CHAPTER 1: LEXCICO – IDIOMS – PHRASAL VERB

PRACTICE TEST 1

1. She ________ agreed to go with him to the football match although she had no interest
in the game at all.

A. apologetically B. grudgingly C. shamefacedly D. discreetly

2. On the way to Cambridge yesterday, the road was blocked by a fallen tree, so we had
to make a ________.

A. deviation B. digression C. detour D. departure

3. Tom’s normally very efficient but he’s been making a lot of mistakes ______.

A. of late B. for now C. in a while D. shortly

4. I know it’s difficult but you’ll just have to ________ and bear it.

A. laugh B. smile C. grin D. chuckle

5. I didn’t want to make a decision ________, so I said I’d like to think about it.

A. in one go B. there and then C. at a stroke D. on and off

6. We are not in a ________ hurry so let’s have another coffee.

A. dashing B. racing C. rushing D. tearing

7. She’s a bit down in the________ at the moment – her husband has just lost his job.

A. world B. dumps C. heart D. bottom

8. “How did you know that he was lying?” – “It was just a ________ feeling.”

A. faint B. gut C. slight D. vain

9. The new company had been________with one problem after another and looked as if
it were about to go under.

A. glorified B. tainted C. fraught D. bewildered

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10. Mike decided that election to the local council would provide a ________ to a career
in national politics.

A. milestone B. springboard C. highway D. turning point

11. As a poet, I think she ________ comparison with the greatest this century. .

A. stands B. makes C. leads D. matches

12. We all have to follow the rules, and none of us is ________ the law.

A. beyond B. over C. above D. onto

13. When disaster ______, organisations such as Oxfam quickly provide help.

A. comes B. approaches C. arrives D. strikes

14. The number of people traveling by air has been growing _______.

A. by leaps and bounds B. from time to time

C. slow but sure D. by hook and crook

15. Drug-taking is a crime which society simply cannot _________.

A. approve B. acknowledge C. consent D. condone

16. I was scared ____________ when I looked down from the top of the cliff.

A. tight B. stiff C. hard D. solid

17. The whereabouts of the exiled president remains a _________guarded secret.

A. highly B. closely C. deeply D. entirely

18. We should all_________when advertisers attempt to use unfair practices.

A. make a stand B. make a comeback

C. make amends D. make a deal

19. The company cannot accept_________for injuries resulting from improper use of
rental equipment

A. validity B. liability C. compensation D. privilege

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20. Jack never cheats or tricks anybody when he plays. He always goes by the_________

A. book B. instructions C. principles D. method

21. Recent defeats have _________his confidence in himself as a player

A. undermined B. disable C. impeded D. hampered

22. People turned out in_________to watch the parade on the Independence Day.

A. volume B. mass C. force D. bulk

23. Not being able to find my phone number is a pretty_________excuse for not
contacting me.

A. fragile B. frail C. faint D. feeble

24. We were under no _________ about how difficult it would be to achieve our aims.

A. fantasies B. daydreams C. illusions D. deceptions

25. The pollution problems in the town have been ___________ by mass tourism in the
summer months.

A. exacerbated B. developed C. augmented D. contributed

26. I'm in a bit of a _________ as to what to wear to the wedding.

A. loss B. quandary C. problem D. bewilderment

27. The problem _________because neither side was prepared to compromise.

A. amassed B. escalated C. proliferated D. enhanced

28. The Red Cross is ___________ an international aid organization.

A. intriguingly B. intrusively C. intrinsically D. intrepidly

29. I couldn't stop myself from _________ with boredom during the lecture.

A. sighing B. gasping C. panting D. blowing

30. My brother found it impossible to _________his anger and started shouting.

A. restrict B. inhibit C. reserve D. contain

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31. Fitting together the thousands of fragments of the broken vase was a long and
___________ task.

A. minute B. careful C. painstaking D. minuscule

32. You’ll just have to _________ yourself to the fact that you can’t always have what
you want.

A. acknowledge B. reconcile C. concede D. allow

33. The students had no money left and took out a loan to _________ him over until the
end of term.

A. last B. tend C. keep D. tide

34. Money was short and people survived by _________and saving.

A. scrimping B. scavenging C. scouring D. scrounging

35. Jane was terribly nervous before the interview but she managed to pull herself
________ and act confidently.

A. through B. over C. together D. off

36.This is the _________timetable for the conference. It may change later

A. conditional B. indefinite C. provisional D. indeterminate

37. She didn’t show even a _________of emotion when the court found her guilty.

A. gleam B. wink C. flicker D. flash

38. Few people can do creative work unless they are in the right _________ of mind.

A. trend B. frame C. attitude D. tendency

39. It was decided that the cost of the project would be _________.and so it was
abandoned.

A. repressive B. prohibitive C. restrictive D. exclusive

40. I didn't really feel like memorizing all these definitions. It was only the risk of getting
another bad mark that made me _________myself.

