Self-Study Section

Cloze Reading Exercises with Answers

Read the passage. Try to guess the missing words. Write the words in the
spaces. When you finish check your answers.

Passage 1

The honey bee is a very unusual kind of insect. ___1___ other insects
which live alone, the honey bee lives as a ___2___ of a community.
These bees live ___3___ in what is known as a bee colony.

The head of the colony is called the queen bee. She is larger than
the___4___ of the bees. Her main task ___5___ the colony is to lay
eggs. Most of the ___6___ bees are the worker bees. These bees
___7___ nectar and pollen from flowers. The nectar ___8___ is carried
by the worker bees is deposited on the hive and then converted ___9___
honey. The worker bees also help look ___10___ the young bees. as
soon as the eggs are ___11___, the worker bees feed the young bees
___12___ pollen and nectar. The third type of bee found in the colony is
the drone or ___13___ bee. The main task of ___14___ a bee is to mate
with a new queen.

The queen bee has a life ___15___ of about three years. ___16___ this
period, she would have ___17___ more than half a million eggs.
___18___ the queen bee is dying, a new queen would be groomed. This
new queen would eventually take ___19___ the 'duties' of the old queen
when the ___20___ dies.
Answers

1. Unlike 2. member 3. together 4. rest 5. in 6. other 7.

collect 8. that 9. into 10. after 11. hatched 12. with 13.
male 14. such 15. span 16. During 17. laid 18. When 19.
over 20. Latter

Passage 2.

Would you like to buy a box of matchsticks, mister ?" the little girl asked.
The man ___1___ she approached did not even ___2___ to answer her.
He shuffled ___3___ in his great coat, eager to get home ___4___ his
cozy fireplace.

The girl was shivering ___5___ the cold. It had been ___6___
continuously for the past two days. The girl's shoes, ___7___ were
already thin were thoroughly soaked. Yet, her sweet, angelic ___8___ did
not lose ___9___ innocent smile. It only made her ___10___ more
pathetic when she knitted her brows sometimes. Her feet ___11___ sore
with painful chilblains.

Someone shouted, "Watch ___12___, girl !"

It was too ___13___ ! The coach ws going too fast and the ___14___ had
not seen her earlier. There was barely enough ___15___ for the little girl
to take a step back. In her hurry to get to ___16___, the basket of
matchsticks fell ___17___ the snow.

She ___18___ them up, wet and dirty from a puddle of melted snow. The
matchstick couldn't be used now. as she began to make her way
___19___, she realised that she had lost ___20___ of her shoes in the
snow.

Answers

1. whom 2. stop/bother 3. away 4. to 5. in 6. snowing 7. which 8.

face 9. its 10. look 11. were 12. out 13. late 14. driver 15.
time 16. safety 17. onto 18. picked 19. home 20. One

Passage 3.

It was midnight when the last guest left. I sighed heavily as I looked
around. The living room was ___1___ of cigarette smell and stale
perfume. As I looked around, I ___2___ wet patches of spilt beer on my
best Persian carpet. My antique vases were totally smashed. They had
even ___3___ my antique oak tables as ashtrays. These guests of
___4___ had done their best to destroy my expensively decorated living
room ! What a night this had turned ___5___ to be.

I shook my head. The mess would ___6___ hours to clear. Getting

___7___ of the smell would require days. My housekeeper would had
resigned ___8___ the spot if she saw the mess. i had to do ___9___ fast.
I could not afford to lose her ___10___ she is the best cook I ___11___
ever had

I had no choice. I went to the bookshelf, took ___12___ the book 'The
Evolution of Man' by Charles Darwin and pressed on the wall behind
___13___ . A small hole in the wall appeared ___14___ my right. I
reached ___15___ and took out a long object. Then I waved it in the
___16___. The room started to clean itself ___17___ . Even the antique
vases started fitting themselves ___18___ so well that one could not tell
they had been ___19___. As you might have guessed by ___20___, the
long object is a wand, and I am what they call a witch.

Answers

1. full 2. saw 3. used 4. mine 5. out 6. take 7. rid 8. on 9.

something 10. as 11. have 12. out 13. it 14. on 15. in 16.
air 17. up 18. together 19. broken 20. Now

Passage 4.
You must have heard of many ghost stories, but have you heard of this
___1___ from Japan ? The story ___2___ like this; one moonlit night, a
man was walking home along the river ___3___ he saw a woman
___4___ on the bridge. He could not see her ___5___ because she was
sitting with her back ___6___ him. However, he could see that she was
crying ___7___ hysterically that her whole body was shaking. The man
felt ___8___ for her. when he went ___9___ to comfort her, she suddenly
___10___ around. To his horror, the man I ___11___ that she had no
eyes, no nose and no mouth ___12___ her face ! ___13___ a while the
man stood frozen. Then he turned and ran away as ___14___ as he could
until he ___15___ to the nearest inn.

Once ___16___, he began to stammer out what he had seen, for he was
trembling ___17___ fear. The proprietor of the inn, who had been
bending ___18___ to clean the tables, straightened ___19___ and asked
him, "Did she look ___20___ this ?" His face, too, was egg-like. The man
fainted!
Answers

1. one 2. goes 3. when 4. crying 5. face 6. to 7. so 8. sorry 9.

up/forward 10. turned 11. saw 12. on 13. For 14. fast 15.
came 16. inside 17. with 18. down 19. up 20. Like

Passage 5.

It was a Saturday afternoon. Mr. and Mrs Kerugesu were window

shopping at a shopping centre. As they stood outside a boutique, Mr.
Kerugesu spotted a shiny new ___1___ machine.

"Look ! It's ___2___ of those modern computerized machines that tells

your weight and gives you your fortune at the ___3___ time. I think I shall
try it," he told his ___4___.

Mrs Kerugesu, however, was not too keen ___5___ the idea.

"Let's ___6___ bother. I don't ___7___ in fortune telling," she said.

