PRACTICE TEST 8
I. USE OF ENGLISH.
PART A. CHOOSE THE CORRECT ANSWER TO FILL IN THE BLANKS.
1. Every Christmas of my childhood was the same. My father........ late for lunch, weighed down with
presents for the family.
A. would arrive B. could arrive C. was arriving D. got used to arriving
2. If I........you a free ticket, would you go to Florence with me?
A would offer B. were to offer C. had offered D. were offered
3. "You........ things. Can't you be more careful?" sad Tom's mother.
A. always lose B. are losing C. always lost D. are always losing
4. ....in the next room, her voice is like ......... of a boy.
A. Hearing - the sound B. Hearing - the one
C. Heard - that D. Having been heard - that one
5. I'd say let's meet on Saturday but I’m none........ sure what's happening at the weekend.
A. so B. very C. that D. too
6. When the exam is over. I'll go fishing ........ I haven't done for weeks.
A anything B. something C. things D. everything
7. We're going to visit the Great Walls. Everybody says this is........ .
A. a too good chance for being lost B. too good a chance to be lost
C. too good a chance for being lost D. a too good chance to lose
8. ....., her suggestion is of greater value than her friend's.
A. All things considered B. All things considering
C. Considering all things D. Considered all things
9. As far as I am concerned, education is about learning and the more you learn, ......
A the more for life are you equipped B. the more life you equip for
C. the more equipped for life you are D. the more me you are equipped for
10. He wants to give his daughters........ he can afford.
A. all for the best B. the very best C. at best D. what best
11. ........Sam had was gone when she heard that nearly all her classmates had failed to answer the
teacher's question.
A. A little confidence B. The little confidence
C. Little confidence D. Little of confidence
12. ........ the difficulty of the task, I shall be lucky to have completed it by June.
A. Regarding B. Presuming C. Given D. Encountered
13. Diana took a course in shorthand and typing........applying for a secretary job
A. on account of B. with a view to
C. with a reason for D. for fear of
14. Jessica has bungled every task her boss has given her so far. ........., he's prepared to give her one last
chance.
A. Notwithstanding B. Instead C. Furthermore D. Nevertheless
15. The restaurant is popular with film stars and the.........
A same B. like C such D. similar
16. Tom's decision to leave university after a year is one he now........ regrets
A. painfully B. harshly C. heavily D. deeply
17. Pollutants in this over are increasing........ - something must be done about it immediately.
A. chillingly B. utterly C. rigorously D. alarmingly
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18. Although his paintings are abstract, the artist........ inspiration from the natural world.
A. draws B. pulls C. makes D. has
19. She........with pleasure at the unexpected compliment.
A. grinned B. glared C. beamed D. laughed
20. As Jane lay in her cabin, she heard the gentle sound of waves........ against the hull.
A pelting B. splashing C. gushing D. lapping
21. David was so ........ by the beauty of Ha Long Bay that he instantly decided to move there.
A. captured B. captivated C accumulated D beckoned
22. Many species of fish have........ ways of protecting their eggs from predators.
A. ingenious B. indicative C. inspiring D. ingenuous
23. No one knows how the rival company got........ of the plans for thee new marketing campaign.
A. wind B. breeze C. voice D. ear
24. Family relationships later........ a great significance in his life.
A. built up B. kept on C. took on D. made up
25. For non-native speakers, it is not unusual for understanding to ........ when listening to others’
conversations in English.
A. fall away B. break down C. give up D. set out
26. Since we had only one day left, we decided to make an........effort to finish the run in record time.
A all-in B. all-out C. over-all D. all-around
27. Julian is one of the many young,........ artists to be taken on recently by an important gallery.
A. bottom-up B. up-and-coming C top-down D. out-and-out
28. Jimmy's not interested in the........ . He just wants to know the plan facts.
A. cut and thrust B. hue and cry C. ifs and buts D. part and parcel
29. - Mai: "..........". ?
- Ian: "I'm pretty busy right now. I'm doing my homework because I have an exam tomorrow."
