FCE Reading and Use of English – Practice Test 15 Page 1

FCE Reading and Use of English Part 1

For questions 1-8, read the text below and decide which answer (А, В, C or D) best fits each gap. There is an
example at the beginning (0).

The joy of photography

Photography is a hobby with wide 0 appeal. And I don’t mean taking photos on your mobile phone, though it cannot
be 1 _____ that such pictures can be surprisingly good these days. Serious photography means taking the 2 _____ to
do some research, exploring the technical 3 _____ of the subject and investing in what might be quite expensive
equipment. So why take up photography? Firstly, it allows you to 4 _____ special moments that you want to
remember forever. In addition, it 5 _____ your imagination because you are always in search of ideas for original
and out of the ordinary photos.
However, a lot of practice is required before you 6 _____ to take really good pictures on a regular basis. When you
finally do it, it will be a 7 _____ of great satisfaction for you. Photography can also transform the way you look at
the world. You start to see details that in the past you used to miss 8 _____. All in all, it’s a highly absorbing hobby.

0 A appeal B taste C interest D attraction

1 A rejected B contradicted C denied D refused
2 A trouble B care C effort D concern
3 A characteristics В forms C qualities D aspects
4 A seize В capture C grab D catch
5 A motivates В renews C stimulates D reacts
6 A manage В succeed C achieve D reach
7 A reason В cause C source D means
8 A utterly B completely C fully D absolutely

FCE Reading and Use of English Part 2

For questions 9-16, read the text below and think of the word which best fits each gap. Use only one word in each
gap. There is an example at the beginning (0).
Write your answers IN CAPITAL LETTERS on the separate answer sheet.
Example: (0) NO

Running a marathon
So you want to run a marathon? There is 0 NO doubt that running 42 kilometres is a great achievement. Many
training plans involve running four times a week for at 9 _____ three months, and sometimes longer. Experts
strongly recommend that you should 10 _____ used to running long distances gradually. If you don’t, it can increase
the chances 11 _____ picking up an injury. It 12 _____ generally thought that runners should initially go on fairly
relaxed training runs. The pace should be gentle enough to allow you 13 _____ have a conversation with someone
running alongside you.

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FCE Reading and Use of English – Practice Test 15 Page 2

Don’t make the mistake of eating too little before the race, or you will rapidly run 14 _____ of energy. But 15 _____
should you eat a large meal. It goes without saying that choosing the right footwear is also essential. 16 _____ you
do, avoid clothes made of cotton and go for artificial materials, or even some types of wool such as merino. Choose
clothing that will be comfortable.

FCE Reading and Use of English Part 3

For questions 17-24, read the text below. Use the word given in capitals at the end of some of the lines to form a
word that fits in the gap in the same line. There is an example at the beginning (0).
Write your answers IN CAPITAL LETTERS on the separate answer sheet.
Example: (0) EXISTENCE

An interesting new planet

Until recently, the 0 EXISTENCE of planets outside our own solar system was 0 EXIST
difficult to prove. Now, thanks to increasingly 17 _____ equipment, hundreds have 17 SENSE
been discovered orbiting distant stars. Recent 18 _____ of the nearest star to Earth, 18 INVESTIGATE
Proxima Centauri, have led to a 19 _____ discovery: a rocky planet similar in size to 19 SIGNIFY
the Earth which may have liquid water on its surface. 20 CONSIDER
21 POSSIBLE
Although the new planet is 20 _____ closer to Proxima Centauri than the Earth is to 22 COMFORT
the Sun, there is still a 21 _____ of life there. This is because the star is much smaller 23 DEPEND
and cooler than our sun, so conditions on the planet may be 22 _____ enough to 24 REAL
support life. Temperatures on the planet will be 23 _____ on whether there is an
atmosphere surrounding it.

Travelling to Proxima Centauri and exploring its planet is totally 24 _____ at the
moment. Despite it being one of the nearest stars to the sun, it would take thousands of
years to get there using current technology.

