PRACTICE TEST 2 (24/02/2021)

(A) Select the correct answer option (a - d) for each question (I - 20)
1. It was a(n) __________ effort on our part to try to convince her not to make such a rash decision and quit her job
before she had anything lined up; she was never going to listen to US anyway.
2. The violent scenes in that movie were simply __________ and added nothing to the storyline. All they served to
achieve was to force the Film Censor’s hand so as to prevent under 12s from being able to view what was otherwise a
perfectly suitable film for them to watch.
3. Living as a foreigner in such a(n) __________ place as this, it is hardly surprising that I get stared at walking down
the street; I stand out like a sore thumb.
4. Rumours abound that the announcement of the merger of the two companies is __________; apparently it is as
good as a done deal.
5. He had the __________ build of someone half his age involved in professional athletics; it was as though he never
aged at all, and yet I seldom saw him do exercise of any kind and he never went to the gym.
6. The __________ details of the deceased’s year-long affair with his secretary emerged during the trial as the
prosecution tried to build a strong case for motive to murder. This much is clear; most people in Jane Ayre’s shoes
probably would have wanted their lying, cheating, money-grabbing husband dead.
7. It is one thing to simply tell a white lie, James, but you have been downright __________; I will never be able to
trust you again.
8. The chances of finding those trapped in the snow after the avalanche now are __________; after all, most
avalanche survivors suffocate within 15-30 minutes of being buried alive. It has been nine hours now that the
rescuers have been searching.
9. There is a(n) __________ of books on the subject, so you should have no trouble whatsoever researching ideas for
your project.
10. She has a(n) __________ way of making her point which is brilliantly effective; I find it leaves those with whom
she argues at a loss for what to say next, so taken aback are they by her succinct ripostes.
11. He is no doubt a(n) __________ talent, but I question whether or not he has the temperament to succeed in this
sport.
12. He is a(n) __________ goal scorer; not even the great Malcolm Mound managed to convert his chances with the
same regularity during his spell at the club.
13. The two houses are __________ to each other and yet they are so differently styled that you could be forgiven for
thinking they were built in completely different eras.
14. He left a(n) __________ on my answerphone about having to ‘disappear’ for a few weeks, saying that
‘everything would be all right’ and that he would sort it out. I am still struggling to understand what this is all about,
but it can’t be good.
15. The diamond is of __________ origin; indeed, I strongly suspect that it has been smuggled into the country
illegally from one of the African conflict zones.
16. That is a(n) __________ abuse of power; be warned, you will not win any friends behaving like this and walking
all over everyone.
17. The bottom fell out of this __________ cardboard box while I was carrying it up the stairs; how cheap of the
courier company to use such cut-rate packaging.
18. He wore a(n) __________ expression for weeks following the news that he had not got the promotion.
19. He has a(n) __________ collection of butterflies which he bought from the local Natural History museum.
20. There is a(n) __________ of new homes being built in the region and at the moment demand far outweighs
supply. Something must be done to redress the balance.
1. a. futile b. brazen c. aqueous d. dubious
2. a. docile b. gratuitous c. dormant d. arduous
3. a. eminent b. convivial c. extraneous d. homogenous
4. a. imminent b. eminent c. frugal d. culpable
5. a. doleful b. esoteric c. lithe d. intrepid
6. a. brazen b. inherent c. ponderous d. lurid
7. a. prudent b. reclusive c. precipitous d. mendacious
 8. a. oblique b. miniscule c. inherent d. prolific
9. a. prolific b. plethora c. nominal d. frugal
10. a. laconic b. frugal c. congenial d. apprehensive
11. a. prodigious b. coherent c. eminent d. flagrant
12. a. prolific b. brazen c. indulgent d. innate
13. a. contiguous b. munificent c. gregarious d. noxious
14. a. gaudy b. lustrous c. munificent d. cryptic
15. a. latent b. reclusive c. laconic d. lucrative
16. a. latent b. lustrous c. flagrant d. miniscule
17. a. flimsy b. lucrative c. intrepid d. haughty
18. a. prudent b. dubious c. doleful d. officious
19. a. reticent b. ponderous c. esoteric d. reciprocal
20. a. plethora b. miniscule c. dearth d. vestige
(B) Choose the correct verb from the box below to complete each sentence and change the tense as required.
subjugate vindicate reverberate replenish
strive proliferate salvage reproach
prevail shun revere scatter
squander shatter quench quash

1. The conviction was _____________ and the judge ordered the immediate release of the prisoner.
2. The miniscule amount of rain water I had managed to collect in the carton overnight did little to_____________
my thirst.