Mr. Kerugesu, however, insisted ___8___ trying the machine. He was

very curious to ___9___ out his 'fortune'. He stepped on the machine and
___10___ a fifty cent coin. There was a soft buzzing ___11___ from the
machine. A few seconds ___12___ , a slip of paper emerged. Mrs.
Kerugesu took the slip and ___13___ it out to her husband :

"Your fortune : You are a clever and ___14___ person. If you are working,
you will become an employee that ___15___ boss would be proud of.
You will become a good leader ___16___ men. Everyone will listen to you
___17___ you speak. ___18___ you lead, everyone will follow."

Mrs. Kerugesu paused ___19___ breath.

"It's got your weight ___20___ too," she added.

Answers Passage 5

1. weighing 2. one 3. same 4. wife 5. about/on 6. not 7.

believe 8. on 9. find 10. inserted 11. sound 12. later 13. read 14.
talented 15. every 16. of 17. when 18. Wherever 19. for 20.
Wrong

Passage 6.
Sandwiches make a delicious snack any time. They are a common
___1___ at picnics and teas. Interestingly enough, the sandwich is the
invention of ___2___ eighteen century English Earl called John Montagu.
Montagu was addicted ___3___ card games. he would play these games
___4___ his friends for long stretches of ___5___ . Often, he even found
it ___6___ bothersome to stop his games ___7___ meals.

One day, ___8___ the middle of a game, Montagu was served a meal of
sliced meat ___9___ bread. At that time, Montagu was playing the game
that ___10___ its players to cover cards one on top ___11___ another.
As Montagu looked at ___12___ the game and his food, an idea came to
his ___13___.
"I can do the same with my food ___14___ well," he thought.

He took a slice of bread, ___15___ a piece of meat on it and covered

that with ___16___ slice of bread. Montagu was very pleased with his
invention ___17___ it allowed him to play cards with one hand and eat
his meal with the ___18___.

Montagu's friends quickly caught ___19___ to his idea and they named
the new invention ___20___ him. As Montagu's full title was 'the Earl of
Sandwich', the new invention became known as a 'sandwich'.

Answers 6

1. sight 2. an 3. to 4. with 5. time 6. too 7. for 8. in 9. with 10.

required 11. of 12. both 13. mind 14. as 15. placed 16.
another 17. because/for 18. other 19. on 20. After

Passage 7.
I will never forgive her," Anne muttered as she walked away ___1___ the
class. Panting and running ___2___ her, Lilian came up ___3___ her and
apologised profusely ___4___ accidentally spilling chocolate milk all
___5___ Anne's new bag. Anne ___6___ to listen to Lilian. She cupped
her ___7___ over her ears, glared at Lilian ___8___ screamed.

"I'll never talk to you ___9___ !" Then she ran away.

Anne was ___10___ angry when she reached home. She banged the
door hard ___11___ her and woke Granny from her afternoon ___12___ .
She was rude to Mother when Mother asked her what she ___13___ for
dinner. She ___14___ little Tony when she found that he had messed
___15___ her room again. Tony ran howling ___16___ Mother. His poor
arm was red ___17___ Anne's pinching.

"What's the matter ___18___ you today, Anne ?" Mother came into the
room and asked. "You've made everybody upset ___19___ you stepped
into the house. Did something ___20___ in school ?"

Answers

1. from 2. after 3. to 4. for 5. over 6. refused 7. hands 8. and 9.

again 10. still 11. behind/after 12. nap/sleep 13. wanted 14.
pinched 15. up 16. to 17. from 18. with 19. since 20. Happen

Passage 8.
I will always remember the trip I made to the zoo in 1988. It was then
___1___ I caught measles from one of my friends, Peter, who had gone
___2___ too. ___3___ he met us at the zoo, he had gone to ___4___ his
cousin who was recovering ___5___ measles. The next day, Peter was
complaining ___6___ a sore throat, a bad cold and high fever. When he
was diagnosed ___7___ a doctor as having measles, his parents rang
___8___ up to warn me that I had been exposed ___9___ measles too.
By the next day, I was also ___10___ the same symptoms. My doctor
advised me to ___11___ at home for the next two weeks.

I was quite pleased ___12___ the doctor's instruction. I spent the time
___13___ storybooks, listening to music ___14___ watching television.
When I get ___15___ , I would call up Peter, who ___16___ had to spend
two weeks at home, for a chat. Unfortunately, the two weeks passed
___17___ quickly. When we ___18___ to school, we had to work twice
___19___ hard to catch up with our classmates. It was definitely not
___20___ the 'holiday'.

Answers

1. that 2. along 3. Before 4. visit 5. from 6. of 7. by 8. me 9.

to 10. showing/having 11. stay 12. with 13. reading 14. and 15.
bored 16. also 17. too/by 18. returned 19. as 20. Worth

Passage 10.
Once upon a time, there was a man called Rip Van Winkle. He was a
likeable ___1___ lazy man who never did an ounce of ___2___ in his life.
His wife was always nagging ___3___ him for being so lazy.

One day, to ___4___ his wife's nagging, Rip Van Winkle took a stroll in
the woods. In these mysterious woods, he encountered a ___5___ of old
men with long beards. ___6___ they saw Rip Van Winkle, they offered
him a drink from a flask. Rip Van Winkle took a ___7___ and found the
drink delicious. As he was very thirsty, he drank to his heart's ___8___ .
Immediately after the drink, he felt his eyelids becoming heavy. Before
he knew it, he had ___9___ into a deep sleep.

When he ___10___ up, the sun was shining brightly.

"I must have slept the whole night," he thought to ___11___.

As Rip Van Winkle ___12___ his way home, he discovered, to his
astonishment, that the landscape around him had changed. As he
approached his village, he was even ___13___ dumbfounded. He found
that he could not recognise ___14___ in the village ! Not only ___15___
the people look different, they were also ___16___ in a different fashion.
Everyone was staring at his chin. As Rip Van Winkle looked ___17___ at
his own chin, he realised, to his surprise, that he had ___18___ a very
long beard.

After ___19___ some enquiries, Rip Van Winkle realised that one
hundred years had passed from the time he drank the liquid ___20___
the time he woke up. This meant that he had been asleep for one
hundred years !

