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17) Jill could clearly see the disadvantages _________ traveling alone.

Exercise 4

Complete the following sentences with the correct prepositions. Sometimes more than one answer is correct.

1) It was really very stupid ________ you to ask that question.

2) We’re terribly sorry _________ the noise we made last night.

3) Fred was shocked __________ his girlfriend’s behaviour.

4) I was furious ________ the proposals; they were just utter nonsense.

5) What are you so nervous ________?

6) Were they not sorry at all _______ leaving you like that?

7) He is not usually cruel ________ animals.

8) Jack was simply delighted ________ the presents he got.

9) I’m really impressed ________ your French; where did you learn it so well?

10) Joan soon got bored ________ doing the same thing every day.

Exercise 5

Fill each of the numbered blanks in the following passage. Use only one word in each space.

Teenage mugger given life for snatching a bag

A mugger who snatched a woman’s handbag eight days after 1 ________ released from a young offenders’ institution was jailed 2 ________ life yesterday.

Ragbhir Singh Digwa, 19, slumped in the dock as Judge Martin Tucker, QC, told him that he felt obliged to 3 ________ the sentence, “awesome and terrible 4 _______ it might be”. Digwa had been 5 ________ of robbing a 26-year-old woman 6 ________ 60 pounds on New Year’s Eve. The court was told that he had 17 7 ______ convictions for robbery and the judge said it was a “virtual certainty” that, 8 ______ he was released, he 9 _______ re-offend.

Judge Tucker told Digwa: “I feel obliged to 10 _______ a course that will 11 _____ that you will not be released 12 _______ the public until those who have 13 ________ ability, time and opportunity to monitor you can 14 ________ their hands on their hearts and say this man is 15 _______ longer a danger to the public. Until that time, you will not be released.”

He told Digwa that he felt the minimum amount 16 ______ time he should 17 _______ was five years but said he should not be released 18 _______ it was thought safe to do 19 ________ . 20 _______ passing an indeterminate life sentence, he was allowing for as long a period as necessary for Digwa to be rehabilitated.

Exercise 6

Put the verbs in brackets in the following text into the correct forms. Make all the necessary changes (sometimes you’ll have to use the Passive).

Dial ‘F’ for fish

There is something fishy (go) on in Borneo: fishermen (steal) pay phones and (use) them as electronic bait (lure) fish.

In the past year, about 900 of the 3,500 Telekom Malaysia pay phones (steal) in the state of Sabah on Boeneo Island, (say) a senior official of the company, Ahmad Zaini Mohammad Amin.

“Even our telephone manufacturer in Italy (be) baffled by the thefts,” he (report) as (say) by local newspapers.

Investigations (reveal) that the fishermen (cut off) the handsets, (connect) them to high-powered batteries and (lower) them into the water. The electricity (pass) through the microphones (produce) a high-pitched sound that (attract) fish into the nets, Ahmad (say).

Fisheries Department Director General Shahrom Abdul Majid (tell) a newspaper he (be) convinced the explanation (be) accurate.

He (quote) as (say) that some aquariums in Japan (release) piped music into tanks and the fish (move) to the rhythm. “It almost (look) as if they (dance),” he (say).

“I also (hear) of fishermen in the east coast [of Malaysia] (knock) bamboo sticks underwater (produce) a sound which (attract) a particular species of fish,” Shahrom (say).

“Light can also (use) as an effective way of (lure) fish, but most people (not know) fish also (respond) to all kinds of sound,” he (add).

The criminal innovation (come) to light because of the unusually high number of telephone thefts last year. Normally, only about 800 of the 40,000 pay phones (install) throughout the country (vandalize) every year. Ahmad (quote) as (say).

Exercise 7

Fill each of the numbered blanks in the following passage. Use only one word in each space.

The bell gave a 1 ______ of rings and I went to the front door. I looked 2 ______ the peephole and I saw a young- 3 _______ man with a suitcase. His fingers fiddled nervously 4 _______ his collar; then he waited, his face taking on a hopeful expression. A salesman, I thought 5 ______ myself. I wonder 6 ________ it’s going to be 7 _______ time: brushes, encyclopedias or the 8 _______ latest in miracle washing powders? Not 9 ________ a certain curiosity, I opened the door and prepared to be bombarded by a stream of persuasive 10 _______ talk. But 11 ______ my surprise the young man addressed me 12 ______ name. ‘Are you Mrs Charters?’ he asked in 13 _______ sounded like an American voice. Hesitantly, I 14 _______ I was. ‘You had a sister who went to Canada years ago.’ Good Heavens, my elder sister Angie. 15 ________’d been some kind of mystery, and her name had never been 16 ______ again. ‘I’m Angie’s son,’ he 17 _______ me. ‘I’m in England 18 _______ two months. I’m just 19 ______ my way to a flat I’ve taken nearby, and I thought I might as well 20 _______ you know we’re going to be neighbors.’

