Read the following passage and write the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct word or phrase that best fits each of the numbered blanks. CHANGING COUNTRIES[r]
Trang 1COMPREHENSIVE PRACTICE No 1 SECTION A LISTENING
Part 1: You will listen to a conversation in a tourist information office in Guernsey
As you listen, indicate whether the following statements are true or not by writing.
T for a statement which is true
Ffor a statement which is false
?if there is insufficient information
1 There is a concert on Saturday night at in the St James concert hall
2 The woman says that Hauteville House was the home of a famous writer
3 To join the guided walk, visitors must buy a ticket from the information office
4 The man wants to join the Autumn Walking Festival
5 Tennerfest is a festival to celebrate food
Part 2: You will hear a radio report about a new type of air transport For
question 1 – 10, complete the sentences Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS
and/or a NUMBER.
1.It will take 37 hours for the new form of transport to travel from London to ………
2.Unlike crowded jets, the Aircruise will allow passengers to travel in ………
3.The Aircruise can travel at low altitudes if there is something ………
4.Hydrogen fuels the airship and also provides ………for the people on board
5.The airship disaster at Hindenburg killed ………people
6.Scientists are keen to develop transport options which are both ………and environmentally friendly
7.The Aircruise will carry a total of ………passengers
8.The luxury features on board include private apartments, a bar and a ………
9.Compared to airports, the Aircruise has the potential to land closer to ………
10 The concept is getting a lot of attention from a Korean company which makes ……
SECTION B VOCABULARY AND GRAMMAR
Part 1: Choose the word or phrase that best completes each sentence.
1 Given the present economic situation, it be best to wait before making further wage demands
As the drug took , the patient became quieter
5
The boy screamed with fear
A frighten B frightened C frightening D frightful
6 On Christmas Eve, the family gathers for dinner, usually at my grandmother's house
7 If you put your money in a bank now, you may get 12%
annually
8 This leather bag is a real bargain! It‟s cheap!
9 _ for farming purposes, soil must contain the minerals plants require
A To be good B Being good C Be good D That's good
10
Since the reform, the country has undergone _changes
A large B sizeable C substantial D favourable
Trang 2The journalist refused to the source of his information.
14
When his alarm went off, he shut it off and slept for 15 minutes
15 Please fill in your employment history, including your employer as well as any previous ones you might have had
1
Trang 3A private B daily C constant D current
16 Megan solved her computer problem quite she happened to mention it to a friend who had had the same problem and told her what to do
A occasionally B clumsily C accidentally D attentively
17 exhibitions are like huge market places for the sale of goods, and these are often called trade fairs
A Most of B A great many C A great deal of D Many of
David is the captain of the school basketball team, his father before him
A similar to B just like C such as
20
The little boy was to steal the money when he saw it lying on the desk
A brought B attracted C appealed D tempted
21 There‟re several means of mass communication The newspaper is one, the internet is
A
22
This book will be a delight to readers of science fiction
A amateur B skilled C seasoned D loving
You'll be willing to help, you?
A wouldn't B won't C shan't D aren't
26
Closure of schools took place falling numbers of pupils
A in the
context of B with regard to
C with a concern for D in considerationof
27
Don't worry - the documents are safe lock and key at my place
28 for Tom's opposition, we would have agreed to the contract
A Be it not B Would it not have been
C Should it not have
29
The news report the plight of therefugees
Trang 4A fine B wealthy C vigorous D booming
32
"Some sugar?" ~ " "
A No, no me! B No, I don't C Thanks, I'd like D Yes, please
33
In any period, examples can be f
ound of new words
35 The old house was unable to
withstand the of severe winter weather and suffered considerablestructural damage
A extremity B onslaught C outrage D fury
36.Since the information was already in
the public the newspaper felt free topublish it
37
It was a disaster on the of the nuclear accident at Chernobyl
A size B scale C terms D consequences
38
They insist that a meeting as soon as possible
A be held B is held C were held D will be held
Trang 5A by far B until then C up now D since now
40 When the teacher came in, his students pretended
Part 3: Complete each sentence with (a) suitable particle(s) or preposition(s).
1.Once he has signed the agreement, he won't be able to back _ the scheme
2.Watch _ the signpost I don't want to miss the turning
3.That chair is not very strong Do you think it is _ your weight?
4.She went _ a bad cold just before Christmas
5 The Italian course started in September and it's now March I'm afraid you won't be able to catch _
the class now
6.Whenever he runs _ a difficulty he always comes to me for help
7 A mother will usually stand _ her children, no matter what they have done
8 There's no point in doing _the old regulations if you are going to introduce equally stupid new
ones
9.I'm afraid there's no milk left; we'll have to fall _ dried milk for our tea
10 It's your turn to make some suggestions; I've run _ ideas
Part 4: Complete the text by writing a correct form of the word in CAPITALS (0)
has been done as an example IS IT WORTH IT?