Answers

1. but 2. work 3. at 4. escape/avoid 5. group 6. When 7. sip 8.

content 9. fallen 10. woke 11. himself 12. made 13. more 14.
anyone 15. did 16. dressed 17. down 18. grown 19. making 20.
To

Passage 11.
The sky was getting darker by the minute and strong wind was ___1___
across the field. Soon, ___2___ of water were falling down ___3___ the
overcast sky.

Peter did not ___4___ the rain at all. It was ___5___ than playing under
the hot ___6___. He liked the ___7___ of rain on his face and the cold
sensation ___8___ it soaked through his football jersey.

His team had been ___9___ hard for the tournament. It had been two
years ___10___ they last won the Inter-Constituency Football Cup. Last
year, in the game ___11___ Rockingham, their team had lost ___12___
just one goal. They were determined to win the Cup back this year.

"Goal !"

His team had ___13___ again. Peter wanted to ___14___ the next goal.
If only he could get ___15___ the two defenders, he would be able to
___16___ the ball into the goal easily.

He did not ___17___ to score his goal because the rain was pouring too
___18___ and the field was getting too wet. As the boys ended their
game and walked ___19___ the field, Peter sneezed. he felt and
unpleasant tingle of coldness running ___20___ his body.

Answers

1. blowing 2. drops 3. from 4. mind 5. better 6. sun 7. feeling 8.

when 9. practising 10. since 11. against 12. by 13. scored 14.
score 15. past 16. kick 17. get 18. heavily 19. across 20.
through/down

Passage 12.
Squirrels are the most resourceful animal in the world. They have the
knack of saving up for ___1___ days.

Autumn can be very entertaining ___2___ them. That is the time

___3___ they begin the great harvest collection ___4___ their winter
store. You can see them scampering here and ___5___ , collecting nuts
of ___6___ sorts. Walnuts, beechnuts, chestnuts, dried berries ... They
are not fussy. Relentlessly, they run ___7___ their storage point, usually
a tree hollow, ___8___ the vast amount of wild nuts to be ___9___ in the
forest.

These beautiful animals are house-proud. They take great ___10___ to

ensure that their nest is secure and ___11___ enough to tide them
___12___ the harsh winter. You will see them busily ___13___ soft
pieces of bark, wood and leaves to line ___14___ nests.

After all their scavenging ___15___ done, and when the first, cold hard
frost arrives, they will seal ___16___ inside their nests for the ___17___
of the cold spell. There, they will hibernate ___18___ it is warm enough
to bring out their stored food. Ah, but then again, they are the ___19___
forgetful little animals, and it is not ___20___ to see squirrels searching
desperately for their hoards.

Answers

1. rainy 2. for 3. when 4. for 5. there 6. all 7. from 8. to 9.

found 10. pains 11. warm 12. over 13. collecting 14. their 15.
is 16. themselves 17. duration/rest 18. till 19. most 20. Unusual
Passage 13.

The Red Indians were waiting for the arrival ___1___ the bison. The
beasts, ___2___ come only once a year, are a good ___3___ of meat and
hide. The Red Indians needed these to ___4___ the cold, bitter winter.

Tikki, the young boy, was chosen to look ___5___ for the herd's arrival.
Every day, he would run to the ___6___ of the hill to see if he could spot
them ___7___ the vast horizon.

One night, ___8___ he was sleeping, the ground shook violently and his
bag of arrows fell ___9___ from its hook on the wall. Tikki rushed out of
his wigwam and ___10___ a strong gust of wind and dust gush ___11___
him. Shouting excitedly, he ran to the ___12___ wigwams and woke
everyone ___13___ . A big fire was immediately ___14___ and the Red
Indians danced ___15___ it, giving praises to their God ___16___ had, at
last, sent ___17___ their food and clothing of animal hide. The next
morning, ___18___ the warrior were assigned to hunt ___19___ the
beasts which were grazing ___20___ the river.

Answers

1. of 2. which 3. source 4. survive 5. out 6. top 7. on 8. while 9.

off 10. felt 11. past 12. other 13. up 14. built 15. round 16.
who 17. them 18. all 19. down 20. Near
Passage 14.

Help ! Help ! It's a gang fight !"

Shoppers at Marina Centre in Singapore ___1___ cries coming from the

field nearby. A girl screamed, loudly and very shrilly. The fright in her
___2___ turned Daryl's blood cold. ___3___ a split second, time seemed
to be frozen as the horror ___4___ the situation penetrated every
shopper's brain. Then, all of a sudden, everybody ___5___ running
towards the field. It seemed as if everyone had gone mad! Daryl ran
___6___ with them, eager to see part of the action.

When he ___7___ the field, the fight was over. All he could ___8___ was
a huge crowd huddled in the middle of the field. Daryl pushed his
___9___ through the crowd and stared. ___10___ on the ground was a
teenager. His face was very pale and he was covered ___11___ blood.
The handle of a switch blade could be seen sticking ___12___ of his
stomach. Daryl began to ___13___ very sick.

Suddenly, a man pushed his way ___14___ the crowd and called for a
little space. Obediently, the people moved ___15___ . Daryl was very
relieved. He ___16___ that the ambulance had arrived. However, the
man whipped out a ___17___ and started taking photographs of the
boy, ___18___ bothered that the teenager was injured. He even tried to
interview the boy. Finally, help came, but it was too ___19___ . The
paramedics fought to ___20___ the injured teenager, but failed. Daryl
looked on as the corpse was loaded into the ambulance.

Answers
1. heard 2. voice/scream 3. For 4. of 5. started 6. along 7.
reached 8. see 9. way 10. Lying 11. with 12. out 13. feel 14.
through 15. back 16. thought 17. camera 18. not 19. late 20.
Save

Passage 15.

You paid forty dollars for this miserable ___1___ of stamps ?" Susan
asked in disbelief. Michael put the stamps carefully ___2___ his album.
It was no ___3___ telling Susan about his precious stamp collection.
She, ___4___ all girls, is only interested ___5___ glossy fashion
magazines with pouting women in designer ___6___ and articles like
'How to lose weight ___7___ eating less'.