A. How is your day going? B. How are you doing?
C. What do you do? D. What are you doing here?
30. Student 1: "Excuse me! Could you show me the way to the library?
Student 2: "Sorry, I'm new here. Student 1: "............... "
A. Not at all B. Bad luck. C. No problem. D. Thank you all the same.
PART B. CHOOSE THE WORD OR PHRASE THAT FITS EACH SPACE IN THE
FOLLOWING PASSAGE.
In recent years, ready-made meals have (1)_____ Britain's eating (2)_____ Britons now spend four
times as much as the Italians on ready-made meals and six times more than the Spanish. (3)_____ for
instant meals has increased across Europe as a (4)_____ but why has Britain become the (5)_____
European capital of ready-made food, second only in the world to America?
Convenience is (6)_____ of the attraction. A recent survey (7)_____ that 77 percent of purchasers said
they only bought ready meals when they did not have time to cook, Dr Susan Jebb, head of nutrition at
the Medical Research Council, said: 'People in the UK work the longest hours, we are very time-poor,
and we don't have a strong (8)_____ history of cooking.' The ready-made meal boom also reflects
changing social (9)_____ in Britain. More people live alone and so are less Key to be (10)_____ to
cook. And with families eating together less often, ready meals allow people to eat what they want when
they want. Julia Michigan, of Marks and Spencer, says that ready meals also reflect changing (11)_____
in food. 'Britain's multiculturalism has brought a (12) _____ range of restaurants than other European
countries, and ethnic cuisines, which people are often scared of cooking from (13)_____ ,are (14) _____
more popular. One quarter of (15)_____ meals are Indian, and nearly one in five are Chinese.
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1. A. amended B. adjusted C. transferred D. transformed
2. A. ways B. forms C. habits D. manners
3. A. Request B. Order C. Demand D. Charge
4. A. conclusion B. total C. result D. whole
5. A. unclaimed B. unclassified C undefeated D. undisputed
6. A. element B. piece C. part D. share
7. A. found B. made C. put D. gave
8. A. traditional B. cultural C. modern D. customary
9. A. trends B. temptations C. drifts D. movements
10. A. offended B. bothered C. worried D. disturbed
11. A. desires B likings C. tastes D. washes
12. A. longer B. deeper C. harder D. wider
13. A. scratch B. beginning C. memory D. nowhere
14. A very B. lot C. far D. such
15. A. chilled B. decent C. meager D. junk
II. READING.
PART A. READ THE PASSAGE AND CHOOSE THE BEST ANSWERS TO THE QUESTIONS.
The radical change in the land's surface that results when rural areas are transformed into cities is
a significant cause of the rise in temperature in cities that is known as urban heat island.
First, the tall buildings and the concrete and asphalt of the city absorb and store greater quantities
of solar radiation than do the vegetation and soil typical of rural areas.
In addition, because the concrete and asphalt are impermeable, the runoff of water following a
rain is rapid, resulting in a severe reduction in the evaporation rate. So heat that once would have been
used convert liquid water to a gas goes instead to increase the surface temperature further.
At night, although both city and countryside cool through radiation losses, the stone-1ike surface of
the city gradually releases the additional heat accumulated during the day, keeping the urban air warmer
than that of the outlying areas.
Part of the urban temperature rise must also be attributed to waste heat from such sources as
home heating and air conditioning, power generation, industry, and transportation. Many studies have
shown that the magnitude of human-made energy in metropolitan areas is equal to a significant
percentage of the energy received from the Sun at the surface.
Investigations in Sheffield, England, and Berlin showed that the annual heat production in these
cities was equal to approximately one-third of that received from solar radiation. Another study of the
densely built-up Manhattan section of New York City revealed that during the winter, the quantity of
heat produced from combustion alone was two and one-half times greater than the amount of solar
energy reaching the ground. In summer, the figure dropped to one-sixth.
