Maria and Jean had a ______ romance - they met and married within two months.
There is a rumor that the company I work for is going to _____ with National Bank.
Probably no man has more effect on the daily lives of most people in the United States _____.
_____, we stood at the door and waited for Jim to pick us up.
There seemed to be a consensus that the new proposal _____ at the meeting.
With the increase in international crime, it is logical to _____ searched at customs nowadays.
We offer classic wildlife safaris, exciting expeditions, family holidays, and _____ holidays.
Mary wanted to give Nigel a present that was a little bit out of the _____.
These plants needed water and now they are dead! You _____ them regularly.
My sister would prefer _____ the volume down while she’s studying for exams.
One man _____ outside his own country is tipped to become the new President.
Daniel roamed the supermarket the whole morning just to buy a _____ for his new house.
_____ that we had to ask a police officer for directions.
Laser tattoo removal, which is _____ a very safe option for tattoo removal, may prove to be harmful if not done by an experienced doctor.
To his colleagues' surprise, John _____ himself rudely at the party last night.
I've heard that argument before and quite frankly it just doesn't _____!
The moment I presented the fruit slice, the bird _____ my hand with a swiftness that caught me off guard.
We've all heard the saying that all work and no play makes Jack a _____ boy.
The Foreign Exchange market is, _____, a place where one country's money is traded for another country's money.
A young man has at last _____ up courage to invite a dazzling young lady out to dinner.
Membership is an exceptional honor for a scientist, _____ because members are elected by their peers.
Read the following passage and choose the best answer for each blank.
GERARD MERCATOR: THE MAN WHO MAPPED THE PLANET
When Gerard Mercator was born in 1512, the geography of the globe still remained a mystery. It was unclear whether America was part of Asia if there was a vast of the sea at the top of the world or if Australia was connected to Antarctica.
Mercator's childhood was spent chiefly in Rupelmonde, a Flemish trading town on the river, and it was here that his geographical imagination was by the ships which passed to and from the rest of the world. Alongside imagination, he developed two very different skills. The first was the ability to gather, and co-ordinate the geographical information provided by explorers and sailors who frequented the margins of the known. He also had to be able to imagine himself from the heavens, to achieve the visionary of gods in the skies, down on the world. The main reason why Mercator's name is familiar to us is because of the Mercator Preiection: the solution he to represent the spheroidal surface of the globe on a two-dimensional plane. It is less well known that Mercator was the first man to conceive of mapping the surface of the planet or that he the idea of multiple maps being presented in bound books, to which he gave the name 'Atlas'.
It is difficult for us now to be surprised by maps, so many are there, and of such detail and coverage, but we should bear in mind that Mercator lived at a time when such knowledge was far from . He was the man who altered our worldview forever.
Read the text and choose the best answer to fill in the blanks.
TECHNOLOGY
When faced with some new and possibly bewildering technological change, most people react in one of two . They either recoil from anything new, claiming that it is unnecessary or too complicated or that it somehow makes life less than . Or they learn to to the new invention, and eventually how they could possibly have existed without it. Take computers as an example. For many of us, they still represent a to our freedom and give us a frightening sense of a future in which all will be taken by machines. This may be because they seem mysterious, and difficult to understand. Ask most people what you can use a home computer for, and you usually get answers about how 'they give you information'. In fact, even those of us who are familiar with computers, and use them in our daily work, have very little idea of how they work. But it does not take long to learn how to operate a business program, even if things occasionally go wrong for no apparent reason. Presumably much the same happened when the telephone and the television became . What seems to alarm most people is the speed of technological change, rather than the change itself. And the that are made to new technology may well have a point to them since change is not always an improvement. As discover during power cuts, there is a lot to be said for the oil lamp, the coal fire, and forms of entertainment, such as books or board games, that don't have to be into work.
Fill each of the following blanks with ONE suitable word.