This was ___8___ ordinary set of stamps. Michael had bought them
___9___ Daniel as Daniel needed ___10___ to buy a new walkman.
Daniel said that it was a gift from his grandmother ___11___ his last
birthday. The stamps dated ___12___ to the early part of the century.
There were only a ___13___ sets left in circulation today.

"She ___14___ it's a priceless antique," Daniel had ___15___ him. "My
mum would be very angry with me ___16___ she knew I'm selling it to
you."

Susan interrupted his reveries.

"Mother should cut ___17___ on your pocket money, the way you
___18___ it on these silly stamps," she muttered.
Michael felt irritated. Susan was always finding ___19___ with him about
the way he ___20___ his money.

"What do you know ?" Michael snapped back.

Answers

1. set 2. into 3. use 4. like 5. in 6. clothes 7. without 8. no 9.

from/off 10. money 11. on 12. back 13. few 14. said 15.
told 16. if 17. down 18. waste 19. faults 20. Spent
TOFEL Vocabulary Section:

Read the context and choose the best answer for the underlined word:

1.

1. It never pays off to abrogate the defense treaty.

 (A) Establish
(B) Uphold
(C) Annul
(D) Bolster

2. Beware of the abrupt turn in the road ahead.

(A) Laggard
(B) Easy
(C) Sudden
(D) Leisurely

3. The doctor advised the patient to abstain from smoking.

(A) do without
(B) be absorbed in
(C) go with
(D) admit of

4. No one could solve such an abstruse problem.

(A) Complex
(B) Lucid
(C) abstemious
(D) Absurd

5. Defeated, the ex-champion fell into the abyss of despair.

(A) Firmament
 (B) Ecstasy
(C) Gulf
(D) Paradise

6. To accelerate growth, they work harder than ever.

(A) speed up
(B) Retard
(C) Accede
(D) Hamper

7. Without an accomplice the burglar could not have broken into the
house.

(A) Foe
(B) confederate
(C) Servant
(D) Trivia

8. The gentleman was accosted by a beggar who demanded money.

(A) Greeted
(B) Overlooked
(C) Shunned
(D) Outraged

9. The manager has reached the acme of his career.

(A) Ebb
 (B) apex ; peak
(C) Base
(D) Downfall

10. All the members acquiesced in his resignation.

(A) assented to
(B) disagreed with
(C) balked at
dissented from

Answers
1C 2C 3A 4A 5C 6A 7B 8A 9B 10A

2.
1.In his anger, he blurted out the whole story.

(A) blatted ; uttered

(B) Hid
(C) Concealed
(D) Buried

2. A cowardly bully often blusters.

(A) Blunders
(B) Intimidates
(C) Fusses
(D) Budges
3. The cart was stuck in the bog.

(A) Lake
(B) Brook
(C) Well
(D) Swamp

4. Look at those boisterous children.

(A) Sober
(B) Somber
(C) Sedate
(D) noisily cheerful

5. The children bolstered their morale by singing.

(A) buoyed up
(B) Deflated
(C) Annulled
(D) Abrogated

6. The market is booming.

(A) Declining
(B) Reclining
(C) Waning
(D) Prospering
7. Parks are a great boon to people living in big cities.

(A) Blessing
(B) Nuisance
(C) Urbanity
(D) Rigor

8. John is proud of his vocabulary boost.

(A) Increase
(B) Bust
(C) Control
(D) Request

9. Bootlegging is against law.

(A) Robbery
(B) Crime
(C) Stealing
(D) Smuggling

10. She is a woman of bounteous nature.

(A) Niggardly
(B) Scant
(C) Sparse
(D) Generous
 Answers

1A 2B 3D 4D 5A 6D 7A 8A 9D 10D

3.

1.Children like to engage in all kinds of capers.

(A) Charities
(B) Capacities
(C) Capsules
(D) Pranks

2. A mature person will not act from caprice.

(A) Constancy
(B) Stability
(C) conscience
(D) change of mind

3. This is a matter of cardinal significance.

(A) Trivial
(B) Petty
(C) Cankerous
(D) Essential

4. The party degenerated into an ugly carousal.

(A) sobriety
 (B) awakening
(C) drunken revel
(D) fight

5. He used to carol in the morning when he was happy.

(A) sing joyously

(B) feel downcast
(C) take a shower
(D) become moody

6. We could not appreciate the beauty of the many cascades as we

were forced to make detours around each of them.

(A) abyss
(B) lakes
(C) small waterfalls
(D) canvasses

7. A cataclysm such as World War II affected all the countries in the

world.

(A) casualty
(B) cask
(C) censor
(D) violent upheaval

8. The major catalyst in the English-language explosion was war.

 (A) stimulus
(B) catalog
(C) castle
(D) catacomb

9. The rain cataracted down the windowpanes.

(A) poured
(B) drizzled
(C) seized
(D) duped

10. The flood was a catastrophe.

(A) calamity
(B) cavalier
(C) cavity
(D) cavil

Answers

1D 2D 3D 4C 5A 6C 7D 8A 9A 10A

4.

1.The Christians chanted the praise of God.

(A) sang
(B) prayed
 (C) characterized
(D) blasted

2. The typhoon left chaos behind it.

(A) mess
(B) catastrophe
(C) calamity
(D) disaster

3. Political commentators have explored the importance of a

candidate's charisma in these days of television campaigning.

(A) caliber
(B) intelligence
(C) charm
(D) wit

4. Some professions are overrun with charlatans and rogues.

(A) technicians
(B) mechanics
(C) quacks
(D) prodigies

5. They could not see the bottom of the chasm.

(A) captivation
(B) cannibalism
 (C) calumniation
(D) abyss

6. The mother is going to chastise her son for his misdemeanor.

(A) reward
(B) eulogize
(C) punish
(D) cede

7. We should cherish no resentment toward those who decline our

request.

(A) scorn
(B) nurse
(C) repudiate
(D) abandon

8. Grandma chided Junior for his lying.

(A) endorsed
(B) sanctioned
(C) commended
(D) scolded

9. Look at those sparrows chirping on the tree.

(A) singing
(B) hopping
 (C) flying
(D) hiding

10. The artist was chiseling a statue from the marble.

(A) overreaching
(B) Billing
(C) defrauding
(D) sculpturing

Answers

1A 2A 3C 4C 5D 6C 7B 8D 9A 10D

5.

