PRACTICE 3

Part 1 : Choose the best option A, B, C, or D to complete the following

sentences and write your answers in the corresponding numbered boxes.
(20 pts)
1. He didn’t have a _________ of evidence to support his claims.
A. sign B. scrap C. sense D. state
2. It's normal for salaries to be paid monthly in______, meaning you'll need to
work four weeks first.
A. advance B. full C. arrears D. debt
4. In times of _________ , unemployment figures usually rise dramatically.
A. austerity B. severity C. sobriety D. gravity
5. He let it __________ that the Prime Minister was a close friend of his.
A. infer B. talk C. drop D. fall
7. The luxurious office accentuated the manager's position _________. It
enhanced his power and his sense of his own worth. And it made other people
feel small.
A. on the pecking hole B. in the nibbling line
C. at the nipping post D. in the pecking order
8. We don’t have a secretary _________, but we do have a student who comes
in to do a bit of filing.
A. as such B. the least bit C. whatsoever D. little more
9. Her punky hairstyle showed she was not one for following the _________.
A. flock B. herd C. swarm D. group
10. A full scholarship to Harvard and you are worried about leaving your job? You’d be a fool to
_____ up a chance like that.
A. pass B. miss C. brush D. cast
11. Even though there have been setbacks, because of their determination I’m sure they’ll
achieve their goals, _____ .
A. suffice to say B. be that as it may C. so be it D.
come what may
12. As she didn’t understand the teacher’s question, she merely gave him a _______ look.
A. dim B. blank C. cold D. clean
13. There were probably moments when you wondered if anyone spoke the truth or was
______.
A. under the baton B. below bar C. off the beg D. on the
level
14. Many victims of the earthquake pay ______ to the ones who took them out of rubble.
A. tributes B. respects C. homage D.deference
15. I don't like intellectual novels, serious music or films; my tastes are quite
_______.
A. flat-topped B. lowbrow C. shamefaced D. slow-
witted
16. ______ her job, her sons and the housework, she doesn’t have a minute for
herself.
A. What with B. If it weren’t for C. Barring D. Given
18. The growth of psychobiology owes ______to major conceptual advances in the way
people think about the brain.
A. much B. as much as C. much which D. so much
as
20. The statement from the ministers contrasts ______ with comments by European
Commission President Jean-Claude Juncke.
A. flatly B. utterly C. heavily D. sharply
21. There has been a recommendation that authority to make financial decisions
________ to a special committee.
A. will be delegated B. is delegated C. was delegated D. be
delegated
22. ______, we missed our plane.
A. The train is late B. The train was late C. To be late D. The train
being late
23. Peter: “Do you mind if I put the television on?” Susan: “___________.”
A. You are welcome B. No, not in the least C. Not mention it D. It’s no
matter to me
25. You have cut the material in the wrong place. It ought _______ just here but
it wasn’t.
A. to be cut B. to have been cut C. to have cut D. to
cut
26. ___________, the kitchen is well designed. That’s the reason why we like it
A. Although small B. Though it small C. Small although D.
Small as
27. He wants to keep them all in his office for reasons _________ to himself .
A. are best known B. which best known C. best known D. which were best
known
28. There ________ between 4,000 to 6,000 languages in the world, depending
on how you count them.
A. say to be B. are said that C. are said to be D. said being
29. I woke up late for my interview because I ________ about it all the night
and didn’t get much sleep.
A. worried B. have been worrying C. had been worrying D. had
worried
30. After a month-long investigation, the police still aren’t sure who
__________.
A. is blamed by them B. do they blame C. to lay the blame on D. to be
blaming
READING
Part 1: Choose the best answer A, B, C or D to fill in each blank in the following passage.
Although the earth was formed about 4,500 million years ago, human beings have
inhabited it for less than half a million years. Within this time, population has increased (0)
______ and people have had a vast (1) _______ upon the earth. They have long been able to
(2) _______ the forces of nature to use. Now, with modern technology, they have the power
to alter the balance of life on earth.
