EXERCISE 1 – VOCABULARY

Choose the correct answer:

1. There have been a few complains but _____ our customers are satisfied.
A. above all B. no matter how
C. by and large D. within reason

2. As this is only a reproduction of the orginal painting, it is practically _____.

A. priceless B. worthless C. invaluable D. unworthy

3. He promised to stick by her through _____.

A. spick and span B. odds and ends
C. bad and good D. thick and thin

4. Matters finally _____ at the office and they fired him.

A. hit the roof B. tore off a strip
C. brought to a boil D. came to a head

5. When they speak about Physics, I’m afraid it’s all over _____.
A. my brain B. my schooling C. my head D. my knowledge

6. The shirts looks small but the material _____ to fit the individual.
A. swells B. stretches C. spreads D. extends

7. When he turned on the tap, the water _____ out and soaked the front of
his trousers.
A. drippered B. spurted C. trickled D. oozed

8. They hadn’t _____ there being so much traffic and missed the plane.
A. caught on B. dreamed up C. bargained on D. set out

9. The conference was going well until a new manager gave a speech that was
_____ and boring.
 A. loose-lipped B. off the order C. over time D. long-winded

10. The holiday didn’t _____ to their expectations.

A, come up B. get down C. bring up D. come down

11. I’m afraid that Joe is _____ of a nervous breakdown.

A. on the blink B. under jeopardy
C. on the verge D. from scratch

12. We’ll have to _____ many candidates and see who is the most suitable for
the job.
A. strip down B. see through C. sift through D. take away

13. After losing the contract, the company decided to _____ on efficiency.
A. make up B. get rid C. come down D. crack down

14. At the moment, there is little _____ of the manager resigning.

A. means B. trace C. likelihood D. probably

15. Mark suddenly started insulting the customer. It was so out of _____ that
everybody was shocked!
A. role B. bounds C. character D. personality

16. The decided to celebrate by going out and _____ .

A. getting on cloud nine
B. seeing the light at the end of the tunnel
C. paiting the town red
D. getting over the moon
17. Oh no! It looks like rain has _____ for the day.
A. broken out B. brought on C. set in D. taken on

18. Don’t worry! I know the speech _____ .

A. off my head B. by heart C. on my mind D. on the tongue
19. Since the law works slowly, there is a considerable _____ of cases waiting
for trial.
A. remainder B. hangover C. backlog D. reserve

20. They don’t work the same shift any longer, but they still meet _____ in the
canteen.
A. in time
B. on time
C. from time to time
D. at the same time

21. The thought of spending a night in the so-called “haunted” house alone
made him _____ with fear.
A. burp B. shudder C. blink D. swallow

22. _____ my colleagues, I would like to thank you for everything you have
done for us.
A. On behalf of
B. Instead of
C. In spite of
D. On account of
23. Can you give me a rough _____ of what the job which may cost me?
A. calculating B. value C. estimate D. esteem

24. He had to work in an office. He’d prefer a job which allowed him to spend
most of his time _____ .
A. in air B. off limits C. in open D. out of doors

25. Don’t you like it? I was _____ you liked Indian food.
A. off the idea B. thinking C. in response to D. under the impression

26. The article you want is _____ . It should take about twenty working days to
arrive. Shall you still order it?
A. off the sale B. out of stock C. on order D. in stock
27. He is well _____ of the problems involved in settig up a business.
A. acquainted B. knowledgeable C. on order D. in stock

28. She seems a lively, fun-loving person, but it would be a great mistake to -
_____ her intelligence.
A. underrate B. despire C. depreciate D. devalue

29. It’s a formal wedding, so my husband and I will have to _____ .

A. get dressed B. dress up C. wear dress D. wear birthday suits

30. She _____ a range when she saw the mess they’d made.
A. flew into B. went off C. blew up D. came into

31. She never comes here now. We only see her _____ .
A. when the cows come home.
B. once in a blue moon
C. time and time again
D. once upon a time
32. The news of the robbery soon _____ .
A. broke out B. came over C. got round D. spread out

