LALIBA BNSSS english testing. vibnc12no1.

Friday, September 17, 2024 PAGE 1

PRACTICE 05 4. It can be inferred that the climate in the Great Basin is dry because
(CONFIDENTIAL) (A) the weather patterns are so turbulent
======@====== (B) the altitude prevents precipitation
(C) the winds are not strong enough to carry moisture
1. Read the passage and answer the questions that follow. (D) precipitation falls in the nearby mountains
What geologists call the Basin and Range Province in the United States roughly 5. The word "it" in line 6 refers to
coincides in its northern portions with the geographic province known as the Great Basin. (A) Pacific Ocean (B) air (C) west (D) the Great Basin
The Great Basin is hemmed in on the west by the Sierra Nevada and on the east by the 6. Why does the author mention cottonwoods and willows in line 11?
Rocky Mountains; it has no outlet to the sea. The prevailing winds in the Great Basin are (A) To demonstrate that certain trees require a lot of water
from the west. Warm, moist air from the Pacific Ocean is forced upward as it crosses the (B) To give examples of trees that are able to survive in a difficult environment
Sierra Nevada. At the higher altitudes it cools and the moisture it carriers is precipitated as (C) To show the beauty of the landscape of the Great Basin
rain or snow on the western slopes of the mountains. That which reaches the Basin is air (D) To assert that there are more living organisms in the Great Basin than there used to
wrung dry of moisture. What little water falls there as rain or snow, mostly in the winter be
months, evaporates on the broad, flat desert floors. It is, therefore, an environment in which
organisms battle for survival. Along the rare watercourses, cottonwoods and willows eke out 7. Why does the author mention Owens Valley, Panamint Valley, and Death Valley in the
a sparse existence. In the upland ranges, pinon pines and junipers struggle to hold their second paragraph?
own. (A) To explain their geographical formation
(B) To give examples of depressions that once contained water
But the Great Basin has not always been so arid. Many of its dry, closed depressions (C) To compare the characteristics of the valleys with the characteristics of the lakes
were once filled with water. Owens Valley, Panamint Valley, and Death Valley were once a (D) To explain what the Great Basin is like today
string of interconnected lakes. The two largest of the ancient lakes of the Great Basin were 8. The words "the former" in line 17 refer to
Lake Lahontan and Lake Bonneville. The Great Salt Lake is all that remains of the latter, and (A) Lake Bonneville (B) Lake Lahontan
Pyramid Lake is one of the last briny remnants of the former. There seem to have been (C) The Great Salt Lake (D) Pyramid Lake
several periods within the last tens of thousands of years when water accumulated in these
basins. The rise and fall of the lakes were undoubtedly linked to the advances and retreats of 9. The word "accumulated" in line 18 is closest in meaning to
the great ice sheets that covered much of the northern part of the North American continent (A) dried (B) flooded (C) collected (D) evaporated
during those times. Climatic changes during the Ice ages sometimes brought cooler, wetter 10. According to the passage, the Ice Ages often brought about
weather to mid-latitude deserts worldwide, including those of the Great Basin. The broken (A) desert formation (B) warmer climates (C) broken valleys (D) wetter weather
valleys of the Great Basin provided ready receptacles for this moisture. 2. You are going to read a magazine article about the kinds of fear which people can
1. What is the geographical relationship between the Basin and Range Province and the experience. Seven sentences have been removed from the article. Choose from
Great Basin? the sentences A-H the one which fits each gap (1 – 6). There is one extra sentence
(A) The Great Basin is west of the Basin and Range Province. which you do not need to use. There is an example at the beginning (0).
(B) The Great Basin is larger than the Basin and Range Province. FEARS AND PHOBIAS
(C) The Great Basin is in the northern part of the Basin and Range Province.
(D) The Great Basin is mountainous; the Basin and Range Province is flat desert. It’s not easy trying to cope with fear. Most people at some stage in their lives feel afraid of
something: fear of the dark as children, afraid of spiders or flying. (0) __B__.
2. According to the passage, what does the great Basin lack?
However, some people are afraid of something to such an extent that it prevents them from
(A) Snow (B) Dry air
leading a normal life. (1)_______. It means that you cannot open a fridge door in case you
(C) Winds from the west (D) Access to the ocean
get an electric shock, you cannot go into a brightly lit clothing store, you cannot go near any
3. The word "prevailing" in line 4 is closest in meaning to electrical equipment.
(A) most frequent (B) occasional (C) gentle (D) most dangerous
LALIBA BNSSS english testing. vibnc12no1. Friday, September 17, 2024 PAGE 2

In fact, you can be afraid of anything and there almost certainly a name for it. (2)_______. Alan: Oh, right. And what about you? You (4)_______(look) for someone too?
