1.

Desert
Deserts exist in every continent of the world apart from Europe. A region can be called a
desert if its ____1____ annual rainfall is under 250 mm. _____2_____ most deserts are hot,
there are also cold deserts, such as Antarctica, a desert made almost completely of ice.
Deserts are often ____3_____ of as impossible places to live in, but they are actually home to
a ____4_____ range of plants and animals. With so ____5____ rainfalls, plants grow slowly
and flower on rare occasions.
1 2 3 4 5
A middle A As A considered A wide A little
B average B When B seen B high B few
C medium C Because C thought C deep C small
D standard D While D imagined D long D less

2. A love of travelling
For Nigel Portman a love of travelling began with what’s called a ‘gap year’.In common with
many other British teenagers, he chose to take a year out, travelling in America and Asia
before ____1____ to study for his degree.

Now that his university course has _____2_____ to an end, Nigel is just about to leave on a
three-year trip that will take him ____3_____ around the world, using only ‘natural’ transport.
In other words,he’ll be ____4_____ mostly on bicycles and his own legs; and when there’ an
ocean to cross, he won’t be taking a ____5____ cut by climbing aboard a plane, he’ll be
joining the crew of a sailing ship instead.
1 2 3 4 5
settling
A A come A just A relying A Quick
down
B getting up B turned B complete B using B Short
C taking over C reached C whole C attempting C Brief
holding
D D brought D right D trying D Swift
back

3. The River Amazon

Although the River Amazon is not as long as the River Nile, it carries much more water.
Starting high up in the Andes mountains of Peru the river flows through the Brazilian
rainforest. Every year, melting snow in the Andes and tropical rain ____1____ floods in the
rainforest of up to nine metres deep.

As it continues on its _____2_____ to the Atlantic Ocean, the Amazon is ioined by other
nvers One of ___3_____ rivers, the River Negro, meets the Amazon near Manaus,
____4_____ is one of Brazil's largest cities.

By the time the Amazon gets to the Atlantic Ocean , it is very wide. In just one second it
____5____

pour 200,000 cubic metres of water into the ocean.

1 2 3 4 5
A cause A direction A their A who A must
B develop B way B this B which B would
C build C road C them C what C can
D supply D line D these D where D should

4. Universal Wet Weekend

The weather across much of the British Isles remained settled last week, with a good deal of
sunshine. The rest of the world, however, was coping with some ____1____ conditions. Hong
Kong had 333 mm of rainfall over the weekend, not far off the_____2_____ for the entire
month of August. The southern Chinese town of Shanwei was ___3_____ up the 468 mm
of rain which fell in sixty hours up to midday on Sunday, ____4_____ twice the usual
August rainfall. Although most of Europe enloyed sun, the high temperatures were sufficient
to set off some ____5____ showers. On Tuesday morning a thunderstorm at Lyon in
eastern France deposited 99 mm of rain in lust six hours.

1 2 3 4 5
A extreme A norman A sponging A only A Huge
B extravagant B standard B soaking B fairly B Weighty
C excessive C medium C drawing C hardly C Heavy
D exaggerated D average D suking D nearly D Strong

5. John Ruskin
In the nineteenth century, John Ruskin, an English writer and art critic made great efforts to
encourage people to draw. He believed that drawing was a skill that was greatly neglected in
schools and 1___that it was even more important to the human race than writing. In order to
improve the 2___ , he gave a series of lectures at the Working Men's College in London.
These lectures 3___ large

audiences, which further 4___ Ruskin's belief that everybody should have the opportunity to

learn how to draw.

For Ruskin drawing was of value even when done by people with no talent. He felt that when
we are involved in the process of drawing something we have to look at it very 5___, which
leads to a deeper appreciation of the thing itself.

