PRACTICE TEST

Choose the word or phrase which best completes each sentence.

1. I really must go and lie down for a while; I’ve got a…………….headache.
A. cutting B. splitting C. ringing D. cracking
2. Stop…………..about he bush, James! Just tell me exactly what the problem is.
A. rushing B. hiding C. beating D. moving
3. I usually bye my clothes ….. It’s cheaper than going to a dressmaker.
A. off the peg B. on the house C. in public D. on the shelf
4. Davis’s leaving on Friday. I suggest we all…………….and get him a going-away present. $1 each should do.
A. dish out B. chip in C. pass the buck D. pay on the nail.
5. The sky got very dark and soon it began to……..down.
A. roar B. bath C. bucket D. pouring
6. My father……………..when he found out that I’d damaged the car.
A. hit the roof B. saw pink elephantsC. made my blood boil D. brought the house down.
7. If you want a house in the centre of the city, you have to pay through the …………….for it.
A. teeth B, back of your head C. nose D. arm
8. I caught my last bus by the skin of my…………
A. mouth B. leg C. neck D. teeth
9. Because the owner wanted a quick sale, the house went for………….-only $30,000.
A. looose end B. a song C. a loaf of bread D. a smile
10. You didn’t think I was being serious, did you, Brian! It was a joke! I was pulling my…………, that’s all.
A. thumbb B. hair C. toe D. leg
11. The accident was caused by a taxi driver….the traffic lights.
A. rushing B. missing C. jumping D. beating
12. Lend me $20, please, John. I’m……………..at the moment.
A. broke B. down C. stuck up D. a bit thick
13. She would do anything for her youngest son. He was the……………..of her eye.
A. plum B. centre C. star D. apple
14. I always get…………………in my stomach before visiting the dentist.
A. worms B. butterflies C. crabs D. bees
15. Those second-hand Walkmans are selling like……………………...If you want one, you’d better byu one
before they’re all gone.
A. shooting stars B. fresh bread C. hot cakes D. wild fire
16. Everyone has an……………….now and then.
A. on-day B. off-day C. out-day D. in-day
17. “you lost your …………….or something? For the last time – where to?
A. tongue B. mouth C. voice D. speech
18. You’d better keep away from Mr. Hollis. He’s got a……………to pick with you.
A. cake B. candy C. hand D. bone
19. According to my family……………my great-great-great grandfather came from Findland.
A. origin B. map C. tree D. history
20. What does this say? I can’t make head nor…………of it.
A. foot B. wing C. hand D. tail
Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the underlined part that needs correction in
each of the following questions.
01. Paper was (A) so expensive during the Middle Ages that (B) it has to (C) be used (D) sparingly.
A. it has B. be used C. so expensive D. sparingly
02. Artificial intelligence (A) is concened with (B) designing computer systems that perform such tasks as (C)
reason and (D) learning new skills.
A. learning new B. is concened C. reason D. designing
03. (A) Even on the most (B) careful prepared trip, problems (C) will sometimes (D) develop.
A. Even on B. develop C. will sometimes D. careful prepared
Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the word whose underlined part differs from
the other three in pronunciation in each of the following questions.
04.A. depth B. booth C. ninth D. tooth
05.A. chosen B. lose C. disclose D. rose
Mark the letter A, B, C, or D to indicate the correct word or phrase that best fits each of the numbered blanks
One of my greaest heroes is Steve Woznlak Woznlak was working at Hewlett Packard when Steve Jobs ...(6)...
him to become his business partner. They didn't have any money, so they sold their most ...(7)... possessions to
raise the money for their venture. These included Wozniak's scientific calculator and Jobs' Volkswagen camper van.
Together they ...(8)... Apple. Woznlak wrote most of the software for the operating system. He created the Apple I for
computer enthusiasts and Apple II, the world's first personal computer, for the general ...(9).... It became one of the
most popular personal computers of the 1970s and 1980s The Apple computer's big advantage was that it was easy
to use. In 1981, Woznlak was flying his plane when he had a bad crash which ...(10)... in memory loss. In 1985 he
and Steve Jobs received the National Technology Medal from Ronald Reagan, the American President. He finally
left Apple in 1987.
