1 CHOOSE THE WORD 1

Choose the word which best complete each sentence.

1. After hours of wandering around in the desert they thought they saw an oasis,
but they were wrong. There was nothing there; it was only a .
A. ghost B. mirage C. trick
D. vision E. mirror
2. The boxer hit his opponent so hard that he was for ten minutes.
A. unconscious B. asleep C. knocked about
D. stopped E. ignorant
3. The police, despite very careful are still no nearer discovering who
the murderer is.
A. undertakings B. enquiries C. searches
D. surveys E. investigations
4. Today’s football match has been because of bad weather. They will
play next Thursday instead.
A. postponed B. cancelled C. decided
D. shot up E. put away
5. During the fight outside the football ground, an eighteen-year-old youth was
accidentally killed. The person responsible was arrested and charged with
.
A. manslaughter B. murder C. mugging
D. violence E. fraud
6. If both parties in the strike cannot agree, then the government is sometimes
called in to .
A. settle B. decide C. choose
D. arbitrate E. compromise

1
7. The very idea of my being a thief is quite
A. absurd B. dishonest C. futile
D. risky e. sorry
8. Edward never gives up – he’s so .
A. tiring B. persevering C. persuading
D. giving E. powerful
9. Heavy snow the train for several hours.
A. cancelled B. hindered C. delayed
D. postponed E. sent
10. According to the weather , there will be snow tomorrow.
A. program B. information C. forecast
D. survey E. news
11. The next of “Desperate Housewives” will be shown on channel 18
next Friday at 10pm.
A. part B. program C. portion
D. episode E. serial
12. In the distance, they heard the church clock midnight.
A. strike B. hit C. sound
D. ring E. beat

2
1 WORD ASSOCIATION

1. cell, warder, sentence, bars

R O
2. key, hammer, grand, pedal
A
3. column, circulation, tabloid, article E P
4. springs, head, foot, sheet E
5. green, hole, swing, club L
6. hood, hub, swing, club A
7. zodiac, moon, Mars, Sagittarius T L
8. corner, ring, second, bout O I
9. hand, strap, wind, time T
10. tile, gutter, chimney, skylight O
11. paw, fur, whiskers, claws T
12. lens, shutter, speed, flash C E
13. circle, stalls, auditorium, box office H R
14. wing, tail, undercarriage, fly R P
15. frame, pane, catch, glass I O
16. coffin, wreath, cemetery, corpse N A
17. pawn, castle, bishop, queen E
18. moat, battlements, keep, dungeon A E
19. scrum, try, All Blacks, line-out G
20. cowshed, pen, barn, harvest A

3
3 MISSING WORDS – WAYS OF LOOKING
Put the following words into the correct sentences. Use each word once only and
make any necessary changes.

distinguish recognize gaze eye

scrutinize watch notice catch a glimpse of
glance stare glare catch someone’s eye
peer peep observe look at

1. He had changed so much since I last saw him that I hardly

him.
2. The young girl lovingly at the photograph of her boyfriend.
3. I only him, so I can’t really remember whether he was
wearing a hat or not.
4. As my friend is color-blind, she finds it difficult to between
green and blue.
5. “ the board, please!” said the teacher.
6. She out of the window for a moment, then carried on
working.
7. The old man through the closed curtains at his new
neighbors.
8. The teacher angrily at the class. “For the last time, who
broke the window?” she roared.
9. He the figures very carefully before making any comment.
10. In Britain it is considered rude to at people.
11. The policeman the young man suspiciously.
12. He through the thick fog, trying to make out the number of
the approaching bus.

4
13. I waved to attract her attention, but she walked away without
me.
14. Are you going to the film on TV tonight?
15. I wanted to order coffee, but the waiter was so busy that it was very difficult to
.
16. When I was a student, I used to spend a lot of time sitting in cafes,
the way people used their hands when they spoke
to another.

5
4 WORDS ASSOCIATED WITH NUMBERS

Read through the following sentences and fill in the missing words.

1. In this mathematical system, 101 = 5 N

2. A 3-wheeled cycle R C
3. A period of hundred years U
4. One person who sings L T
5. A person who has two wives A
6. Two people singing together E
7. A five-sided figure E O
8. A period of ten years C
9. An aeroplane with two set of wings B L
10. A period of two weeks R I
11. A combat between two people L
12. A dramatic performance or speech
N U
for a single actor.
13. A person who can used both hands A D R
equally well.
14. Two babies born at the same time. I
15. An insect which is said to have a
E P
hundred feet.
16. An instrument with two lenses which
N L
helps bring distant objects closer.
17. A mythological animal with a horn in
I N
the middle of its head.
18. Four musicians playing together U E
19. Government by two or more parties L I
20. Three babies born at the same R E
time.

6
5 CONFUSING WORDS

Choose the correct word in each of the following sentences.

