English Practice 14-6
English Practice 14-6
English Practice 14-6
II. Read the text below and fill in each blank with ONE suitable word.
The British are widely (1) _____ to be a very polite nation, and in (2)______ respects this is true. An
Italian journalist once commented of the British that they need (3) _____ fewer than four “thank you” merely to
buy a bus ticket. The first, from the bus conductor means, “I’m here.” The second accompanies the handing over
of the money. The third, again from the conductor, (4) ____ “Here is your ticket.”, and then the passenger utters a
final one as he accepts the tickets. Such transactions in most (5) ____ parts of the world are usually conducted in
total silence. In sharp contrast to this excessive politeness with strangers, the British are strangely lacking (6)
_____ ritual phrases for social interaction. The exhortation “Good appetite”, uttered in so (7) ______ other
languages to fellow-diners before a meal, does not exist in English. The nearest equivalent – Enjoy your dinner! –
is said only by people who will not be partaking of the meal in question. What’s more, the British (8) ____
happiness to their friends or acquaintances only at the start of a new year and at (9)_____ such as birthdays, (10)
_____ the Greeks routinely wish all and sundry a “good week” or a “good month”.
Your answers:
1._____________ 2._____________ 3._____________ 4._____________ 5.____________
6._____________ 7._____________ 8._____________ 9._____________ 10.____________
III. Read the passage and choose the best option for each of the following blanks.
Media and advertising
After more than fifty years of television, it might seem only obvious to conclude that it is here to ( 1)
______. There have been many objections to it during this time, of course, and (2) ______ a variety of grounds.
Did it cause eye-strain? Was the (3) ______ bombarding us with radioactivity? Did the advertisements contain
subliminal messages, persuading us to buy more? Did children turn to violence through watching it, either
because so (4) ______ programmes taught them how to shoot, rob, and kill, or because they had to do something
to counteract the hours they had spent glued to the tiny screen? Or did it simply create a vast passive ( 5) ______
drugged by glamorous serials and inane situation (6) ______ ? On the other hand did it increase anxiety by
sensationalizing the news [or the news which was (7) ______ by suitable pictures] and filling our living rooms
with war, famine and political unrest? (8) ______ in all, television proved to be the all-purpose scapegoat for the
second half of the century, blamed for everything, but above all, eagerly watched. For no (9) ______ how much
we despised it, feared it, were bored by it, or felt that it took us away from the old paradise of family conversation
and hobbies such as collecting stamps, we never turned it off. We kept staring at the screen, aware that our own
tiny (10) ______ was in if we looked carefully.
1. A. be B. stay C. exist D. prolong
2. A. with B. over C. by D. on
3. A. screen B. danger C. machine D. reason
4. A. that B. far C. many D. what
5. A. programme B. personality C. audience D. tense
6. A. comedies B. programmes C. perhaps D. consequently
7. A. taken B. presented C. capable D. accompanied
8. A. Taken B. All C. Somewhat D. Thus
9. A. one B. matter C. difference D. reason
10. A. fault B. reflection C. situation D. consciousness
PART FOUR: WRITING
I. Finish the second sentence in such a way that it means exactly the same as the sentence printed before it.
1. If the work is finished by lunchtime, you can go home.
Get____________________________________________________________________________
2. You haven’t done your work, have you?
It’s about_______________________________________________________________________
3. The fourth time he asked her to marry him, she accepted.
Only on his _____________________________________________________________________
4. He said that he had won as a result of good luck.
He attributed____________________________________________________________________
5. That reminds me of the time I climbed to the top of Mount Fuji.
That takes me____________________________________________________________________
6. People rumour that he is rich but stingy.
What___________________________________________________________________________
7. Such a ridiculous proposal isn’t worth serious consideration.
There is_________________________________________________________________________
8. Just thinking about his face at that moment makes me laugh.
The very_________________________________________________________________________
9. We cannot see animals in a vast area after the forest fire.
There is an_______________________________________________________________________
10.The staff hated Frank’s new policies so intensely that they went on strike.
So intense _______________________________________________________________________
II. Write a new sentence similar in meaning to the given one, using the word given in the brackets. Do not
alter the word in any way.
1. I suddenly realized the meaning of a “freebie”.(dawned)
_______________________________________________________________________________
2. After the scandal, he was asked to resign. (HAND)
_______________________________________________________________________________
3. Bruce said that the situation at work was like a family argument. (likened)
_______________________________________________________________________________
4. My father is not feeling well these days. (weather)
_______________________________________________________________________________
5. I don’t think this record will ever be popular. (catch)
_______________________________________________________________________________
6. His arrival was completely unexpected. (took)
_______________________________________________________________________________
7. The success of our local theater has made our city famous. (map)
_______________________________________________________________________________
8. He is certainly not a reliable witness. (means)
_______________________________________________________________________________
9. Our company is the only company allowed to import these chemicals. (monopoly)
_______________________________________________________________________________
10. It’s uncertain whether the band’s tour will take place. (BALANCE)
_______________________________________________________________________________
III. Essay writing
Some high schools require all students to wear school uniforms. Other high schools permit students to decide
what to wear to school. Which of these two school policies do you think is better?
In about 250 words, write an essay to expess your opinion, usingspecific reasons and examples to support your
opinion.
(You may continue your writing on the back page if you need more space.)
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