3. The soldiers were finally able to _____________ their supplies after eight days having been cut off from
civilisation by the huge storm and accompanying deluge.
4. His father _____________ him for not having properly prepared for his final exams.
5. The neighbourhood _____________ with the sound of gunfire as the protest march descended into violence.
6. He is _____________ by his countrymen as the father of the nation; it was his determination, inspiration, courage
and tactical prowess that propelled his people to victory over the occupying forces in the most emphatic of manners -
there would be no going back to the days of empire.
7. They _____________ what they could from the wreck as quickly as possible before high tide returned to swallow
it up again.
8. Limbs and other body parts were _____________ across the scene of the wreckage; it was utter and complete
devastation.
9. His seemingly impenetrable self-confidence was finally _____________ when his arch rival, the man who had
had to be content with coming second to him for all of nearly ten years, sprinted effortlessly towards the finish line
leaving him in his wake; the champion had been dethroned at last.
10. After the story was leaked to the press, he was _____________ by his former friends and colleagues in the party;
a man who had once been hotly tipped as a potential leader of the Conservatives was now well and truly staring into
the political abyss.
11. I have no sympathy for him whatsoever; he has _____________ millions of pounds foolishly for his own
indulgence; an idiot and his money are very soon parted.
12. After an epic three-day battle the Greeks _____________ at last and the Prussian empire was defeated.
13. Small-to-medium-sized businesses have _____________ over the last few years, thanks, in part, to a new
government initiative offering very generous grants and tax incentives to would-be entrepreneurs.
14. He felt _____________ when his much-maligned theory was endorsed by the experts at Loterdale Laboratory as a
result of the cumulative findings of fifteen years’ research in what was, at the time, the most comprehensive study
that had ever been conducted in the field.
15. We must _____________ always to seek betterment, both the mental and physical kind, for growth and the quest
to achieve same define what it is to be human.
16. The rebel armies _____________ vast swathes of government-controlled land and it soon became clear that the
Empire had no future.
(C) In each of the exercises below, choose which of the four options fits into each of the four sentences. Each
exercise relates to the question with the same number in the test, and the options are the same as those given for
that question in the test. This will help you to eliminate some of the incorrect options in the test or to confirm that
you have selected the correct option.
1 distant faint secluded far-away
A It is hard to warm towards someone who is so _____________ with everyone else.
B They gave me only a _____________ outline of the project they had in mind.
C Fame caused her to lead a rather _____________ life, in her own private world.
D She had a _____________ look in her eyes, as if something was troubling her. 
2 prompt impulsive abrupt quick
A Frank is _____________ to blame other people when something goes wrong.
B He’s _____________ and makes promises without thinking about the consequences,
C Hazel has a very _____________ manner, which many people find rude.
D I think it’s important to be _____________ in replying to letters and messages.
3 type self like own
A There was amazing scenery, the _____________ of which I had never seen before.
B People of his _____________ would lie to anyone if it was to their advantage,
C The island is unlike any other, as it has an atmosphere all its _____________.
D After a bad patch, Helen is back to her old _____________ again, I’m glad to say.
4 set against weighed up made up for settled up with
A When I’d _____________ both sides of the argument, I made my decision.
B I hope this present has the _____________ fact that I forgot your birthday,
C When the cost was _____________ the benefits, the scheme looked good.
D She paid for both of US and I _____________ her when we got home.
5 advantageous privileged indulgent gainful
A Doing this course might prove _____________ to me in my future career.