1 2 3 4 5
A claimed A state A gained A strengthened A Closely
B convinced B condition B collected B raised B Distinctly
C recommended C case C attracted C endured C Definitely
D expressed D situation D brought D grew D Exactly
6. Bebel Gilberto
Bebel Gilberto is one of Brazil’s most talented singers. Her first album,’Tanto Tempo’
____1____ bought by over a million people, and is among the biggest-selling Brazilian
albums of all_____2_____. Her second album, called simply ‘Bebel Gilberto’, followed a few
years later.

Bebel comes from a successful musical family and she____3_____ growing up with music all
around her. She is particularly grateful____4_____ her mother, who was her first singing
teacher. She sang on her mother’s records and, at nine years old, ____5____ her on stage.

1 2 3 4 5
A has A period A considers A to A Reached
B is B time B recognises B of B Connected
C had C age C believes C with C Joined
D was D date D remembers D on D Arrived

7.A famous artist - Picasso

Pablo Picasso was born in 1881 in Malaga, Spain, the son of an artist, Jose Ruiz, and Maria
Picasso. He took his mother’s surname, ____1____ was more unusual that his father’s.

Picasso’s _____2_____ as an artist lasted ____3_____ 75 years. Many people ____4_____

that he changed modern art more than any other artist of his ____5____. Picasso died in
France in 1973.

1 2 3 4 5
A who A career A above A imagine A Life
B whose B work B across B believe B Year
C which C job C until C hope C Experience
D what D time D over D discuss D Generation

8. Bebel Gilberto-2
Bebel Gilberto is one of Brazil’s most talented singers. With her first album,’Tanto
Tempo’,Bebel says she didn’t know____1____people would like her songs. ‘The problem is
always with the second album’, she_____2_____.’I began to worry if people would like this
album as ____3_____as they liked the first’.But she didn’t need to worry-her second album,
called simply ‘Bebel Gilberto’,was a great success.Bebel has been performing since she was
nine years old, and she has no____4_____to end her singing career. ‘I want to
sing____5____the age of ninety,’ she says.
1 2 3 4 5
A unless A tells A much A projects A Until
B while B explains B many B ideas B During
C although C describes C long C plans C Since
D whether D speaks D far D systems D For
9. Getting on Well at Work
Most people spend so much of their lives at work that it’s ____1____ to develop good
relationships with those around them.

Humour is always a help. If you can laugh at yourself and with your colleagues, you’ll be
more than _____2_____ there. Don’t be upset by teasing; touchy people always get more than
their ____3_____ share of people making fun of them because they are seen to be vulnerable.
It’s a hard world, and you have to be quite tough to____4_____ the pressures.

The best practical advice is to try hard to keep on top of the job. If you feel comfortable about
this, you’ll be less anxious and have more energy left to____5____ to the crucial task of
relating to others.

1 2 3 4 5
A significant A moderately A fair A defend A occupy
B decisive B halfway B reasonable B withstand B reserve
C basic C almost C just C uphold C invest
D vital D scarcely D even D shield D devote

10. Book review

Dava Sobel’s best-seller, Longitude, tells the story of John Harrison’s long____1____ with
the English establishment of the 18th century to prove that his clocks were the best way to
measure longitude at sea. The establishment, _____2_____ in the figure of Sir Nevile
Maskelyne found it demeaning that a simple, uneducated mechanic could do better than all
the brilliant astronomers. Maskelyne did everything he could to frustrate Harrison. Reading
this book, I was struck by how many great inventors have had little education, and in
particular how little they ____3_____ to science. Harrison____4_____ mechanics while
working as an apprentice carpenter. Thomas Edison had less than three months of normal
schooling and Guillermo Marconi had a limited formal education. With the exception of
James Watt, none of the great pioneers of steam was even literate, ____5____ alone
university educated.