Exercise 8

Choose the correct answer. Only one answer is correct.

1) ______ of the girls was really pretty.

A) Some B) Either C) A few of D) Neither

2) Strong ________, he couldn’t lift the suitcase.

A) he ever was B) like him C) as he was D) he might be

3) You’d rather I didn’t tell him about last night, _______ you?

A) had B) wouldn’t C) hadn’t D) would

4) Little ______ that she could win his heart.

A) hoped she B) did she hope C) she didn’t hope D) she hoped

5) From their attitude they ______ have just been kissing.

A) might B) would C) should D) didn’t

6) They used to go out a lot, ______ they?

A) weren’t B) hadn’t C) haven’t D) didn’t

7) There are no leopard-skin pyjamas in the shops, nor ______ a market for them.

A) there is B) is C) it is D) is there

8) Vitamin C is not only found in lemons ______ in cabbage.

A) also is B) that is also C) but is also D) also is it

9) During the 1950’s Japan emerged _______ a new economic power.

A) like B) as C) such as D) into

10) The word “whisky” comes from the Gaelic _____ “water of life”.

A) it means B) to mean C) meaning D) to be meant

Exercise 9

Fill each of the numbered blanks in the following passage. Use only one word in each space.

Last summer some friends who had come to stay 1 _______ us wanted to visit a London flea market. We set 2 _______ shortly after breakfast and went 3 ______ Underground into town. 4 ________ leaving the station generally used 5 _______ the market we found 6 ________ in a long stream of tourists, visitors and sightseers, all heading 7 _______ the same destination. We had 8 _______ excellent weather 9 ______ through that summer and Saturday was 10 ________ exception; another brilliant morning. We walked along with the others 11 ______ for the narrow street where the market began its way downhill. There were stalls 12 ______ every kind. Our friends gave cries of 13 ________ at the 14 ______ of curios, antiques and odds and 15 _______ of junk stretching as far as they eye could see. Half an hour later we somehow lost 16 ______ . Obviously we couldn’t 17 _______ the entire market but we guessed that eventually they would find 18 _______ suitable to eat the sandwiches we had each taken. As we walked into the small park not 19 _______ from the market, 20 ______ they were, eating on the grass surrounded by a mountain of extraordinary purchases.

Exercise 10

Finish each of the following sentences in such a way that it means exactly the same as the sentence printed before it.

Example: He stole some money and was arrested for it.

He was…

Answer: He was arrested for stealing some money.

1) The firm lost 100,000 pounds last year owing to strikes.

The firm made…

2) You could say Joan is a little difficult sometimes.

John might…

3) He booked in advance so that he wouldn’t have to join the rush later on.

He booked in advance to…

4) I misdirected that elderly woman, I’m afraid.

I sent…

5) There was little demand for the book I wanted.

The book…

6) It’s not necessary to wash the car till tomorrow.

The car…

7) The tea was strong because he’d used too many spoonfuls.

It was…

8) I’d like to ask you a personal question if I may.

Would you…

9) I had never had to do anything so difficult before.

It was…

10) The ink was so faded that I couldn’t read the words.

The ink was too…

Exercise 11

In each of the following sentences there are two gaps. The – symbol means that nothing should be written into the gap. Note that in each answer the two parts are separated by two strokes (//).

1) _______ everywhere along the track after the train crash, making it difficult _______ people from the carriages.

(A) Wreckages were // to rescue

(B) There was wreckage // for rescuing

(D) There was wreckage // to rescue

2) After _______ for six hours, we _______ reach the top.

(A) having climbed // could

(B) climbing // managed to

(D) climb // we didn’t fail to

3) She had been learning _______ for 10 years but she still wasn’t playing with _____ skills necessary for a professional.

(A) violin // -

(B) the violin // the

(D) on violin // the

4) He informed me that if I _____ the front door locked, I _______ round to the back.