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A. exert B. absorb C. endeavour D. deploy

41. In times of _________ unemployment figures usually rise dramatically.

A austerity B severity C sobriety D. gravity

42. The delight in treasure finding doesn’t always ________acquiring tremendous

amounts of valuables.

A. dwell on B. poke around C. lay about D. hinge upon

43. Let’s _________ the place, it looks so gloomy and unpleasant .

A. miss B. abandon C. depart D. disappear

44. She used the map to discover where she was in ________to her surroundings.

A. connection B. affinity C. relation D. reference

45. He let it __________ that the Prime Minister was a close friend of his.

A. announce B. talk C. drop D. infer

46. 1. It was a fantastic film. I enjoyed it _________.

A. endlessly B. unendingly C. without end D. no end

47. When the children _________ their toys, I donated them to charity.

A. outlasted B. outdated C. outgrew D. outwore

48. I was in the ______ of despair before I heard the good news.

A. depths B. profundities C. bottoms D. holes

49. When are we going to get rid of all these empty cartons? They've been _________ up
the office for weeks now.

A. buttering B. clutching C. cluttering D. botching

50. The luxurious office accentuated the manager's position _________. It enhanced his
power and his sense of his own worth. And it made other people feel small.

A. on the pecking pole B. in the nibbling line

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C. at the nipping post D. in the pecking order

51. The architect has designed a building of immaculate _____ in everything. Every
detail is matched on each side.

A evenness B contrast C symmetry D contradiction

52. The vegetation on the island was _________.

A. exuberant B. chivalrous C. overcast D. ingenious

53. We had been looking for the nest for hours before we _________ lucky.

A. hit B. made C. struck D. came

54. We don’t have a secretary _________, but we do have a student who comes in to do a
bit of filing.

A. as such B. the least bit C. whatsoever D. little more

55. Despite ____________ appearances, he wasn't as crazy as people thought.

A. inward B. outward C. external D. strange

56. I really need some vacations now so that when I come back I can _________ in the
operating theatre.

A. thrive B. grow C. proliferate D. spread

57. The first _________ of the ladder is important in your career.

A. step B. grade C. push D. rung

58. After hours and hours trying to solve the problem, I was at my _________ end.

A. nerves' B. wits' C. humours' D. tethers'

59. Her punky hairstyle showed she was not one for following the _________.

A. flock B. herd C. swarm D. group

60. There wasn't a _________ of truth in what he said.

A. ray B. lump C. grain D.pinch

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61. Ask David to give you a hand moving the furniture. He’s strong as ______.

A. an elephant B. a mountain C. a gorilla D. a horse

62. He didn’t have a _________ of evidence to support his claims.

A. sign B. scrap C. sense D. state

63. It’s the __________ of stupidity to go walking in the mountains in this weather.

A. height B. depth C. source D. matter

64. I know you’re upset about breaking up with Tom, but there are plenty more ______.

A. horses in the stable B. cows in the shed

C. tigers in the jungle D. fish in the sea.

65. It must be true. I hear it straight from the _________ mouth.

A. dog’s B. horse’s C. camel’s D. cat’s

66. It's normal for salaries to be paid monthly in______, meaning you'll need to work
four weeks first.

A. advance B. full C. arrears D. debt

67. She is so ______ skinned that nothing offends her.

A. hard B. thick C. strong D. heavy

68. I’ve only met Stephen in a social context - he’s an unknown _________ where work’s
concerned.

A. option B. type C. category D. quantity

69. The competition he set up for young musicians is another _________ of his life-long
support for the arts.

A. exposition B. manifestation C. token D. exhibition

70. Windows go __________ towards defining the character of a house.

A. a long way B. far out C. all the way D. far away

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71. Even the most _________ drivers feel an urge to break the speed-limit occasionally.

A. lawful B. legitimate C. law-abiding D. judicial

72. I am not sure I can answer that. I have only thought about it in the _______ before.

A. general B. hypothetical C. indefinite D. abstract

73. The opposition protests against the government now threaten to get out of _______
and the security forces are likely to make arrests around the country today.

A. reach B. kilter C. hand D. ordinary

74. I really don’t want to get involved in your problems. Why are you _______me into it?

A. pulling B. dragging C. wrenching D. towing

75. Everybody was busy with the spring cleaning, except Stanley, who always refused to
pull his ______ .

A. shocks B. weight C. finger D. share

76. At the time, Mexico was in the _____of its worst economic recession on record.

A. grip B. tug C. hug D. grab

77. Harry was offered a scholarship to study in Japan and he _____ the opportunity with
both hands.

A. grasped B. grabbed C. held D. passed

78. A full scholarship to Harvard and you are worried about leaving your job? You’d be a
fool to _____ up a chance like that.