FCE Reading and Use of English Part 4

For questions 25-30, complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first sentence, using the
word given. Do not change the word given. You must use between two and five words, including the word given.

Example:
It’s not a problem for Tom if he has to take the train to work
MIND
Tom ____________ the train to work
ANSWER: DOESN’T MIND TAKING
25 Going to bed early has a big effect on how Leila feels the next morning.
DIFFERENCE
If Leila goes to bed early, it ____________ how she feels the next morning.

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26 Even though Max took the early bus, he was still late for work.
FACT
Max was still late for work in _______________ he took the early bus.
27 Last year I decided I wouldn’t eat fast food for lunch any more.
GIVE
Last year I decided _______________ fast food for lunch.
28 Melanie goes jogging and answers her important emails before breakfast.
WELL
Melanie goes jogging _______________ her important emails before breakfast.
29 My television needs fixing as soon as possible.
GET
I must _______________ as soon as possible.
30 Clara says she doesn’t usually go out at the weekend.
UNUSUAL
Clara says it _______________ go out at the weekend.

FCE Reading and Use of English Part 5

You are going to read an article about new technology and students. For questions 31-36, choose the answer (А, В, C
or D) which you think fits best according to the text.

Student life and technology

Last Saturday, as my grandfather drove me and my sister home from a dinner to celebrate his birthday, he got
frustrated at not being able to remember the name of the singer of a song he’d just heard on the radio. Without a
second thought, I grabbed my smartphone, searched for the song and found the name, Bob Dylan. For me and my
friends, this is a completely natural course of action, but it totally astonished my grandfather, who didn’t understand
how I had checked the information so quickly. My sister and I laughed and explained, but afterwards, it made me
think about how much I depend on technology.
The list of the ways I use technology is endless: writing, planning, socialising, communicating and shopping, to
name a few. When I reflected on its impact on my education, I saw that, for my fellow students and I, technology has
been significant in many ways. Returning to the story of my grandfather and the smartphone, he had asked me more
about how I used it and about university life. He said he thought we had an easy life compared to previous
generations. My sister caught my eye and we exchanged a smile. But whereas she was thinking our grandfather was
just being a typical 65-year-old, I could see his point.
Not only are we lucky enough to have the same educational benefits as those of previous generations, we have so
many more as well. We still have walk-in libraries available to us, and I can see why some students choose to find
and use resources in these distraction-free locations. However, the only option for studying used to be sitting in these
libraries with as many books from your reading list as you could find, yet now a single search for your chosen study
topic online can immediately provide access to a huge range of resources. At universities, interaction between
students and university staff is another area that has changed considerably with developments in technology. We can

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have face-to-face time with our tutors when we need it, and also communicate using our electronic gadgets from the
comfort of our homes, or on the bus. The most popular means of doing this is via instant messaging or social media –
email is often considered too slow, and it has become unacceptable for messages to be unanswered for any length of
time. While this puts an extra strain on the university’s academic support team, who usually have to answer the
queries as they come in, we students are greatly benefitted.
It’s important that we remember to appreciate how much the advances in technology have given us. Electronic
devices such as tablets, smartphones, and laptops are now standard equipment in most classrooms and lecture halls,
and why shouldn’t they be? The replacement of textbooks with tablets allows students the luxury of having up-to-
date, interactive and even personalised learning materials, with the added benefit of them not costing the earth.
When we compare the student life of the past and that of the present day, it is tempting to focus on the obvious
differences when it comes to technology. In actual fact, students are doing what they’ve always done: embracing the
resources available and adapting them in ways which allow them to work more efficiently and to live more
enjoyably. The pace of change in technology continuously gathers speed, so we have to value each innovation as it
happens.
31. What does the writer illustrate by describing the incident in the car?
A the older generation’s frustration at people’s dependence on technology
B how unaware young people are of some effects of technology
C the difference in attitudes to technology between two generations
D how technology helps different generations communicate
32. What did the writer think of her grandfather’s comment, mentioned in the second paragraph?
A It showed how out-of-date he was.
B It had an element of truth in it.
C It was an annoying thing to say.
D It made her feel sorry for him.
33. What does the writer say about getting study resources from libraries?
A She considers libraries more preferable places for study than home.
B She cannot understand why anyone chooses to go to a library now.
C She appreciates the fact that people can still study in libraries if they want to.
D She thinks libraries are limited by the quantity of resources they can store.
34. What disadvantage of new technology does the writer mention in the third paragraph?
A Those who can afford the best gadgets gain an unfair advantage.
B Sometimes slow internet connections make communication difficult.
C A heavier workload is created for teaching staff at the university.
D Students cannot escape from dealing with university issues.
35. What is the purpose of the question ‘Why shouldn’t they be?’ in the fourth paragraph?
A to express an opinion
B to introduce some problems
C to make a criticism
D to indicate uncertainty