Reports back from the first astronauts helped dispel the dangerous (3) _______ that
the world had no boundaries and had limitless resources. (4) _______, ecologists have
shown that all forms of life on earth are interconnected, so it (5) _______ that all human
activity has an effect on the natural environment.
In recent years, people have been putting the environment under stress. As a result,
certain (6) _______ materials such as timber, water and minerals are beginning to (7)
_______ short. Pollution and the (8) _______ of waste are already critical issues, and the
state of the environment is fast becoming the most pressing problem (9) _______ us all. The
way we respond to the challenge will have a profound effect on the earth and its life support
system.
However, despite all these threats there are (10) _______ signs. Over the past few
decades, the growth in population has been more than matched by food production,
indicating that we should be able to feed ourselves for some time yet.
(Source: CAE 1, Test 2, Paper 3)
 0. A. highly B. hugely C. vastly D. expansively
1. A. imprint B. indication C. impression D. impact
2. A. put B. make C. place D. stand
3. A. judgement B. notion C. reflection D. concept
4. A. However B. Likewise C. Moreover D. Otherwise
5. A. results B. follows C. complies D. develops
6. A. raw B. coarse C. crude D. rough
7. A. turn B. come C. go D. run
8. A. disposal B. displacement C. dismissal D. disposition
9. A. encountering B. opposing C. meeting D. confronting
10. A. stimulating B. welcoming C. satisfying D. reassuring
Part 2: Read the text below and fill in each space with ONE word that best fits the space.
Just as a language may develop varieties in the (1) _____ of dialects and argots, languages as
a whole may change (Latin, for example, evolved into the different Romance languages).
Sometimes rapid language change occurs as a result of (2) _____ between people who each
speak a different language. In such (3) _____ a pidgin may arise. Pidgins are grammatically
based on one language but are also influenced, (4) _____ in vocabulary, by (5) _____; they
have relatively small sound systems, reduced vocabularies, and simplified and altered
grammars, and they rely heavily on context in order to be (6) _____. Pidgins are often the (7)
_____ of contact by traders with island and coastal peoples. A pidgin has no native speakers;
when speakers of a pidgin have children who learn the pidgin as their first language, that
language is then (8) _____ a creole. Once the creole has enough native speakers to form a
speech community, the creole may (9) _____ into a fuller language. This is the case with Krio,
now the national language of Sierra Leone in West Africa. Krio arose from what was (10)
_____ an English-based pidgin.
Part 3: Read an extract from an article and answer the questions.
Visitors to Prince Edward Island, Canada, delight in the “unspoiled” scenery – the
well-kept farms and the peaceful hamlets of the island’s central core and the rougher terrain of
the east and west. In reality, the Island ecosystems are almost entirely artificial.
Islanders have been tampering with the natural environment since the eighteenth
century and long ago broke down the Island’s natural forest cover to exploit its timber and
clear land for agriculture. By 1900, 80 percent of the forest had been cut down and much of
what remained had been destroyed by disease. Since then, however, some farmland has been
abandoned and has returned to forest through the invasion of opportunist species, notably
spruce. Few examples of the original climax forest, which consisted mostly of broadleaved
trees such as maple, birch, and oak, survive today.
Apart from a few stands of native forest, the only authentic habitats on Prince Edward
Island are its sand dunes and salt marshes. The dunes are formed from sand washed ashore by
waves and then dried and blown by the wind to the land beyond the beach. The sand is
prevented from spreading farther by marram grass, a tall, long-rooted species that grows with
the dunes and keeps them remarkably stable. Marram grass acts as a windbreak and allows
other plants such as beach pea and bayberry to take hold. On dunes where marram grass is
broken down – for instance, where it is trampled – the dunes may spread inland and inundate
agricultural lands or silt up fishing harbors. The white dunes of the north coast are the most
impressive. There are also white dunes on the east and west coasts. Only in the south are there
red dunes, created when the soft sandstone cliffs crumble into the sea and subsequently wash
ashore as red sand. The dunes were once used as cattle pasture but were abandoned as the
early settlers moved inland.