A. turn B. brush C. pass D. cast

79. He admitted taking a bribe and he doesn’t think he’s _______ his chances of getting
re-elected?

A. pulled B. wiped C. thrown D. blown

80. The matter has been left in _______ until the legal ramifications have been explored.

A. recess B. suspension C. abeyance D. waiting

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81. It was an extremely hostile article which cast _______ on the conduct of the entire
cabinet.

A. criticism B. aspersions C. disapproval D. abuse

82. Simon's business has been on the _______ for some time and I understand he's going
into liquidation.

A. fire B. rocks C. wave D. clouds

83. We've made some great improvements over the past three months, but we're still not
out of the _______ .

A. jungle B. bush C. dark D. woods

84. If you had never seen a telly ad, you would be all at ______ with popular culture.

A. crossroads B. distance C. sea D. length

85. I'd been living in this country for a few years, but it wasn't until I had kids that I felt
like I had really put down ______ here.

A. roots B. seeds C. nuts D. fruits

86. The party was already ______ by the time we arrived. Everyone was singing and
dancing.

A. in full swing B. up in the air

C. over the moon D. under a cloud

87. The entire staff was thrown off ______ when the news of the takeover was
announced.

A. composure B. disarray C. stable D. balance

88. I know you have a good voice and have ambitions to be an opera singer but do not
give up your day ______ yet.

A. situation B. work C. job D. place

89. We at Buyrite throw down the ______ to competitors to match us for price, quality
and service.

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A. mitten B. gauntlet C. sword D. hat

90. Sometimes, we don't appreciate the ______ pleasures of life such as a beautiful sky, a
cup of coffee with a friend or seeing a good film at the cinema.

A. sheer B. simple C. normal D. plain

91. Various ecological issues have come to the ______ since the discovery of the hole in
the earth's ozone layer.

A. front B. back C. side D. fore

92. The full horror of the war only hit ______ when we started seeing the television
pictures of it.

A. base B. down C. home D. back

93. The most important parts of your job may seem difficult now but they will become
second ______ to you within a couple of weeks.

A. instinct B. thought C. nature D. mind

94. I'm about to start my long-planned swimming regime. But I've got really terrible
cellulite, which makes me feel rather ______

A. self-assured B. self - centred

C. self-conscious D. self-evident

95. The inconsiderate driver was ______ for parking his vehicle in the wrong place.

A. inflicted B. harassed C. condemned D. confined

96. From football to fashion, from TV to stage, we name the ______ stars whose careers
are likely to rocket in the future.

A. out and about B. up and coming

C. down and out D. in and out

97. Obama expressed regret as a US drone strike has______ killed innocent hostages.

A. incongruously B. vehemently C. inadvertently D. graciously

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98. How do you calculate the distance to the horizon? As a _____, it’s 7 miles + 1 mile
per 100 ft above sea level.

A. trick of the trade B. golden rule C. free hand D. rule of thumb

99. Just because we’ve had a good year, this does not mean that we cannot do better: we
must not ______

A. have our head in the clouds B. bury our heads in the sand

C. count our blessings D. rest on our laurels

100. The headmaster at my last school was was a stern disciplinarian and made sure we
______ the line.

A. drew B. faced C. touched D. toed

PRACTICE TEST 2

1. The designer was given free _____ to produce any design he wanted.

A rein B range C ride D rope

2. They were _____ over by his kindness and didn’t know what to say.

A turned B knocked C hooked D bowled

3. The office was closed for a week for refurbishment and now the staff have to deal with
the _____ that built up during their absence.

A backstage B backlash C backlog D backdrop

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4. Even though there have been setbacks, because of their determination I’m sure they’ll
achieve their goals, _____ .

A suffice to say B be that as it may C so be it D come what may

5. John and Sarah lived in the back of _____ and it always took us a whole day to drive
there.

A the country B isolation C nowhere D beyond

6. My parents looked back with _____ on the days when all of us lived at home and
which, they said, were the best years of their lives.