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36. What is the writer’s conclusion about students today in the final paragraph?
A They have such different lives to previous generations that it’s unwise to compare them.
B They deal better with change than previous generations did.
C They take advantage of new resources more quickly than previous generations did.
D They are behaving in a similar way to previous generations of students.

FCE Reading and Use of English Part 6

You are going to read an article about a national vote for people’s favourite tree. Six sentences have been removed
from the article. Choose from the sentences A-G the one which fits each gap (37-42). There is one extra sentence
which you do not need to use.

Tree of the Year

The aim of the national Tree of the Year competition is to promote and celebrate the most interesting trees around the
country. Images and descriptions of a shortlist of 28 trees are put online and the public are asked to vote for their
favourite.
The four trees that gain the most votes before 5 p.m. on 5th October will be given a grant of £1,000. In addition, all
trees that receive 1,000 or more votes will get a grant of £500. The grants may be spent on a tree health check or
advice from a tree expert, or an educational event, for example. 37 __.
Among the 28 shortlisted trees there are a wide range of tree species, each with its own unique, fascinating story. For
example, the ‘Ding Dong’ tree is a copper beech tree growing in a primary school playground. It was named the
‘Ding Dong’ tree because of a game pupils invented in which they race to touch its trunk, shouting ‘Ding Dong!’ The
protective space underneath the 50-year-old tree is used as a magical outdoor classroom, while the indoor classroom
displays pictures of the tree through each season of the year. 38 __.
Many of the other trees in the competition are remarkable for their age alone. The Craigends Yew, for example, is
thought to be up to 700 years old, making it one of the oldest in Scotland. It is an amazing sight as many of its
branches have layered. 39 __. As a result of these extra growths, the total size when measured around the tree’s
crown (the main body of its leaves and branches) is a massive 100 metres.
Another very old tree, the Holm Oak in Kilbroney Park, Northern Ireland, is much loved by local people. It measures
3.6 metres around the trunk, and its beautiful bark looks like the skin of a snake. 40 __. The advantage of this lack of
uprightness is that young children can climb safely and easily on it. Kilbroney Park is home to many remarkable
trees, but this tree was chosen as the favourite by community members.
A 500-year-old veteran oak tree stands in the ancient woodland pasture at Carngafallt in Wales. One of the
interesting things about this twisted, hollow tree is that it has several ‘air trees’ growing out of it. An ‘air tree’ is one
growing without its roots touching the ground. 41 __. It extends its roots down inside the oak’s hollow trunk.
The original Bramley apple tree in Nottinghamshire is younger than many in this competition, but is the famous
parent of all modern Bramley apple trees. 42 __. Many years later, Matthew Bramley, the new owner of the tree, was
carrying some of his fruit when he met a gardener called Henry Merryweather. Henry asked if he could take some
cuttings from Matthew’s trees to grow his own trees. Mr Bramley agreed, provided they were named ‘Bramley’s
Seedling’.

