C rest D others
4. A figures B sizes C pairs D numbers
5. A tune B song C cry D music
6. A sparkles B lights C rays D gleams

BEDTIME READING
Do you really want to leave your laptop on your bedside (1) ___? Can you see yourself logging off, switching off and
unplugging, before you turn off your light? Many people are saying that this is precisely what we will all be doing in a few
years’ time. They are prophesying the demise of the book. A new (2) ___ of life for the rainforests, they say, another
coup for technology. Time (3) ___ on. Don’t look back. Good news for opticians, I say, as our eyesight (4) ___ rapidly
because of constant staring at a computer screen. Computers are part of most people's work now, but they have not
boon around long enough for experts to say (5) ___ what long-term effect they will have on our eyes. Myself. I don't think
there's much doubt. Anyway. I don’t believe any of it. No need for Gutenberg, the inventor of printing, to (6) ___ in his
grave yet.
1. A table B sideboard C wardrobe D commode
2. A treaty B contract C lease D mortgage
3. A strides B marches C strolls D walks
4. A deteriorates B debilitates C destroys D disintegrates
5. A solely B merely C just D only
6. A move B roll C turn D swivel

COFFEE MACHINE
Read these instructions carefully. This will ensure that you get the (1) ___ benefit from your Cafelux coffee machine.
• Use
Carefully remove the Cafelux from its box, paying particular (2) ___ to the jug. Before first use, rinse out the filter system.
To do this, plug in the Cafelux and fill with cold water. Make sure the jug is in place. Switch on and let the water filter
through into the jug. Empty the jug. To use, place filter paper in the plastic cone and put in the (3) ___ amount of coffee.
Fill the water reservoir with the correct amount of water. Check the jug is in place. Switch on.
• Cleaning
The jug and its plastic lid can be washed in warm, (4) ___ water. Rinse carefully. The machine itself can be wiped with a
damp cloth. Never (5) ___ the machine in water.
• Removing Limescale
You should do this every six months or so depending on how soft or hard your water is. Use Cafelux Descaling Granules,
available from your (6) ___. Pour the granules into the reservoir and fill up with water as usual. Make sure the jug is in
place. Let water and granules filter through. Empty the jug. Then rinse out the system by filling the machine two more
times and letting water filter through.
1. A ultimate B absolute C complete D maximum
2. A interest B attention C care D notice
3. A required B expected C sought D wanted
4. A frothy B bubbly C foamy D soapy
5. A cover B immerse C sink D float
6. A provider B seller C supplier D contractor

Farming made easier

Only a few years ago, crop farmers were fighting the cruel hand of fate with their backs firmly against the wall. Overseas
production had driven down demand, resulting in (1) ___ bottom prices. If that wasn't bad enough, a host of pesticide-
resistant insects were eating (2) ___ way through the crops, and growers were almost powerless to stop them. Today,
even if things aren’t as (3) ___ as growers would like them to be, pest control isn’t nearly the headache it was a decade
ago. With the (4) ___ of a whole new family of insecticides, the job is likely to get even easier. ‘We've got the best tools to
control insects that we have ever had in the (5) ___ history of synthetic chemicals,’ says one crop farmer. But for now the
issue is money. The new chemistry is very expensive and many farmers haven’t had an incentive to use it on a (6) ___
scale.
1. A cheap B rock C very D stone
2. A a B their C some D the
3. A happy B flowery C strong D rosy
4. A development B freedom C research D discharge
5. A full B complete C entire D perfect
6. A large B great C long D total

