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ANSWER ALL THE QUESTIONS
VOCABULARY AND GRAMMAR
For questions 1–50, read the sentences below and decide which answer (A, B, C or D) best fits each gap.
1 He _____ very hard so was relieved when he scraped through the exam.

A revised B hadn’t been revising C wasn’t revising D hasn’t been revising

2 She _____ the lights switched on. It never crosses her mind how much electricity she’s wasting.

A ’s always left B ’s been always leaving C ’s always leaving D used to leave

3 After he had been in office for a year, they realised that he _____ there as he was completely
incompetent and had no idea what he was doing.

A wasn’t allowed to be B agreed to be C must be D shouldn’t have been

4 Although we’d lost our last five matches, we managed to get into the quarter finals _____ .

A with the odds B against the odds C by the odds D for the odds

5 No one could have _____ the chain of events that the accident set in motion.

A foreseen B previewed C alerted D foreboded

6 She went in search of a new agent, without _____ help she would never have made it.

A who B whose C that D which

7 It’s pretty standard that _____ of them don’t get through the first round of the competition.

A hardly any B very little C the most D most

8 If the article is to be believed, most people _____ with the newly proposed tax reforms.

A agree B agrees C is agreeing D are agreeing

9 It was only when we heard a stifled cough that we realised someone was _____ in the undergrowth.

A concealing B ambushing C lurking D sneaking

10 Our boss is quite radical and doesn’t believe in _____ strict limitations on the areas of work staff are
involved in within the company.

A laying B burdening C imposing D commanding

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11 Given recent events, _____ cancel their holiday at any moment.

A they were on the verge of B they were going to C we expected them to D they were due to

12 In later years she came to the conclusion that, as she preferred animals to people, she _____ become a
vet not a doctor.

A should’ve B might well have C could have D may have

13 You _____ tell your brother – you know how much that car means to him.

A don’t need to B had better not C couldn’t D weren’t able to

14 I don’t believe for a moment that if you play that record backwards, you’ll hear a _____ message in the
background.

A telepathic B subliminal C subsiding D sublingual

15 Aunt Doris has always been a bit of a hoarder but when we realised just how much _____ she had
accumulated of late, even we were shocked.

A chaos B confusion C muddle D clutter

16 He’s always been a _____ , so we weren’t at all surprised when he decided to buck the system and do
his own thing.

A nonconformist B unconformist C misconformist D reconformist

17 _____ they couldn’t have told us all that we were likely to lose our jobs because the business was
failing is beyond me.

A When B Why C How D Whether

18 Whether or not I _____ work and travel for a while depends very much on my father’s health.

A have decided to quit B ’m quitting C will be quitting D decide to quit

19 Yawning in a meeting isn’t considered polite so I knew I had to _____ the one I could feel coming.

A smother B squash C hush D stifle

20 He maintains that he has managed to keep his youthful appearance by always taking a short _____ in
the afternoon.

A nap B slumber C nod D roost

21 We were _____ disappointed when the award for best project went to our main competitors.

A virtually B bitterly C absolutely D completely

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22 The party can regain public confidence _____ it tackles the issue of expense claims in a just and open
manner.

A otherwise B not unless C unless D providing that

23 If we had known it was going to be so difficult to reach the summit before nightfall, we wouldn’t even
_____ to attempt it.

A begin B had begun C have begun D have been beginning

24 He’s such a charming young man. It’s clear that his parents have _____ good manners in him.

A inserted B instilled C inspired D incited

25 He didn’t mention his recent promotion for fear that it would _____ trouble amongst his colleagues.

A set off B spark off C set out D lead off

26 What do you think would be the best venue for the party then, _____ place or ours?

A theirs B there C they’re D their

27 If you fancy _____ while you’re in the area, give us a bell.

A to meet up B to meeting up C meet up D meeting up

28 The boat struggled _____ course in the gale force storms.

A to stay on B staying on C to stay for D staying for

29 The _____ green paisley tie he wore really set him apart from the other interview candidates.

A vibrant B lively C vital D dynamic

30 When she’s that excited, it’s nigh on impossible to get a word in _____ . Believe me, I’ve tried!

A sideways B sidelong C edgewise D edgeways

31 _____ returned home that I realised just how much I missed seeing my brother.

A It wasn’t until I B It was only by C The reason why I D It’s only by

32 She said that what she _____ most about living away from home would be our daily walks in the dunes.

A misses B missed C will miss D would miss

33 _____ help me make this decision. I’m just so unsure of which direction to take for my future.

A I’d sooner you will B I wish you will C If only you could D I rather you

34 After a momentary _____ in concentration, Simon managed to regain his focus and complete the test.

A lapse B fault C failure D error

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35 If it were possible to find a property within our budget and _____ from the beach, that’d be wonderful.

A shouting distance B close range C a stone’s throw D near

36 Try as I might, the car’s wheels _____ to budge from the mud.

A have refused B refused C refuse D will refuse

37 Would you believe, he says he’s _____ busy to come out with us this month?

A too much B much too C so much D much so

38 The report confirmed that pensioners were _____ to try internet banking.

A the little afraid B hardly afraid C the more afraid D too afraid

39 Since signing a rather _____ sponsorship deal, his career has gone from strength to strength.

A sufficient B lucrative C ample D wealthy

40 The recession has heavily impacted our small business, so much so that we have had no option but to
_____ staff.

A let up B give up C lay off D leave off

41 The board of Governors _____ that we all meet the following week to discuss the issue of school
admissions.

A insisted B discussed C encouraged D commented

42 His doctor _____ him to take more regular exercise and to cut back on the amount he ate.

A suggested B argued C demanded D advised

43 My grandfather never much cared _____ people who judged others on material possessions.

A with B for C of D about

44 The moment the kennel doors opened the little dog came _____ towards us.

A colliding B hurtling C fleeing D flitting

45 Would you believe that the first time my sister went to get fuel, she got the _____ stuck in the fuel tank.

A tap B snout C nib D nozzle

46 Knowing that she _____ offered such a wonderful opportunity again, she accepted the job offer and said
goodbye to all that she knew.

A was B has been C would be D might never be

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47 All successful applicants are required _____ a week-long training programme before commencing their
new role.

A to attend B attending C to be attending D attend

48 We were reminded that we _____ obligation to give further details to the authority.

A were not under B weren’t in C were under no D had under no

49 He’s such a hard man to _____ as he’s always flitting from one site to another.

A pin in B lock in C narrow down D nail down

50 When they discovered a _____ flaw in the design of the product, all models were recalled.

A fatal B mortal C tragic D suicidal

Total: 100

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