B She has rather _____________ parents, who give her everything she asks for.
C He said he felt _____________ when he was made captain of the national team.
D It took James some time to find _____________ employment when he left college.
6 inundated filled plentiful dense
A It’s a rather _____________ novel and certainly not an easy read.
B Her work was _____________ with errors and she had to do it all again.
C When they advertised the job, they were _____________ with applications.
D He decided to move to a place where cheap accommodation was _____________.
7 appreciably fully utterly sorely
A When Sally leaves this department she will be _____________ missed.
B I think they’re _____________ brilliant and they're my favourite group,
C I was _____________ expecting to have a bad day, but it turned out all right.
D Her health is _____________ better than it was a week or so ago.
8 while phase length course
A The situation remained serious for a considerable _____________ of time.
B The first _____________ of the plan was carried out successfully.
C For a _____________ life was difficult but then things began to improve.
D During the _____________ of his stay, he met a lot of interesting people.
(D) Read the text below and think of the word which best fits each space. Use only ONE word in each space.
Laughing is Good for You - Seriously
It is a sad fact that adults laugh far less than children, sometimes (1) ___________ as much as a couple of hundred
times a day. Just take a (2) ___________ at people’s faces on the way to work or in the office: you’ll be lucky to see
a smile, let (3) ___________ hear a laugh. This is a shame - especially in (4) ___________ of the fact that
scientists have proved that laughing is good for you. ‘When you laugh,’ says psychologist David Cohen, ‘it produces
the feel-good hormones, endorphins. It counters the effects of stress and enhances the (5) ___________ system.’
There are many reasons why we might laugh less in adult life: perhaps we are too work-obsessed, or too embarrassed
to (7) ___________ our emotions show. Some psychologists simply believe that children have (6) ___________
naive responses, and as adults we naturally grow (8) ___________ of spontaneous reactions.
(E) 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 space in the same line.
Tube Inspired a Book
For many people, the London Underground is a grim necessity that gets them from A to B. But for
(1) _________________ author Preethi Nair, it is a source of inspiration. She has just published her BUD
first novel, Gypsy Masala - a tale she dreamt up whilst commuting on the Metropolitan Line.
‘Have you observed people on the tube?’ she asks (2) _________________. ‘Everyone is in their ENTHUSE
own little world. I just used to sit there and imagine what kind of lives they led.’
Gypsy Masala charts the adventures and (3) _________________ thoughts of three members INNER
of an Indian family living in London, as they search for happiness. ‘It is a story about following
your dreams,’ says Preethi, who gave up her high-pressure job as a management (4) _________________ CONSULT
in order to go in (5) _________________ of her ambition of becoming a writer. PURSUE
‘It was a big risk but it was definitely the right decision in terms of peace of mind and
(6) _________________,’ she explains. Preethi was born in a small village in the Indian state of CONTENT
Kerala and moved to London with her parents at the age of three. She says the striking contrast in
cultures made a (7) _________________ impression and is reflected in her story, which flits LAST
between the suburbs of London and (8) _________________ India. Many of the scenes in the FAR
book are based on the place where she was born and spent long summer holidays.
(F) 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 THREE and EIGHT words, including the word given.
1 Robert was offended when he was left out of the team. exception
Robert ____________________________________ left out of the team.
In the exam you will write only the missing words on a separate answer sheet.
2 So that he would be able to leave the room quickly, Matthew stood by the door. positioned
Matthew ____________________________________ as to be able to leave the room quickly.
3 In my opinion, it was an absolute miracle that they survived the accident. short
The fact that they survived the accident was ____________________________________ in my opinion.
4 I tried as hard as I could to make sure that this problem would not arise. power
I ____________________________________ this problem from arising.
5 I don’t think it was reasonable of you to complain so much about the service. justified
I don’t think you ____________________________________ fuss about the service.
6 Laura was faced with a lot of problems during her childhood. contend
Laura had a ____________________________________ during her childhood.
7 The audience suddenly started to applaud loudly. sudden
All ____________________________________ from the audience.