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A. This means that they are touching the ground and have taken root.
B. These roots have become enormous with age and have now emerged above the ground. Children love to jump
over them like horses in a race.
C. But the most distinctive thing about this tree is that its main trunk is leaning towards the ground at an angle of 45
degrees.
D. The best example of this on the big old tree is another species of tree called a rowan.
E. Alternatively, they could be used to hold a community event in honour of the tree.
F. It was planted from a seed in 1809 by a woman called Ann Brailsford.
G. Children hang bird feeders from its branches and it is used as the focus of many of the educational activities
going on around it.

FCE Reading and Use of English Part 7

You are going to read an article in which four people describe going to see an unusual annual event. For questions 43
– 52, choose from the sections (A – D). The people may be chosen more than once.
Which person mentions …
43. the possibility of people at the event having their belongings stolen? __
44. regretting being without an item of protective equipment? __
45. the bravery of the people who took part? __
46. a warning about organising a trip to the event? __
47. an injury caused during the event? __
48. how hard it was to get a good position to view the event? __
49. products that were available to buy during the event? __
50. experiencing two strongly contrasting emotions? __
51. people with a particular interest who would like the event? __
52. the reason why the event originally began? __

The world’s strangest annual events?

A Sadie Grossman
Last year, I was one of 30,000 people who took part in La Tomatina, an annual festival held in Buñol, Spain, during
which townspeople and visitors fill the streets and take part in a tomato fight. I’ve neither laughed so hard nor feared
for my life as much as I did on that day. Trucks of tomatoes were dumped in the streets, and I soon found myself
picking up handfuls of squashed fruit and throwing them at whoever happened to be closest. Most people
participating were considerate, but a few were not. I was thankful that I’d left my phone back at the hotel and worn
clothes I didn’t mind getting ruined. I did wish I’d invested in a pair of goggles though, as being hit in the eye by a
tomato meant I couldn’t see out of it very well for a couple of days. It was definitely an experience I’ll never forget,
but one I have no desire to repeat!
B Joe Haythorpe
I went with friends to the mud festival held in Boryeong, South Korea because several of them had been before,
loved it and wanted to go again. The two-week event is centred on an area of Boryeong beach set up with water
slides and pools to play in while covered in huge quantities of the mineral-rich mud that’s taken from the shore near
the city. It’s great fun for the entire family as well as groups of friends. Apart from playing in the mud, we also

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attended some great concerts and shopped for mud-based skin creams. Although it’s only been going since 1998, it
already attracts millions of Koreans and Western tourists annually. But if you’re considering going, book your
accommodation early as room rates triple closer to the event. All in all, this festival was by far the most fun one I’ve
ever been to.
C Charlie Traynor
Cheese Rolling on Cooper’s Hill in Gloucestershire, England is the ideal activity for fans of extreme sports whether
as spectators or as participants, and is definitely one of the craziest traditions I’ve ever witnessed. I watched in
amazement as madly courageous men and women threw themselves down a steep hill, tumbling head over heels,
while chasing a large round cheese. The cheese always gets to the bottom of the hill first, but for each race there is a
prize (a cheese worth a lot of money) for the first person to do so. Thankfully, that day everyone survived without
seriously hurting themselves. The event is free, but because of the large crowds, I struggled to find a place from
which I could actually see much of the action or use my camera. There were also four uphill races, but they were a
lot less exciting.
D Louisa Darke
During the Monkey Buffet Festival in Lopburi, Thailand, cakes, fruit and vegetables are piled up on tables in the
streets for 3000 local monkeys to enjoy. The festival was established to boost tourism in the area, and it’s worked:
huge crowds now travel there from all over the world, many dressed in monkey costumes.There is traditional music,
dance and sculpture, all with a monkey theme, and the monkeys themselves roam free. They have no fear of people,
and we were warned that they might try to grab our phones, hats or even jewellery and run off with them. I’m glad to
say they didn’t, but at one point a young monkey jumped up onto my shoulder, making me very uncomfortable. We
were given sticks to protect ourselves from the boldest monkeys, but I didn’t want to use one. I was glad when the
monkey climbed down. However, it was very entertaining to watch the animals from a distance, happily playing and
eating.