The Old House

The old house had sat (1) ___ for many years, its thatched roof slowly falling into disrepair. (2) ___ by tall trees, it was
situated near a row of new semi-detached residences. Few noticed it sitting there all alone and forlorn. A young, rather
inexperienced estate agent showed it to a middle-aged couple in early spring, and the husband immediately commented
on the house’s (3) ___ condition. The man’s wife came to the estate agent's rescue, (4) ___ pointing out the excellent
location of the property. The man peered under cupboards to check plumbing, climbed to poke at the roofing, tapped on
walls searching for insulation. The man’s wife smiled knowingly and (5) ___ her head as her gaze wandered to the
unkempt garden. Location, location, she thought to herself, as she mentally listed the (6) ___ varieties of shrubs, trees,
and long-neglected perennials.
1. A annihilated B destroyed C derelict D decadent
2. A Lined B Flanked C Edged D Opposed
3. A exhausted B downcast C depressed D rundown
4. A slightly B hardly C subtly D finely
5. A nodded B swayed C bent D drooped
6. A rich B intense C luxurious D productive
III. You are going to read an extract from a magazine article. Seven paragraphs have been removed from the
extract. Choose from the paragraphs A - H the one which fits each gap (1 - 7).
The Nobel Prize Reaches Its Century
Every year a small selection of eminent people are awarded a Nobel Prize for their achievements.
Every year, the grand Nobel Prize-giving ceremony takes place in Stockholm, Sweden. To date, over 730 have won the
prize, presented amid much pomp by the King of Sweden, in front of a distinguished audience. When Alfred Nobel died,
his will pronounced that his money be used to award the Nobel Prizes every year. Initially, the idea was criticised but, a
century later, the prize-giving ceremony is the best known in the world. And in 2001 more people than ever clamoured to
receive one of the coveted invitations to the festivities. The event that year was particularly special, being the 100th since
the prize-giving began.
1.
The ceremony has grown enormously since 1901, when only 150 guests (all male) attended. In the centenary year,
1,800 people were invited, including the 255 laureates (Nobel Prize winners) who were still alive; and thousands more
were turned away, disappointed. Such popularity stems not only from the fact that it is a lavish and enjoyable affair -
where royalty and academicians mix with students and the families of laureates-to-be at the spectacular ceremony - but
also from the fact that this prize inspires a level of awe unmatched by any other prizes
2.
But Nobel was quite clear in this regard when he wrote his will, saying, 'It’s my express wish that, in awarding the prizes,
no consideration shall be given to the nationality of the candidates, but that the most worthy shall receive the prize.' He
was far from direct, however, in defining the sort of achievement that would merit winning the prize - and for his
vagueness, he came under even more fire from critics.
3.
From then on, as the yearly prize-giving ceremony grew in status and popularity, the scepticism faded and the prize took
on the global importance it has today. But the arguments over how the prizes should be awarded were not the only
headache for the Nobel Foundation. A legal wrangle developed with the children of Nobel's brothers, who were bitterly
indignant that their uncle should have chosen to leave most of his substantial fortune to unknown achievers from foreign
lands.
4.
Of course, these ideals could only be put into practice thanks to Nobel's success as a businessman. He had amassed a
fortune through his invention of dynamite in 1866, and by the exploitation of oilfields near the Caspian Sea. While
science and techonology were at the heart of his achievements as an inventor and industrialist, he derived enormous
pleasure from great novels and poetry, and was deeply concerned about efforts to reduce international conflict.
5.
The titles of the awards may have altered little, but the funds invested to provide the prize money have had their ups and
downs. The value has ranged from the present-day equivalent of US$100,000 in the 1920s and 30s, when investment
dividends plummeted, to around $1 million today. The prizes are worth more in real terms now that they have ever been,
but in the 1900s the value of the investments was very low for a considerable length of time, and this was reflected in the
value of the prizes.
6.
In the final analysis, Nobel wished to use his fortune to honour human creativity, and in recognition of this, Stockholm
hosted a centennial exhibition in its new Nobel Museum, with the theme of creativity - what it is, and how it can best be
encouraged.