Salt marshes are the second remaining authentic habitat. These bogs are the result of
the flooding of low coastal areas during unusually high tides. In the intervals between tides, a
marsh area remains and plants take root, notably cord grass, the “marsh hay” used by the early
settlers as winter forage for their livestock. Like the dunes, though, the marshes were soon
dismissed as wasteland and escaped development.
1. On what aspect of Prince Edward Island does the author focus?
A. Its tourist industry B. Its beaches C. Its natural habitats D. Its
agriculture
2. Why does the author use quotation marks around the word unspoiled in line 1?
A. He is quoting from the other author.
B. The scenery is not as attractive as it once was.
C. The scenery looks unspoiled but is not.
D. He disagrees with the ideas in this paragraph.
3. The phrase tampering with in paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to
_____________ .
A. preserving B. interfering with C. remembering D.
dealing with
4. What can be inferred about Prince Edward Island’s forests?
A. Only a few small stands of trees still exist.
B. They are more extensive than they were in 1900.
C. They are virtually the same as they were in the eighteenth century.
D. About 80 percent of the island is covered by them.
5. Which of the following type of tree is most common in the forests of Prince
Edward Island today?
A. Oak B. Birch C. Spruce D.
Maple
6. What does the author say about the beach pea and bayberry?
A. They have become commercially important plants.
B. They grow on dunes after marram grass is established.
C. They were once an important food crop for early settlers.
D. They are spreading across the Island, destroying important crops.
7. According to the passage, what effect does the destruction of marram grass
have?
A. It permits the sand dunes to cover farmland.
B. It creates better conditions for fishing.
C. It allows seawater to flood agricultural land.
D. It lets the sand wash into the sea.
8. What conclusion can be drawn from the passage abut both the sand dunes and
salt marshes of Prince Edward Island?
A. They were once used but have long since been abandoned.
B. They have never been used.
C. They have been used continuously since the island was first settled.
D. They were long unused but have recently been exploited.
9. In which of these paragraphs does the author discuss the destruction of an
ecosystem?
A. The first B. The second C. The third D. The fourth
10. The phrase inundate in paragraph 3 is closest in meaning to _____________ .
A. confound B. dissolve C. deluge D. swoop

PRACTICE 4

PART 1. For questions 66-75, read the passage below and then choose which option (A, B,
C or D) best fits each space. Write your answers in the corresponding numbered boxes
provided. (15 points)
THE HISTORY OF CONVERSE
 In 1908, Marquis Converse opened the Converse Rubber Shoe Company in Malden,
Massachusetts, USA. To start with, the company made simple rubber-soled footwear for men,
women and children. By 1910, Converse was (66) ________ 4,000 pairs of shoes daily, and
in 1915 the company began manufacturing tennis shoes. The company’s main turning
(67)________ came in 1917 when the Converse All-Star red-and-white basketball shoe was
introduced. Then, in 1921, a basketball player named Charles H.’Churk’ Taylor contacted the
company (68) ________ of sore feet. Converse immediately gave him a job (69) ________ a
salesman and ambassador, and he promoted the shoes around the United States for the
(70) ________ of his career. In 1923, after teaching his first basketball clinic, Chuck’s
signature was added to the All Star patch. In 1941, when the USA became involved in the
Second World war, Converse shifted production to manufacturing shoes, boots and protecting
(71) ________for his pilots and soldiers.
Converses were hugely popular with teenagers during the 1950s. Rock-and-Roll era,
and in 1966 the company added a range of new colors to the basic red-and-white Churk
Taylor All-Star basketball shoe. The shoes continued to be popular until the early 1980s, but
lost a large proportion of their market (72) ________ during the mid-1980s and 1990s, with
the appearance on the (73) ________ of trainer, made by new competitors such as Nike and
Reebok. Converses were no longer the official shoe of America’s Nation Basketball
Association, a title they had (74) ________ for many years. In 2001, the company changed
(75) ________, the last factory in the United States closed and manufacture moved to China,
Indonesia and Vietnam. In 2003, the company was bought be Nike.
