Advanced English Material for the Gifted School year: 2019 - 2020

COUNTDOWN2020
ANSWER KEY: FURTHER 04
PHONETICS
Choose the word whose underlined part is pronounced differently from the others.
Question 1: A. archetype B. mechanism C. ricochet D. scholastic
Question 2: A. artisan B. cosmopolitan C. craftsman D. refusal
Question 3: A. nominate B. shortage C. promenade D. marmalade
Question 4: A. cantaloupe B. catastrophe C. recipe D. apostrophe
STRESS PATTERN
Choose the word whose main stress is placed differently from the others.
Question 5: A. atmosphere B. entertain C. devastating D. industry
Question 6: A. ecotourist B. contingency C. presentiment D. geneticist
Question 7: A. euphemism B. officialdom C. arithmetic D. millennium
Question 8: A. professionally B. accomplishment C. extracurricular D. colloquialism

SYNONYMS
Find the word(s) CLOSEST in meaning to the underlined word(s).
Question 9: He lived a busy, globe-trotting life that rarely saw him in the same place for more than four
days and holidays were often interrupted or cancelled.
A. hectic B. eccentric C. fanatic D. prolific
Question 10: Since they have completely different cultural backgrounds it is difficult for them to have an
intimate friendship.
A. cordial B. detached C. fresh D. snug
Question 7: The politician’s conviction for tax fraud jeopardized his future.
A. jettisoned B. rejuvenated C. endangered D. jubilated
ANTONYMS
Find the word(s) OPPOSITE in meaning to the underlined word(s).
Question 11: For some artists, Cuba’s many abandoned or dilapidated buildings made for the perfect
canvas.
A. renovated B. regenerated C. furnished D. neglected
Question 12: The shortage of money was an impediment for the company to expand and hire people.
A. hindrance B. obstruction C. furtherance D. setback
Question 13: It is vital to recognize that emotions trigger physiological reactions - and vice versa.
A. blunt B. deactivate C. encounter D. mask
WORD CHOICE
Choose the word which best completes each sentence below.
Question 14: An attack on a police officer only _______ the community's relationship with police.
A. aggravated B. diminished C. deteriorated D. eroded
Question 15: Her later life was all in the _______ of publicity and should be the basis of any judgment
of her.
A. flashlight B. limelight C. headlight D. floodlight
Question 16: He also rejected arguments that churches are _______ to casinos because people gather
at both for extended periods.

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 Advanced English Material for the Gifted School year: 2019 - 2020

A. analogous B. correlative C. synchronized D. incumbent

Question 17: The little girl was full of_______ towards her wicked stepmother.
A. retribution B. resentment C. reprisal D. vengeance
Question 18: If a rebellion _______, the authorities would have to take immediate action.
A. flickered up B. flushed up C. flared up D. flashed up
LEXICO CLOZE TEST
Choose the best answer to complete this passage below.

PARIS DISNEYLAND

The Disneyland resort opened its doors in 1992, with the second park Walt Disney Studios Park
opening much later than planned in 2002, the resort is (19) ______ by Euro Disney SCA which includes
stockholders like The Walt Disney Company, Saudi Prince Alwaleed and people like us. So how did
Disneyland end up by Paris. Well by 1985 the choices that Disney had made for its European
Disneyland was (20) ______ down to just 4 locations, 2 in Spain and 2 in France. (21) ______ the
climate that Spain offered would be more (22) ______ to guests the general feeling was that it didn't
have the central location that France would offer. The two locations in France were one in the (23)
______ by Paris and a southern location. The southern location near Marseille was (24) ______ due to
thick layers of bedrock that were found when initial pilot (25) ______ was done, which is a shame as
the weather was better south than the Paris site. But the Paris location offers excellent road and rail (26)
______ with Paris as well as major capitals in Europe.

Question 19: A. acted B. performed C. operated D. functioned

Question 20: A. reduced B. decreased C. contracted D. diminished
Question 21: A. Whilst B. Because C. However D. Besides
Question 22: A. appearing B. appealing C. appaling D. apellating
Question 23: A. midfield B. midpoint C. midway D. middle
Question 24: A. ruled out B. staved off C. made out D. warved off
Question 25: A. twisting B. spinning C. drilling D. grinding
Question 26: A. links B. joints C. parts D. ties
READING COMPREHENSION
Read the passage below and choose the correct answer (A, B, C or D).
Early peoples had no need of engineering works to supply their water. Hunters and nomads
camped near natural sources of fresh water, and populations were so sparse that pollution of the water
supply was not a serious problem. After community life developed and agricultural villages became
urban centers, the problem of supplying water became important for inhabitants of a city, as well as for
irrigation of the farms surrounding the city. Irrigation works were known in prehistoric times, and before
2000 BC the rulers of Babylonia and Egypt constructed systems of dams and canals to impound the
flood waters of the Euphrates and Nile rivers, controlling floods and providing irrigation water throughout
the dry season. Such irrigation canals also supplied water for domestic purposes. The first people to
consider the sanitation of their water supply were the ancient Romans, who constructed a vast system
of aqueducts to bring the clean waters of the Apennine Mountains into the city and built basins and
filters along these mains to ensure the clarity of the water. The construction of such extensive water-
supply systems declined when the Roman Empire disintegrated, and for several centuries local springs
and wells formed the main source of domestic and industrial water.

