ENGLISH PRACTICE 53

PART I – PRONUNCIATION
Mark the word whose underlined part differs from the other three in pronunciation
1. A. purpose B. consumer C. comprise D. collapse
2. A. battle B. magic C. nag D. dismayed
3. A. sound B. doubt C. Count D. Would
4. A. honest B. home C. vehicles D. heiress
5. A. apple B. absent C. applicant D. Any
6. A. confine B. conceal C. convention D. concentrate
7. A. four B. journey C. pour D. Your
8. A. fool B. bamboo C. food D. flood
9. A. worked B. laughed C. hoped D. naked
10. A. measure B. pleasure C. ensure D. leisure
Mark the the word that differs from the other three in the position of primary stress
1. A. Commit B. index C. preview D. open
2. A. enrichment B. advantage C. sovereignty. D. edition
3. A. innocent B. nevertheless C. contents D. supermarket
4. A. forgettable B. philosophy C. humanism D. objectively
5. A. inaccurate B. pupivorous C. profitable D. reiterate
6. A. bibliophile B. inheritance C. illustrate D. judicature
7. A. dangerous B. conspicuous C. marvelous D. numerous
8. A. pioneer B. engineer C. reindeer D. referee
9. A. sociable B. vacancy C. opponent D. habitat
10. A. discourage B. document C. general D. politics
PART II - LEXICO-GRAMMAR
Complete each of the following sentences with the correct answer (A, B, C or D). Identify your answer by writing the
corresponding letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet.
1. Nathalie seems very tough at work. She’s a different person at home, _________.
A. though B. although C. as though D. even though
2. I kept out of the conversation because it _________ me.
A. wasn’t concerned B. wasn’t concerning C. didn’t concern D. didn’t concern to
3. The entire city was _________ electricity last night- it was chaotic.
A. no B. almost no C. hardly any D. without
4. Henry was overweight, so he went on s strict diet and _________ twenty kilos.
A. missed B. lost C. failed D. fell
5. He was arrested because he answered to the description of the _________ man.
A. searched B. pursued C. wanted D. hunted
6. Humanity has done great damage to the environment in its search for _________ materials.
A. live B. raw C. crude D. rude
7. _________, the balcony chairs will be ruined in this weather.
A. Leaving uncovered B. Having left uncovered
C. Left uncovered D. Been left uncovered
8. One way to let off _________ after a stressful day is to take some vigorous exercise.
A. cloud B. tension C. steam D. sweat
9. Their research into the causes of cancer promises to break the new _________ in the field and possibly lead to a
cure.
A. earth B. ground C. soil D. land
10. After three days in the desert, his mind began to play _________ on him.
A. games B. jokes C. tricks D. fun
11. The match will be screened on ITV with _________ commentary by Any Gray.
A. lively B. live C. alive D. living
12. I know you didn’t want to upset me but I’ sooner you _________ me the whole truth yesterday.
A. could have told B. told C. have told D. had told
13. As the drug took _________, the patient became quieter.
A. effect B. force C. influence D. action
14. The dawn redwood appears ____ some 100 million years ago in northern forests around the world.
A. was flourished B. having to flourish
C. to have flourished D. have flourished
15. His comments _________ little or no relation to the facts and the figures of the case.
A. reflect B. bear C. give D. possess
16. All _____ is a continuous supply of the basic necessities of life.
A. what is needed B. for our needs C. the thing needed D. that is needed
17. It is urgent that this letter _____ immediately.
A. was posted B. posted C. be posted D. be post
18. John: This grammar test is the hardest one we’ve ever had this semester!
Mary: _____ but I think it’s quite easy.
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 A. I couldn’t agree more B. I understand what you’re saying
C. You’re wrong D. I don’t see in that way
19. It is only recently that ballets have been based on the themes _____ American life.
A. reflecting B. reflects C. is reflecting D. reflected
20. I wish you’d do the accounts. I don’t have ________ for numbers.
A. a head B. a mind C. the heart D. the nerve
Supply the correct form of the word in capital letter. Write your answers on your answer sheet.
SKIING HOLIDAYS IN COLORADO
To ski or snowboard in Colorado is to experience the pinnacle of winter sports. The state of Colorado is
known for its spectacular scenery and (1. BREATH) ________views, which inspire today's travelers as much as they
spurred on the (2. SETTLE) ________who first arrived in this part of the US over a century ago. And whether you're
seeking the outdoor adventure of a (3. LIFE) ________exciting nightlife or a great family getaway, Colorado has
everything you need.
November through April, snow conditions are (4. CONSIST) ________and reliable, featuring Colorado's (5.
LEGEND) ________ “champagne powder” snow. Extensive snow making and grooming operations always keep
trails in top shape.
The mountain destinations in the Colorado Rockies can turn your wildest ski dreams into thrilling (6. REAL)
________. There, you'll find the best skiing and snowboarding on (7. PICTURE) ________slopes, as well as the finest
ski schools in the US. Together, they present an (8. PARALLEL) ________winter paradise. And the best part is that
you'll enjoy friendly, (9. CARE) ________ service in resorts that are (10. COMMIT) ________to delivering the highest
quality amenities.
III. Complete the following sentences with one appropriate preposition for each blank.
1. The government’s plans to reduce crime came ________for a lot of criticism from freedom groups.
2. I was ________the impression that you like Indian food.
3. This is one of the exceptions ________the rule.
4. The factory paid ________nearly a million pounds to their employees who were injured in the explosion.
5. Before they open the new factory, a lot of the young people round here were ________the dole.
6. Mr. Horrid was a terrible teacher and obviously not cut ________for teaching.
7. I can’t cancel my arrangements ________such short notice.
8. All the police’s efforts to find him were ________vain.
9. The farmhouse we stayed in was completely ________the beaten track.
10. She’s gone and this time it’s ________good.

