ENGLISH PRACTICE 40
PART I. GRAMMAR AND VOCABULARY
I. Complete the following sentences by choosing the correct answer among four options (A, B, C or D). (15pts)
1. She looked very______ when I told her the good news.
A. happily B. happiness C. happy D. was happy
2. I don't want much sugar in my coffee. Just_______, please.
A. few B. a few C. little D. a little
3. He's left his book at home; he's always so______.
A. forgetful B. forgettable C. forgotten D. forgetting
4. 'I'm very ______ to you for putting in so much hard work,' the boss said.
A. thanking B. grateful C. considerate D. careful
5. Steel_______ with chromium to produce a noncorrosive substance known as stainless steel.
A. is combined B. that is combined C. combining D. when combined
6. Joe seemed to be in a good mood, ________ he snapped at me angrily when I asked him to join us.
A. yet B. so C. for D. and
7. A fire must have a readily available supply of oxygen. ________, it will stop burning.
A. Consequently B. Furthermore C. Otherwise D. However
8. “Who has brothers and sisters?” “Everyone ________Virginia who’s an only child.”
A. except to B. with C. from D. but
9. He is the manager of the factory. He’s ________it.
A. charged with B. charged C. in charge D. in charge of
10. He was new on the job, but he quickly fit himself into the ________ routine of the office.
A. establishing B. established C. establishes D. establish
11. Florida, ________ the Sunshine State, attracts many tourists every year.
A. is B. is known as C. known as D. that is known as
12. ________becoming extinct is of great concern to zoologists.
A. That giant pandas are B. Giant pandas are C. Are giant pandas D. Giant panda is
13. Her parents gave her everything she asked for. She's a completed _______ child.
A. wounded B. spoilt C. damaged D. destroyed
14. _______ my experience, very few people really understand the problem.
A. To B. In C. With D. From
15. When she died, she gave _________ all her money to a charity for cats.
A. away B. out C. on D. off
II. Complete the following passage by supplying the correct form of the word to fill in each blank. (10pts)
The increase in city crime is a global phenomenon. Some people say that a lot of crime in this country is because
of (1 - migrate) ………………………………. and the new people arriving from other countries bring different (2 - culture)
………………………………. values and attitudes to the law. I don’t agree with this idea because the most common crimes are
(3 - local) ………………………………. produced and not imported from other countries. (4 - Vandal) ………………………………. is
one of the biggest crimes in my city with bus shelters and shop windows being popular targets. Another popular crime is
(5 - pay) ………………………………. parking fines, which is unlikely to be because of immigrants because most of them do not
own cars. The (6 - oppose) ………………………………. point of view is that young local people feel angry when they can’t get
a job and in order to (7 - hand) ………………………………. the change in their environment, they strike out at easy targets.
This would explain why bicycle (8 - thief) ………………………………. is more common than car crime these days, especially in
rich (9 - neighbors) ………………………………. where most cars are protected with electronic alarms. Another reason, though,
for so many bicycles getting stolen might be that the (10 - punish) ………………………………. is not very severe compared to
car stealing which can land you in prison for a number of years.