06.A. persuaded B. told C. asked D. made
07.A. rich B. invaluable C. valid D. valuable
08.A. hired B. founded C. formed D. bought
09.A. police B. public C. mass D. people
10.A. added B. resulted C. brought D. collected
Mark the letter A, B, C, or D to indicate the most suitable response.
11. At a station.
~ Atkin: "May I have a return ticket to Birmingham, please? " ~ Woman: “………”
A. Just round the corner. B. By cash or card, Madam?
C. Sorry. It’s closed down. D. No way!
12. At a clothes shop.
~ Ceril: “………” ~ Dioz: “Yes, but they're a bit baggy, and they're too expensive. I like these.”
A. Why don’t you try them on? B. Do you like these pants?
C. Do I look terrific in these? D. How can I help you, Miss?
Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the word that differs from the other three in the
position of primary stress in each of the following questions.
13.A. dictionary B. refrigerator C. magazine D. alphabetical
14.A. laborious B. delicious C. geological D. experiment
Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct
answer to each of the questions from 15 to 22.
In most European countries people 'come of age' - that is, officially become adults - when they are eighteen. In
Japan coming of age is still twenty. Each second Monday in January there is a special coming-of-age day ceremony
for these shin-seijin, 'new adults'. I am staying with my friend Setsuko and her parents in their apartment in a small
town near Tokyo. Tomorrow is Setsuko's big day, so she's feeling a bit nervous. We are looking at some pictures of
Japanese ceremonies from the old days. They are amazing - the women have got shaved eyebrows and their faces
are covered in thick make-up. Strangest of all, their teeth are painted black! Nowadays things are different. I am in
the town hall with Setsuko's family. Their anxious daughter is at the front with the other young adults. All the young
men are in their best suits. They look very smart. Two are even in traditional dress - one of them looks very
embarrassed! Practically all the women are elegantly dressed in brightly-coloured silk kimonos. It costs €2,000 to
hire one and the much-needed services of a dresser to help you put it on.
Currently, numbers of shin-seijin who participate are going down. There are also stories of bad behaviour from
some 'new adults'. They treat it more as a joke than as a serious occasion and chat and speak on their mobiles. But
everyone here is very well-behaved. I can't understand a word, but there are lots of speeches from important looking
people and polite and respectful applause. The shin-seijin go on to the stage to receive a small gift to mark the
occasion. The family claps enthusiastically when it is Setsuko's turn. They are very proud of her. The ceremony
ends and Setsuko disappears for 20 minutes while her dresser helps her out of the precious kimono. She appears
calm and smiling in her ordinary clothes. Now we are all going to a Japanese restaurant to celebrate.
(Source: ASPIRE Pre-Intermediate, WB)
15. What does Katle notice at the ceremony?
A. It is easy to put on a kimono. B. All the women are In kimonos.
C. The men are all dressed the same. D. One young man doesn't look very happy.
16. The word “Practically”(line 8) is closest in meaning to........
A. really B. in real situations C. for practice D. on the spot
17. The age where you officially become an adult In Japan is........
A. two years later than in European countries B. earlier than In Europe
C. the same as the United States D. different for men and women
18. The word ‘it’ in line 11 refers to........
A. the serious occasion B. a joke
C. the traditional dress D. shin-seijin’s bad behaviour
19. What happens at Setsuko's ceremony?
A. The shm-selJm receive a big gift B. The shm-seljln Sit With their families
C. The mayor makes a speech. D. Everybody behaves correctly.
20. Coming-of-age ceremonies........
A. give you the right to vote B. are always treated With great respect
C. are compulsory D. are less popular than before
21. After the ceremony, ........
A. people take photographs of Setsuko In her kimono B. Setsuko seems more
relaxed
C. everybody goes home. D. there is a banquet for all the guests.
22. Before her ceremony, Setsuko........
A. needs to paint her teeth black B. shows Katle some old pictures
C. has to shave off her eyebrows D. Isn't worned about the ceremony
Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions
from 00 to 00.