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 Advanced English Material for the Gifted School year: 2019 - 2020

The invention of the force pump in England in the middle of the 16th century greatly extended the
possibilities of development of water-supply systems. In London, the first pumping waterworks was
completed in 1562; it pumped river water to a reservoir about 37 m above the level of the River Thames
and from the reservoir the water was distributed by gravity, through lead pipes, to buildings in the
vicinity. Increased per-capita demand has coincided with water shortages in many countries. Southeast
England, for example, receives only 14 per cent of Britain's rainfall, has30 per cent of its population, and
has experienced declining winter rainfall since the 1980s.
In recent years a great deal of interest has been shown in the conversion of seawater to fresh
water to provide drinking water for very dry areas, such as the Middle East. Several different processes,
including distillation, electrodialysis, reverse osmosis, and direct-freeze evaporation, have been
developed for this purpose. Some of these processes have been used in large facilities in the United
States. Although these processes are successful, the cost of treating seawater is much higher than that
for treating fresh water.
Question 27: The word “disintegrated” in paragraph 1 is closet in meaning to _______.

A. emerged B. failed C. distorted D. thrived

Question 28: What does the passage mainly discuss?

A. the water pumping system B. the fresh water shortage

C. the results of water shortages D. the development of water supply
Question 29: According to the passage, which of the following can be inferred about London’s water
supply in the middle of the 16th century?
A. It was facilitated since the advent of the force pump.
B. It contributed to the River Thames’ flow considerably.
C. It was conducted through canals.
D. It circulated throughout the buildings.
Question 30: Which of the following is NOT mentioned as a process of conversing seawater to
freshwater?
A. purification method B. dissolving chemicals
C. water evaporation D. streaming and cooling
Question 31: The word “impound” in paragraph 1 is closet in meaning to _______.

A. supply B. irrigate C. provide D. drain

Question 32: Early peoples didn’t need water supply engineering works because _______.
A. they had good ways to irrigate their farms
B. their community life had already developed
C. there was almost no dry season in prehistoric times
D. natural sources of fresh water nearby were always available
Question 33: The word “that” in the last paragraph refers to _______.

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 Advanced English Material for the Gifted School year: 2019 - 2020

A. the cost B. treating seawater C. the United State D. this purpose

Question 34: Clean water supply was first taken into consideration by _______.
A. the US people B. the English people C. the ancient Romans D. the Egyptians
SENTENCE TRANSFORMATION
Choose the best sentence that is closest in meaning to each of the following questions.
Question 35: They couldn't have fed so many people at the soup kitchen without the food
donations from both individual citizens and local businesses.
A. The soup kitchen managed to cook plenty of food without having any contributions from either local
shops or residents.
B. The soup kitchen could have served many more people if they had received some donations from a
private business or some local individuals.
C. The food donated by local businesses and residents was what allowed them to feed such a
large number of people at the soup kitchen.
D. Both the business community and local residents were willing to donate food to the soup kitchen
they were organizing.
Question 36: When Rene Descartes moved to Sweden, he felt weighed down by the climate
there, and, not long after, he passed away.
A. Sweden was the country which Rene Descartes went to in order to measure the climate, and it was
also where he lost his life
B. Rene Descartes died in Sweden, to which he had recently moved and where he was disturbed
by the weather conditions.
C. Rene Descartes started a new career for himself in Sweden, but he didn’t stay in the country for
much time because the climate was depressing.
D. The climatic pressure in Sweden, where Rene Descartes went to, was heavier than he was used to,
and that is why he couldn’t stay there.
Question 37: Conn Iggulden was the first author to have books at the top of the British fiction
and nonfiction charts at the same time.
A. The first two books by writer Conn Iggulden went to the number one position in Britain on both the
fiction and the non-fiction charts.
B. Until Conn Iggulden, nobody had simultaneously been the bestselling author of fiction and
nonfiction on the British charts.
C. The British author Conn Iggulden published his best piece of fiction and his best piece of nonfiction at
the same time.
D. No writer of fiction or non-fiction has ever been as popular in Britain as Conn Iggulden once was.
Question 38: Climate change is as great a threat to humankind as nuclear war, according to
global security experts.
A. It is said by global security experts that it is climate change, and not nuclear devastation, that
endangers humankind the most.
B. Human beings will be killed off either by nuclear war or by climate change, or so say global security
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 Advanced English Material for the Gifted School year: 2019 - 2020

experts.
C. In the opinion of global security experts, global warming is more of a danger to humanity than nuclear
war.
D. Global security experts claim that nuclear war and climate change both endanger human
beings equally.
Question 39: So tired was Ron after the race that he just lay in bed for the rest of the afternoon.
A. Following the race, Ron was tired enough to do nothing for the remainder of the afternoon but
lie in bed.
B. Since the race had been in the afternoon, Ron felt so tired after it that he didn’t get out of bed till
nighttime.
C. Ron was tired of racing, so, on the day of the race, he just stayed in bed all afternoon.
D. It wasn’t lying in bed all day that had tired Ron out; it was the race that had been held in the
afternoon.
Question 40: The temperatures have been dropping steadily ever since the cold front moved in
last weekend.
A. The constant cold temperatures lately were probably caused by the cold front that arrived around last
weekend.
B. Last weekend, a cold front arrived, and that was when this regular lowering of temperatures
began.
C. Before the temperatures started falling last weekend, we hadn’t expected a cold front to arrive.
D. It is due to the cold front that arrived last weekend that temperatures are lower now than they were
before.

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