A nostalgia B reminiscence C homesickness D recollection

7. I don’t trust him and it really goes against the ________to give him the money.
A. cloak B. grain C. rice D. grapevine

8. It’s time we had a ________talk with each other in an effort to clear the air.

A. heart to heart B. eye to eye C. face to face D. cheek to cheek

9. As she didn’t understand the teacher’s question, she merely gave him a _______ look.

A. clear B. dim C. blank D. hopeless

10. Sister Morrison might take _______ with me on that matter.

A. words B. discussion C. issue D. matter

11. I don't think that revealing your past to your boyfriend scared him _______.

A. back B. down C. off D. through

12. There were probably moments when you wondered if anyone spoke the truth or was
______

A. spolit for choice B. below par C. off the beg D. on the level

13. Substantial members of the ______members ignored the union advice.

A. all and sundry B. flesh and blood

C. head and shoulders. D. rank and file

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14. Many victims of the earthquake pay ______ to the ones who took them out of rubble.

A. respects B. homage C. tributes D. deference

15. The movie takes considerable liberties ______the novel that it is based on.

A. to B. out of C. at D. with

16. Don’t believe Samuel. He just ______an act that he is the most miserable person in
the world.

A. puts on B. puts into C. settles up D. settles in

17. Diagnosed with tumor in the brain, she refused to meet her ______but turned to
religion for help.

A. paleontologist B. oncologist C. entomologist D. seismologist

18. Their father was a hero in World War II, whose account has awakened
______memories of the old days.

A. down-in-the-dumps B. disconsolate

C. poignant D. grief-stricken

19. I don't like intellectual novels, serious music or films; my tastes are quite ______

A. flat-topped B. lowbrow C. shamefaced D. slow-witted

20. The sixth time he called me at night was the _________.

A. lost cause B. last straw C. touch and go D. hot air

21. There’s no doubt about the outcome of the trial. The man is a ______ criminal.

A. self-conscious B. self-contained C. self-confessed D. self-centered

22. Rebecca ______on our conversation to tell us that James had just been rushed to
hospital.

A. cut in B. faced up C. got ahead D. broke up

23______ her job, her sons and the housework, she doesn’t have a minute for herself.

A. What with B. If it weren’t for C. Barring D. Given

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24. It’s ______that he never mentioned our argument; I wonder why he didn’t.

A. special B. rare C. curious D. eccentric

25. He praised his wife for her dignity under the ______of the tabloid press.

A. onslaught B. assault C. onset D. offensive

26. Brain cancer requires ______ treatment such as surgery.

A. aggressive B. confrontational C. malignant D. rigorous

27. The government has been forced into a ________ after the revelation of a cover-up.

A. climbdown B. getaway C. outbreak D. breakout

28. I don’t know if Ash would be right for the job; he’s a bit of an unknown ________.

A. quality B. qualification C. quantity D. identity

29. Searching for one man in this city is like looking for a _________.

A. salt of the earth B. sand in the desert

C. needle in a haystack D. drop in the ocean

30. The Conservatives declared their intention of______the whole Act once they came
into power.

A. repulsing B. repelling C. impelling D. repealing

31. The growth of psychobiology owes ______to major conceptual advances in the way
people think about the brain.

A. much B. as much as C. much which D. there is so much

32. The class went to see the performance of Macbeth because it ______ in well with the
project they were doing on Scottish history.

A. crammed B. stood C. tied D. booked

33. I have tried every product on the market and still I can't rid these curtains of the
______of cigarette smoke.

A. fumes B. fragrance C. stench D. aroma

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34. Her condition seems to be ______. We’ll have to take her to intensive care.
A. ameliorating B. deteriorating C. amputating D. imitating

35. Not only is little Jonny’s grammar incoherent and his spelling atrocious but also his
pronunciation______.
A. slothful B. sluggish C. hazard D. haphazard

36. I need to ______ your offer very carefully before I make a decision.

A. look over B. see out C. figure out D. mull over

37. There’s nothing to ______ as it’s a general knowledge quiz.

A. come round to B. face up to C. swot up on D. come up with

38. The account of their journey has been ______ together from personal letters and
diaries.

A. pieced B. set C. pulled D. got

39. The noise from the unruly fans celebrating their team’s victory didn’t _____ until
early in the morning.

A. shut off B. give away C. let up D. fall over

40. Following years of intense training, the accomplished athlete ______ the medal
triumphantly.

A. took off B. went off C. ran off D. carried off

41. We’d been working hard for a month and so decided to go out and ______.

A. paint the town red B. face the music

C. read between the lines D. steal the show

42. The country is an economic ______ with chronic unemployment and rampant crime.

A. lost cause B. basket case C. false dawn D. dark horse

43. You’ve got to ______ to succeed in advertising.

A. go to your head B. have your wits about you

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C. have your head in the clouds D. gather your wits

44. The Prime Minister will decide whether to release the prisoner or not; that’s his
______.
A. prerogative B. derogatory C. abdication D. humanity

45. The Secretary of State handled the matter ______ and prevented a war.
A. adroitly B. intensely C. abjectly D. slightly

46. The robbery was carried out in ______ daylight and with hundreds of witnesses
present.

A. open B. wide C. broad D. clear

47. Most of the examination is written but there is also a(n) ______ part which I am
really worried about.

A. vocal B. verbal C. oral D. wordy

48. ______ with anger, Mr. Jensson stormed into the local tax office and demanded to see
someone about his case which had dragged on for nearly three years.