PART III: READING COMPREHENSION

Read the passage then choose the best answer to each question that follows. Identify your answer by writing the
corresponding letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet.
THE ATMOSPHERE OF VENUS
Venus, also called the Morning Star and Evening Star, is the second-closest planet to the sun and the
brightest object in the night sky. The planet orbits the sun every two hundred and twenty four Earth-days and is
sometimes referred to as Earth’s sister planet because the two share both a similar size and bulk. What is not similar,
however, is Venus’s atmosphere in comparison to Earth’s atmosphere.
The atmosphere on Venus is much heavier and has a higher density than that of Earth. Venus’s atmosphere
also expands significantly higher than Earth’s atmosphere although a thick cloud cover makes the surface of Venus
nearly impossible to see unless observed through radar mapping.
While the pressure and temperature of Venus’s upper atmosphere are comparable to those of Earth, the heat
and pressure of the lower atmosphere are not unlike a furnace. Venus’s atmosphere is very thick due to a composition
consisting mainly of carbon dioxide, and a small amount of nitrogen. If man could survive the extreme heat of
Venus’s surface (400 degrees Celsius), then he would have to contend with a surface pressure that is more
than 90 times that of Earth. Venus’s extremely high temperature is thanks to the greenhouse effect caused by such
a large amount of carbon dioxide. The greenhouse effect is a process by which the sun’s infrared radiation is more
readily absorbed by the atmosphere. Just like in a real greenhouse used to grow plants years round, the proliferation
of carbon dioxide traps radiation and warms Venus’s atmosphere. Due to this phenomenon, Venus boasts a higher
atmospheric temperature than Mercury, even though Venus is twice the distance from the sun.
However, scientists postulate that Venus’s atmosphere was not always so hot. [A] Studies show that large
bodies of water were once on Venus’s surface but that eventually evaporation of all the water caused the runaway
greenhouse effect which regulates the planet today. [B] Thus Venus has become a critical study for today’s scientists,
as human being are only beginning to struggle with the early stages of the greenhouse effect. [C] Our problems do not
stem from evaporated water supplies but from a propagation of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases due to
industrial and automobile emissions. [D]
Another interesting characteristic to note regarding Venus’s atmosphere is that its daytime temperatures and
nighttime temperatures are not that far removed from each other. This is due to the thermal inertia, the ability of a
substance to store heat despite changing temperatures and the transfer of heat by Venus’s strong winds. Although
winds on the surface of Venus move slowly in comparison with Earth’s winds, Venus’s air is so dense that a slow-
moving there can move large obstructions and even skip stones along the planet’s surface.
In 1966, humankind made its first attempt at sending a recording instrument into Venus’s atmosphere. The
Venera 3 probe did collide with Venus surface; however, the abrupt impact caused its communication system to fail,
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and it was unable to send and feedback. In 1967, Venera 4 successfully enter Venus’s atmosphere and was able to
take many readings, one of which recorded that Venus’s atmosphere was between ninety and ninety-five percent
carbon dioxide. Subsequent Venera probes were sent into Venus’s atmosphere, but most of them succumbed to the
crushing air pressure.

