LEXICO-GRAMMAR 8

Choose the word or phrase (A, B, C or D) which best completes each sentence.
1. Journalists were ______ around the hotel, waiting to interview the star.
A. sauntering B. milling C. trudging D. staggering
2. Tim’s extremely punctual. He turns up every day at nine o’clock on the ______
A. dot B. spur C. spot D. day
3. That human rights are ______ is unacceptable in a civilized society.
A. abrogated B. impeached C. infringed D. quashed
4. A: You should neverhave agreed to help mend her car!
B: “__________________”
A. Famous last words B. Well, you live and learn C. It’s a small word D. You can’t win them all
5. The rents in this area are ______ the highest in the city.
A. far from away B. away by far C. far and away D. far or away
6. All buliding work must be carried out ______ safety regulations.
A. on behalf of B. with obedience to C. in compliance with D. with reference to
7. We’ll have to take what he says on ______.
A. trust B. faith C. belief D. confidence
8. I don’t like that movie because the storyline seemed ______ .
A. compulsory B. analogue C. poised D. contrived
9. I can’t tell you much about the subject, I’m afraid. I only have a very ______ knowledge of it myself.
A. fundamental B. redimentary C. elemental D. primary
10. No matter how angry he was, he would never ______ to violence.
A. resort B. resourse C. exert D. resolve
11. He looks very aggressive and threatening, and so his soft, gentle voice is rather ______
A. disembodied B. disconcerting C. dismissive D. discordant
12. We were ______ by the officers' decision to divert the whole traffic from the main route.
A. rambled B. shuffled C. stumbled D. baffled
13. I usually buy my clothes ______. It’s cheaper than going to the dressmaker.
A. on the house B. off the peg C. in public D. on the shelf
14. My father _______ when he found out that I had damaged his car.
A. brought the house down B. saw pink elephants
C. made my blood boil D. hit the roof
15. She was kept awake for most of the night by the ______ of a mosquito in her car.
A. groan B. moan C. whine D. screech
16. Their eventual choice of the house was _____ by the time Peter would take to get to the office.
A. related B. consequent C. determined D. dependent
17. When the funds finally ______ , they had to abandon the scheme.
A. faded away B. clamped down C. petered out D. fobbed off
18. I was in a quandary ______ what to say.
A. as to B. for C. owing to D. of
19. The argiricultural project suffered a major ______ when winter arrived three weeks ealier than expected.
A. distortion B. downfall C. contraction D. setback
20. The police arrested the wrong man manily because they ______ the names they had been given by the
witness.
A. bewildered B. merged C. confused D. puzzled
21. There is an importance that every student______ their report by Friday last week.
A. finish B. finishes C. finished D. had finished
22. On _________he had won, he jumped for joy.
A. telling B. he was told C. being told D. having told
23. Generally, the reduction in the price of televisions together with high quality of children’s
programmes and the time children ______ to the problem that children undoubtedly spend more time
watching TV.
A. have contributed B. have have contributed
C. have had contributed D. have been contributing
24. Stars differ fundamentally from planets ______ they are self-luminous whereas planets shine by
reflected light.
A. from which B. when C. and D. in that
25. Dinosaurs died out more than 60 million years ago, so ______ on earth can we tell what they used to eat?
A. where B. how C. why D. what
26. “Did you know Jim’s car broke down on the highway late at night?”“Unfortunately, that’s a situation
anyone ______.”
A. might have to confront with B. might be confronted with
C. might be confronted D. might have been confronted
27. Although he acts tough, ______.
A. his bark is worse than his bite B. he’s a tough nut to crack
C. he’s learned the hard way D. he isn’t up to scratch
28. “Did you enjoy the book Perfume?”“Yes, ______ it, I now want to see the movie.”
A. had read B. I have read C. having read D. I am reading
29. All the workers were disappointed ______ that there would not be pay-rise during the next six months.
A. to tell B. telling C. when they tell D. to be told
30. “The reservations weren’t made on time.” “Sorry, the computers were down: it ______.”