It is (0) _ believed that a break from everyday routine can only
good Every summer, you can spot
prospective (1) _ at airports and waiting for car
ferries They are (2) _ and you can tell them a mile away by their
sun hats
HOLDAY MISTAKE
and hopeful expressions
For all their optimism, what often actually happens can be a rude(3) _
from the blissful holiday dreams of the rest of the year
Sunburn, mosquitoes and (4) _ Sunburn, mosquitoes and
Trang 6WAKE FORESEE
(5) _expenses can make you think twice about how(5) _getting away
BENEFIT from it all really is.
The fact is, the (6) _ of something going wrong
is maximized when you are abroad and, (7) _ your ability to deal
with crisis
LIKELY FORTUNE
and catastrophe is often minimized This
could be because of language problems, (8) _ with the culture, or
different climate, all of which make everything seem different and unreal
So, what is the answer? (9) _, an annual escape from normal
life is a very positive thing However, the
(10) _ of seeking an exotic location is questionable when you think
things that can go wrong
Your answer:
0 commonly _
3
Trang 7Part 5: Read the following passage and supply the correct verb forms and tenses.
AFTER THE FIRE
Firemen (1 fight) ………… the forest fire for nearly three weeks before they
(2 can get ) ………… it under control A short time before, great trees (3 cover) ………… the countryside for
miles around Now, smoke still (4 rise up) ………… from the warm ground over the desolate hills Winter (5
come) ………… on the hills threatened the surrounding villages with destruction, for heavy rain would not
only wash away the soil but would cause serious floods as well When the fire ( 6 at last/ put out)
………., the forest authorities ordered several tons of a special type of grass seed which (7.grow)
……… quickly The seed was sprayed over the ground in large quantities by airplanes The planes (8
plant ) ……… seed for nearly a month when it began to rain By then, however, in many places the grass
(9 already take) ………… root In place of the great trees which had been there for centuries, patches of green
(10 begin) ………… to appear in the blackened soil
SETION C: READING COMPREHENSION
Part 1: Choose the best word(s) to fill in each blank in the following passage.
SHOPLIFTING
Last year, losses from shops through shoplifting and theft by staff amounted to over £1 billion There are many (1) for shopkeepers themselves to reduce shoplifting As with all types of crime, prevention is better
than (2) .The best deterrent is the
(3) of
sta
ff properly trained in how to
identifypotentialshoplifters There are also many
security (4) now available Video camera surveillance is a popularsystem, even with quite small retailers In clothes shops, magnetic tag
have proved their (5) However, there are
many
(6) measures
that retailers
Betterlightin
g
and ceiling-hung mirrors can help staff to (7) all parts of the display area Similarly,
simplyarranging shelves and display units to allow clear (8) of vision is a good
deterrent
Another problem for
retailers is the (9) of
stolen
credi
t cards to
buy goods and services
Manyretailers avoid this by always
checking
the (10) of a card used for purchase Electronic systems
are nowavailable to (11) up the
is not enough to have a box that locks A thief can steal it and then open it at leisure Lock it in
Trang 83 A knowledge B presence C number D importancee
4 A devices B methods C tricks D machines
5 A reliability B worth C valuation D identity
simple
9 A employment B application C technique D use
Trang 9Part 2 : Supply each blank with one suitable word.
Many tourists who visit Central America find (1) surprising to learn that the Mayas still live there
Although it is true that their ancient civilization came to an end when their country was (2) over by the
Spanish conquistadors, the Mayan people carried (3) living in the area Today there are an estimated 1.2
million Mayas (4) live in southern Mexico, and many other areas of Central America states have large
Mayan populations as (5)
Many of their stories and art forms have remained unchanged over time, and today, womenweave clothing and carpets that have signs and symbols that are the same as those found inancient temples
The different patterns and symbols on these brightly coloured (6) not only look attractive, but can also
communicate important information such as marital (7)
Even though the majority of the Mayas are now Catholics, many of the festivals that they
(8) _ part in are
a mixture of the old rituals that their ancestors use to practise and more modern Christianelements It was perhaps the Mayas' ability to (9) _ and change that made it possible forthem to survive to the (10) day
Part 3: Read the following passage and choose the correct answer
The ruined temples of Angkor are perhaps one of the most impressive Seven Wonders of theWorld Located in modern day Cambodia near Lake Tonle Sap, the largest freshwater lake in Asia,
Angkor was the seat of power for the Khmer Empire from the ninth to the most impressive ones in
the world, rivaling the pyramids of Giza in Egypt Why this mighty civilization died out is a questionthat archeologists are now only beginning to ponder The answer, it turns out, may be linked withthe availability of fresh water
One possible explanation for the downfall of the Khmer Empire has to do with the inhabitants‟ irrigationsystem The temple and palaces of Angkor were constructed around a series of artificial
reservoirs and canals which were annually flooded to capacity by the Mekong River Once filled, they were used to irrigate the surrounding rice patties and farmland during the course of the year.