III. Fill in each blank with one suitable preposition. (5pts)
1. Most American men earn ………………………………. average about $110 a week.
2. He was walking through the park when a strange dog suddenly went ………………………………. him.
3. My car is not worth much ………………………………. most $ 50.
4. I’d better not drink that milk, Joe. It’s gone ………………………………..
5. Clive was really cut ………………………………. when he failed his proficiency exam.
IV. Identify the error in each sentence. Write the corresponding letter A, B, C or D on the answer sheet. (10pts)
1. The children forgot picking up the note from the office and now they are worried.
A B C D
2. Helen has never met such good person who is ready to help others.
A B C D
3. If only I have done the test better than other students did.
A B C D
4. If you want to borrow my car, promise to drive careful.
A B C D
5. Rumors began circulating that the Prime Minister was seriously illness.
A B C D
6. Everybody in class has to choose a topic of your own to write an essay of 500 words.
A B C D
7. Neither of the boys had ever been out of town before, so they were really exciting.
A B C D
8. I hope that I can help you with the historic questions.
A B C D
9. My son learned to talk the time before he was 5 years old.
A B C D
10. Jim offers us presents as if it had been Xmas.
A B C D
PART III: READING
I. Read the passage carefully, then choose the correct option (marked A, B, C or D) to answer the questions. (10pts)
Millions of people are using cell phones today. In many places, it is actually considered unusual not to use one.
In many countries, cell phones are very popular with young people. They find that the phones are means of
communication – having a mobile phone shows that they are cool and connected.
The explosion in mobile phone use around the world has made some health professionals worried. Some
doctors are concerned that in the future many people may suffer health problems from the use of mobile phones. In
England, there has been a serious debate about this issue. Mobile phone companies are worried about the negative
publicity of such ideas. They say that there is no proof that mobile phones are bad for your health.
On the other hand, medical studies have shown changes in the brain cells of some people who use mobile
phones. Signs of change in the issues of the brain and head can be detected with modern scanning equipment. In one
case, a traveling salesman had to retire at young age because of serious memory loss. He couldn't remember even
simple tasks. He would often forget the name of his own son. This man used to talk on his mobile phone for about six
hours a day, every day of his working week, for a couple of years. His family doctor blamed his mobile phone use, but his
employer's doctor didn't agree.
What is it that makes mobile phones potentially harmful? The answer is radiation. High – tech machines can
detect very small amounts of radiation from mobile phones. Mobile phone companies agree that there is some
radiation, but they say the amount is too small to worry about.
As the discussion about their safety continues, it appears that it's best to use mobile phones less often. Use your
regular phone of you want to talk for a long time. Use your mobile phone only when you really need it. Mobile phones
can be very useful and convenient, especially in emergencies. In the future, mobile phones may have a warning label
that says they are bad for your health. So for now, it's wise not to use your mobile phone too often.
1. According to the passage, cell phones are especially popular with young people because ______.
A. they are indispensable in everyday communication B. they make them look more stylish
C. they keep the users alert all the time D. they cannot be replaced by regular phones
2. The changes possible caused by the cell phones are mainly concerned with______.
A. the mobility of the mind and the body B. the smallest units of brain
C. the arteries of the brain D. the resident memory
3. The word "means" in the passage most closely means _______.
A. meanings B. expression C. method D. transmission
4. The word "potentially" in the passage most closely means _______.
A. obviously B. possibly C. certainly D. privately
5. "Negative publicity" in the passage most likely means _______.
A. information on the lethal effects of cell phones B. widespread opinion about bad effects of cell phones
C. the negative public use of cell phones D. poor ideas about the effects of cell phones
6. Doctors have tentatively concluded that cell phones may _______.
A. damage their users' emotions B. cause some mental malfunction
C. change their users' temperament D. change their users' social behavior
7. The man mentioned in the passage, who used his cell phone too often _______.
A. suffered serious loss of mental ability B. could no longer think lucidly
C. abandoned his family D. had a problem with memory
8. According to the passage, what makes mobile phones potentially harmful is ______.
A. their radiant light B. their power of attraction C. their raiding power D. their invisible rays
9. According to the writer, people should _______.
A. only use mobile phones in urgent cases B. only use mobile phones in medical emergencies
C. keep off mobile phones regularly D. never used mobile phones in all cases
[Link] most suitable title for the passage could be ______.
A. "The reasons why mobile phones are regular" B. "Technological Innovation and their price"
C. "The way mobile phones work" D. "Mobile phones – a must of our time"
II. Complete the following passage by choosing A, B, C or D to fill in each blank. (15pts)
Stamp collecting! What a wonderful hobby! I began when I was only five. I used to (1) ____ for the postman's
arrival, always (2) ____ to seize unwanted envelopes and tear off the corner with the stamp stuck on it.