A. So it can be seen that Nobel’s interests are reflected in the prizes awarded by the Foundation - for Physics,
Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine, Literature and Peace. And in the hundred years of its existence, only a few changes
have been made to the awards, although in 1969, a sixth prize was added - for Economic Sciences.
B. It hasn't always commanded such respect. When Alfred Nobel’s wishes first became public, and his desire to leave his
huge fortune as prize money became known, he came under much criticism posthumously. One unpopular aspect of his
will was his desire for the prizes to be open to the whole world, a gesture of internationalism which his fellow countrymen
opposed as unpatriotic.
C. He was once heard to say, ‘Home is where I work, and I work everywhere.’ So, given his international lifestyle and the
wide range of his activities, it is little wonder that he wished the prizes to be distributed to people who, as he wrote in his
will, ‘conferred the greatest benefit on mankind' irrespective of nationality.
D. However, there is no record of winners in those lean times complaining. Of course, the true worth of a Nobel Prize is
the honour and recognition it confers. But there is one story of a writer who was offered the Prize for Literature and
turned it down on grounds of principle, then a few years later changed his mind and asked for the money.
E. The luxurious card bearing the embossed gold foil medal depicting Alfred Nobel was the pass to this glittering
occasion where the most prestigious awards in the world were handed to scientists, artists and peacemakers who, in the
preceding year, had conferred the greatest benefit on mankind of anyone in their field of activity.
F. It took years for a settlement to be reached with the aggrieved members of Nobel's family, but eventually the statutes
of the Foundation were approved by the Swedish government. And the principles that governed the awarding of the
prizes - cosmopolitan, broad and philanthropic - were deemed to be in harmony with the benefactor’s wishes.
G. The words of the will were debated at length after Nobel’s death, but no conclusions were reached as to exactly what
he meant. He had appointed several institutions to take on responsibility for awarding the different prizes, and in the end,
it was agreed that these bodies should be left to interpret his wishes.

Reef Encounter
Tropical fish look very colourful to our eyes, but is that how they look to each other? Our reporter Penny Gosh met the
man who may have the answer.
If you're snorkelling around a coral reef, you’ll see the local marine life in all its carnival colours. But the show clearly isn’t
just a tourist attraction. For the fish that live on the reef, it’s more a matter of life and death. As with any other creature,
the survival of a fish species depends on two things - food supplies and breeding success.
1.
Seeing a core reef in all its glory, you can’t help feeling that fish have completely failed to solve this dilemma. The
picture, however, only comes into focus when you take the fish’s-eye view. For fish, according to Justin Marshall from the
Vision, Touch and Hearing Research Centre at the University of Queensland in Brisbane, see things differently.
2.
This means that the carnival looks quite different to the marine itself. To help him discover exactly how different it looks,
Marshall has designed a unique underwater ’spectrophotometer’, which analyses the colours of things objectively in
terms of their physical reflection. He is also measuring the light available in different micro-habitats.
3.
The general shift towards the blue end of the spectrum in underwater light explains why most nocturnal reef fish, such as
the soldierfish, squirrelfish and big-eyes, are mainly red in colour. According to Marshall, some reef fish might see red, in
which case they could capitalise on the colour blindness of others and use red markings for private communication. But
in most cases, red species are surprisingly inconspicuous.
4.
As any snorkeller will know, lots of reef fish display the sort of colour combinations that suggest camouflage is the last
thing on the fish's mind. The bright blues and yellows that are most common, however, are only conspicuous at a certain
range. They fade to grey at a distance, because the colours are so close together that they merge.
5.
Wider colour bands will be visible much farther away, of course, but still the fish’s-eye view is different from ours. Most
recently, Marshall has discovered that fish may see hardly any contrast between the blue of many species, such as
tropical angelfish, and the colour of the water around a tranquil reef. More surprisingly, says Marshall, a fish with blue
and yellow stripes can be just as well camouflaged, as even this distinct pattern will merge into some backgrounds.
When the fish are all together in a shoal, it's hard for a predator to spot where one individual starts and another ends. It's
what Marshall calls ‘the zebra effect’. If Marshall is correct, then a fish with bold blue and yellow markings can either
advertise or hide itself by simply adjusting its behaviour.
6.
In other words, one set of colours can send out very different signals depending on the setting. To complicate things
further, most reef fish can vary their colours, whilst it is common for species to change colour from night to day or as they
grow older. Colours may even change with a fish's mood-whether it’s fighting or fleeing from predators.