It is interesting to note that during the summer there is a mutual reinforcement between the higher
nighttime temperatures of the city and the human-made heat that helped create them. That is, the higher
temperatures result in the increased use of air-conditioners, which, in turn, use energy and further
increase the amount of urban heat. During the winter the nighttime warmth of urban areas, produced in
large part by heavy energy consumption, is beneficial because less energy needed to heat buildings.
1. What does the passage mainly discuss?
A. The loss of farmland to urban development
B. The causes of increased heat in cities
C. Waste heat generated by home heating and air conditioning
D. How seasonal change affects the temperature of cities
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2. All of the following contribute to the urban heat island effect EXCEPT......
A. absorption of heat from the Sun
B. storage of heat from the Sun
C. an increased rate of evaporation after a rainfall
D. the release of heat at night from city surfaces
3. The word "convert" in the passage is closest in meaning to......
A. reverse B. transform C. reduce D. compare
4. The word "that" in the passage refers to......
A. city B. heat C. day D. air
5. In which of the following locations would the rate of evaporation probably be highest?
A. A rural area B. A small town C. A medium-sized city D. A big city
6. The word "magnitude" in the passage is closest in meaning to.....
A. calculation B. comprehension C. extent D. formation
7. The author mentions Manhattan to order to demonstrate that.....
A. heat in urban areas can be reduced
B. the conclusions of the investigation in Sheffield were wrong
C. its heat production is smaller than that of Berlin
D. human-made heat can exceed the solar energy that reaches the ground in winter
8. According to the passage, on important consequence of the use of air-conditioners at night is......
A. greater energy costs B. higher levels of urban heat
C. serious problems with the energy supply D. less need for air conditioning in the morning
9. The word "beneficial" in the passage is closest in meaning to......
A. predictable B. powerful C. hazardous D. advantageous
10. Which of the following is true about cities at night in the winter?
A. Solar energy has an increased impact on the urban heat island.
B. They tend to be colder than rural areas.
C. Less energy is required to heat buildings
D. Human-made energy created a larger area of total heat than solar energy.
PART B: REARRANGE THE FOLLOWING SENTENCES SO THAT THEY MAKE A
MEANINGFUL REVIEW OF A COMPUTER GAME.
A. A selection of viewpoints, including a breakneck 'biker's eye view' are offered. This game will
push your skills and patience to the limit.
B. There are 10 tracks, of which three are available at the outset. Only by scoring gold in both
classes on all of these can you gain access to the next three, and so on.
C. Wonder Racer succeeds in bringing the body breaking speed of time-trial biking to the PC, but
its difficulty may leave you shaking. The approach is simple and unsophisticated.
D. The courses are a fictitious mix of country lanes, exotic beaches and snowy mountain passes.
The 3-0 is excellent in its speed, smoothness and level of detail.
E. There are only three controls, far fewer than in many other modem games. Players start by
selecting one of sixteen riders, from a set of teams.
1- 2- 3- 4- 5-
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PART C. SUPPLY EACH BLANK WITH ONE SUITABLE WORD.
PASSAGE I
It is forecast that we can look forward to working (1).................hours in the future, but it is necessary
for health and tranquility to work a certain (2).. .............of hours per week, ideally doing a variety of
jobs - something schools have always known. It may be that house building will meet this need. It is a
very basic human instinct. Gardening is a related activity. It is already (3).. ...........to cultivate many
hurts and vegetables than to buy them in the shops and the house of the next decade should take this into
(4)................ .
(5).............. important question is that of energy conservation. The proportion of income (6).............on
keeping warm is steadily going up, and, with the cost of energy likely to double in real terms during the
next ten years or (7)........many large badly-insulated old houses will become extremely expensive to use.
The demand will be (8)............... small, well-insulated homes located in warm protected areas and
making the best (9)............... of the sun's warmth. Efficient heating units will be of prime importance.
At (10)................, we waste a lot of space in planning rooms which are awkward to use.