1 2 3 4 5
A contest A personified A oblige A found out A Let
B battle B enacted B behold B brought off B Leave
C combat C impersonated C owe C caught off C Stand
D hostility D mirrored D grant D picked up D Be

18. Advertising
A company tells the public about the things it makes through advertising. A company
also____1____advertising to persuade people to buy_____2_____of its products.
These days, so many goods are advertised in so many different___3_____that it is
possible for us to come into contact with hundreds of different
advertisements____4_____a single day. Sometimes firms even decide to offer things
to people free of charge so that they can just try them____5____paying anything at
all.
1 2 3 4 5
A handles A better A ways A for A Without
B gives B more B methods B by B Apart
C uses C extra C types C at C Except
D operates D others D orders D in D Outside

19. The Island of St Kilda

We were entering our sixth hour at sea,sailing west onto the Atlantic from the Scottish
mainland when we finally saw St Kilda.I knew the island was a volcanic stone
outcrop in the middle of the ocean-but I had no idea exactly____1____ to expect. St
Kilda is far enough out into the Atlantic to have_____2_____own weather:the storm
systems roll across from Canada and catch on the jagged heights of the island, like
sheep’s wool on a barbed-wire fence. Consulting of a mountain range rising over
1,400 feet,St Kilda is the most remote part of the British Isles and____3_____of the
most extraordinary. Thought to have been inhabited for at least two thousand years,
there are traces of Neolithic sites. That this place was inhabited at____4_____is
remarkable, given the unforgiving landscape and weather, and the great difficulty in
ever____5____able to land there.

1 2 3 4 5
A when A his A one A once A Been
B how B it’s B also B all B Be
C what C its C is C first C To
D where D their D which D least D Being

20. Dogs and wolves

Analysis of DNA extracted from a fossil tooth recovered in southern Siberia confirms
that the tooth belonged to one of the oldest known ancestors of the modern dog.
Human domestication of dogs dates back to before the beginning of agriculture about
10,000 years ago, but exactly when modern dogs emerged____1____a species distinct
from wolves is still unclear.

_____2_____some previous studies have suggested that this separation of domestic

dogs and wolves occurred over 100,000 years ago, the oldest known fossils of modern
dogs are only about 36?000 years old. New research evaluates the relationship of a
33,000-year-old Siberian fossil to modern dogs and wolves based on DNA sequence.
The researchers named this fossil the Altai dog after the mountains from ____3_____
were recovered. They found it is more closely related to modern dogs and other
prehistoric ‘canids’ found on the American continents____4_____it is to wolves.
They added that their results suggested a more ancient history of the dog outside the
Middle East or East Asia, the regions that____5____,until then, been thought to be the
centres where dogs originated.

1 2 3 4 5
A as A as A Siberia A as A Were
B from B while B that B than B Have
C to C but C there C that C Had
D into D in D where D where D Has

21. Preserving food

You may wonder why it is that whenever there is a public holiday coming up which
lasts for more than a day, everyone feels impelled to rush out and panic buy,
____1____great quantities of preserved foods. the fact is, this
same_____2_____drove our ancestors to find ways of keeping supplies of food ready
for all eventualities throughout the year. Unliketoday, however, they spent a great
deal of their time____3_____with where the next meal coming from. They also used
most of their energies in producing, storing and preserving their food. An abundance
of fresh summer vegetables would be followed by great quantities of autumn crops
and____4_____of stuffing themselves throughout the summer and autumn before
going hungry for the rest of the year, ancient peoples had no alternative but to find
some way of turning these seasonal____5____into food that would be edible all year
round.

1 2 3 4 5
A loading A allure A troubled A short A Floods
B hoarding B appeal B vexed B apart B Spares
C heaping C instinct C preoccupied C other C Overloads
D stacking D cause D apprehensive D without D Gluts

22. Keep yourself motivated to study

At times, you may find your course less interesting or exceptionally hard, and then
maintaining motivation is seriously challenging. One way to stay motivated
____1____to promise yourself a reward for successfully completing learning tasks.
This works because our anticipation if an enjoyable activity overcomes a dread of
something we _____2_____rather not do. For shorter pieces of work, the reward
might be something____3_____simple as a coffee break or going outside for fresh air.
On reaching a more significant learning milestone, you could visit friends overnight,
or play video games all weekend!____4_____sure the reward comes immediately
after you have completed the task, and the size of the reward matches that of the task.
Aim to have at least one motivating activity every day, so that you always have
something enjoyable to look forward to, regardless of____5____else is going on.