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Answer Keys
Part 1
1 C – denied. ‘Cannot be denied’ is a set phrase that means that nobody would argue against the expressed idea, e.g.
‘it cannot be denied that higher education greatly improves the odds of getting a well-paid job for most people’.
2 A – trouble. To take the trouble to do something means to make an effort to do it. Even though the word ‘effort’
describes the idea well, grammatically it cannot be used here – we can’t say ‘to take effort’. Other phrases with these
words: ‘to make effort to do something’, ‘to take care of something’, ‘to concern oneself with something’.
3 D – aspects. Aspects are technical parts of something, like a process or an activity.
4 B – capture. ‘To capture a picture’ is a common collocation relating to photography.
5 C – stimulates. If something stimulates you, it pushes or forces you to do it. ‘Motivates’ fits grammatically, but it
doesn’t fit the idea. You don’t need to be motivated to make good pictures – it is a natural desire that requires no
motivation. The remaining two verbs do not fit the context.
6 A – manage. Preposition ‘to’ limits our choice of the verb. Compare: ‘to succeed in something’, ‘to achieve
something’, ‘to reach something’.
7 C – source. A source is the place, either literal or figurative, that has a lot of something. Can be used both
positively and negatively, e.g. ‘a source of many troubles’.
8 B – completely. If you miss something completely, you do not notice it at all.

Part 2
9 least. ‘At least’ expresses the idea ‘at the minimum, no less than’.
10 get. ‘Get used’ means some change – exactly the idea that is expressed in the context. ‘Be used’ means that you
already are in the habit – this contradicts the context as it is suggested that you should take it slow.
11 of. The gerund form ‘picking’ takes ‘of’ here, like many other -ing forms in English.
12 is. A passive voice form is used here, it is a so-called impersonal structure, otherwise referred to as ‘distancing’.
13 to. ‘To allow somebody to do something’
14 out. If you run out of something (e.g. energy, money, patience) it means you no longer have it because you have
spent or wasted it all.
15 Neither/nor. There is a strong contextual connection with the previous sentence, continuing the idea and
expanding on it. The construction ‘neither/nor’ is used here, which normally stays in one sentence. However, in this
case it has been split into two smaller sentences.
16 Whatever. Here, the message is ‘no matter what you do, do (or don’t do) this.’.

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Part 3
17 sensitive. Here the word ‘sensitive’ means being able to pick up more detail and giving overall better information.
18 investigations. It is important to understand that only the plural form of the noun works here, as there is no article
before ‘increasingly’. With singular form, it would need to be ‘A recent investigation’.
19 significant. The only adjective that works here. Note that ‘signifying’ would usually be followed by an object, i.e.
‘a discovery signifying that we are not alone in the universe’.
20 considerably. We are looking for an adverb – because the gap is next to a comparative form of an adjective.
Adverb + adjective is a common combination that you will see in FCE Use of English Part 3.
21 possibility. Possibility of life on the planet.
22 comfortable. Another grammatically possible word is ‘comforting’, however it does not fit as the meaning is
different. Comforting means giving you peace of mind, making you less worried or sad.
23 dependent/dependant. Both options are possible – the first one is predominantly American English, the second
one is more common for British English.
24 unreal. Two reasons to use ‘unreal’ rather than ‘real’. First of all, the context that follows the gap suggests
impossibility of such expedition. Secondly, you ALWAYS have to change the word in this task, it never remains the
same.

Part 4
25 makes all the difference. ‘To make all the difference’ is to affect something greatly.
26 spite of the fact. ‘In spite of’ is similar to ‘despite’, but we cannot use the latter here as we have ‘in’ before the
gap.
27 to give up (eating). In this context you can both ‘give up fast food’ and ‘give up eating fast food’.
28 as well as answers. Notably, ‘answering’ shouldn’t be used because ‘goes answering’ means she literally walks
somewhere to answer these emails. The key phrase here is ‘as well as’.
29 get my television fixed. ‘To have something done’ shows that somebody else is going to provide the service to
you. It highlights that you are not doing it yourself.
30 is unusual for her to. A fairly straightforward transformation. It is unusual for somebody to do something.