Once – I remember it was too clearly – my mother and father were sunning themselves in the garden when the
post (3) ____ on the doormat. I heard the clatter of the letter flap and hurriedly went to (4) ____. There were four or five
envelops, all with very exciting stamps.
Even at the (5) ____ age of five I knew one doesn't open mail addressed to other people. However, tearing just
the corners off the envelopes (6) ____ me as perfectly fair and allowable, and just what I did. I carefully tore as (7) ____
to the stamps as (8) ____, feeling that even the envelopes, which were addressed to my parents and not to be, should
be treated with (9) ____.
There was nothing furtive in what I did. I knew my parents would see what I'd done, and I didn't think there was
any (10) ____ in it. They always let me (11) ____ the corners after they'd opened them. Why should I think there was
any harm in doing it first, (12) ____ in mind that they weren't on hand to be (13) ____. Wouldn't they rather be left to
doze in their summer deckchairs?
(14) ____, though, my father solemnly showed me his letters. They looked distinctly moth-eaten, with bites
taken out of the corners and sites. I began to (15) ____ what I've done.
1. A. stare B. watch C. look D. peer
2. A. glad B. pleased C. eager D. excited
3. A. came B. was C. lay D. arrived
4. A. investigate B. observe C. see D. notice
5. A. junior B. tender C. small D. little
6. A. struck B. seemed C. appeared D. felt
7. A. nearby B. close C. next D. round
8. A. able B. possibly C. possible D. could
9. A. gentleness B. caution C. honor D. respect
10. A. trouble B. wrong C. bad D. harm
11. A. take B. tear C. cut D. remove
12. A. having B. holding C. bearing D. keeping
13. A. consulted B. advised C. queried D. requested
14. A. After B. Then C. Later D. Soon
15. A. accept B. realize C. admit D. confess
III. Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow. Write A, B, C or D to indicate your answers on
the answer sheet. (10pts)
Every drop of water in the ocean, even in the deepest parts, responds to the forces that create the tides. No
other force that affects the sea is so strong. Compared with the tides, the waves created by the wind are surface
movements felt no more than a hundred fathoms below the surface. The currents also seldom involve more than the
upper several hundred fathoms despite their impressive sweep.
The tides are a response of the waters of the ocean to the pull of the Moon and the more distant Sun. In theory,
there is a gravitational attraction between the water and even the outermost star of the universe. In reality, however,
the pull of remote stars is so slight as to be obliterated by the control of the Moon and, to a lesser extent, the Sun. Just
as the Moon rises later each day by fifty minutes, on the average, so, in most places, the time of high tide is
correspondingly later each day. And as the Moon waxes and wanes in its monthly cycle, so the height of the tide varies.
The tidal movements are strongest when the Moon is a sliver in the sky, and when it is full. These are the highest flood
tides and the lowest ebb tides of the lunar month and are called the spring tides. At these times the Sun, Moon, and
Earth are nearly in line and the pull of the two heavenly bodies is added together to bring the water high on the
beaches, to send its surf upward against the sea cliffs, and to draw a high tide into the harbors. Twice each month, at the
quarters of the Moon, when the Sun, Moon and Earth lie at the apexes of a triangular configuration and the pull of the
Sun and Moon are opposed, the moderate tidal movements called neap tides occur. Then the difference between high
and low water is less than at any other time during the month.
1. What is the main point of the first paragraph?
A. The waves created by ocean currents are very large.
B. Despite the strength of the wind, it only moves surface water.
C. Deep ocean water is seldom affected by forces that move water.
D. The tides are the most powerful force to affect the movement of ocean water.
2. The words "In reality" in the passage is closest in meaning to_____.
A. surprisingly B. actually C. characteristically D. similarly
3. It can be inferred from the passage that the most important factor in determining how much gravitational effect one
object in space has on the tides is___.