1 2 3 4 5
A and A should A more A make A Anything
B is B are B very B but B Whatever
C study C would C really C for C Something
D in D have D as D I’m D Everything

23. Getting involved in student life

It is important to remember that going to university or college is about so ____1____
more than just studying. There are a lot of ways _____2_____ enjoy life socially too.
Join a student society, for example. Joining societies is a great way of meeting lots of
new people, making new friends and having fun. There is usually something for
everyone. ____3_____ part of a sports team or just playing for pleasure is another
good way of taking part in student life. So ____4_____ you love sport, join a club.
____5____ only will you have a brilliant time and meet lots of new people, it’s also a
great way of keeping fit.

1 2 3 4 5
A interesting A for A Taking A do A Not
B exciting B of B Being B that B If
C important C to C Be C if C Then
D much D and D The D when D So

24. A new book about history

History is much less simple than it something seems. There are many stories that
can ____1____ told about the past. However, we are not, perhaps, as
free _____2_____ we might imagine in our choice of which stories to tell, or where
those stories end.

This stimulating new book about ____3_____ we study and understand history begins
by asking us various questions provoked by our investigation of history. It then
explores the different ways in ____4_____ these questions have been answered in the
past. Fascinating and concrete examples of how historians work give the reader a
sense of the excitement of discovering not ____5____ the past, but also ourselves
1 2 3 4 5
A we A as A history A how A Only
B not B time B what B all B In
C be C and C how C what C About
D also D so D that D which D To

25. Pygmy Three-toed Sloth (Bradypuspygmaeus)

The smallest of the three-toed sloths is the pygmy three-toed sloth. It is characterised
____1____ pale grey-brown fur that is often blotchy and tan-coloured face with a
distinctive dark band around the eyes. Male adults have a bright orange patch on their
back, through _____2_____ a black band runs vertically. Sloths have an unusual
means ____3_____ camouflage to avoid predation; their outer fur is often coated in
algae, and this ____4_____ the hair a greenish colour that helps conceal them in their
forest habitat. Three-toed sloths can be distinguished ____5____ their distant
relative, two-toed cloth, be the three digits on their forelimbs, blunter muzzle, and
simpler chisel-shaped teeth.

1 2 3 4 5
A as A which A for A is A by
B with B it B that B makes B from
C by C out C to C gives C for
D for D with D of D make D with

26. The River Amazon-2

Although the River Amazon is not as long as the River Nile, it carries much more
water. Starting high up in the Andes mountains of Peru the river____1____ through
the Brazilian rainforest.On its long journey towards the Atlantic Ocean, it increases in
size as it_____2_____ fed by thousands of smaller rivers such as the River Negro,
which___3_____the Amazon near the city of Manaus.

But the time the Amazon ____4_____the sea, it is very wide. Every second, it pours
200,000 cubic metres of water into the ocean. This is the same ____5____ of water
that is held by a hundred Olympic-sized swimming pools.

1 2 3 4 5
A brings A was A adds A gets A Number
B passes B has B connects B comes B Amount
C follows C is C joins C arrives C Sum
D pulls D had D mixes D reaches D Total

13. John Ruskin (2)

In the nineteenth century, John Ruskin, an English writer and art critic, made great
efforts to encourage people to draw, believing that this was a much- neglected skill.As
well as giving lectures, he published two books on drawing, which 1) widelyread.
Ruskin’s efforts were not 2) aimed at turning people into good artists but at making
them happier. He felt that when we are involved in the process of drawing something,
we become aware of the different parts which 3) makeup the whole. It is in this way
that we 4) cometo a deeper appreciation and 5) understandingof the thing itself.