Part 5
31 B. Last sentence of the paragraph outlines how young people might not realise the extent of their dependence on
technology. Answer A is incorrect – Their grandfather sounds amazed rather than frustrated. The word ‘attitude’ in
Answer C is whether something is seen positively and negatively, and none seem to mind technology. Answer D is
not mentioned.

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32 B. The author says that ‘she could see his point’ – it means that she understands what the grandfather meant.
Moreover, if we read further, the next sentences give examples how much easier it is for students to study nowadays.
Answer A: it was the sister’s idea, not the author’s. Answer C and D are not mentioned.
33 C. She mentions that libraries have the benefit of being a ‘distraction-free location’. She also says that in the past
it was the only option, meaning that we have other ways of studying now. A is incorrect – while she mentions the
benefits of libraries, she points that ‘some’ people might see it as the better option. B is wrong, as she clearly gives
reasons for why somebody would want to study in a library. Answer D is not mentioned.
34 C. Last sentence of paragraph 3 says that the duty of replying to their students’ messages ‘puts an extra strain’ on
teachers – that is the disadvantage mentioned.
35 A. She states her opinion of how important these devices are and how well they complement the studying process.
No problem or criticism is expressed.
36 D. The idea is that students haven’t really changed – they still try their best to adapt to changes, changes that have
always had place in their lives. Answer A is wrong – while the statement is correct, this idea is not expressed by the
author. Answers B and C are not mentioned.

Part 6
37 E. We see some examples of how the won money could be spent before the gap, and this sentence introduces a
different one with ‘alternatively’.
38 G. As a part of the school premise it makes sense to involve the tree into the education process. Answer F
somewhat fits contextually, but factually it makes no sense – the tree is said to be 50 years old and sentence F says
that it was planted almost 200 years ago. This is true for some of the other options – keep your eye on the age
number in context.
39 A. ‘To take root’ means to develop a root system of their own and become trees – on other words, the branches
have started getting nutriotion from the ground through their own system, effectively developing into trees. This is
the layering mentioned previously – multiple layers of trees and foliage.
40 C. Understanding the word ‘upright’ makes this choice very easy. If something it upright, it stands straight
without leaning. In this case we have tree leaning at 45 degrees.
41 D. The pronoun ‘it’ that begins the sentence after the gap helps us limit our choice. ‘It’ refers to the species of tree
‘rowan’ mentioned in sentence D.
42 F. Another tricky sentence to pick. This paragraph focuses on the story of ownership, so we get many names
there. It is natural to choose sentence F here for this reason, as well as using the method of exclusion. Remember to
leave the least obvious answer for last to make answering it easier by eliminating other options.

Part 7
43 D. Visitors of the festival are warned that monkeys might attempt to grab their phones.
44 A. Sadie says that she should have taken protective goggles to keep her eyes safe from tomatoes thrown at her.

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45 C. ‘Courageous men and women’ are mentioned. Courage and bravery are pretty much synonymous.
46 B. People willing to take part in the festival are advised to book their accommodation in advance because of the
increased demand and price increases that follow.
47 A. Sadie mentions getting hit in the eye and being unable to see well for a couple of days. Note that ‘C’ is
incorrect – even though the word ‘hurting’ is mentioned, it is stated that nobody has been seriously hurt.
48 C. The event was overcrowded so it was difficult to find a good place in the crowd (sentence starts with ‘The
event is free…’).
49 B. Various ‘mud-based skin creams’ get mentioned in the second half of the paragraph.
50 A. Second sentence of the paragraph mentions the two emotions that are very different from one another.
51 C. The particular kind of people are fans of extreme sports, mentioned in the first sentence of C.
52 D. The purpose of starting the festival was originally to boost tourism in the area.