5.

They voted to adjourn the meeting.

(A) Further
(B) Advance
(C) Expedite
(D) Postpone

2. John admonished his brother against being late.

 (A) Tolerated
(B) commended
(C) Warned
(D) Approved

3. We all adore Charlie Brown.

(A) Execrate
(B) Loathe
(C) Abominate
(D) Love

4. Robin Hood was said to wear a hat adorned with feathers.

(A) embellished
(B) Disfigured
(C) Spoiled
(D) maladjusted

5. The workman is adroit in handling machinery.

(A) Green
(B) dexterous ; skilled
(C) Awkward
(D) Clumsy

6. The politician enjoys public adulation.

 (A) Flattery
(B) Abuse
(C) denunciation
(D) Reverence

7. The advent of spring makes the birds hilarious.

(A) Detriment
(B) Arrival
(C) benediction
(D) Joviality

8. A courageous man smiles in the face of adversity.

(A) misfortune ; distress

(B) Felicity
(C) Affluence
(D) Feat

9. Some parents advocate keeping the children at school as long as

possible.

(A) Disfavor
(B) Dissent
(C) recommend
(D) Advert

10. An affable countenance is pleasing to everybody.

 (A) Avaricious
(B) Surly
(C) Taciturn
(D) Amiable

Answers

1D 2C 3D 4A 5B 6A 7B 8A 9C 10D

6.

Drink has become the bane of his life.

(A) badge
(B) ruin
(C) bandit
(D) benediction

2. She was advised to banish fear a anxiety.

(A) cherish
(B) cast out
(C) bind
(D) harbor

3. The pilferer started to run away and barged into a passer-by.

 (A) bumped
(B) buzzed
(C) jumped
(D) bantered

4. The announcement was met with a barrage of protests.

(A) barn
(B) burst
(C) barometer
(D) baroque

5. What is the use of such a barren discussion.

(A) arable
(B) verdant
(C) unfruitful
(D) fertile

6. Ancients used to barter one thing for another.

(A) buy
(B) sell
(C) exchange
(D) banister

7. Taiwan is one of the strongest anti-communism bastions in the

world.
 (A) bulwarks
(B) batches
(C) batons
(D) pools

8. The baby bawled and kicked when its bottle was taken away.

(A) cried
(B) bit
(C) struck
(D) chuckled

9. There is a beacon on the hill to warn of danger.

(A) cesspool
(B) beak
(C) bead
(D) lighthouse

10. The merchant sent his ships wherever profit beckoned.

(A) signaled
(B) anguished
(C) abdicated
(D) agitated

Answers
 1B 2B 3A 4B 5C 6C 7A 8A 9D 10A

7.

Those two countries are often on the brink of war.

(A) verge
(B) fledge
(C) field
(D) fiasco

2. The new novel enjoys a brisk sale.

(A) lively
(B) torpid
(C) sluggish
(D) hoary

3. She bristled up at the remark.

(A) got angry

(B) felt pleased
(C) became blithe
(D) grew jovial

4. Mr. Young has a brittle temper.

(A) easy-going
(B) happy-go-lucky
(C) merry-making
 (D) easily angered

5. They had a broil over who was at fault.

(A) brawl
(B) brink
(C) brim
(D) bridal

6. The widow never ceased to brood over her lost husband.

(A) sit on to hatch

(B) dwell on in thought
(C) stand by to await
(D) run to meet

7. A great man often cannot brook a rival.

(A) tolerate
(B) defeat
(C) hurt
(D) conquer

8. The student browsed through the book looking for illustrations.

(A) delved into

(B) dug into
(C) pored over
(D) leafed through
9. He got an ugly bruise when he fell.

(A) leak
(B) lease
(C) bunch
(D) injury

10. Don't be shocked if you are greeted with a brusque welcome.

(A) curt
(B) warm
(C) enthusiastic
(D) ardent

Answers

1A 2A 3A 4D 5A 6B 7A 8D 9D 10A

8.

The students enjoyed his compact speech.

(A) pithy
(B) slack
(C) tenuous
(D) loose

2. We should be compassionate toward the miserable.

 (A) relentless
(B) sympathetic
(C) adamant
(D) inexorable

3. Health and hard work are often compatible.

(A) inconsistent
(B) disagreeable
(C) harmonious
(D) incongruous

4. The philanthropist looks upon all men as his compatriots.

(A) fellow countrymen

(B) opponents
(C) foes
(D) competitors

5. He writes with a compendious style.

(A) gaudy
(B) verbose
(C) concise
(D) complex

6. The boss found his assistant very competent.

 (A) slow
(B) shoddy
(C) shabby
(D) able

7. The upstart has a complacent air of superiority that often mars an

ignorant self-made man.

(A) intelligent
(B) benign
(C) diffident
(D) self-satisfied

8. The courtier obeyed the king's orders in a complaisant manner.

(A) rigorous
(B) masterful
(C) obliging
(D) disobedient

9. Your story puts a different complexion on the matter.

(A) complexity
(B) companion
(C) appearance
(D) conformity

10. He was compliant and ready to conform to the pattern set by his
parents.
 (A) complacent
(B) complaisant
(C) submissive
(D) capable

Answers

1A 2B 3C 4A 5C 6D 7D 8C 9C 10C

9.

1. Don't attempt to increase your stature by decrying the efforts of

your opponents.

(A) depreciating
(B) appreciating
(C) extolling
(D) eulogizing

2. The members decided to defer voting until the next meeting.

(A) put off

(B) advance
(C) expedite
(D) promote

3. Do you treat your parents with deference ?

 (A) disobedience
(B) insolence
(C) rudeness
(D) great respect

4. The clerk assumed a defiant attitude toward his employer.

(A) defensive
(B) deceitful
(C) decent
(D) disobedient; rebellious

5. The hoodlums defiled the church with their scurrilous writing.

(A) cleansed
(B) profaned
(C) purified
(D) defrauded

6. The pianist has extremely deft fingers.

(A) blundering
(B) bungling
(C) dexterous
(D) awkward

7. It is a pity that liberty often degenerates into lawlessness.

(A) uplifts
 (B) regenerates
(C) deteriorates
(D) justifies

8. Will such an important person deign to answer your letter ?

(A) stoop
(B) honor
(C) refuse
(D) recline

9. The Chang sisters and brothers are delectable companions.

(A) loathsome
(B) delightful
(C) repulsive
(D) offensive

10. If you delete this paragraph, the composition will have more appeal.

(A) add
(B) induce
(C) strike out
(D) delegate

Answers

1A 2A 3D 4D 5B 6C 7C 8A 9B 10C
10.