PASSAGE 2
We live surrounded by objects and systems that we take for (1)... ............ , but which profoundly affect
the way we behave, think, work, play, and in general lead our (2).... ............ Look, for example, at the
place in which you are reading this now, and see how much of (3).. ............. surrounds you is
understandable, how much of it you could actually build yourself or repair (4) ................it cease to
function. When we start the car or press the (5)... ..........in the elevator, or buy food in the supermarket,
we gave no (6).. ............. to the complex devices or systems that make the car move, or the elevator rise,
or the food appear on the shelves.
Throughout this century we have become increasingly dependent on the products of (7)... ............ .
They have already changed our lives: at the simplest (8)............... , the availability of transport has made
us physically less fit than our ancestors. Many people are alive only because they have been given
(9)............... to disease through drugs. The vast majority of the world's population relies on the ability of
technology to provide and transport food. We are unable to feed and clothe or keep (10).............warm
without technology.
III. ERROR CORRECTION
IDENTIFY THE FIVE (5) MISTAKES IN THE FOLLOWING PASSAGE AND CORRECT
THEM.
An ecosystem is a group of animals and plants living in a specific region and interact with one
another and with their physical environment. Ecosystems include physical and chemical
components, such as soils, water, and nutritions that support the organisms living there. These
organisms may range from large animals to microscope bacteria. Ecosystems also can be thought of
as the interactions among all organisms in a given habitat; for instance, one species may serve as
food for other. People are part of the ecosystems where they live and work. Hunan activities can
harm or destroy local ecosystems unless actions such as land development for housing or businesses
are careful planned to conserve and sustain the ecology of the area. An important part of ecosystem
management involves finding ways to protect and enhance economical and social well-being while
protecting local ecosystems.
1-______________________________________
2-______________________________________
3-______________________________________
4-______________________________________
5-______________________________________
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SUPPLY THE APPROPRIATE FORMS OF WORDS IN THE BRACKETS.
1. His tour was cut......................short due to her illness. APPOINT
2. Since the city center became a (n)...................pedestrian area, shopping has been a more pleasant
experience. TRAFFIC
3. I've.....................the CNN homepage as I use it regularly to get the latest news. MARK
A. The................. at the temple are bringing heart for peace and prosperity. DEVOTION
5. A(n)................ life, lack of physical activity, stressful jobs, and bad habits can influence one's heath in
a very bad way. PACE
6. Officials urged caution in anticipation of catastrophic and..................... flooding in the days to come.
THREAT
7. The store manager explained................. that only certain items were sold at a discount. APOLOGY
8. Women are traditionally supposed to be good at.................. TASK
9. The recent events..................... the need for a better understanding of the environmental impact of
biotechnology, SCORE
10. ................... fines may be issued for careless driving and other offenses. SPOT
V. WRITING.
REWRITE THE FOLLOWING SENTENCES WITHOUT CHANGING THE MEANING. YOU
HAVE TO USE THE EXACT WORD GIVEN IN BRACKETS FOR EACH SENTENCE.
1. I think you should get someone to fix the computer. FIXED
I would prefer it.........................................................................................................................................
2. Jack was so nervous that his mind couldn't function properly. STRAIGHT
Such...........................................................................................................................................................
3. Suddenly, the management said it was important for us to wear dark suits to the meeting. ONCE
The management insisted..........................................................................................................................
4. To say briefly, this school regulation cannot be abolished right away. DO
In a............................................................................................................................................................
5. Trying to persuade someone to agree with you can be a formidable task. VIEW
Trying to bring..........................................................................................................................................
6. Anna inherited a fortune when her father died. INTO
After the.....................................................................................................................................................
7. We were not late for school because you took us in your car. TIME
If it hadn't been for.....................................................................................................................................
8. I managed to finish the task, but it was difficult. SUCCEED
Only with...................................................................................................................................................
9. Although she didn't agree with the management's decision, Chloe was forced to accept it. CHOICE
Much.........................................................................................................................................................
10. Fred didn't tell Sophie his news until she had finished her homework. TELLING
Fred waited................................................................................................................................................
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