Farmers were completely dependent upon the water for their crucial rice crop Without consistentirrigation, the farmers would have been unable to maintain functional crop production
Scientists speculate that toward the end of the Khmer Empire the hydraulic systems of thereservoirs and canals broke down The construction of hundreds of sandstone temples and palacesrequired an enormous amount of physical labor In addition, as the capital of the Khmer Empire,Angkor contained upwards of one hundred thousand people who resided in and around Angkor Inorder to feed so many people, the local farmers were driven to grow food quicker and moreefficiently After centuries of continual use, the irrigation system was pushed beyond its capacity.Soil erosion, nutrient depletion, and the loss of water led to decrease in the food supply With lessfood available, the people of Angkor slowly began to migrate to other parts of Cambodia thusleaving the marvelous city of Angkor to be swallowed by the jungle Therefore, it is speculated that
the Khmer Empire may have fallen victim to its own decrepit infrastructures.
1.What is the passage mainly about?
A A possible explanation for the decline of a civilization
B.Modern day agricultural procedures in Cambodia
C The essential role water plays in farming
D Religious temples of the ancient Khmer Empire
2.What does the passage preceding most likely discuss?
A Architecture of ancient Asian civilization
B.The form of government practiced by the Khmer Empire
C Religious practices of the people of Angkor
D The other six wonders of the world
3.According to the passage, Lake Tonle Sap in Cambodia
A is an enormous fresh body of water in Asia
B.is one of the Seven Wonders of the World
C was unable to supply enough fish for the people of Angkor
D became polluted due to a population explosion
4 The word „seat‟ is closest in meaning to
5.Why does the author mention the hydraulic systems of the reservoirs?
Trang 10A They supplied irrigation from the Indian Ocean.B.They were destroyed by nearby warrior tribes.
5
Trang 11C They became non-functional due to overuse.
D They helped transport the sandstones for constructing temples
6 The word „reservoirs‟ could best be replaced by
7 The word „they‟ refers to
A reservoirs and canals B temples and places
C rice patties D farmland
8.It can be inferred from the passage that the inhabitants of the Khmer Empire
A depended upon rice as their main source of food
B.lost their food source due to excess rainfall
C were intentionally starved by the farmers
D supplemented their diets with meat hunted in the nearby jungles
9.All of the following are mentioned as events that can affect food supply EXCEPT
A reduction of nutrients B loss of water supply
C erosion of soil D contamination of soil
10 The word „decrepit‟ is closest in meaning to
A beneficial B incomplete C disorganized D deteriorated
Part 4 Read the passage carefully and do the tasks that follow.
GAME SHOW SCANDALS
A Charles Van Dorren
In 1950s America, television was becoming a part of everyday family life and quiz show was a big
favourite with the viewing public That meant sponsors were happy to pay large amounts of
money on the TV companies for advertisements A new show was launched called Twenty-One, in
which two contestants - a champion and a challenger - competed against each other for a cash
prize At first, the show was not very successful because the head-to-head battles were often dull
Ratings started to decline and the sponsors were unhappy Then a new challenger appeared and
won, becoming the champion for many weeks - and his name was Charles Van Dorren He rescuedthe show's popularity and, in the process, not only won $129,000 but also became a national
celebrity He was even featured on the cover of Time Magazine and given a three-year contract
with a TV company But accusations of cheating began to emerge At first, Van Dorren denied themvehemently, saying "It's silly and distressing to think that people don‟t have faith in quiz shows." But an
investigation by the US Congress revealed that episodes of Twenty-One had been scripted and
the results fixed by the TV company in order to make them as exciting as possible Van Dorreneventually admitted his guilt "I was involved, deeply involved, in a deception," he said "I havedeceived my friends - I had millions of them."
B Michael Larson
Whereas quiz shows involve knowledge, or a combination of knowledge and luck, game showssometimes involve pure luck Contestants spin a wheel, turn over a card, or pick a number at
random in order to win or lose One such show was Press Your Luck, in which an electronic board
contained a random pattern of bonus boxes and 'Whammies' A bonus box meant a cash prize, but
a 'Whammy' meant losing everything The show was on air from 1983 to 1986 and was not a hugesuccess But one viewer saw it as a way to get rich Micheal Larson realised that the patterns omthe electronic board were not genuinely random Having videoed the show, he watched parts of itsframe by frame in order to memorise the patterns When he appeared on the show as acontestant, he used his knowledge to win a total of $110,237 by avoiding all the Whammies
Behind the scenes, the show's producers were panicking Nobody had ever won this much before
on a single game show The TV company refused to hand over the prize money, their lawyers
claiming that Larson had cheated Larson argued that he had not broken any rules, and eventually,
he won the argument and received his money However, the TV company declined to invite himback for the next edition of the show
C Major Charles Ingram
Since its first episode in 1998, Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? has become one of the most
popular family programmes on British TV The show offers contestants the chance to win 1millionpounds if they can correctly answer 15 questions, which become gradually more difficult Althoughmore than 1,200 contestants have taken part, so far only five have won the maximum prize Themost famous contestant is undoubtedly Major Charles Ingram, who answered all fifteen questionscorrectly when he appeared on the programme in September 2001 Members of the studioaudience were amazed at the way Ingram seemed to guess the correct answers, often changinghis mind as he mentioned all four possible options The show's host, Chris Tarrant, did not notice