1. The city of Taipei has a very dense population.

(A) dissipated
(B) sparse
(C) tenuous
(D) compact; crowded

2. In that book, the author depicts the slave owners as kind and
benevolent masters.

(A) praises
(B) scorns
(C) discovers
(D) portrays

3. We must wait until we deplete our present inventory before we

order replacements.

(A) use up
(B) augment
(C) bolster
(D) import

4. They deplored the death of their capable and magnanimous leader.

(A) denounced
(B) rejoiced
 (C) bemoaned
(D) vaunted

5. His is gentlemanly deportment.

(A) deposition
(B) depot
(C) vulgarity
(D) bearing

6. Rumors tend to deprave the morale of the troops.

(A) corrupt
(B) elevate
(C) exalt
(D) ennoble

7. I must deprecate your negative attitude.

(A) endorse
(B) disapprove
(C) comment
(D) favor

8. The derelict ship was a menace to navigation.

(A) newly-built
(B) nuclear
(C) stupendous
 (D) abandoned

9. His colleagues derided his grandiose scheme.

(A) lauded
(B) denied
(C) derailed
(D) ridiculed

10. We can barely descry the vessels in the distance.

(A) attack
(B) assail
(C) assault
(D) see

Answers

1D 2D 3A 4C 5D 6A 7B 8D 9D 10D

11.

1. The paths diverge at the fork in the road.

(A) Converge
(B) Conform
(C) branch off
(D) Brawl
2. There are diverse ways of approaching this problem.

(A) Identical
(B) Selfsame
(C) Equivalent
(D) Various

3. The deputy was divested of power to take care of the business.

(A) Invested
(B) Stripped
(C) Distilled
(D) Distributed

4. He won't tell you the news because he is afraid you will divulge it
prematurely.

(A) Keep
(B) Retain
(C) Detain
(D) Reveal

5. The speed with which she dispatched her tasks made the
onlookers dizzy.

(A) Puzzled
(B) Sober
(C) Divine
(D) Dissipated
6. Docile as he seems today, that old lion was once a ferocious,
snarling beast.

(A) Obstinate
(B) Obedient
(C) Intractable
(D) head-strong

7. She dodged her suitors with ease.

(A) Bantered
(B) Defied
(C) Evaded
(D) Confronted

8. Although we find occasional snatches of genuine poetry in his

works, most of his writing is mere doggerel.

(A) Epic
(B) Elegy
(C) Dirge
(D) poor verse

9. Sometimes a dogma is so convincing that an ordinary person will

take it for truth without any doubt.

(A) tenet; doctrine

(B) Verity
 (C) Veracity
(D) Derision

10. The memory of the economic doldrums of the early seventies is still
vivid.

(A) Buoyancy
(B) Elasticity
(C) Resilience
(D) Depression

Answers

1C 2D 3B 4D 5A 6B 7C 8D 9A 10D

12.

1. The detectives tried to elicit where the suspect had hidden his loot.

(A) draw out

(B) Eschew
(C) Forge
(D) Abandon

2. Mr. Chang is still an eligible bachelor.

(A) Profligate
(B) Qualified
(C) Reciprocal
 (D) Reckless

3. They eliminated the possibility of reunion.

(A) Accepted
(B) Restored
(C) ruled out
(D) Admitted

4. The elite of society attended the reception for the visiting governor.

(A) Dregs
(B) Rabble
(C) distinguished members
(D) Mob

5. No elixir has so far been discovered to cure the inveterate disease.

(A) Annex
(B) Addict
(C) Panacea
(D) Diagnosis

6. The rich girl decided to elope rather than endure a big wedding.

(A) run away with a lover

(B) remain single
(C) commit suicide
(D) pursue happiness
7. They gave the eloquent orator a warm reception.

(A) Stuttering
(B) Stammering
(C) Articulate
(D) Stalwart

8. He was called upon to elucidate the disputed points in his article.

(A) Clarify
(B) Confuse
(C) Flare
(D) Baffle

9. Inspiration need not be forever elusive.

(A) Clear
(B) Lucid
(C) Evasive
(D) Costly

10. Ancient Greeks wished to live in the Elysium when dead.

(A) Hell
(B) Paradise
(C) Purgatory
(D) Hades
 Answers

1A 2B 3C 4C 5C 6A 7C 8A 9C 10B

13.

1. The prisoner's long period of starvation left him wan and emaciated.

(A) Lean
(B) Obese
(C) Corpulent
(D) Chubby

2. A strong odor of Sulphur emanated from the spring.

(A) Retreated
(B) Issued
(C) Flayed
(D) Frayed

3. At first, the attempt of the Abolitionists to emancipate the slaves

was unpopular in New England as well as in the South.

(A) Fetter
(B) Shackle
(C) Enslave
(D) set free

4. The memory of oil embargo laid by the Arabs is still vivid.

 (A) Labyrinth
(B) Prohibition
(C) know-how
(D) Industry

5. The brothers are embarking on a new business.

(A) Entering
(B) Closing
(C) Inventing
(D) Rejoicing

6. She embellished her dress with lace and ribbons.

(A) Divested
(B) Sewed
(C) Stripped
(D) Adorned

7. The bank teller confessed his embezzlement of the funds.

(A) Deposit
(B) Stealing
(C) Loan
(D) Allowance

8. The olive branch is the emblem of peace.

 (A) Symbol
(B) Foundation
(C) Base
(D) Emaciation

9. The soldier embroidered the story of his adventures in the army.

(A) played down

(B) Understated
(C) Deemphasized
(D) Embellished

10. He became embroiled in the heated discussion when he tried to

arbitrate the dispute.