Apparently, the list of phobias gets longer every day but for people who have a real terror of Mark: Yes, Linda. You (5)_______(know) where she is?
something, help is at hand. Alan: Oh, she isn’t here today. She only (6)_______(work) four days a week. She
Researchers are making enormous progress in understanding what a phobia is and what (7)_______(not work) on Fridays. She’ll be here on Monday.
causes it. (3)_______. Mark: Thank you. You (8)_______(know) a lot about Linda.
It is surprising how many people think they suffer from a phobia when actually all they are Alan: Well, most days I (9)_______(give) her a lift, or she (10)_______(give) me one. She
really experiencing is a strong dislike or distaste for something.(4)_______. But that’s not the (11)_______(live) quite close to me. It (12)_______(save) petrol.
same as being really “mechanophobic”, suffering from a racing heart and being short of Mark: Yes, of course. Good idea. Yes, I (13)_______(agree). Well, I (14)_______(waste)
breath at the mere sight of a computer. my time here then. I’ll get back to my computer.
(5)_______. If you can’t run away from whatever is causing the fear, you feel that death is
inevitable. On the other hand, it’s natural for most people to feel afraid if they’re aboard an 4. Complete these sentences with appropriate passive or active forms of the verbs.
aeroplane which is flying into a storm. 1. The economic situation in the region __________(deteriorate) quite sharply over the last
Most psychologists agree that phobias can be described in three main ways. (6)_______.
years.
Then there are panic disorders in which the person is terrified temporarily for no apparent
reason and thirdly, specific phobias - the fear of snakes, mice, heights and suchlike. 2. The story of Father Christmas __________(tell) to young children to explain the presents
they receive.
A. Progress in treating anxiety is providing help for many people. 3. A new drug _________(develop) to combat asthma in small children at the moment.
B. For the most part, these fears are normal and do not interfere with our ability to 4. A special messenger __________(deliver) the package before I got to the office.
get on with our lives. 5. A number of political prisoners __________(release) within the next few days.
C. You may think you are computer phobic and want to throw your machine out of 6. The impact of the earthquake yesterday __________(feel) by people who lived hundreds
the nearest window. of kilometers from the epicenter.
D. For example, “electro phobia”- being afraid of electricity - makes life in today’s 7. _________ you already __________(accept) by this university when you heard about the
world extremely difficult. other scholarship?
E. Experts say that you can’t mistake a true phobia as it affects the whole of your 8. Kim wants very badly to make the Olympic team next year. She __________(train) hard
central nervous system.
for the last two years.
F. With this understanding has come a range of treatments which can completely 9. Martin Johnson __________(appoint) team captain for the whole of the World Cup.
cure a person’s phobia or gradually reduce a person’s fear.
10. Many of us take water for granted in our daily lives, but people who live in the desert
G. There are social phobias in which the sufferer is afraid of any kind of social or
professional occasion. __________(not use) water carelessly. To them each drop is precious.
11. I got into a taxi quickly because I __________(follow) by two strange men. As soon as I
H. You can be afraid of clouds, certain colours, bicycles, rain, mushrooms and even
sitting down. got into the taxi, I __________(feel) a little safer.
12. Mark is a genius. By the time he graduated, he __________(offer) jobs by a dozen
3. TENSE REVISION. Present continuous or simple?
computer companies.
At work Mark is talking to Alan in the corridor. Complete their conversation. 13. Only coffee and dessert __________(serve) at the reception yesterday.
Put in the present continuous or simple of the verbs.
14. In recent years, the government __________(impose) pollution controls on automobile
Mark: (0) Are you looking (you/look) for someone?
Alan: Yes, (00) I need (need) to speak to Neil. He isn’t in his office. manufacturers. Both domestic and imported automobiles must __________(equip) with
Mark: He (1) (talk) to the boss at the moment. I (2)_______(think) they anti-pollution devices.
(3)_______(discuss) money.
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15. According to present company policy, bonuses for most sales __________(give) to the 6. At school I ________ (dislike) the maths teacher because he ________ (always/ pick) on
staff at the end of July every year. me.