A. size B. distance C. temperature D. density
4. The word "configuration" in the passage is closest in meaning to____.
A. unit B. center C. surface D. arrangement
5. Neap tides occur when____.
A. the Sun counteracts the Moon's gravitational attraction B. the Moon is full
C. the Moon is farthest from the Sun
D. waves created by the wind combine with the Moon's gravitational attraction
PART IV. WRITING
I. Write the new sentences using the word give. Do not change the word given in any way. (10pts)
1. We are afraid that the next train to Cardiff has been cancelled. REGRET
We ………………………………. ………………………………. ………………………………. the next train to Cardiff has been cancelled.
2. 'I was going to phone Sarah but I had too much homework to do', said John MEANT
John said that ………………………………. ………………………………. but he'd had too much homework to do.
3. Many people think that Gone with the Wind is one of the greatest films ever made. BE
Gone with the Wind ………………………………. ………………………………. one of the greatest films ever made.
4. If you hold your breath for a few seconds it might get rid of your hiccups. HOLDING
You might be able to get rid of your hiccups if you ……………………………………………………. for a few seconds.
5. Anna didn't like it at all when one of her colleagues got the promotion instead of her. RESENTED
Anna ………………………………. ………………………………. the promotion instead of her.
6. I have a good relationship with my neighbors. My neighbors ………………………………. …well together ON
7. It wasn't a good idea for me to spend all my money on beer and cigarettes, but I did. UP
I wish ………………………………. ………………………………. my money on beer and cigarettes.
8. The police left and then all the journalists arrived. ALREADY
The police ………………………………. ………………………………. all the journalists arrived.
9. Although Sarah wasn't wearing a helmet, she wasn't injured in the accident. OF
Sarah wasn't injured in the accident, ………………………………. ………………………………. a helmet.
10. She felt she had achieved a lot in life, despite her disadvantaged background. SENSE
Despite her disadvantaged background, she felt ……………………………………………….………. about her life.
II. Write a complete letter using the given word/phrases as cues. You should change the form of words if necessary.
(15pts) 1. Thank/ much/French/ cookery book/ you/ give/ me.
………………………………. ………………………………. ………………………………. ………………………………. ……………………………….
2. recipes/ look/ wonderful/, and/ I/ certainly/ enjoy/ use/ it.
………………………………. ………………………………. ………………………………. ………………………………. ……………………………….
3. I/ hope/ you/ and/ Auntie Susan/ have/ good/ Christmas.
………………………………. ………………………………. ………………………………. ………………………………. ……………………………….
4. we/ stay/ at/ home/, but/ have/ couple/ day/ trips/ out/ nearby.
………………………………. ………………………………. ………………………………. ………………………………. ……………………………….
5. our/ local/ theatre/ put/ on/ production/ "A Christmas Carol"/, which/ fun.
………………………………. ………………………………. ………………………………. ………………………………. ……………………………….
6. I/ go/ back/ University/ next/ week/, and/ this/ year/ I/have/ to/ study/ hard/ final/ exams.
………………………………. ………………………………. ………………………………. ………………………………. ……………………………….
7. I/ really/ enjoy/ the/ course/ so/ far/, but/ I/ not/ sure/ what/ do/ once/ I/ get/degree.
………………………………. ………………………………. ………………………………. ………………………………. ……………………………….
8. university/ arrange/ career/ interviews/, but/ I/ not/really/ have/clear/ idea/what/ I/ want/ do.
………………………………. ………………………………. ………………………………. ………………………………. ……………………………….
9. hopefully/ it/ all/ become/ clearer/ during/ course/ the/ year.
………………………………. ………………………………. ………………………………. ………………………………. ……………………………….
10. Thank/ again/ lovely/ present/, and/ Happy/ New/ Year/
………………………………. ………………………………. ………………………………. ………………………………. ……………………………….