(A) Disentangled
(B) Involved
(C) Extricated
(D) Exempted

Answers

1A 2B 3D 4B 5A 6D 7B 8A 9D 10B

14.

A fable is often of a moral lesson.

 (A) Fact
(B) Truth
(C) Veracity
(D) Allegory

2. She fabricated a clever tale, but we knew better than to believe her.

(A) Condoned
(B) Invented
(C) Protruded
(D) Resented

3. The businessman is not satisfied with his fabulous wealth.

(A) Scant
(B) Meager
(C) Extraordinary
(D) Credible

4. The facade of the church has often been photographed by tourists.

(A) Interior
(B) Front
(C) Side
(D) Back

5. His facetious remarks are not appropriate at this moment.

(A) Joking
 (B) Grave
(C) Sober
(D) Somber

6. As Mar. Davis is a facile speaker. He never refuses a request to

address an organization.

(A) Loquacious
(B) Garrulous
(C) Smooth
(D) tongue-tied

7. The quarrels and bickering of the two small factions within the club
disturbed the majority of the members.

(A) Cliques
(B) Factories
(C) Factors
(D) Gamesters

8. Actresses often created factitious tears by using glycerin.

(A) Artificial
(B) Authentic
(C) Veritable
(D) Spontaneous

9. Wearing long hair for men is on a fad.

 (A) Habit
(B) Custom
(C) Fashion
(D) Practice

10. After eight hours of work, the salesgirl was almost fagged out.

(A) Refreshed
(B) Rejuvenated
(C) Exhausted
(D) Invigorated

Answers

1D 2B 3C 4B 5A 6C 7A 8A 9C 10C

15.

1. We are the people who can bear any cataclysm with fortitude.

(A) courage; perseverance

(B) Timidity
(C) Pusillanimity
(D) timorousness

2. There is no connection between these two events; their timing is

extremely fortuitous.

(A) Forewarned
(B) Forestalled
 (C) Fortified
(D) Accidental

3. The forum sponsored by the department was a success.

(A) Discussion
(B) Frame
(C) Campaign
(D) Belligerence

4. Ignorance fosters superstition.

(A) Withstands
(B) Curbs
(C) Inhibits
(D) Encourages

5. Good sportsmanship never admits of foul play.

(A) Fair
(B) Dirty
(C) Equitable
(D) Veritable

6. The farmer keeps a lot of fowls.

(A) Beasts
(B) Fish
(C) Horses
 (D) birds used as food.

7. The factious horse unseated its rider.

(A) Tractable
(B) Docile
(C) Manageable
(D) unruly

8. The bickering resulted in a fracture of their friendship.

(A) break
(B) resumption
(C) restoration
(D) reconciliation

9. The commodity is fragile; handle it with care.

(A) adamantine
(B) easily broken
(C) clandestine
(D) tenacious

10. Hamlet says, " Frailty, thy name is woman. "

(A) idiot
(B) weakness
(C) courage
(D) perseverance
 Answers

1A 2D 3A 4D 5B 6D 7D 8A 9B 10B

16.

1. Few people enjoyed gross jests.

(A) genteel
(B) decent
(C) vulgar
(D) refined

2. The children were delighted in the monkey's grotesque antics.

(A) gay
(B) odd; bizarre
(C) hilarious
(D) ferocious

3. The timid slave groveled before the merciless master.

(A) danced
(B) lay face downward
(C) grubbed
(D) gushed

4. The dog got mad and growled at the mischievous boy.

 (A) made a deep angry sound
(B) bleated
(C) shrieked
(D) screeched

5. Why do you bear her such a grudge ?

(A) sullen feeling

(B) worship
(C) deference
(D) tribute

6. The marathon is a grueling race.

(A) wholesome
(B) sound
(C) exhausting
(D) healthy

7. The audience screamed when his gruesome appearance was

flashed on the screen.

(A) funny
(B) clownish
(C) grumpy
(D) grisly

8. Some workers are grumbling about low wages.

 (A) commending
(B) rejoicing
(C) applauding
(D) complaining

9. The sullen boy grunted his apology.

(A) shouted
(B) murmured
(C) bellowed
(D) blared

10. Some said that he had achieved his high position by guile and
treachery.

(A) candor
(B) ingenuousness
(C) deceit
(D) cordiality

Answers

1C 2B 3B 4A 5A 6C 7D 8D 9B 10C

17.

1. The gorilla is said to be quite gentle in its own habitat.

(A) way
(B) custom
 (C) natural environment
(D) habiliments

2. The explorers hacked a path through the jungle.

(A) flirted
(B) cut
(C) flouted
(D) encumbered

3. The teacher criticized his story because of its hackneyed plot.

(A) trite
(B) unusual
(C) unrealistic
(D) bizarre

4. After his long illness, he was pale and haggard.

(A) corpulent
(B) gaunt
(C) plump
(D) obese

5. The housewife used to haggle with shopkeepers.

(A) bicker
(B) concur
(C) strut
 (D) argue about prices

6. Cheerful voices hailed the hero as he entered the hall.

(A) greeted
(B) disparaged
(C) berated
(D) deprecated

7. We don't like his hairsplitting habits.

(A) callous
(B) casual
(C) flagrant
(D) concerned with

8. It is really unusual that the ninety-year-old man is still so hale and

hearty.

(A) infirm
(B) gaunt
(C) emaciated
(D) healthy

9. The martyr was laid to rest in hallowed ground.

(A) hollow
(B) blasphemous
(C) guttural
 (D) consecrated

10. The drunken man's hallucination was so vivid that he cried out in
anguish.

(A) delusion
(B) hag
(C) risk
(D) danger

Answers

1C 2B 3A 4B 5D 6A 7D 8D 9D 10A

18.

1. No fingerprints of two persons are identical.

(A) exactly alike

(B) different
(C) extinct
(D) intelligent

2. They cherished the ideology based on tolerance.

(A) insight
(B) far-sight
(C) fallacy
(D) ideas of a group of people
3. Washing everything before he uses it is his idiosyncrasy.