A. Brimming B. Pouring C. Stewing D. Seething

49. When I say I want you to be here at six o'clock, I mean six o'clock ______.You
cannot be late under any circumstances!

A. on the edge B. at the moment C. on the dot D. in detail

50. The opposition protests against the government now threaten to get out of ______ and
the security forces are likely to make arrests around the country today.

A. reach B. kilter C. hand D. the ordinary

51. Fingerprints are the most ______ types of evidence used in criminal cases because
it’s one of the most reliable forms of identification

A. culpable B. incriminating C. liable D.offending

52. The inconsiderate driver was ______ for parking his vehicle in the wrong place.

A. inflicted B. harassed C. condemned D. confined

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53. Another, perhaps inspired by the nursery rhyme, is that a(n) ______ for sweet things
during pregnancy makes you more likely to be having a girl, while a boy will make you
crave savoury, salty foods, meat and cheese in particular.

A. inspiration B. affinity C. predilection D. propensity

54. Most of the old road has been ______ by the great interstate highways

A. overdone B. superseded C. excelled D. overwhelmed

55. She got very ______working such long hours

A. tumble-down B. downcast C. run-down D. down - and – out

56. Just because we’ve had a good year, this does not mean that we cannot do better: we
must not ______

A. have our head in the clouds B. bury our heads in the sand

C. count our blessings D. rest on our laurels

57. As soon as the problem at work blew up, he instantly thought about how he could
come out of it looking good. He is such a ______person.

A. self-evident B. self-conscious C. self-centred D. selfless

58. We carried on down the path, ______of the notice warning of avalanche risk.

A. careless B. carefree C. heedless D. blind

59. The judge declared a ______today due to unfair media coverage and the trial will be
restarted again early next year.

A. postponement B. annulment C. cancellation D. mistrial

60. His performance was so spectacular that he was ______out for praise by the team
manager at the end of the game.

A. singled B. filtered C. distinguished D. selected

61. He's just getting up my ______ so much at the moment.

A. feet B. chest C. nose D. mind

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62. Something's wrong with this room, but I can't quite ______what it is.

A. put my finger on B. know off-hand

C. give my right arm to D. lay eyes on

63. Group E is now wide open with all four teams ______ a chance of qualifying for the
knock-out phase going into the final group matches.

A. in with B. up for C. in for D. up with

64. There's so much good theatre and cinema in London, really one is ______for choice.

A. overcome B. ruined C. spoilt D. overwhelmed

65. The structure parameters of these chucks are ______ those of K11 3-jaw self-centring
chucks.

A. much the same as B. nearly as

C. nothing like as D. nowhere near as

66. There are ten prisoners on the ______.

A. loose B.run C. track D. go

67. Sometimes, we don't appreciate the ______ pleasures of life such as a beautiful sky, a
cup of coffee with a friend or seeing a good film at the cinema.

A. sheer B. simple C. normal D. plain

68. They dismissed him as "disrespectful, very arrogant and ______ rude".

A. totally B. downright C. outright D. heavily

69. The statement from the ministers contrasts ______ with comments by European
Commission President Jean-Claude Juncke

A. sharply B. heavily C. utterly D. flatly

70. I know how to use computers, but I don't really understand the ______of how they
work.

A. ins and outs B. odds and ends C. dribs and drabs D. waifs and strays

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71. The doctor says that it's ______whether Mary will be okay.

A. prim and proper B. spick and span C. touch and go D. up and coming

72. Our staff take pride in providing ______ service.

A. mundane B. atrocious C. impeccable D. lousy

73. It was a ______move to buy your house just before property prices started to rise.

A. astute B. crafty C. shrewd D. wily

74. They adopted a sensible, ______ policy on defence spending.

A. state-of-the-art B. trick-of-the-trade

C. run-of-the-mill D. middle-of-the-road

75. He'd be ______if he found out what you're doing

A. annoyed B. irritated C. livid D. cross

76. A lot of older people are ______ because they've been complaining all their lives

A. irate B. crotchety C. indignant D. infuriated

77. She had a ______ row with Eddie and stormed out of the house.

A. blazing B. heated C.firing D. smouldering

78. Intimate relationships were limited to a stack of old nudie magazines with ______
pages, which he kept on the floor beneath his cot.