(A) find // needed to go

(B) found // will have to

(D) will find // would have to

5) Look! There’s an ambulance outside the neighbor’s house. It seems as though old Mr Brown ______ ill again. If only he ______ the doctor’s advice!

(A) has been taken // had taken

(B) were taken // he would have taken

(D) would be taken // were to take

6) How do you ______ these two instructions? _______ .

(A) understand // None has any sense for me

(B) mean // They contrast one another

(D) take out // They are not meaningful to me

7) The computer _______ more and more indispensable in ____ world.

(A) is becoming //today’s

(B) becomes // today’s

(D) became // today’s

8. I’ll come round ______ tonight ______ need help with your new video set.

(A) to you // in case you’ll

(B) to your’s // if you’d

(D) to yours // in that case if you

9) I’ll take an earlier train so as to _______ that I won’t miss the _____ at Manchester.

(A) make sure // connection

(B) determine // junction

(D) ensure // intersection

10) _______ stormy and ______ at enormous cyclone heading for the bay, the rescue team put off their search until later.

(A) As it was // being

(B) Since it was // it being

(D) The weather being // it being

Exercise 12

In the following sentences, of the four answers (A, B, C or D) three are correct and only one is wrong with respect to grammar or usage. Be careful, your task this time is to find the one wrong answer.

1) _____ awarded the Oscar, the young film director turned round and hugged his girl friend.

(A) To be

(B) Having been

(D) After he’d been

2) Help me ______ the ironing, please.

(A) do

(B) doing

(D) with

3) _______ spread all that gossip about you.

(A) It was a friend of yours who

(B) Your friend was the one who

(D) It was one of your friends that

4) The job wasn’t very interesting, _______ it was well paid.

(A) but at least

(B) but on the contrary,

(D) but no doubt

5) Peter’s got a rather annoying dog. It ______ at night.

(A) is barking

(B) keeps barking

(D) will bark

6) A: “You look very tired. Can I give you a lift home?”

B: “No, thanks, _______ tonight.”

(A) I’d rather walk

(B) I prefer walking

(D) I like walking

7) _______ with his salary, he was looking for another job with more promotion prospects.

(A) Satisfied as he was

(B) Satisfied though he was

(D) Despite of being satisfied

8) Nothing but a full apology _______ .

(A) would be enough satisfactory for him

(B) would do for him

(D) was good enough for him

9) Until the last game Agassi was _____ the match.

(A) certainly to win

(B) certain of winning

(D) certain about winning

10) __________ that you’ve got nowhere to sleep tonight. Is that right?

(A) I gather

(B) I understand

(D) I have been said

Exercise 13

In the following multiple choice questions, two of the answers given are correct. Find these two.

1) He said ______ me outside the cinema at two o’clock.

A) he meets

B) he’d be meeting

C) he would meet

D) let’s meet

E) to be meeting

2) The young secretary _______ having been criticized by the manager.

A) resented

B) refused

C) reminded

D) remembered

E) regained

3) _______ should one drink and drive.

A) Not any way

B) Never ever

C) Ever never

D) On every occasion

E) On no account

4) Not every student was informed _______ this matter, which is very strange indeed.

A) at

B) to

C) from

D) of

E) in

5) I was supposed to be at work at 6 for the meeting, but my car ______ start so my father had to give me a ride yesterday.

A) mustn’t

B) couldn’t

C) wouldn’t

D) didn’t

E) shouldn’t

6) He thinks he’s going to change the world, _______ ?

A) won’t he

B) doesn’t he

C) isn’t there

D) does he

E) isn’t it

7) Well, they think they can do it ______ .

A) themselves

B) by themselves

C) from themselves

D) on themselves

E) them

8) Jane reminded me ______ my dentist.

A) to

B) of

C) about

D) on

E) upon

9) We’ll be late! How soon will you _______ , dear?

A) have been ready

B) have finished

C) have been finishing

D) be to finish

E) finished

10) ‘Could we have something for dinner?’ ‘Well, I will do ______ .’

A) a phone call to Pizza Hall

B) some arrangements

C) something about it

D) my best

E) an attempt in the kitchen

11) England _______ allies are sure to win the war.

A) and his

B) and her

C) and its

D) with theirs

E) with

12) I had _______ driven a mile when I realized she was sitting behind me.