14. The ancient Roman City of Ostia

The Roman city of Ostia took its name from the Latin ostium, meaning river mouth.
According to texts from writer and poet Ennius, from historian Titus Levy, from the
writer Cicero-to mention but a ____1____ scholar of Roman civilization-Ostia was
founded around eight thousand years ago by AncusMartius, the fourth king of Rome.
The king was desperate to assure an outlet for the military and commercial expansion
of Rome,_____2_____at that time was still relatively small. After conquering the
coastal populations standing in the way of this project, AncusMartius____3_____a
citadel built near the mouth of the river. His soldiers were thus ideally located when
it____4_____to controlling navigation on the river Tiber. It is known that the design
of the citadel____5____have been modified later, since the ruins of Ostia today
contain hardly any original structures.

1 2 3 4 5
A group A which A was A began A built
B famous B but B made B started B building
C few C because C built C was C must
D great D however D had D came D which

15. The Sami reindeer herders

I was recently privileged to join a Sami reindeer herdsman to experience the 110-
kilometre annual migration, a grueling and dangerous journey into Norway’s frozen
north.
On arriving, I spotted the distant shapes of the reindeer trudging ____1____single file
through the deep snow. ‘How many reindeer do you have?’ I asked Lars, the
herdsman. He replied he didn’t know, but of course he did really. I_____2_____to
have known better. You don’t ask a Sami reindeer herder how many animals he owns;
I might as____3_____have asked to see his bank statement.

Lars had granted permission for me and a group of tourists to accompany him as he
believes it’s important to open up the reindeer herders’____4_____understood way of
life. Lars explained, ‘We cannot keep our culture to____5____anymore. I want to
share it with outsiders because educating the outside world is the best way for us to
preserve our identity.’

1 2 3 4 5
A on A had A you A little A us
B in B should B to B to B ourselves
C into C ought C I C the C hide
D a D want D well D and D ourself

16. The philosopher, Immanuel Kant

Immanuel Kant was an 18th century German philosopher ____1____work initiated
dramatic changes in the fields of epistemology, metaphysics, ethics, aesthetics, and
teleology. Like many thinkers of that period, he holds our mental faculty of
reason_____2_____high esteem. He believes that____3_____is our reason that
invests the world we experience with structure. In his work he puts____4_____the
argument that our faculty of judgment enables us to have experience of beauty and
grasp those experiences____5____part of an ordered, natural world with purpose.

1 2 3 4 5
A who A in A philosophy A on A are
B whose B with B thinking B out B in
C his C for C it C up C as
D who’s D on D this D forward D from

17. My day
I get up ____1____6:30 in the morning. I always run in the park. Then I
_____2_____breakfast. I drink a____3_____of orange juice and eat some bread. I
work in a hotel. I____4_____ walk there because it’s near my flat. After work, I go to
the gym for two____5____. I always go to bed early.
 1 2 3 4 5
A on A have A plate A need A hours
B to B wait B fruit B can B weeks
C at C meet C glass C am C days

18. Oldest big cat fossil found in Tibet

Scientists have identified a new big cat fossil. Found in the foothills of the Himalayas,
the fragments are considered to be the oldest ones ever unearthed and have been dated
____1____ 4.1 and 5.95 million years old. Their discovery in Tibet supports the
theory _____2_____ asserts big cats evolved in central Asia-not Africa- and spread
outward.

“this is a very significant finding as it gives us a great insight into ____3_____ early
big cats may have looked like and where they may have lived”, reported Dr Tseng
who led the 2010 expedition. Scientists used both anatomical and DNA
data____4_____ determine that the sculls belonged to an extinct big cat, whose
territory appears to overlap many of the species we know today.

The DNA evidence suggests they diverged____5____ their cousins the Felinae-which
includes cougars, lynxes and domestic cats- about 6/37 million years ago.
1 2 3 4 5
A to A of A what A which A into
B from B that B how B for B with
C about C which C the C to C to
D between D about D an D and D from