Questions 1-7: Choose the answer (A, B, C or D) which you think fits best according to the passage.
1. According to paragraph 1, Venus is named the Morning Star and Evening Star because_________.
A. it is very bright B. it is close to the sun
C. it can be seen from evening till morning D. it is used to find the direction by sailors
2. The word that in paragraph 2 refers to _________.
A. size B. bulk C. atmosphere D. density
3. Which of the following best expresses the essential information in the bold sentence in paragraph 3? Incorrect
answer choices change the meaning in important ways or leave out essential information.
A. Earth experiences greater surface pressure than Venus.
B. If a man could survive its surface pressure.
C. The surface pressure and heat of Venus are much greater than those on Earth.
D. Venus’s surface temperature and pressure make it uninhabitable by humans.
4. According to paragraph 3, the greenhouse effect on Venus is owed to _________.
A. the small amounts of nitrogen
B. the rapid increasing amounts of carbon dioxide
C. growing plants
D. the high atmospheric temperatures
5. In paragraph 4, the author of the passage implies that Earth _________.
A. might suffer the same greenhouse effect as Venus
B. once had an atmosphere similar to Venus’s
C. has bodies of water similar to those on Venus today
D. is experiencing a reduction of carbon dioxide emissions
6. Look at the four blanks […] in paragraph 4 that indicate where the following sentence could be added to the
passage.
Although the causes are different, the ramifications are the same.
Where would the sentence best fit?
7. The word propagation in paragraph 4 is closest in meaning to _________.
A. generation B. elimination C. evaporation D. desecration
Questions 8-10: Complete the brief summary of the passage by selecting the THREE answer choices that
express important ideas in the passage. The introductory sentence for the summary is provided bellowed.

Scientists look at Venus to predict Earth’s future.

8. …………………………………………………
9. …………………………………………………
10. …………………………………………………

Answer Choices

A. Venus once had large bodies of water that elaborated and cause a rapid increase in carbon dioxide.
B. Earth’s wind has a greater velocity than Venus’s because the air movement on Venus is denser and can even
more large obstructions.
C. Spaceships landing on Venus, though often crushed by Venus’s atmosphere, have revealed much about its
carbon dioxide filled atmosphere.
D. If man could survive the hot temperature of Venus, then he would have to contend with the great surface
pressure.
E. The first space probe of Venus was made in 1966.
F. Scientists are concerned that conditions on Earth that propagate significant quantities of carbon dioxide will
produce greenhouse effects similar to Venus’s.

Read the text below and think of the word which best fits each space. Use only ONE word in each space.
Write your answers on your answer sheet.
SPLENDID SPAS OF ASIA
Lying on a bed almost on the (1) ________ of a cliff, with a stupendous ocean view and the (2) ________ of
waves, aches and pains are soothed away (3) ________ expert hands. Only two steps are needed to reach the
private pool, which seems to merge (4) ________ the ocean.
Such a scenario is no longer a fantasy (5) ________ an increasingly popular reality in Asia for many stressed
out businessmen and visitors from all over the world in search of that peaceful time and space for their body and mind.
In the last four years, at (6) ________ 17 hotel spas have opened in South East Asia to (7) ________ this
need. The tropical climate of the region and its reliable sunshine make for an ideal spa setting. Picturesque
environments (8) ________ with a series of rejuvenating treatments bring the desired result. The Asian spa resorts
have acquired a formidable reputation for their professional services as (9) ________ as for the decor of their large
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treatment rooms. Visitors relax with Thai music and soak in the warm tones of the room. As all these take (10)
________ in individual rooms, precious privacy is guaranteed, a rare privilege often absent from other spas where
guests share rooms or changing areas.