One of the greatest problems with holidays, from the usual travel complications and accommodation difficulties is the expectations people have of . When we go on holiday we expect to leave all the stresses and strains of our daily lives us. We imagine we will be able to escape to such a degree that we even tend to believe, consciously or not, that we can change our own personalities and become completely people. The average business-person, tense, preoccupied, short-tempered, to relax, envisages herself/ himself , from the moment of locking the office door, a radically different of person: carefree, good-humored, ready to relax and enjoy whatever adventures present themselves. In practice, we take ourselves with us we go, and the years of stress and tension is almost personality that is shaped by impossible to shake off at a moment's . It is no wonder so - many holidays are a disappointment, no matter how smoothly they go or how lovely the weather is. In fact, the frequent problems that crop during the average holiday are probably a welcome distraction from the nagging feeling that we are not enjoying ourselves as much as we should.
Read the passage and fill each blank with ONE suitable word.
Negative impacts from tourism occur when the level of visitor use is greater than the environment's ability to cope this use within the acceptable limits of change. Uncontrolled conventional tourism poses potential to many natural areas around the world. It can put enormous pressure on an area and lead to impacts such as soil erosion, increased pollution, discharges into sea, natural habitat loss, increased pressure on endangered species, and heightened vulnerability to forest fires. It often puts a strain on water and it can force local populations to compete for the use of critical resources.
Water, and especially fresh water, is one of the most critical natural resources. The tourism industry generally overuses water resources for hotels, swimming pools, golf courses, and personal use of water by tourists. This can result water shortages and of water supplies, as well as generating a greater volume of wastewater. Tourism can create great pressure on local resources energy, food, and other raw materials that may already be in short supply.
Greater extraction and transport of these resources exacerbate the physical impacts associated with their exploitation. Because of the character of the industry, many destinations have ten times inhabitants in the high season than in the low season. A high demand is placed upon these resources to the high expectations tourists often have, such as proper heating, hot water, etc.
Complete the passage by changing the form of the word in capitals.
A recent poll on the use of animals in circuses showed that the majority of people in the UK now disapprove of it. Circuses which employ animals are no longer seen as a form of (HARM) entertainment; in fact, most people think they should be banned (RIGHT). Eighty percent of those interviewed (EQUIVOCATE) declared that the use of endangered wild animals such as elephants and tigers should be prohibited, while sixty five percent said no animals (WHAT) should be used in circuses. A large proportion also claimed they were opposed to the inevitable (BRUTAL) involved in training animals to perform tricks. Animals in the wild do not juggle balls, ride monocycles, leap through (FIRE) hoops or wear clown costumes. Furthermore, besides being kept in (CONFINE), circus animals travel for most of the year, living a life of (DEPRIVE). Unfortunately, there is evidence to indicate that most animals face (TREAT) on a daily basis. The number of people who visit animal-free circuses these days is over twice the number of those who visit traditional circuses. Animal free circuses are growing in number as well as popularity, and many say that the quality of the acts performed by humans far (EXCESS) those acts that use animals.
Read the following passage and complete the tasks.
THE SEARCH FOR FRESH WATER
The assertion that water has always been the essence of life is nothing new. Water comes in many forms: spring water, sea and river water, rainwater, and fog and dew water. Yet water is becoming scarce and this scarcity is becoming a very real worry for governments all around the world. The reality is that one of the main obstacles to the economic development of a particular country is its lack of an adequate supply of fresh water. Current figures show that an inhabitant of a wealthy, modern town consumes 100-400 litres of water daily. In some developing countries the amount of water consumed does not exceed 20-30 litres per day. Rich or poor, annual water consumption has continued to grow, increasing fourfold over the last 50 years.
The world’s fresh water supplies are drawn from a number of sources. The largest cache of the estimated 35 million km3 fresh water reserve is located in glaciers and snow. The amount contained in these ‘storehouses’ has been estimated to be around 24 million km3. Ground water is also a big contributor to the world’s fresh water supplies amounting to an estimated 10.5 million km3. Considering that the total volume of water, salt and fresh, is estimated to be around 400 million km3 it can be clearly seen that the amount of fresh water available in the world is only the proverbial ‘drop in the bucket՝. Artesian wells, rivers and lakes only account for about 0.1 and 0.5 million km3 respectively, all of which include atmospheric precipitation such as rain and snow.