(A) virtue
(B) eccentricity
(C) icon
(D) vice

4. The singer was adored to the point of idolatry.

(A) collapse
(B) identity
(C) heredity
(D) extreme admiration

5. The demagogue had the intention to ignite the crowd.

(A) calm
(B) appease
(C) arouse
(D) conciliate

6. This plan is inspired by ignoble motives.

(A) grandiose
(B) august
(C) eminent
(D) mean

7. Their country smarted under the ignominious defeat and dreamed

 of the day when it would be victorious.

(A) disgraceful
(B) glorious
(C) honorable
(D) respectable

8. His handwriting is almost illegible.

(A) clear
(B) lucid
(C) unequivocal
(D) unreadable

9. They were living in a room dimly illuminated by firelight.

(A) blurred
(B) shadowed
(C) Stumped
(D) lighted up

10. It is easy to create an optical illusion in which lines of equal length

appear different.

(A) Reality
(B) Effect
(C) illegitimacy
(D) misleading vision
 Answers

1A 2D 3B 4D 5C 6D 7A 8D 9D 10D

19.

1.If the grand jury indicts the suspect, he will go to trial.

(A) remits
(B) acquits
(C) absolves
(D) charges

2. Kangaroos are indigenous to Australia.

(A) aboriginal
(B) alien
(C) exotic
(D) foreign

3. Because the old man was indigent, he was sent to the welfare
office.

(A) incorporeal
(B) poor
(C) incisive
(D) affluent

4. The sultry weather in the tropics encourages life of indolence.

 (A) vigor
(B) rigor
(C) diligence
(D) laziness

5. Our founding fathers had indomitable will power.

(A) docile
(B) tractable
(C) disciplinable
(D) invincible

6. The constant turmoil in the office proved that he was

an inept administrator.

(A) apt
(B) suitable
(C) improper
(D) seemly

7. A rock is an inert mass of matter.

(A) animated
(B) dynamic
(C) vigilant
(D) inactive

8. Nature is often inexorable.

 (A) compassionate
(B) relentless
(C) clement
(D) lenient

9. Human behavior is more often than not inexplicable.

(A) unexplainable
(B) comprehensible
(C) accountable
(D) fathomable

10. We must remember that none of us is infallible.

(A) deceivable
(B) wrong
(C) imperfect
(D) flawless

Answers

1D 2A 3B 4D 5D 6C 7D 8B 9A 10D

20.

1.The boss ordered his accountant to juggle the account to hide the
loss.

(A) change by trickery

(B) neglect
 (C) mitigate
(D) promote

2. All the gadgets were jumbled up in the basement.

(A) tidied
(B) messed
(C) arranged
(D) appraised

3. The manager arrived at a juncture where he had to make a decision.

(A) highbrow
(B) heresy
(C) critical point
(D) commencement

4. The author called his own writing all junk.

(A) trash
(B) masterpiece
(C) epic
(D) ruby

5. The court has the jurisdiction over the aliens living in the country.

(A) authority
(B) inference
(C) reference
 (D) infinity

6. She thought here absence was justifiable because she was sick.

(A) unforgivable
(B) improper
(C) partial
(D) reasonable

7. When colors are juxtaposed, they become affected in hue.

(A) overdone
(B) molested
(C) triggered
(D) placed side by side

Answers

1A 2B 3C 4A 5A 6D 7D

21.

1. The sound of martial music is always inspiring.

(A) marvelous
(B) massive
(C) warlike
(D) massy

2. There were hundreds of people, young and old, at the masquerade.

 (A) concert
(B) lecture
(C) discourse
(D) costume ball at which masks are worn

3. The massacre of the Indians by the soldiers and settlers was

outrageous.

(A) slaughter
(B) mass production
(C) lynch
(D) media

4. Many animals display maternal instinct only while their offspring are
young and helpless.

(A) fraternal
(B) paternal
(C) motherly
(D) sororal

5. He longed for matrimonial bliss right after his divorce.

(A) managerial
(B) carnal
(C) marital
(D) spiritual
6. The American Indian is never jovial when drunk, and either maudlin
sorrow or insane rage results from his drinking.

(A) iron-hearted
(B) dispassionate
(C) magnanimous
(D) sentimental

7. Don't maul the poor kitten.

(A) huddle
(B) hug
(C) abuse
(D) fondle

8. The girl was tearful while reading the mawkish love story.

(A) trite
(B) banal
(C) smashing
(D) sentimental

9. Francis Bacon is noted for his fondness for maxims.

(A) cliches
(B) banalities
(C) harangues
(D) aphorisms
10. The landscape soon became a maze of superhighways.

(A) mayhem
(B) maiming
(C) labyrinth
(D) marsh

Answers

1C 2D 3A 4C 5C 6D 7C 8D 9D 10C

22.

1. The lost prospector was fooled by a mirage in the desert.

(A) mire
(B) marsh
(C) mud
(D) unreal reflection

2. A mirthful face is always welcome.

(A) vexatious
(B) merry
(C) despondent
(D) wretched

3. The hermit was thought to be a misanthrope because he shunned

our society.
 (A) pessimist
(B) philosopher
(C) cynic
(D) hater of mankind

4. The bookseller gathered together a miscellaneous lot of books for

sale.

(A) identical
(B) parallel
(C) akin
(D) mixed; diverse

5. People's shyness is often misconstrued as rudeness.

(A) misunderstood
(B) comprehended
(C) apprehended
(D) interpreted

6. Harry was expelled from school for his misdemeanor.

(A) wrong deed

(B) misinterpretation
(C) jurisdiction
(D) guts

7. He had a misgiving about exploring into the heart of the jungle.

 (A) blessing
(B) fear
(C) blissfulness
(D) blitheness

8. The sage has seen enough haps and mishaps of life.

(A) fortunes
(B) misfortunes
(C) miscellany
(D) misers

9. He did nothing to mitigate her wrath.

(A) aggravate
(B) alleviate
(C) augment
(D) intensify

10. The unfair trial was a mockery of justice.

(A) fact
(B) mode
(C) derision
(D) vein

Answers

1D 2B 3D 4D 5A 6A 7B 8B 9B 10C