A. head-on B. nail-biting C. narrow-minded D. well-thumbed

79. He awoke with a ______ heart, sweating with fear

A. plucking B. flexing C. gritting D. pounding

80. We reached ______in the meeting and failed to come to a solution

A. standstill B. gridlock C. standoff D. stalemate

81. He was ______aware of his lack of experience

A. widely B. painfully C. deeply D. heavily

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82. As an average retail investor I consider myself ______ capable of understanding the
operation of crossing networks

A. perfectly B. bitterly C. widely D. highly

83. The littlest thing tends to anger my mother, so I feel like I have to walk on ______
whenever I'm at her house.

A. eggshells B. nutshells C. bombshells D. seashells

84. Students can be expelled at the ______ of the principal

A. disposition B. dispersal C. discretion D. disposal

85. He became emotionally ______from his friends and family after the illness.

A. distant B. faint C. secluded D. far-away

86. The sound of his footsteps gradually ______ away.

A. died B. passed C. vanished D. dwindled

87. He is disliked because of his sly and ______ways of getting what he wants.

A. calculating B. callous C. inquisitive D. meticulous

88. She dismissed him with a ______nod of the head.

A. blunt B. curt C. reckless D. ruthless

89. His performance is described in the paper as "a ______ display of physical agility".

A. breathtaking B. gripping C. harrowing D. piercing

90. The police are sometimes more ______with female offenders.

A. lax B. lenient C. easygoing D. withdrawn

91. Don’t be taken in by his lying, ______ words

A. slack B. scrupulous C. treacherous D. feeble

92. With the amount of traffic nowadays, even a trip across town is ______with dangers.

A. beset B. surrounded C. assaulted D. devoid

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93. He was forced to ______ control of the company.

A. discard B. relinquish C. quit D. surrender

94. Getting up at 8 o’clock was early by her ______

A. reasons B. standards C. limits D. levels

95. The passion of Argentinian football fans ______no bounds

A. recognizes B. holds C. sees D. knows

96. My library books are a week ______

A. undue B. overdue C. unpunctual D. belated

97. Every shelf is ______with ornaments.

A. muddled B. bundled C. cluttered D. burdened

98. There was a danger of the country reverting to its ______ sin of complacency

A. redeeming B. overriding

C. besetting D. overwhelming

99. Police are investigating a(n) ______ of burglaries in the Kingsland Road area.

A. rate B. influx C. tide D. spate

100. He kept telling us about his operation, in the most ______ detail.

A. elaborate B. knotty C. graphic D. burning

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 PRACTICE TEST 3

1. The war in Iraq is a ______ debated issue.

A. deeply B. hotly C. profoundly D. heavily

2. He will be remembered by the staff with great ______.

A. fondness B. fancy C. passion D. crush

3. He carefully ______ his sunflower plants.

A. tended B.attended C. grew D. maintained

4. She already has a couple of good wins ______.

A. under her collar B. under her belt

C. up her sleeve D. in her shoes

5. Whenever she refused, he'd beat her ______.

A. black and blue B. black and white

C. blue in the face D. out of the blue

6. Their qualifications ______them to a higher salary.

A. enable B. entitle C. entail D. envisage

7. Since he is not polite, he often makes ______ remarks.

A. immaterial B. impertinent C. impervious D. implausible

8. He had failed because of a lack of talent for ______ speaking

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A. impeccable B. impressive C. imposing D. impromptu

9. I get ______ pains up my spine whenever I try to move.

A. splitting B. thumping C. shooting D. stinking

10. Dealing with the failed waste incinerator project is a ______ issue in west Norfolk

A. burning B. heating C.boiling D. firing

11. He had the ______ to blame me for his mistake!

A. valour B. chivalry C. gracefulness D. audacity

12. He had always been ______ by his elder sister.

A. overtaken B. overstated C. overshadowed D. overwhelmed

13. He remained loyal to me through ______

A. null and void B. life and soul C. thick and thin D. up and coming

14. The long-standing dispute about working conditions finally came ______when the
workforce voted for strike action

A. to a head B. to the point C. to a standstill D. out of its shell

15. If you're caught stealing you'll be ______.

A.in black books B. for the high jump C. in a quandary D.in the doghouse

16. Such a questionable assertion is sure to ______ criticism.

A. commence B. instigate C. launch D. provoke

17. Such people ______an indistinct anger and hatred.

A. exude B. exclude C. expunge D. extricate

18. In a culture where knockoffs are normal, from sportswear to DVDs, it will not be
easy to ______deep-rooted academic habits

A. exude B. exclude C. expunge D. extricate

19. I tried to ______myself from the situation but it was impossible.

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A. exude B. exclude C. expunge D. extricate

20. She is ______grateful to her family for their support

A. continually B. continuously C. perpetually D. eternally

21. The child's ______talking started to irritate her.

A. constant B. incessant C. steady D. ongoing

22. She had a(n) ______ parade of young men coming to visit her.

A. constant B. incessant C. steady D. ongoing

23. They were able to respond swiftly because they already have a secret ballot strike
mandate over a(n) ______pay dispute.