7. Wherever Marion ________ (find) a job, there was someone who ________(know) that
5. TENSE REVISION. Present Perfect or Past Simple? she ________ (go) to prison.
0. I’ve done (do) all the housework. The flat is really clean now. 8. Several years later I ________ (find out) that during all the time I ________(write) to my
00. A young couple bought (buy) the house next door. But they didn’t live there long. pen friend, my mother ________(open) and reading the replies!
1. Our visitors ________(arrive). They’re sitting in the garden. 9. I (not/ understand) what ________ (go on). Several people ________(shout) at me, and
2. There’s still a problem with the television. Someone ________(repair) it, but then it broke one passer-by ________(wave) a newspaper in front of my face.
down again. 10. I ________ (know) I ________ (do) well in my exams even before I ________(receive)
3. I ________(lose) my bank card. I can’t find it anywhere. the official results.
4. The match ________(start). United are playing well. 8. Complete the text using the verbs in brackets in the past simple or past perfect.
5. My sister ________(run) away from home. But she came back two days later.
6. Daniel ______(earn) some money last week. But I’m afraid he’s already spent it all. One day, it was very cold and I really (1)________(not want) to go to my sports lesson.
7. We ________(plant) an apple tree in the garden. Unfortunately it died. So I (2) ________(say) that I (3) ________ (fall) down the stairs and that I couldn’t walk
8. Prices ________(go) up. Everything is more expensive this year. properly. The teacher called the doctor. When he arrived, everyone else (4)
9. Someone ________(turn) on the hi-fi. What’s that song called? ________(leave) for the sports ground already. The doctor looked at my foot, and (5)
10. I ___(phone) the office at eleven to speak to the manager, but he isn’t there today. ________ (ask) me about my family. Then he told me to stand up and jump in the air, which
11. I ________ (make) a cake. Would you like a piece? I did. The doctor smiled. I (6) ________ (forget) that my foot was ‘hurt’! When the teacher
12. The runner Amos Temila ________(break) the world record for the 1,500 metres in (7)________ (find out) that I (8) ________ (not hurt) my foot, she was very angry. She sent
Frankfurt. Then two days later in Helsinki. Lee Williams ran it in an even faster time. me to the sports ground straight away. When I (9)________ (get) there, I found that
everyone else (10) ________ (go) home for tea - but I had to run around the sports ground
6. TENSE REVISION. Complete this letter to a newspaper. Put in the Present Perfect for two hours!
or Past Simple.
9. Look carefully at each line. Some of the lines are correct, and some have a word
A few days ago I (0) learned (learn) that someone plans to knock down the White Horse which should not be there. Tick each correct line. If a line has a word which should
Inn. This pub (00) has been (be) the centre of village life for centuries. It (1)________(stand) not be there, write the word in the space.
at our crossroads for 500 years. It (2) ________ (be) famous in the old days, and
Shakespeare once (3)________ (stay) there, they say. I (4)________ (live) in Brickfield all MY AMBITIONS
my life. The villagers (5)________ (know) about the plans for less than a week and already When I grow up, I would like to become either a 0. __√__
there’s a “Save Our Pub” campaign. Last week we (6)________ (be) happy, but this week scientist or a teacher. I am so very good at science 00. so
we’re angry. We will stop them. You’ll see. at school and I find it out very interesting to learn 1. ________
7. Put each verb in brackets into a suitable past verb form. about how the world works. I know that it would 2. ________
be mean going to university and studying quite hard. 3. ________
1. I realised that someone was stealing (steal) my wallet when I ________(feel) their hand in You also have to be good at mathematics, so that 4. ________
my jacket pocket. you can do all the necessary calculations. I need to 5. ________
2. When I ________ (phone) Helen last night she ________ (wash) her hair. work hard in that subject because of it is not one I 6. ________
3. Peter ________ (offer) me another drink but I decided I ________ (had) enough. find easy. If I cannot be a scientist, I would like to 7. ________
4. Nobody ________ (watch), so the little boy ________ (take) the packet of sweets from the teach. I love to working with children and I think 8. ________
shelf and ________ (put) it in his pocket. I am quite good at explaining things more clearly. You 9. ________
5. I ________ (not/ realise) that I ________ (leave) my umbrella on the bus until it ________ have to know that the subject you teach very well, 10. _______
(start) to rain. and you need a lots of patience. You also need to go 11. _______
to university and get the right qualifications. 12. _______
LALIBA BNSSS english testing. vibnc12no1. Friday, September 17, 2024 PAGE 4

10. Use the word given in capitals at the end of each line to form a word that fits in Norman invasion in the eleventh century. Then, in the sixteenth century, due (8)_______ the
the space in the same line. invention of printing, the increase (9)_______ opportunities for education and the growth of
international trade and communication, this form of English, which is known (10)_______
EVENING CLASSES
Middle English, changed into the language we now speak, Modern English.