(From First Certificate Masterclass-Student’s Book by Simon Haines &Barbara Stewart)
66. A. preparing B. producing C. creating D. constructing
67. A. point B. place C. pot D. situation
68. A. accounting B. complaining C. viewing D. bearing
69. A. as B. for C. like D. with
70. A. remains B. surplus C. rest D. remnants
71. A. clothing B. cloth C. attire D. dress
72. A. part B. portion C. piece D. share
73. A. shelf B. market C. shops D. stores
74. A. competed B. owned C. possessed D. held
75. A. places B. businesses C. hands D. holders
Your answers
66. 67. 68. 69. 70.
71. 72. 73. 74. 75.

Part 2. For questions 76-85, fill each of the following numbered blanks with ONE suitable
word and write your answers in the corresponding numbered boxes. (15 points)
Processing information is a quality unique (76) __________ the human brain and one
which (77) __________ human beings from their animal relatives. The way in which different
types of data is processed (78)__________ according to its content. Using sophisticated new
technology, scientists are discovering how the brain conducts (79) __________ upon
receiving emotionally charged information.
It strikes us that the two hemispheres of the brain have different functions when (80)
__________ to emotional input. The left side decodes the literal meaning, while the right side
assesses the tone of the message, something known as prosody. By measuring the velocity of
blood flow to brain tissue, scientists were able to see which areas required more (81)
__________ of oxygen and glucose, essential for brain activity. Increased blood flow implies
increased demand, hence increased mental activity in these areas. When tested subjects
focused (82) __________ the meaning of a statement, blood flow increased significantly to
the left side of the brain. When they were asked about the emotion expressed, it was (83)
__________ the left and right sides that received an increase in velocity, implying that
meaning and emotional content are considered together when reacting to a message.
This new understanding is of (84) __________ importance for victims of brain
damage caused by accidents or strokes. It can help explain why some experience difficulties
confusing literal meaning with the emotional content of a message, which can lead to series
misunderstandings. By identifying which areas are (85) __________ responsible for these
functions, doctors hope that future research will lead them to ways to effect repairs.

Your answers
76. 77. 78. 79. 80.
81. 82. 83. 84. 85.

Part 3. For questions 86-95, read the following passage and circle the best answer to each
of the following questions. Write your answers in corresponding numbered boxes provided.
(15 points)
LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION MAN
Travel journalist Richard Madden reports on his first trip with a camera crew
It was books that first captured my imagination about faraway places. TV travelogues
always seemed the poor relation to the classic written accounts, although of course the
pictures were rather better. And then there was the issue of authenticity. All those pretentious
theatrical types dying of thirst in the desert, as if we didn't realize there was a camera crew on
hand to cater for their every need. These days programme-makers know that the audience is
more sophisticated and the presence of the camera is acknowledged. But can a journey with
filming equipment ever be anything other than a cleverly constructed fiction?
I recently got the chance to find out, when I was asked to present two one-hour
programmes for an adventure travel series. The project was the brainchild of the production
company Trans-Atlantic Films, which wanted the series presented by writers and adventurers,
as well as TV professionals. My sole qualification was as a journalist specializing in
'adventure' travel. However, I was thought to have 'on-screen' potential.
The first programme was filmed in Costa Rica. Within 24 hours of my arrival, I realised
that this was going to be very different from my usual 'one man and his laptop' expeditions.
For a start, there were five of us - director, cameraman, sound recordist, producer and
presenter. And then there was the small matter of £100,000 worth of equipment. I soon
realised that the director, Peter Macpherson, was a vastly experienced adventure film-maker.
In his case, the term 'adventure' meant precisely that. 'Made a film with X,' he would say
(normally a famous mountaineer or skier), before describing a death-defying sequence at the
top of a glacier in Alaska or hang-gliding off the Angel Falls in Venezuela. Invariably, these
reminiscences would end with the words: “Had a great deal of respect for X. Dead now,
sadly...”