A. constant B. incessant C. steady D. ongoing

24. The police have expressed ______concern about the missing child's safety.

A. critical B. essential C. significant D. grave

25. Naylor was one of those men who ______ to the challenge of danger.

A. raise B. rise C. ride D. arise

26. Like more and more women, she believes marriage would ______her style.

A. restricts B. impedes C. obstructs D. cramps

27. He's not nearly such a good writer as he's ______up to be.

A. creased B. cracked C. lined D. valued

28. During the bad weather we experienced a few disasters and events, but they were of
little ______.

A. consequence B. result C. care D. circumstance

29. The costs of gathering the initial data are relatively small in ______to the costs of the
research itself.

A. reference B. affinity C. relation D. connection

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30. The design is ______ from Japanese porcelains of the fourteenth century.

A.imitated B. copied C. emulated D. faked

31. ‘Will you stay for lunch?’ ‘No, but thanks ______’

A. all along B. all in all C. all the same D. all told

32. I might be going on a training course next week, but it's still ______

A. in the air B. on the air C. off the air D. up in the air

33. I don't want to sound ______, but I thought my picture was the best.

A. big-headed B. blue-eyed C. narrow-minded D. thick-skinned

34. The whole team were ______ at winning the competition.

A. up in the arms B. on the up and up C. on the cards D. over the moon

35. If you use credit cards to pay off a debt, you're jumping out of the frying pan into the
______.

A. fire B. flame C. heat D. blaze

36. Some people let their under-fives ______ riot.

A. run B. go C. make D.take

37. He's of no fixed ______and we found him on the streets.

A. residence B. abode C. home D. domicile

38. The project is being held in ______until agreement is reached on funding it.

A. recess B. suspension C. abeyance D. waiting

39. I wouldn't want to cast ______ on your honesty.

A. criticism B. aspersions C. disapproval D. abuse

40. I need a new French dictionary. Can I pick your ______about the best one to buy?

A. brains B. mind C. head D. intellect

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41. This is not to ______ questions of strategy and tactics, merely to place them in an
appropriate context.

A. evade B. shirk C. duck D. dodge

42. You can't ______, it's your duty. You are so lazy!

A. evade B. shirk C. duck D. dodge

43. The speed at which you eat strongly ______how much you want to eat.

A. sways B. affects C. influences D. impresses

44. Many tourists cannot tell the difference between ______ Indian craftwork and
imported imitations.

A. real B. authentic C. valid D. natural

45. They put forward many ______ reasons for not exporting.

A. real B. authentic C. valid D. natural

46. She always showed ______concern for others

A. genuine B. authentic C. valid D. natural

47. We had all the usual problems ______upon starting a new business.

A. subsequent B. consequent C. attendant D. relevant

48. She did not tolerate press ______into her private life.

A. invasion B. intrusion C. infringement D. interference

49. They resent foreign ______in the internal affairs of their country

A. invasion B. intrusion C. infringement D. interference

50. These phone calls are a gross ______of privacy.

A. invasion B. intrusion C. infringement D. interference

51. They were sued for ______ of copyright.

A. invasion B. intrusion C. infringement D. interference

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52. He was thorough and ______, rather than brilliant.

A. pedantic B. laborious C. particular D. conscientious

53. Don't be so ______ - does it really matter if I don't pronounce it right?

A. pedantic B. laborious C. particular D. conscientious

54. Collecting the raw materials proved a long and ______task

A. pedantic B. laborious C. particular D. conscientious

55. Don't expect to have me at your beck and ______.

A. cry B. ring C. need D. call

56. The ______from the sale will be used to repay the loan.

A. produce B. proceeds C. receipts D. returms

57. Sometimes even well-meaning interviewers will throw you a really ______question.

A. awkward B. risky C. unpleasant D. touchy

58. We must ______ this notion that you can rely on the state for everything.

A. peter out B. dispel C. disperse D. annihilate

59. Just one of these bombs could ______a city the size of New York.

A. peter out B. dispel C. disperse D. annihilate

60. Already there were indications that the contest had helped some of those
______writers emerge from total obscurity.

A. hopeful B. aspiring C. striving D. wishful

61. Vlasov showed great energy and leadership ______, transforming his division into a
conspicuous example of efficiency.