A) still

B) sooner

C) yet

D) scarcely

E) hardly

Exercise 14

Complete the following text with the words given below. Use each word only once. In some of the blanks you needn’t write anything.

Missing words: a, at, down, from, have, if, of, on, over, such, the, were, who

When I arrived (1) ______ the port of Cape Town, South Africa in May 1957, after a 23-day journey from New York by (2) ______ freighter, my traveling partner came (3) ______ with an ulcer. Ironically, it was from planning the very (4) _____ trip that was to emancipate him from the ulcer-causing environment of competitive business (5) _______ which he wanted to escape. While he was in the hospital, I obtained a copy of John Gunther’s Inside Africa, (6) ______ where he discussed many of the relatively unknown social customs, beliefs and traditions of Africa. For example, Gunther explained how witchdoctors (7) ______ endowed with power from the ingredients packed into their Mulianai, a cow horn always carried over (8) ______ shoulder by a leather thong. Ingredients (9) ______ as hyena noses, lion dung, snakes and parts of human bodies, preferably from (10) _______ near relative, gave politicians and chiefs, with help from the witchdoctor, great power (11) _____ their opponents. In addition, the ingredients of the horn were thought to be (12) _______ significant therapeutic and medicinal value (13) ______ rubbed into a wound, or in cases, taken internally.

Months later, while (14) _________ trapping lions and training eagles and falcons for an epic motion picture on Africa, a witchdoctor (15) ______ wanted to use the medicine horn to cure my bad back operated (16) ______ me. Doubtful, I agreed to (17) ______ him treat me for the film. To my surprise, I was free of back pain for twelve years, all for a charge of only 25 cents, U.S.

Exercise 15

In the following multiple choice questions, two of the answers given are correct. Find these two.

1) If only you _____ tomorrow too!

A) had come

B) could come

C) would come

D) have come

E) come

2) Why don’t you help them _____ the new program?

A) install

B) installing

C) to install

D) to installing

E) at installing

3) Margaret _______ the chair of the meeting, but she fell ill.

A) ought to have had

B) was going to be

C) would’ve had to have been

D) is to have been

E) was going to have

4) _____ you wish to continue your studies at college.

A) So I am right in saying

B) Can I mean

C) Didn’t you tell

D) I take it that

E) Understanding

5) ______ at the picnic, the group found the moon high in the sky.

A) To arrive

B) On arriving

C) While the arrival

D) Upon their arrival

E) As arriving

6) He dropped the gun in the river ______ his fingerprints would be indentified.

A) so that not

B) from the fear

C) for fear that

D) afraid of

E) scared

7) Children, you have to learn this text by Monday, ____ !

A) by heart

B) by the mouth

C) by word

D) word for word

E) from outside

8) It was ________ that we sat on the patio for hours.

A) such pleasant day

B) so pleasant day

C) so a pleasant day

D) such a pleasant day

E) so pleasant a day

9) The traffic in New Orleans is heavier ______ Baton Rouge.

A) than

B) than in

C) as of

D) as that of

E) than that of

10) _______ your kind assistance, I’m sure I’d have failed.

A) Except

B) Not having

C) If it hadn’t been for

D) Without

E) If I don’t get

11) Please let me have all the application forms _______ .

A) available

B) what is available

C) that are available

D) which is available

E) I would have available

12) We were shocked to hear the news of _______ from that good job.

A) you having fired

B) your firing

C) your having been fired

D) your being fired

E) your fired

Exercise 16

Read the following text and then choose the word or phrase that best completes it.

‘There’s one thing that worries me. Why did you call me only this afternoon? Why did you pick on me? Who told you about me?’

He laughed. His laugh was rather (1) ______. ‘Well, (2) _____, I’ll have to confess I merely picked your name at random out of the phone book. You see I hadn’t intended to (3) _____ with me. Then this afternoon I got to thinking why not.’ I lit another of my squashed cigarettes and watched his throat muscles. ‘What’s the plan?’

He spread his hands. ‘Simply to go where (4) ______, hand over the package of money, and receive back the jade necklace.’

‘Where will I be – in the back of the car?’ ‘(5) _____ . It’s a big car. You (6) ______ in the back of it.’