Part of the brief for the series was to put the presenter in unusual situations and see how he
or she coped. One such sequence was the night we spent in the rainforest canopy near the
Rincón de la Vieja National Park in Guanacaste province. I don't have a head for heights and
would make a poor rock-climber, so my distress is real enough as the camera catches me
dangling on a rope some 30 metres up, well short of the canopy platform.
Ironically, it was the presence of the camera, looking down on me from above, that gave
me the impetus for the final push to the top. By this time, I'd learnt how 'sequences' were cut
together and realised that one last effort was required. I had to struggle to stay coherent while
the camera swooped within a few millimeters of my face for my reaction. In the end, it was a
magical experience, heightened all the more by the sounds of the forest - a family of howler
monkeys in a nearby tree, amplified through the sound recordist's headphones.
 Learning how to establish a rapport with the camera is vital and it took me a while to think
of it as a friend rather than a judge and jury. The most intimidating moments were when Peter
strolled up to me, saying that the light would only be right for another 10 minutes, and that he
needed a 'link' from one sequence to another. The brief was simple. It needed to be 30 seconds
long, sum up my feelings, be informative, well-structured and, most important of all, riveting
to watch. 'Ready to go in about five minutes?' he would say breezily.
I soon discovered that the effect of the camera on what was going on around us was far
less intrusive than I had imagined. After a first flurry of curiosity, people usually lost interest
and let us get on with our job. We were also flexible enough to be spontaneous. Our trip
coincided with an 80 per cent solar eclipse, a rare event anywhere in the world. We were in a
village called Santa Elena and captured the whole event on camera. The carnival atmosphere
was infectious and made a welcome addition to our shooting schedule.

86. One thing the writer used to dislike about travel programmes on TV was _________.
A. the repetitive nature of many of them
B. the dull images that they frequently contained
C. their lack of respect for the intelligence of the viewers
D. their tendency to copy the style of famous written accounts
87. What reason is given for the writer becoming involved in making TV travel
programmes?