33. John’s doctor says he is _____ a nervous breakdown.

A. closed to B. on edge
C. nearby D. on the verge of

34. One little mistake shouldn’t _____ again.

A. stop you from trying B. put you off trying
C. get you off D. prevent you from trying

35. I thought her behavior was very out of _____ .

A. mind B. personality C. character D. role

36. Your name _____ up in the course of our conversation.

A. brought B. came C. got D. took

37. Those trainers have _____ . Why don’t you get a new pair?
 A. gone off B. expired C. dropped off D. seen better days

38. She wasn’t helped. She did it _____ .

A. off-hand B. single-handed
C. with one hand D. with slight of hand

39. You’re living in a world of make-believe. You’ll have to _____ up facts

sooner or later.
A. come B. bring C. look D. face

40. They treated you very badly. Aren’t you tempted to _____ in some way?
A. win them again B. go round the bend
C. get your own back D. give them back

41. Susan has received top marks in all of her classes. She is _____ .
A. in the hot seat B. over the moon
C. get your own back D. give them back

42. Chris decided to try and _____ a new firm.

A. get by B. set up C. carry out D. come up

43. As long as you live within your _____, you won’t have problems with debts.
A. means B. power C. reach D. sight

44. Joan’s very practical, isn’t she? She’s really _____.

A. got her head in the clouds B. bitten off more than she can chew
C. got her head crewed on D. painted the town red

45. Christine is always running _____ after the children. She has so much
energy!
A. up B. round C. in D. back

46. If you _____ your eyes open, you’ll see many interesting animals on the
savannah.
A. keep B. hold C. fix D. stand
47. Upbringing is very important in forming your _____ to the world.
A. opinion B. attitude C. position D. view

48. We’ll give you what you want as long as your demands are within _____ .
A. offer B. reason C. knowledge D. backing

49. Since he became president, serious work has _____ to showing off his new
power.
A. sitting in the shade B. been sitting the driver’s seat
C. taken the back seat D. driven a hard bargain

50.We need to _____ that this never happens again.

A. ensure B. assure C. insure D. ashore

51. His down-to- _____ manner made him popular with the common people
throughout the country.
A. hand B. earth C. words D. truth

52. Has it ever _____ you that maybe they were not telling the truth?
A. turned to B. fallen about C. jumped at D. dawned on

53. Terrence would be perfect as Hamlet! The role _____ him like a glove.
A. fits B. wears C. covers D. slips

54. The _____ of prolonged space travel are still not known.
A. affects B. effective C. effects D. infects

55. Professor Wilson _____ to give a paper on world politics.

A. complied B. accepted C. consented D. submitted

56. When a soldier receives orders, he has to obey them _____.

A. prudently B. promptly C. profoundly D. patiently

57. Because Mr.John is _____, he is not so likely to regard you as a threat.

A. self-confident B. self-assertive C. self-contained D. self-conscious
58. She tried to _____ me into going shopping with her, but I refused.
A. make B. persude C. suggest D. convince

59. The new manager doesn’t _____ of smoking in the conference room.
A. allow B. accept C. approve D. permit

60. I work for an insurance company and deal with all the _____ that come in.
A. queries B. inquiries C. requests D. questions

61. George is doing an additional _____ in graphic design.

A. research B. practice C. course D. study

62. Far-_____ actions have a very wide influence and effect on a great number
of things.
A. fetchyed B. stretching C. sighted D. reaching

63. Thank God you have come _____ ! The train leaves in 3 minutes.
A. lastly B. finally C. at the end D. at last

64. The _____ pperiod of economic growth soon ended.

A. brief B. concise C. abrupt D. little

65. All conference participants wore _____ with their name.

A. badges B. tags C. labels D. signs

66. Janet and James has blazing _____ last night.

A. quarrel B. debate C. row D. disagreement

67. When we saw a policeman, we cleared _____ as fast as we could.

A. out B. away C. off D. down

68. The gorvenment should introduce measures aimed to put _____, or at

least restrict organised crime.
A. up B. out C. off D. down
69. Their _____ made them take a trip round the world.
A. watchband B. wanderlust C. walloping D. wastage
70. They were _____ even to the charm, eloquence and beauty of Miss
Finchley.
A. impertinent B. impervious C. impious D. impeccable