Vocabulary
The vocabulary below is meant to help you with the more difficult words. If the word isn’t on the list then you are
either supposed to know it at this level or it is too specific to be worth learning for the exam. Symbols in brackets
mean part of speech(see bottom of the list). Sentences in italics give examples of usage for some more complex
words and phrases.
And remember — you are not given a vocabulary list (or a dictionary) at your real exam.
Part 1
Ordinary (adj) – usual, not special. Often used negatively.
Scarf (n) – a piece of clothing worn around the neck to keep it warm. Just like the previous entry, this could be
purely decorative.
On a regular basis – regularly. Exercising on a regular basis has a number of benefits.
Absorbing (adj) – (here) addictive, taking your attention, interesting.
Part 2
Gradually (adv) – slowly, not suddenly or abruptly.
Pace (n) – (here) the speed of something, e.g. ‘pace of life’.
Footwear (n) – a collective word for various types of shoes.
Part 3, 4
Orbit (v) – to follow something around in circle, like our planet follows the sun.
Jogging (n) – similar to running, but done for the purpose of fitness.
Part 5
Without a second thought (phr) – without thinking too much or too long before taking action.
Course of action (phr) – a way to do something. In case there is a fire in the building, you have to be familiar with
the course of action on evacuating and helping others to escape.
Reflect (v) – (here) if you reflect on something, you think about it carefully.
Put strain on somebody – to make somebody more stressed, either physically or mentally. Having a part-time job

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at university puts extra strain on students, affecting their academic performance.

Query (n) – (here) a request for advice, consultation or advice.
Tempting (adj) – if something is tempting you want to do it very much, especially if you know that it is not the best
idea to do so. Living with your parents in your late twenties might sound financially tempting, but it does not give
you the necessary level of independence a young adult needs.
Embrace (v) – (here) to accept something, to start using it.
Part 6
Shortlist (n) – in a contest or a competition, a shortlist is a final list of contestants for the main prize.
Trunk (n) – the main part of the tree, standing vertically with roots below and branches growing upwards and on its
sides.
Underneath (adv) – below, under something. I had no warm clothes underneath my jacket, just a t-shirt.
Bark (n) – the thick layer of wood that cover the trunk of a tree. Bark can be used to start a fire when camping.
Hollow (adj) – empty on the inside.
Uprightness (n) – the quality of being upright – standing vertically.
Take root (n) – to grow roots. I was surprised to see how one of the seemingly dead branches took root and after a
year turned into a small tree.
Emerge (v) – to appear from under or behind something else. A stream of gases emerged from the geyser with a loud
hissing sound.
Part 7
Belongings (n) – things that belong to you. Can also be called possessions or personal effects.
Contrasting (adj) – very different from one another. Living with my parents and my life at the university dorm were
two contrasting experiences.
Annual (adj) – happening once a year.
Dump (v) – to throw something away in a careless manner, especially if there is a lot of it.
Squashed (adj) – partially turned into liquid as a result of pressure. There was a squashed orange lying outside the
supermarket, juice dripping from it.
Considerate (adj) – respectful of others, careful. It is important to be a considerate driver, especially in school and
kindergarten areas.
Ruin (adj) – to make something useless by damaging or staining it.
Mud (n) – earth mixed with water, especially one that is sticky. When spring comes, our roads turn into rivers of
mud and becomes nearly impossible to use your car to get around.
Accommodation (n) – any form of rented housing for a temporary stay. Examples include hotels, Airbnb apartments
and many others.
Spectator (n) – a person who watches some activity rather than takes part in it. Not to be confused with ‘viewer’, as
the latter implies watching something on TV or the Internet.
Steep (adj) – if something (like a hill) is steep, it has a very large incline and it is difficult to go up or down it.
Roam free – to have freedom of movement, to be allowed to go wherever one wants.
Bold (adj) – brave, without fear. Can also be used to mean ‘arrogant’.

https://engexam.info/fce-reading-and-use-of-english-practice-tests/ – FCE Practice tests with explanations