A. Together with information about the visual sensitivity of individual fish species and their behaviour, this equipment
enables him to begin seeing things as fish do. And it is starting to reveal how the showy and the shy can make use of the
same bright colours.
B. This is because our visual system is a primate one, he says. It’s very good at seeing yellows and red versus greens.
However, 30 metres below sea level there is no red light. So fish tend to see blues and ultraviolets well - and to be less
sensitive to reds and yellows.
C. The striking bands of colour seem to shout ’come and get me' to a potential mate when displayed against a plain
background or close up. But put them up against a background of solid contrasting colours and they work on the same
principle as the disruptive camouflage used for concealment of military equipment.
D. The trouble is that eating and not being eaten both need stealth. Therefore, it is helpful for a fish to blend into the
background. To attract a mate, on the other hand, requires a certain flamboyance.
E. If this means that the fish really can’t see the difference, then it looks to him as though they have only two types of
receptors for colour. This is a controversial claim, as others have argued that fish have four types of colour receptor.
F. During the day, such fish hide in reef crevices. Once there, thay may look obvious to human eyes, but to other fish,
they blend into the dark background.
G. Even in fish which sport fine stripes, such as parrotfish and wrasse, the different shades are distinct for only one
metre and certainly no more than five. Beyond this, they too blend into the general sea colour around the reef.