23. My father has a rare.......of 19th century colour prints.
A. series B. variety C. range D. collection
24. The present goverment was.......three years ago.
A. chosen B. selected C. elected D. picked
25. It took the police months to put all the pieces of the.......together and solve the crime.
A. worry B. problem C. trouble D. puzzle
26. A degree in Business Administration will enhance your career.......
A. possibilities B. likelihood C. chances D. prospects
27. I have......told you not to call me at this hour.
A. regularly B. repeatedly C. commonly D. many times
28. The workers demanded a(n)......in their working conditions.
A. development B. advance C. evolution D. improvement
29. Many tennis players have tried to copy Pete Sampras'.......
A. practice B. way C. method D. technique
30. The......concerning land ownership was settled in court.
A. fight B. struggle C. dispute D. quarrel
31. The scientist was eager to.......the results of her experiment.
A. look into B. analyse C. research D. explore
32. I was watching TV but the.......wasn't interesting. So I went out instead.
A. project B. programme C. scheme D. schedule
33. My dream is to.......the Australian outback.
A. research B. investigate C. explore D. look into
34. Jeff is known to make.......decisions only to regret them later.
A. hasty B. swift C. rapid D. speedy
Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the word(s) CLOSEST in meaning tothe
underlined word(s) in each of the following questions.
35. Mr Baker was in the hospital for two weeks, but now he's fit as a fiddle.
A. is dying B. in good health C. kicking the bucket D. coming to his days
36. You should help him. I don't think he knows the ropes yet.
A. can climb B. can swim C. is well-trained D. can set traps
Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the sentence that best combines each pair of
sentences in the following questions.
37. He gave an excellent answer. He was given a good grade.
A. His answer was so well that he was given a good grade.
B. He was given such a good grade that he answered so well.
C. He answered so excellently that he was given a good grade.
D. So good was his grade given that he answered so well.
38. Lan borrowed my car. I regretted it.
A. I regretted having lent Lan my car. B. I felt a pity when Lan borrowed my car.
C. I was sorry to lend Lan my car. D. It is a regret when Lan borrowed my car.
Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the word(s) OPPOSITE in meaning to the
underlined word(s) in each of the following questions.
39. He was born with a silver spoon in his mouth.
A. out of luck B. by chance C. in a well-off family D. as poor as church’s mice
40. With her make-up and strange clothes, she looked like nothing on earth.
A. quite chic B. so smart C. very unusual D. as per usual
Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct
answer to each of the questions from 41 to 47.
By the time of his death in 1896, the Swedish inventor and philanthropist Alfred Nobel had accumulated a fortune
equivalent to one hundred and fifty million pounds in today's terms. According to his will, the bulk of his fortune was
put into a trust and the interest from this should be used to fund five yearly prizes awarded to individuals or
institutions who distinguished themselves in the fields of physics, chemistry, medicine, literature and international
peace. The Nobel Prize for literature, which is awarded by the Swedish Academy in Stockholm, has become the
most prestigious literary award in the world today.
The winner of the Nobel Prize for literature is usually announced on a Thursday morning in October, though it has
been known to be as late as November on the occasions when the Nobel committee have had trouble reaching a
consensus. Which Thursday the announcement will be made on is kept a closely guarded secret until forty-eight
hours beforehand, and then the information is released to the press.
The Nobel committee is made up of eighteen members of the Swedish Academy in Stockholm, who have the
daunting task of sifting through the two hundred or so nominations that are received every year. This process is also
carried out behind closed doors, as the last thing the committee wants is a three-ringed circus surrounding their
deliberations.
 A writer's formal nomination must have been received by the Academy no later than the first of February of the
year in question. Then, a sub-committee made up of five members of the Academy considers the nominations and
quite quickly reduces the list to fifteen names. By the end of May this list has been further reduced to six finalists.