A. couldn’t help B. didn’t help C. couldn’t be helped D. wasn’t helped
31. After the meeting, the staff went back to their ………. offices.
A. prospective B. respective C. respected D. perspective
32. This man is so arrogant that he is completely ……….to all criticism.
A. impervious B. unaware C. regardless D. unconscious
33. We may win, we may lose – it’s just the ……….of the draw!
A. strike B. odds C. chance D. luck
34. It's time we had a ........ talk with each other in an effort to clear the air.
A. eye to eye B. face to face C. heart to heart D. cheek to cheek
35. The police decided to ........ the department store after they had received a bomb warning.
A. abandon B. evacuate C. evict D. expel
36. Meg had a ........ escape when she was hang-gliding yesterday.
A. narrow B. close C. near D. slender
37. Whenever the two are playing cards together, they are ........ have biter quarrels.
A. used to B. tend to C. like to . inclined to
38. I didn't take up his recommendation, as he sounded so........ about it.
A. half-baked B. half-hearted C. half-timbered D. half-witted
39. When we went to Egypt he knew ........ no Arabic, but within six months he had become extremely
fluent.
A. entirely B. virtually C. barely D. scarcely
40. Despite all the evidence, he wouldn't admit that he was in the ........
A. fault B. error C. wrong D. slip
41. Why doesn't Mike ____________ some of his work to his assistant?
A. demand B. resign C. widen D. delegate
42. Legal matters are not my ____________ - you’ll have to consult a lawyer.
A. domain B. aspect C. prospect D. excess
43. The producer refused ____________ to discuss any of the actor’s demands for more pay.
A. down and out B. outlook C. outright D. downright
44. Of course, I thought your song was the ____________ of the show.
A. spotlight B. forefront C. limelight D. highlight
45. His negative attitude ____________ across in the interview.
A. went B. came C. played D. branched
46. Ms Fisher has a very ____________ position on the committee.
A. preferential B. residential C. influential D. beneficial
47. I wonder if my lecturer can ____________ any light on this essay for me.
A. dawn B. shed C. snap D. dub
48. He's so ambitious that he’ll do anything to ____________ his career, even at the expense of others.
A. enlarge B. widen C. further D. expand
49. The international conference of the Craniological Association has been _____ in Cairo to discuss
the revolutionary discovery of doctor Gonzales from Mexico.
A. deployed B. collected C. mobilized D. summoned
50. After congratulating his team, the coach left, allowing the players to let their _______ down and
enjoy themselves.
A. hair B. heads C. hearts D. souls
51. Ten years ago she could not have ________that her marriage would end in divorce.
A. foreseen B. dreamt C. predicted D. forecast
52. At this stage of the ________ I supposed to suspend the journey South and visit the Eastern glens.
A. brochure B. booking C. schedule D. itinerary
53. My teacher told me that unless I pulled my ________ up, he would have to move me down to a
lower class.
A. socks B. boots C. pants D. trousers
54. When his business failed, he started again from the ________.
A. beginning B. blank C. scratch D. introduction
55. Environmental inspectors regularly________ our kitchens and other food preparation areas to
make sure they conform to regulations.
A. inspect B. control C. study D. analyze
56. People celebrate the Chinese New Year by ________ fireworks in the street.
A. letting down B. letting off C. wearing off D. doing up
57. I was educated at his ________and until I repay his investment, it is illegal to employ me directly.
A. detriment B. sacrifice C. expense D. mercy
58. It is important to ________ the land before planting.
A. demolish B. flatter C. level D. fell
59. At first she thought her new boss was wonderful, but she ________him when he continually
criticised her work.
A. went about B. went off C. went on D. went round
60. The museum contains several ________works of Renaissance art, including two paintings by
Raphael, one by Durer, one by Titian, and an early sketch by Tintoretto.