Read the following passage and choose the best answer for each question. Identify your answer by writing the
corresponding letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet.
WIND - The untamable weather machine
On 15 October 1987, the southern counties of Britain were struck by the strongest winds they had
experienced in 200 years. Gusts of over 130 kilometers per hour slammed across the region and £1.5- billion-worth of
damage was (1) __________ in just a few hours.
Extreme weather events like this are dramatic (2) __________ of the power of the wind. It’s one part of the
weather we generally don't give a second thought to in Britain but it plays a vital role in people’s lives across the world.
Without the formation and circulation of winds there would quite (3) __________ be no climate.
Some parts of the world seem to suffer more than others from the effects of ‘ill winds’, and links between
particular winds and psychological problems (4) __________ back centuries. The Föhn, the hot dry wind that slides off
the slopes of the Alps, is capable of boosting temperatures quite suddenly by 10°C or more. It affects as many as one
in three people in its (5) __________, making them feel anxious, irritable and generally ill. In California, many people
(6) __________ the arrival of the Santa Ana, which rushes down from the high Mojave Desert. Lyall Watson, in his
book Heaven’s Breath, claims that when the Santa Ana blows, murder rates soar.
The wind may get into the headlines when it comes in the form of tornadoes and hurricanes, but for the (7)
__________ part it goes about its job of shifting huge masses of air around the planet. Plants take (8) __________ of
this free ride to send their pollen grains far and wide. Trees (99) __________ on it to remove old leaves and make
way for new growth. Spiders have been caught (10) __________ a lift at altitudes of almost 4.5 kilometers.
1. A. made B. caused C. destroyed D. completed
2. A. reminders B. recollections C. mementos D. memorial
3. A. easily B. rightly C. surely D. simply
4. A. last B. originate C. pass D. date
5. A. line B. road C. path D. bypass
6. A. despair B. respect C. dread D. warn
7. A. most B. maximum C. majority D. general
8. A. benefit B. chance C. occasion D. advantage
9. A. need B. trust C. hope D. realize
10. A. traveling B. hitching C. borrowing D. making

PART IV: WRITING

Rewrite the following sentences without changing their meaning, using the words given. These words must
not be changed in any way.
1. I would like to be able to speak French. (HAD)
I wish ________________________________________________________ speak French.
2. It was raining cats and dogs. (TORRENTS)
The rain was ______________________________________________________________
3. It was wrong of you to borrow my book without asking. (HAVE)
You ____________________________________________before you borrowed my book.
4. When I was younger, this record was one of my favourites. (FAVOURITE)
This record used ______________________________________ mine when I was younger.
5. My sister finds commuting every day annoying. (PUT)
It’s difficult for my sister ___________________________________________ every day.
6. The Mediterranean is warm, whereas the North Sea is much colder. (NOTHING)
The North Sea is ____________________________________________ the Mediterranean.
7. Christ would only eat a pizza if he could have a mushroom topping. ON
Christ ______________________________________________ when he ate a pizza.
8. My father persuaded me to learn another foreign language. TALKED
My father _______________________________________________ another foreign language.
9. Sam tried extremely hard to convince her, but it was no use. BRING
Hard _________________________________________________________________________
10. When he arrived at the airport, his family welcomed him warmly. GIVEN
On___________________________________________________________________________

Write an essay to give your opinion on the following topic.

Some people believe that history has little to tell us. Other people believe that people must have knowledge of
history in order to understand the present.
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.
Write at least 250 words.