‘Listen,’ I said slowly. ‘You plan to go out with me hidden in your car to a destination (7) _____ over the phone some time tonight. You will have eight grand in currency on you and with that you are supposed to buy back a jade necklace worth ten or (8) ______ . What you will probably get will be a package you won’t be allowed to open – (9) ______ you get anything at all. It’s (10) _______ they will simply take your money, count it over in some other place, and mail you the necklace, if they feel big-hearted.

There’s nothing to prevent them (11) ______ you.

Certainly nothing I could do would stop them. These guys are tough. They might even knock you on the head – not hard – just enough to delay you while they go on their way.

1) A) as a boy’s B) boyish C) like boys’ D) a boy’s

2) A) factually B) the fact C) as a matter of fact D) to matter

3) A) have anyone go B) make someone go C) get someone go D) have anyone gone

4) A) they have said B) I am told C) I’ve been said D) they told me

5) A) So will you B) I will C) I think D) I suppose to

6) A) would hide easy B) could easily hide C) easily must hide D) you hid easily

7) A) you have got B) you can get C) you are to get D) you get

8) A) more twelve times B) twelve times that many C) twelve times more D) twelve times much

9) A) providing B) except C) unless D) even if

10) A) just like B) just as likely C) as likely D) just as

11) A) from double-crossing B) to double-cross C) double-cross D) against double-crossing

Exercise 17

Put the two halves of the following proverbs together.

1) A bird in the hand A) without fire

2) It’s no use B) is in the eating.

3) One swallow C) than done

4) There’s no smoke D) easy go.

5) Strike while E) than fiction.

6) The proof of the pudding F) is worth two in the bush.

7) Once bitten, G) doesn’t make a summer.

8) Truth is stranger H) twice shy.

9) Easier said I) the iron is hot.

10) Easy come, J) crying over spilt milk.

Exercise 18

Put the two halves of the following similes together.

1) As cool A) as a feather.

2) As thick B) as a fiddle.

3) As light C) as a bone.

4) As regular D) as lead.

5) As fit E) as two short planks.

6) As good F) as the sea.

7) As dry G) as a cucumber.

8) As heavy H) as a mountain.

9) As high I) as gold.

10) As deep J) as clockwork.

Exercise 19

Match the idioms below with their definitions, then complete the sentences with them.

All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy

Dirty work

Too much like hard work

Hard work never hurt anybody

It’s all in the day’s work

Work wonders

A nasty piece of work

Many hands make light work

Work like a charm

The devil finds work for idle hands

1) have an unusually good effect

2) too much work and not enough relaxation will make people bored

3) a job that one expects to do in the course of one’s work; something that is not very difficult

4) if people work together, they can do a job more easily

5) quickly and easily successful

6) when people don’t have enough work to do, they make trouble

7) criminal activity

8) too tiring or troublesome to do

9) laziness is wrong

10) an unpleasant or dangerous person

Almost all my colleagues from the office came to help us, and we were able to paint the house very quickly, because _______ .

This new medicine the doctor prescribed for me _______ .

I don’t want to be on the team of Jack is there too; he’s ______ .

Don’t leave your children at home with nothing to do; ____ .

Your marketing ideas really ______ for our company.

He was very cunning; he always had others do the _____ for him, so the police couldn’t catch him.

I believe your son is taking his studies too seriously; you know the saying: _____.

I thought it would be very difficult to have the tap repaired, but Fred said it was ______ for him.

His garden is very untidy; looking after it would be ______ for him.

Why don’t you concentrate more on your job? ______ , you know.

Exercise 20

The word in capitals at the end of each of the following sentences can be used to form a word that fits suitably in the blank space. Supply the correct form of the word.

Examples: He took out his key, _unlocked_ the door and went inside. LOCK

Why don’t you go in for that _competition_? You might win it. COMPETE

1) Luckily the man turned out to be a very ________ businessman. SUCCESS

2) He’s very rich, but he’s a crook: he’s obtained almost everything he owns ______ ! HONEST

3) I’ll always remember his first novel: it’s _____. FORGET

4) That old man’s very ______ : he thinks of no one but himself. SELF

5) The ring she lost was given to her by her mother and is ______ . PLACE

6) The club meets every other week, so it’s a _______ meeting. FORTNIGHT

7) What she did was perfectly _______ , so she needn’t fear the police. LAW

8) I know he promised to do the job, but he’s very ______ . RELY

9) I had no idea where we were: we were _____ lost! HOPE

10) He accepted what had happened to him very _______ . PHILOSOPHY