A. worthless B. valueless C. priceless D. Useless
61. The _____ of the Syrian boy drowned off Turkey has aroused the world’s pity.
A. event B. situation C. case D. plight
62. At long last the building is nearing______.
A. finish B. termination C. completion D. finale
63. There is a(n)______ of difference between our two lifestyles.
A. land B. way C. world D. arm
64. People can make themselves walk on nails or through fire. It’s a question of mind over______.
A. body B. material C. matter D. facts
65. Many people were wounded after the terrorists started ______ with machine guns.
A. blazing away B. whipping up C. shouting out D. blazing up
66. At the moment, the ruling party is on the ______ of a dilemma.
A. hooves B. points C. feet D. horns
67. By attacking the old lady, the youth committed a _____ crime.
A. naughty B. heinous C. bad D. evil
68. Twelve European countries ____ over to the euro on January 1 2002.st

A. shifted B. switched C. transformed D. altered

69. Some of the chocolate bars were found to contain glass and the whole batch had to be____.
A. overthrown B. overdrawn C. recalled D. retracted
70. His voice has been_____ to that of Elton John.
A. equated B. equaled C. likened D. associated
71. The match was _____ and will be played next Wednesday.
A. pelted down B. poured out C. rained off D. seen through
72. He didn’t have a ______ of evidence to support his claims.
A. scrap B. sign C. sense D. state
73. I bought the chocolates on______: I saw them while I was queuing up to pay.
A. desire B. urge C. spontaneity D. impulse
74. Members of the rock group were asked to ____ their behavior or else leave the hotel.
A. modify B. amend C. transfer D. convert
75. We have all passed our final exams. We are going to ______ the town red to celebrate.
A. color B. decorate C. paint D. make
76. The organizing committee should be quite small. Too many cooks spoil the _____.
A. soup B. porridge C. cake D. broth
77. I have a _____ in my throat. I think I am getting a cold.
A. fly B. bee C. toad D. frog
78. Some supporters were _____ at the entrance because the ground was full.
A. sent off B. turned away C. booked up D. shut down
79. Suddenly a car ______ and an important-looking official got out.
A. stopped over B. drew up C. stopped out D. called by
80. It’s a good idea to divide a task up into ______ chunks.
A. portable B. pliable C. manageable D. thinkable
81. I’m sorry to …….., but did you happen to mention the same “Fiona”?
A. butt in B. cut you C. intercede D. jump
82. John was something………. under his breath, but I didn’t catch what he said.
A. whispering B. muttering C. growling D. swallowing
83. Don’t take it as ……….that you’ll be promoted in your job; other colleagues stand a good chance too.
A. fixed B. standard C. read D. word
84. According to psychiatrist, many violent criminals habor a feeling of ………and insecurity.
A. insufficiency B. shortage C. inadequacy D. scarcity
85. It must be true. I heard it straight from the ……….. mouth.
A. dog’s B. horse’s C. camel’s D. cat’s
86. I’m fully prepared for my interview and I am confident that I can answer any questions they may care
to …… me.
A. throw at B. drop on C. slide to D. roll to
87. Stephen really lost his………. when his dental appointment was cancelled yet again.
A. head B. voice C. calm D. rag
88. The experimental play was only a ………success, which disappointed the playwright.
A. local B. qualified C. reserved D. cautious
89. We were working overtime to cope with a sudden ………. in demand.
A. boost B. impetus C. surge D. thrust
90. It is very important to check the ……… print in any contract.
A. little B. tiny C. small D. minute
91. I heard ……….that Jack has been dropped from the basketball team.
A. In the woods B. on the grapevines C. Under your feet D. on the olive branch
92. Jane really ………it on thick when she told the boss that she was not feeling very well. Unfortunately for
her, he realized immediately that she just wanted the afternoon off.
A. put B. spread C. laid D. painted
93. Unfortunately some really ill animals have to be ……..by our center.
A. Put down B. turned over C. passed away D. taken out
94. John first dabbled ……..buying old maps for his collection.
A. In B. on C. at D. for
95. It’s a matter of urgency to put right at once but nothing suitable …….to mind.
A. Returns B. emerges C. sprouts D. springs
96. I thought that Wendy’s action was rather out of……………..
A. Personality B. character C. being D. role
97. It seems to be a bog tour operators that take the …….share of the profits.
A. Lion’s B. snake’s C. tiger’s D. dog’s
98. Why did you …….and mention the party to George? It was supposed to be a surprise.
A. Let the cat out of the bag B. put the cat among the pigeons
C. Have kittens D. kill two birds with one stone.
99. What the treasure said virtually ………….to a confession.
A. Amounted B. came C. stood D. embodied
100. She’s so ………skinned that nothing offends her.
A. Hard B. thick C. strong D. heavy

THE END