The bush detectives

In the tiny Australian town of Ti Tree on the long road linking Alice Springs to Darwin, Senior Constable Mike Petery is
taking a well-earned break at the police station when a local road worker walks in. "My car's been stolen," the man tells
him. "I left it in front of the pub." In most police forces the only course open would be to take down all the details and list
the vehicle as stolen on centralised records.
1.
Identifying a man by his footprint - no easy task even for a forensic scientist - is almost routine to Hines and his
colleagues. "After 32 years of working with trackers, I’m still amazed by their skill," says Andy McNeill, a former Assistant
Police Commissioner of the Northern Territory Police. "I’ve even seen them follow men over miles of bare rock."
Trackers have been used by the Northern Territory police force since it was established in 1870. Scores of people owe
their lives, others their prison terms, to trackers' ability to detect minutely subtle signs - a disturbed pebble, maybe, or the
shrivelled body of an ant crushed underfoot.
2.
A tall, rangy man with a shock of white hair, Egan was the star of a manhunt that has passed into legend in the Northern
Territory. An Aborigine, Billy Ben, murdered another man and took off into the bush with his dog. A skilled tracker
himself, Ben covered his moves and expected his dog’s pawprints to be lost among those of numberless wild dingoes.
But he reckoned without Egan, who stubbornly followed the dog for 18 days until he got his man. Sitting beside his Alice
Springs camp, Egan uses his palms, fingers and knuckles to trace lifelike prints in the sand.
3.
His father showed him how sharply dug-in bold footprints marked the path of a bounding kangaroo. Heavy, broad marks
close by the prints indicated that the kangaroo was feeding or moving leisurely, using its tail as a balance. Later, as part
of manhood initiation ceremonies, Egan was taught how to track humans - how to distinguish footprints. "No feet are the
same, " he says, "The shapes of toes, heels, insteps and depth of imprints vary."
4.
Jabaltjari led police to the suspect, hiding in the back garden of a local house. The man was later convicted and gaoled.
McNeill says, "It is unlikely that the offender would have been located without Jabaltjari’s expert tracking ability."
I listen keenly as Egan reveals some of his bush lore. Tomorrow I will need to know all that I can absorb. For Egan and I
have devised a plan to test his remarkable skills. We will drive into the desert, and Egan will give me an hour’s start.
Then he will track me down. "Trick me all you can," he says with a smile.
Soon after dawn next morning, together with Egan's wife and three children, we set out in a four-wheel-drive truck from
Alice Springs.
5.
After two hours we stop for tea, brewed on a fire. As we sit, Egan scans the earth for prints. “What's this one, Francine?”
he asks, pointing at slim, elongated marks etched in the sand. ‘Goanna, Daddy," the seven-year-old replies with a shy
smile.
We drive on, and just before noon Egan stops again. He climbs from the truck, and eyes some pawprints followed by the
broad drag of a heavy tail. “Kangaroo," Egan whispers. "Came by here a short time ago, feeding." He narrows his eyes
against the sun. “Out there," he says softly, pointing across the plain. I raise my binoculars but see no sign of life.
6.
There is nothing here but low scrub and clumps of spinifex grass punctuating bare earth. I scan the horizon. I’ll head for
that distant hill, I tell myself; it will give me a sense of direction. The red sand has a thin surface crust, with softer sand
beneath. With each step, my shoes make a perfect, unmistakable print. You're making things too easy. Find some hard
ground. I stride out, looking for a stretch of bare rock that will throw Egan off my trail.
7.
For several hundred yards I continue without a trace of my progress. When I reach the edge of the rock, I change
direction, heading again for the distant hill. Every few minutes I double back, dodging among crumbling anthills or
pushing through patches of thick scrub.
My throat is dry as dust. Foolishly, I've brought no water. I look at my watch. It’s an hour since Egan left me. By now he
will be on my trail. The country to the left is covered in scrubby acacia; to the right the tree cover is sparser. He'll expect
me to head for the heavily timbered land, I reason, so I'll go the opposite way.
A. As I walk, I feel the hot sun on my back, and the sweat builds under the brim of my hat I am a city-dweller; this
strange, empty place is alien territory. Remember what Egan told you, I nudge myself. Use his knowledge against him.
Ahead is a low hill where sand gives way to bare rock. Allowing myself a fiendish smile, I begin circling the hill as I
approach, so it looks as if I am changing direction. Once on the rock, I step carefully between patches of sand,
meticulously avoiding any loose stones.
B. But Petery has a far more formidable option: he calls in Jimmy Hines, one of several dozen trackers used by the
Northern Territory police force. Together they walk the few hundred yards to the town’s only pub. "Let's have a look,"
says Hines as his eyes scan the shoemarks left in the earth car park alongside the tyre marks of the stolen car. "See
there," he tells Petery. "The right footprint is deeper on one side. That'll be a young fella I know down at the camp." Later,
confronted by the police, the young man admits the crime.
C. Obeying the outback's tight-lipped code, I restrict my thanks to a nod. But Egan surely detects my immense, grateful
relief. As we head back to the truck, retracing my tracks, he points out the clues I left behind. Seeing them through the
eyes of a master, the bent grass, moved twigs and disturbed pebbles are as clear as if an elephant had just charged
through the scrub.
D. Psychology, too, plays an important part. ‘You must put yourself in the other person's mind," says Teddy Egan, the
territory's most celebrated tracker, now retired. ‘You must ask yourself: If I were walking here, which way would I go?"
How are these extraordinary skills developed? "Like most Aboriginal culture, it's passed on by word of mouth and
example," says Egan, a full-initiate of the Warlpiri tribe.
E. ‘He’s resting under that tree." Egan points again, indicating a gnarled tree about a mile to the north. There is
something out there, but to me it’s just a tiny smudge on the binocular lens. Then the kangaroo spots us. Suddenly the
smudge bounds off into a clump of mulga trees. Egan smiles looking at the empty vastness around us. "This is a good
place," he says. "I'll drive away and come back in an hour to find you. Go where you like. Try to confuse me." Egan
departs in a cloud of dust, and I am left alone.
F. In just a few seconds he fashions the distinctive shapes of kangaroo, human and emu tracks. "This was how my father
and mother trained me back in our tribal land," he says. ‘They drew pictures in the soft earth.’
Egan was six when he went out with tribeswomen, following the wriggly trails of small creatures like lizards and snakes.
At the age of ten he was allowed to join the men's hunting parties, tracking larger animals.
G. Our destination is an arid area more than 125 miles to the north-west. All morning we travel through a stark red
desert, as hostile and barren as a moonscape. As we leave the road and head deep into the outback, Egan keeps up a
running commentary to his alert children.
"That place is good for goanna," he says, pointing to a sandy plain littered with dead tree trunks. Then he gestures at a
tree, surprisingly heavy with leaves, saying, ‘That tree has good-tasting berries.’
H. Using these skills, trackers can even follow trails through urban areas. Four years ago, Egan’s nephew and police
aide, Jabaltjari, tracked a suspected rapist through the streets of Alice Springs. After the attack the suspect walked
home, straying occasionally from the tarmac road onto the sandy verge. Using a torch, Jabaltjari identified a shoeprint at
the scene of the attack and took up the trail. Often he lost the tracks when his quarry crossed the road, but patiently
scanned the verges until he picked up the shoeprint again.