1. Although she was (crippled / lame) and thus confined to a wheelchair, she still
managed to cope with a family and most of the housework.
2. The dress doesn’t fit. I’ll have to have it (changed / altered).
3. If people must smoke in bed, then they should at least take the precaution of buying
(non-inflammable / inflammable) sheets and blankets.
4. Although my father has (deficient / defective) hearing, he still refuses to wear a
hearing-aid.
5. The baby (blinked / winked) when his mother clapped her hands in front of his face.
6. Of all the writers of (comic / comical) opera, Gilbert and Sullivan are my favorites.
7. Where were you (educated / trained) to be a teacher?
8. My brother is studying to be an (electrical / electric) engineer.
9. I do wish you’d grow up, Alex! You’re so (childish / childlike) at times.
10. There’s a (rumor / reputation) going round the office that Brandon and Eileen are
getting engaged.
11. I wonder if you would like to (co-operate / collaborate) with me on a book I’m thinking
of writing about famous women in politics?
12. There is a very good (Technological / Technical) College not far from where I live.
13. Did you know that Raymond has arranged the party (specially / especially) for you?
14. I couldn’t care less one way or the other. I’m completely (uninterested /
disinterested).
15. I hear that Manchester United beat Liverpool two-(nil / nought) in last night’s Cup
match.
16. There is a very strong (possibility / opportunity) that man will land on the planet Mars
before the year 2020.
17. South Wales was once a flourishing coal-mining area, but today there are hundreds
of (misused / disused) coalmines scattered throughout the valley.
18. It’s much too hot. Let’s go and sit in the (shadow / shade).

7
6 Choose the word which best completes each sentence.

1. I’m afraid I really couldn’t eat any more. I’m .

A. full up B. fed up C. filled up D. famished E. satisfactory

2. It’s a of time talking to James. He never listens.

A. lot B. loss C. slash D. waste E. model

3. Which of cigarettes do you usually smoke, Ben?

A. make B. sort C. mark D. brand E. shortage

4. He was found guilty of having lied when giving evidence in court and, as a result, was
sentenced to two years imprisonment for .
A. fraud B. a liar C. perjury D. deception E. lying

5. Don’t tell Allan about Sean and Alice. You know he can’t a secret.
A. hold B. keep C. save D. stop E. prevent

6. May I borrow your pen, Henry? I seem to have mine at home.

A. left B. forgotten C. lost D. kept E. missed

7. Even though I didn’t want my son to leave home, since he was twenty-one there was
nothing I could do to it.
A. hinder B. prevent C. resist D. end E. cease

8. A/An five thousand people are believed to have died in the recent earthquake
in South America.
A. guessed B. average C. supposed to D. estimated E. approximately

9. You’ll have to use the stairs, I’m afraid. The lift is out of .
A. function B. work C. order D. form E. functioning

8
10. Have you seen a mug anywhere, George? We seem to be one .
A. missed B. less C. under D. deficient E. short

11. There was a flash of lightning quickly followed by a loud .

A. bang B. clap C. smash D. noise E. stroke

12. I can’t eat this meat; it’s too .

A. strong B. soggy C. tough D. bad E. tender

13. Is there anything you’d like me to do?

A. else B. more C. still D. yet E. again

14. One day I’m going to find a/an of land somewhere in the country and build a
house on it.
A. area B. plot C. ground D. patch E. tomb

15. I was caught parking on a double yellow line and had to pay RM150 parking .
A. fine B. bait D. summons D. fee E. cost

9
7 MISSING WORDS – “HE SAID” etc
Put the following words into the correct sentences. Use each word once only.

boasted pleaded demanded complained

snapped shouted suggested stammered
inquired whispered insisted explained

1. “What about going to the cinema tonight?” he .

2. “Oh, but you can’t go yet. You must stay for another drink at least,” she .

3. “Can you tell me where she lives?” the policeman.

4. “I want my money back!” the irate housewife.

5. “Oh, will you two shut up!” the mother to her two children.

6. “I love you, Mandy,” he tenderly.

7. “I can play ten musical instruments,” she .

8. “Help! I can’t swim! Help!” the girl as she went under the water

for the second time.

9. “You see, darling, it’s like this,” the girl’s fiancé. “I just can’t

afford to get married at the moment.”

10. “Please don’t kill me!” the girl as the hijacker pointed his gun at

her.

11. “It’s not fair,” the girl to her mother. “I never get invited to

parties.”

12. “W…w…will you m…m…marry me?” he .

10
8 WORD BUILDING

The word in capitals at the end of each following sentences can be used to form
a word that fits suitably in the blank.

1. He was born blind; despite this he still ABLE

manage to become one of the top Pop singers of his
generation.
2. I’m in favor of the plan, but there are still BASE
one or two points that I’m not entirely happy with.
3. What a lovely painting! Your daughter must be very ART
, Mrs. Chang.
4. I think it’s very of him to expect us to REASON
work overtime every night this week.
5. There is a saying in English: “ speak ACT
louder than words.”
APPLY
6. That rule is not in this case.
7. I don’t think Tom’s been getting too much sleep lately. His BLOOD
eyes are terribly .
8. English is a easy language for Germans COMPARE
to learn.
9. Now, don’t tell anyone else what I’ve just told you. CONFIDE
Remember, it’s .
10. I don’t think their marriage will last long. They’re CONTINUE
quarrelling.
11. The teacher punished the child for . OBEY
12. Librarians spend a lot of their time
CLASS
books.
13. I don’t care if you’d had too much to drink. Your behavior last DEFEND
night was quite .

11
14. The man was found guilty of fraud and sentenced to three PRISON
years .
15. He won the discus event at the Olympic Games but was QUALIFY
later when a medical check proved
that he had been taking drugs.
16. The recent hurricane caused damage. WIDE
17. Industrial robots work with far greater PRECISE
than most men.
18. I’ve tried to advise my daughter against hitch-hiking around HEAD
Europe alone, but she won’t listen to me. She’s so
.

12