This short list is then presented to the whole committee on 31 st May, just before the Academy begins its summer
recess.
During the summer break the members of the committee have time to read the material of the short-listed writers in
depth. On returning to the Academy in mid-September, each member presents a paper they have prepared, giving
their reasons for the final choice they have made. These choices are then debated in full sessions of the Academy
on the next few Thursday evenings between 5.00 and 6.30 pm, until a majority decision is reached. When this
happens, a morning meeting is announced for the following Thursday, when an official ballot is held. The ballot is
held in an elegant eighteenth-century room at the Academy. The members of the committee write their choice on a
piece of paper. These papers are then placed one by one into an antique silver drinking tankard called a 'stop' in
Swedish. They are then counted by the secretary, who leaves the room at exactly 1.00 pm and walks through a
grand hall to his own office where the press are waiting. He officially discloses the name that appeared most often
on the pieces of paper in the 'stop'. This is how the world learns who the winner of the Nobel Prize for literature is.
Like every other high profile award, there is a certain amount of controversy surrounding it. This has been true
since the first award, which went to Sully Proudhomme. Outside France this was not regarded as a popular choice,
as most writers felt that it should have gone to Leo Tolstoy. In fact, several writers of great distinction, such as
Joyce, Gorky and Brecht were never honoured with this prize, while there were winners whose work was popular in
their day but did not stand the passage of time. However, despite this controversy, the world of literature waits with
bated breath every autumn to learn who the recipient of the ultimate literary honour will be for that year.
41. According to Nobei's will, the interest coming from his fortune should.......
A. be spent by the Swedish Academy in Stockholm.
B. fund prizes granted for excellence in five areas of human endeavour.
C. be given to five distinguished philanthropists.
D. fund prizes awarded to five outstanding scientists.
42. The nominations for the Nobel Prize for literature are examined by.......
A. an eighteen-member committee. B. all the members of the Swedish Academy.
C. a five-member committee. D. a fifteen-member committee.
43. What do the members of the committee do during the summer?
A. They study the finalists' books and prepare a presentation of their choice.
B. They prepare a short list.
C. They read all the nominees' books.
D. Thev have discussions with the writers.
44. Why did the first award of the Nobel Prize for literature cause controversy?
A. French people did not agree with the choice made.
B. Tolstoy felt that he should have got the prize.
C. Proudhomme was not a very good writer.
D. Many thought that Tolstoy deserved the prize more than Proudhomme.
45. What happens in May each year?
A. A sub-committee is formed. B. The Nobel committee begins its summer holidays.
C. The Nobel committee presents the short list to the public. D. The six finalists for the Nobel Prize are chosen.
46. Who is the first to know the winner's name after the ballot?
A. the Press B. the Academy members C. the writer D. the secretary of the committee
47. When is the Nobel Prize for literature announced?
A. after the press have been notified of the winner B. when the committee manage to come together
C. on a Thursday in October or November D. on the last Thursday in October
Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the sentence that is closest in meaning to each
of the following questions.
48. Should you see Tam Vy this evening, give her my regards.
A. Unless you see Tam Vy this evening, give her my regards.
B. Whenever you see Tam Vy this evening, give her my regards.
C. If you happen to see Tam Vy this evening, give her my regards.
D. Would you please come to see Tam Vy and send her my regards.
49. Harry was disappointed to hear the news that the match had been cancelled.
A. Having heard the news of the match being cancelled, Harry was disappointed.
B. The cancellation of the match came to Harry as the disappointing news.
C. The disappointment of the cancellation of the match came to Harry as bad news.
D. News of cancellation of the match came as a disappointment to Harry.
50. I was just about to call you to see what time you were coming.
A. I was soon calling you to see what time you were coming.
B. I was nearly telephoning you to see what time you were coming.
C. I was on the point of calling you to see what time you were coming.
D. I was just calling you to see what time you were coming.