A. attributes B. features C. values D. qualities

62. The difference is scarcely perceptible to the ______reader.

A.common B. medium C. average D. middle

27
63. Kids today are ______on a constant diet of pop music and television.

A. fostered B. raised C. nurtured D. grown

64. They feel strongly that their religion is ______with the political system.

A. incongruous B. inconsistent C. incidential D. incompatible

65. These findings are ______with those of previous studies.

A. incongruous B. inconsistent C. incidental D. incompatible

66.Such traditional methods seem ______in our technical age.

A. incongruous B. inconsistent C. incidental D. incompatible

67. Eye problems can indicate an unhealthy lifestyle with ______suppression of the
immune system

A. subsequent B. consequent C. attendant D. relevant

68. This is by no means an ______list but it gives an indication of the many projects
taking place

A. exhaustiveB. exorbitant C. execrable D. exalted

69. She was the only woman to rise to such an ______position

A. exhaustive B. exorbitant C. execrable D. exalted

70. Sharon became involved with music in the time-honoured ______-- through her
family.

A. protocol B. way C. fashion D. procedure

71. My sisters don't see ______with me about the arrangements.

A. face to face B. at loggerheads C eye to eye D. on tenterhooks

72. The Chancellor is ______with the Prime Minister over public spending.

A. face to face B. at loggerheads C eye to eye D. on tenterhooks

73. He was still on pins and needles waiting for his directors' decision about the job.

28
A. face to face B. at loggerheads C eye to eye D. on tenterhooks

74. The principles of democracy are sometimes in ______with political reality.

A. conflict B. rivalry C. odds D. friction

75. She gave him a sweet smile, totally at ______with the look of dislike in her eyes.

A. conflict B. rivalry C. odds D. friction

76. Their conclusions run ______to any simple proletarianisation thesis about the effects
of new technology on skill.

A. counter B. against C. opposed D. opposite

77. She was ______ to tears by their criticisms.

A. brought down B. diminished C. reduced D.belittled

78. Don't ______her piano playing just because you're jealous.

A. bring down B. diminish C. reduce D.belittle

79. On his wanderings he's picked up Spanish, Italian, French and a(n) ______of Russian

A. command B. smattering C.knowing D. acquaintance

80. She's a ______vegetarian and refuses to eat any poultry or fish

A. firm B. devout C. staunch D. strict

81. He has been a ______supporter of the Liberal Party for over thirty years.

A. firm B. devout C. staunch D. strict

82. She was a ______Catholic and, so far as I am aware, morally unassailable.

A. firm B. devout C. staunch D. strict

83. I'm a ______believer in'where there's a will , there's a way.

A. firm B. devout C. staunch D. strict

84. She must know the play ______by now.

A. forwards B. backwards C. sideways D. upside down

29
85. You need to become fully ______with the company's procedures.

A. conversant B. mindful C. answerable D. attuned

86. The whole venture has been an ______disaster.

A. unmatched B. unmitigated C. undiluted D. unmindful

87. She dealt with the problem with ______skill.

A. consummate B. comprehensive C. confirmed D. compulsive

88. The aim of the repetitions of the same commercial on television is nothing but to
brainwash consumers into ______consumption.

A. consummate B. comprehensive C. confirmed D. compulsive

89. On the rampant black market prices were particularly ______.

A. exhaustive B. exorbitant C. execrable D. exalted

90. The durable goods orders report should help to ______ fears of a marked slowdown
in factory activity.

A. avert B. restore C. allay D.hit

91. UN troops intervened to ______ a threat of violent conflict.

A. avert B. restore C. allay D.hit

92. The recent proposals made by the Royal College of Psychiatrists are unjustified,
unnecessary and ______

A. incompatible B. unavoidable` C. unworkable D. insurmountable

93. Lack of money has proved an almost ______obstacle.

A. incompatible B. unavoidable` C. unworkable D. insurmountable

94. This history book is completely ______to me.

A. illegible B. impenetrable C. impermeable D. incorrigible

95. Because he was an ______criminal, he was sentenced to life imprisonment.

30
A. illegible B. impenetrable C. impermeable D. incorrigible

96. The current cuts in public expenditure will inevitably ______ this situation.

A. exacerbate B. deepen C. sharpen D. fulfill

97. The lecturer wanted to lay ______on the importance of education.

A.mention B. point C. highlight D. stress

98. The President is clearly in a ______about/over how to tackle the crisis.

A. dilemma B. puzzle C. loss D. problem

99. The government is at a ______to know how to tackle the violence.

A. dilemma B. puzzle C. loss D. problem

100. He's studied in the US and has a good ______ of English.

A. command B. smattering C.knowing D. acquaintance

31