Recently I decided to go evening classes twice a week. During Language change continues to the present day, although (11)_______ 1800 the major
the day I work in a (1) secretarial agency as a telephonist. It is SECRETARY area of change has been in vocabulary (12)_______ than grammar. Events (13)_______ as
not a very interesting (2)________ and I get bored. I also get OCCUPY the Industrial Revolution and the two world wars are among the reasons (14)_______ the
tired of coming home every evening, putting a (3)________ meal expansion of vocabulary. (15)_______ factor is the growing influence of the media.
in the oven and then watching TV. So I decided to take up FREEZE
(4)________ as a hobby. Perhaps I should give you an CARPENTER 13. Read and choose the correct word for each space.
(5)________ for my choice. Learning a skill is a good EXPLAIN THE SMALL SCREEN
(6)_______ to the problem of boring work. Also, I felt I was a SOLVE
(7)________because any time I tried to put up a shelf, for FAIL In the 1920s, people were keen to (1)_______ about new ideas and inventions but
example, it always fell down! Now I am quite a (8)________ SUCCESS perhaps the most popular and amazing idea of that decade was the television. The first
wood-worker! I am working on the (9)________ of some furniture CONSTRUCT public demonstration of the television took (2)_______ on January 13th 1928. On this day,
at the moment. And although there are only two other girls in the the first television programme was broadcast and shown in the home of Ernst Alexanderson
class, I don’t feel any (10)________. I’ve turned out to be the EMBARRASS in New York, USA. The world’s first television (3)_______ saw a large machine with a tiny
best student in the class! screen which was not black or white but pink.
They saw a picture of a man (4)_______ looked like he had been made using the X keys
11. Make all necessary changes and additions to make a complete letter. on a typewriter The image was not very clear and moved (5)_______ side to side slightly.
Magazines and newspapers (6)_______ this event with great excitement. People were
Dear Sirs,
amazed. Science fiction had suddenly (7)_______ reality. Television was here and life would
Yesterday/ I receive/ new TV set/ I order. However/ I’ve/ very angry as it arrive / terrible
(8)_______ be the same again. On May 10th, 1928, the first regular television programme
condition. Firstly / deliver men / be rude / refuse/ wait / while I / unpack / TV. When / unpack
was broadcast. This programme was a news report which was shown twice a day three
/ I see / it be damaged. The control knob / be broken / and there be / large crack / on the top
times a week. In those days, there were only a (9)_______ homes with television sets, but it
/ TV. I / never before / receive / anything / in such bad condition. Could you arrange / collect
would not be long before TV would take over the world. (10)_______ days, millions of
this set/ and deliver / a new one / soon / possible? I trust / this matter receive / prompt
homes all over the planet have TV sets showing thousands of programmes on hundreds of
attention.
channels. Television is a part of our lives, and it is here to stay.
Yours faithfully,
L. Rogers (Mr.) 1. A. teach B. find C. learn D. study
2. A. place B. off C. up D. part
12. Fill in each space with only one word.
3. A. spectators B. crowd C. listeners D. audience
THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE 4. A. which B. who C. what D. whom
Today English is, without doubt, the world’s most important language. One (1)_______ 5. A. from B. over C. through D. across
ten people speak it as their mother (2)_______ and it has a larger vocabulary (3)_______ 6. A. wrote B. told C. reported D. explained
any other language. English belongs to the Indo-European family of languages, (4)_______ 7. A. been B. made C. come D. become
developed from a parent language first spoken about five thousand years ago in central 8. A. always B. sometimes C. never D. rarely
northern Europe. From there, it spread to the (5)_______ of Europe and the Middle East, 9. A. few B. many C. little D. number
and over time it developed into a series of new tongues. One of (6)_______ was Primitive 10. A. This B. These C. That D. Those
Germanic, which later split into old English, Dutch, German and the Scandinavian -THE END-
languages. Old English was later heavily influenced (7)_______ French following the