Since water is such an important commodity, various attempts to acquire stores of it have been tried with varying degrees of success. The question of what are the alternative water sources available to us today is not an easy one to answer but is certainly worthy of our best efforts to find one. One such area of interest has been desalination – the turning of salt water into drinkable water. As there is much more salt water on the earth than dry land, the idea of using desalinated seawater seems a logical one. However, some estimates put the annual quantity of desalinated water at only around ten cubic kilometres – a tiny amount given the amount of sea water available. In parts of Senegal, for example, the greenhouse effect has been one way to desalinate seawater whereby the salt in the water is separated from the water through a process of evaporation. As part of the process, water vapour forms on large panes of glass at outside air temperature and is transported via gravity into drums. This method yields only a few cubic meters per day of fresh water but is surprisingly energy efficient. In larger scale production however, the energy efficiency plummets. The best systems bum at least a tonne of fossil fuel to produce approximately one hundred cubic metres of fresh water. This amounts to almost $ 1 per cubic metre – a considerable cost.
Although there are several different areas from which water can be sourced, paradoxically the most extensive are the most difficult to tap. The atmosphere, for example, contains vast amounts of fresh water composed of 2% condensed water in the form of clouds and 98% water vapour. The vastness of this water source is comparable to the renewable liquid water resources of all inhabited lands. The amounts are easy to calculate, but being able and knowing how to economically obtain this water in liquid form is most challenging. One approach in drawing water from the atmosphere is fog nets. Places such as the coastal desens of West Africa and areas of Chile and Peru have favourable condensation conditions. In these areas, ocean humidity condenses in the form of fog on the mid-range mountains (over 500m). This fog composed of droplets of suspended water can be collected in nets. In the 1960s, a University in Northern Chile conducted the first major experiments with fog nets. Drawing on the knowledge gained from these experiments, further testing was done which culminated in one village using fog nets to yield a healthy daily average of 11,000 litres of water. On a smaller scale, fog-collecting nets have recently been used in the Canary Islands and Namibia.
Unfortunately, due to its need for a combination of several factors, fog is not readily available. Dew however appears far more frequently and is less subject to the constraints of climate and geography. In order for dew to form there needs to be some humidity in the air and a reasonably clear sky. Many hot areas of countries that suffer from a lack of water such as the Sahel region of Northern Africa for example, experience significant quantities of dew. When the temperature is lowered over a short space of time by ten degrees or so, the water-harvesting possibilities from the air yield an amazing ten grams of water from each cubic meter of air – significant drops in air temperature make for greater yields. Unlike fog, dew formation can occur even in a relatively dry atmosphere, such as a desert. All it takes is for the right mix of temperatures between the earth and the air to combine and dew formation occurs.
Complete each sentence with the correct ending A-F from the box below.
|
A. is quite popular due to it not being too affected by temperature and location. B. is being tried via an evaporation process. C. is not energy efficient. D. is best for poorer countries. E. is made up of both clouds and water vapour. F. is increased when temperatures fall rapidly. |
Turning salt water into drinking water
Large-scale fresh water production through evaporation
Water available in the atmosphere
The use of dew as a water source
The amount of water collected from dew
As a method of obtaining fresh water, fog _____
Small-scale ‘greenhouse effect’ desalination _____
One of the largest stores of fresh water in the world is _____
Do the following statements agree with the information given in Reading Passage?
| TRUE | if the statement agrees with the information |
| FALSE | if the statement contradicts the information |
| NOT GIVEN | If there is no information on this |
The amount of water consumed by wealthier countries is just as much as poorer countries.
Glaciers, rivers, artesian wells and ground water are all sources of fresh water.
Large bodies of water, such as the sea, have yielded the most fresh water.
The collection of water through the use of fog nets is becoming increasingly more popular around the world.
If the sky is cloudy, dew will not form.
Dew and fog are major sources of water in smaller villages and isolated areas.
You are going to read a magazine article about herons. Six sentences have been removed from the article. Choose from the sentences A - G the one which fits each gap. There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use.
|
A. Another reason for this increase can be found in the milder winters and the reduction in water pollution. B. Further north the bird is equally widespread, although it is absent from areas of high ground. C. Such nervousness is understandable, given that they have suffered from persecution from fish farmers. D. While heron numbers have increased, it is important not to be complacent. E. However, a hard winter will temporarily set numbers back. F. The commonest hunting technique is to stand still by the water's edge, with only the eyes twinkling as it carefully scans for fish. G. It appears, however, that all is well for the heron at the moment. |
HERONS
Herons are beautiful birds. Years ago, as I walked to work in a fish factory in Aberdeen, herons would always bring a little bit of light to the dark winter mornings. Usually, there would be a couple of them standing on the river's edge. But once dawn broke, the herons would move upstream to quieter stretches of the river.