A. Other people's belief that he might be suited to appearing on them.
B. His own desire to discover whether it was possible to make good ones.
C. His own belief that it was natural for him to move from journalism to TV.
D. A shortage of writers and adventurers willing to take part in them.
88. Shortly after arriving in Costa Rica, the writer became aware that _________.
A. the director had a reputation that was undeserved
B. he would probably dislike working as part of a team rather than alone
C. he would probably get on well with the director personally
D. his role in the filming would be likely to involve real danger
89. Which of the following can be best replaced the word “reminiscences”?
A. memories B. experiences C. collections D. imaginations
90. The writer uses the sequence filmed in the National Park as an example of _________.
A. something he had been worried about before any filming started
B. the sort of challenge that presenters were intended to face in the series
C. something he was expected to be unable to deal with
D. the technical difficulties involved in making films in certain places
91. What does the writer say about the last part of the sequence in the National Park?
A. It taught him a lot about the technical aspects of film-making.
B. He was encouraged to complete it when he looked up at the camera.
C. It changed his whole attitude towards doing dangerous things.
D. He was unable to say anything that made sense at this time.
92. According to the passage, the word "swooped" in paragraph 5 is closest in meaning to
_________.
A. flew downward quickly B. jumped over quickly
C. moved forward slowly D. drew back slowly
93. In paragraph 6, the writer says that he found it particularly difficult to _________.
A. understand what was required of him for a 'link'
B. change things he was going to do at very short notice
C. accept certain advice given to him about presenting a film
D. meet certain demands the director made on him
94. Which of the following is NOT true, according to the passage?
A. The writer had only one qualification for a journalist.
 B. Peter Macpherson was the adventure film-maker and the director.
C. Their trip coincided with a usual event, the solar eclipse.
D. The programme in Costa Rica was not similar to his usual expeditions.
95. What does the writer use the experience in Santa Elena as an example of?
A. Something they filmed although they had not planned to.
B. The friendly way in which they were treated by the local people.
C. Something they did purely for their own enjoyment.
D. The kind of thing that viewers like to see in travel films.
Part 1. For questions 26-45, choose the best option A, B, C, or D to complete the following
sentences and write your answers in the corresponding numbered boxes provided. (20 points)
26. It really makes my _________ boil when I see people driving too carelessly.
A. heart B. head C. face D. blood
27. He told me I’d won the lottery but I knew he was just pulling my _________.
A. nose B. leg C. hair D. arm
28. I’ll just ________ some ice to go in our drinks.
A. squeeze B. crush C. squash D. compact
29. Inviting both Doug and Shirley to the party is a _________ for disaster.
A. prescription B. receipt C. recipe D. bill
30. There’s so much technical _________ in this manual that I can’t really understand it.
A. slang B. jargon C. tongue D. speech
31. ________ for director must have surprised you.
A. Your being nominated B. You nominated
C. You’re being nominated D. Your nominating
32. Nobody has any firm information, so we can only _________ on what caused the
accident.
A. guess B. contemplate C. speculate D. assume
33. I couldn’t decide what to write about when I suddenly _________ upon the idea of doing
something on writer’s block.
A. thought B. chanced C. hit D. arrive
34. _____talking of running for election again, after such a crushing defeat, is surely proof of
his resilience.
A. Should he be B. Has he been C. What he is D. That he is
35. The prolonged drought in the West of Vietnam has made farmers _____ anxious about the
harvest.
A. absolutely B. completely C. extremely D. totally
36. Four miles off the southern coast of Massachusetts _____, a popular summer resort.
A. lies the island of Martha’s vineyard
B. the island of Martha’s vineyard lies there
C. does the island of Martha’s vineyard lie
D. where the island of Martha vineyard lies
37. No one appreciated her contribution during her lifetime, but _____ it is clear that she was
a great worker.
A. in this eventuality B. in retrospect C. in the aftermath D. with hindsight
38. The school committee decided to pay _____ to their famous Nobel-winner alumni by
naming the new gym after her.
A. homage B. esteem C. respect D. honour
39. Jane has been trying to solve this problem all week, but she still hasn’t been able to _____.
A. take B. crack C. break D. crash
40. Owning and living in a freestanding house is still a goal of young adults, _____ earlier
generations.
A. as did B. as it was of C. like that of D. so have
41. Three candidates will be short-listed for the post but we do not know _____.
A. whom B. those C. which D. what ones
42. I _____ with the performances but I got the flu the day before.
A. Was to have helped B. helped C. was to help D. had helped
43. The untimely death of Angeline's mother caused her a __________ pit of great sorrow.
A. everlasting B. immeasurable C. bottomless D. boundless
44. Tim curries favor the high-profile authorities clearly shows that he is a ___________.
A. plaintiff B. sycophant C. charlatan D. neophyte
45. I thought I had made it_____ that I didn’t wish to discuss this matter.
A. distinct B. plain C. frank D. straight
46. He started hammering on the adjoining wall but Mary carried on ____________.
A. notwithstanding B. regardless C. irrespective D. nevertheless
47. ___________, the meeting stops here.
A. If no question being asked B. Without any question, however
C. No questions asked D. There being no question
48. Two weeks ___________, we will celebrate our coronation.
A. yet B. hence C. hitherto D. albeit
49. After a four-day holiday, they began to work ____________.
A. on end B. out of bounds C. in proportions D. in earnest
50. It must be true. I heard it straight from the _________mouth.
A. dog’s B. horse’s C. camel’s D. cat’s
51. Buyers and sellers were ________ over prices.
A. hacking B. hugging C. heckling D. haggling
52. ________, 70 percent alcohol is more effective than 100 percent alcohol.
A. An antiseptic used B. How an antiseptic is used
C. When used as an antiseptic D. An antiseptic when used
53. ________, they slept soundly.
A. Hot though was the night air B. Hot though the night air was
C. Hot as was the night air D. Hot although the night air was
54. She doesn’t eat crisps or chocolate; she’s _________health foods.
A. into B. in C. up for D. under
55. - What’s that horrible noise downstairs?
- It’s only Sam. He always screams _______ murder when we take him to the dentist.
A. red B. black C. yellow D. blue