This natural cautiousness is usual in herons. They prefer to spend the day in areas where they can hunt for fish in peace. They seldom allow close approach and are quick to take to the air when they sense humans are about.
This cruel treatment is now on the decline, and consequently, the latest Bird Atlas estimates there are probably twice as many herons breeding in Britain today as in the late 1960s. This means herons can feed and survive in areas which were previously unavailable because they were either too cold or ruined by poisonous substances in the water.
Weather is probably the single most important factor in the improvement of the heron population. In effect, new areas of habitat have been opened up. The one of 1963 had a notable impact, but surprisingly, there is little to suggest that the same happened in the freezing temperatures of 1979 and 1892.
As well as the UK, similar increases have been recorded throughout Europe. By the early 1970s, the heron had become threatened in many parts of central Europe, but has since recovered dramatically. And if not persecuted, will even breed in city centers, such as happens in Amsterdam.
There are still numerous threats, mostly to do with habitat degradation, which certainly affect populations on a local scale. Drainage of fields and excavation reduce food supplies. The planting of forests, while providing nesting sites, may also reduce the water flow in some water courses and hence fish availability.
The heron lives on fish. On other occasions, a different tactic is adopted, this time slowly stalking through the water, looking intently at any stirrings. If the need arises, the heron will wade deep until the body is afloat, and it can even swim for a short distance. They are such a delight to watch, particularly in the morning when they go hunting in the frost-draped winter semi-darkness.
Complete the second sentence using the word given so that it has the same meaning to the first. Do NOT change the word given in brackets in any way.
Faulty cable connectors have caused a lot of problems. (A)
=> Many ...............
Complete the second sentence using the word given so that it has the same meaning to the first. Do NOT change the word given in brackets in any way.
Kelly stands a good chance of being promoted. (ODDS)
=> The ...............
Complete the second sentence using the word given so that it has the same meaning to the first. Do NOT change the word given in brackets in any way.
He can shout even louder, but I still won't take any notice. (HEED)
=> No ...........
Complete the second sentence using the word given so that it has the same meaning to the first. Do NOT change the word given in brackets in any way.
Suddenly, the management said it was important for us to wear dark suits to the meeting. (ONCE)
=>The management insisted ..........
Complete the second sentence, using the word given so that it has a similar meaning to the first sentence. Do NOT change the word given in brackets in any way.
Coming second didn't make her feel any better because she only wanted to win. (CONSOLATION)
=> Coming second .............
Complete the second sentence, using the word given so that it has a similar meaning to the first sentence. Do NOT change the word given in brackets in any way.
Zoe always makes spontaneous decisions concerning her travel plan. (ACTS)
=> Zoe always when making her travel plan.
Complete the second sentence, using the word given so that it has a similar meaning to the first sentence. Do NOT change the word given in brackets in any way.
I can recommend you to the manager; I'm a friend of his. (WORD)
=> I can ; I'm a friend of his.
Complete the second sentence, using the word given so that it has a similar meaning to the first sentence. Do NOT change the word given in brackets in any way.
By leaving Mary alone, I'm sure she'll finish the project on time. (DEVICES)
=> If Mary , I'm sure she'll finish the project on time.
Complete the second sentence, using the word given so that it has a similar meaning to the first sentence. Do NOT change the word given in brackets in any way.
Amidst the economic downturn, the company must recognize the situation and make necessary changes. (WAKE)
=> Facing the economic downturn, the company needs to the coffee to make necessary changes.
Complete the second sentence, using the word given so that it has a similar meaning to the first sentence. Do NOT change the word given in brackets in any way.
Although I had imagined my parachute jump would terrify me, it was actually quite exciting. (BEING)
=> Far experience I had imagined, my parachute jump was actually quite exciting.