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CHAPTER 1: LEXCICO – IDIOMS – PHRASAL VERB PRACTICE TEST 1 1. She ________ agreed to go with him to the football match although she had no interest in the game at all. A. apologetically

B. grudgingly

C. shamefacedly

D. discreetly

grudgingly agree: miễn cưỡng đồng ý 2. On the way to Cambridge yesterday, the road was blocked by a fallen tree, so we had to make a ________ A. deviation

B. digression

C. detour

D. departure

make a detour: đi đường vòng 3. Tom’s normally very efficient but he’s been making a lot of mistakes ______ A. of late

B. for now

C. in a while

D. shortly

of late: gần đây 4. I know it’s difficult but you’ll just have to ________ and bear it. A. laugh

B. smile

C. grin

D. chuckle

grin and bear: chịu đựng 5. I didn’t want to make a decision ________, so I said I’d like to think about it. A. in one go

B. there and then

C. at a stroke

D. on and off

there and then: ngay lập tức 6. We are not in a ________ hurry so let’s have another coffee. A. dashing

B. racing

C. rushing

D. tearing

in a tearing hurry: vội 7. She’s a bit down in the________ at the moment – her husband has just lost his job. A. world

B. dumps

C. heart 1

D. bottom

down in the dumps: buồn chán 8. “How did you know that he was lying?” – “It was just a ________ feeling.” A. faint

B. gut

C. slight

D. vain

a gut feeling: cảm giác thoáng qua 9. The new company had been________ with one problem after another and looked as if it were about to go under. A. glorified

B. tainted

C. fraught

D. bewildered

be fraught with: đầy 10. Mike decided that election to the local council would provide a ________ to a career in national politics. A. milestone

B. springboard

C. highway

D. turning point

springboard: khởi điểm, bước đệm 11. As a poet, I think she ________ comparison with the greatest this century. . A. stands

B. makes

C. leads

D. matches

stand comparision with: có thể so sánh với 12. We all have to follow the rules, and none of us is ________ the law. A. beyond

B. over

C. above

D. onto

above the law: ngoài vòng pháp luật 13. When disaster ______, organisations such as Oxfam quickly provide help. A. comes

B. approaches

C. arrives

D. strikes

disaster strikes: thiên tai xảy đến 14. The number of people traveling by air has been growing _______. A. by leaps and bounds

B. from time to time

C. slow but sure

D. by hook and crook 2

by leaps and bounds: rất nhanh 15. Drug-taking is a crime which society simply cannot _________. A. approve

B. acknowledge

C. consent

D. condone

condone: bỏ qua, tha thứ 16. I was scared ____________ when I looked down from the top of the cliff. A. tight

B. stiff

C. hard

D. solid

be scared stiff: rất sợ 17. The whereabouts of the exiled president remains a _________guarded secret. A. highly

B. closely

C. deeply

D. entirely

a closely guarded secret: bí mật được giữ kin 18. We should all_________when advertisers attempt to use unfair practices. A. make a stand

B. make a comeback

C. make amends

D. make a deal

make a stand: đáp trả 19. The company cannot accept_________for injuries resulting from improper use of rental equipment A. validity

B. liability

C. compensation

D. privilege

liability: trách nhiệm pháp lí; tiền nợ, khoản phải trả 20. Jack never cheats or tricks anybody when he plays. He always goes by the_________ A. book

B. instructions

C. principles

D. method

go by the book: làm đúng qui tắc 21. Recent defeats have _________.his confidence in himself as a player A. undermined

B. disable

C. impeded

undermine the confidence: làm giảm sự tự tin 3

D. hampered

22. People turned out in_________to watch the parade on the Independence Day. A. volume

B. mass

C. force

D. bulk

in force: nhiều, với số lượng lớn 23. Not being able to find my phone number is a pretty_________excuse for not contacting me. A. fragile

B. frail

C. faint

D. feeble

a feeble excuse: lí do không chính đáng 24. We were under no _________ about how difficult it would be to achieve our aims. A. fantasies

B. daydreams

C. illusions

D. deceptions

under no illusions: không ảo tưởng 25. The pollution problems in the town have been ___________ by mass tourism in the summer months. A. exacerbated

B. developed

C. augmented

D. contributed

exacerbate: làm trầm trọng thêm 26. I'm in a bit of a _________ as to what to wear to the wedding. A. loss

B. quandary

C. problem

D. bewilderment

in a quandary: trong tình thế khó xử 27. The problem _________because neither side was prepared to compromise. A. amassed

B. escalated

C. proliferated

D. enhanced

the problem escalates: vấn đề trở nên nghiêm trọng hơn 28. The Red Cross is ___________ an international aid organization. A. intriguingly

B. intrusively

C. intrinsically

D. intrepidly

intrinsically: thực chất 29. I couldn't stop myself from _________ with boredom during the lecture. 4

A. sighing

B. gasping

C. panting

D. blowing

sigh: thở dài 30. My brother found it impossible to _________his anger and started shouting. A. restrict

B. inhibit

C. reserve

D. contain

contain his anger: kìm chế sự giận dữ 31. Fitting together the thousands of fragments of the broken vase was a long and ___________ task. A. minute

B. careful

C. painstaking

D. minuscule

painstaking: cực nhọc 32. You’ll just have to _________ yourself to the fact that you can’t always have what you want. A. acknowledge

B. reconcile

C. concede

D. allow

reconcile oneself to sth: chấp nhận 33. The students had no money left and took out a loan to _________ him over until the end of term. A. last

B. tend

C. keep

D. tide

tide sth over: giúp ai vượt qua khó khăn 34. Money was short and people survived by _________and saving. A. scrimping

B. scavenging

C. scouring

D. scrounging

scrimp and save: tiết kiệm 35. Jane was terribly nervous before the interview but she managed to pull herself ________ and act confidently. A. through

B. over

C. together

D. off

pull oneself together: giữ bình tĩnh 36.This is the _________timetable for the conference. It may change later 5

A. conditional

B. indefinite

C. provisional

D. indeterminate

provisional: tạm thời 37. She didn’t show even a _________of emotion when the court found her guilty. A. gleam

B. wink

C. flicker

D. flash

a flicker of emotion: cảm giác thoáng qua 38. Few people can do creative work unless they are in the right _________ of mind. A. trend

B. frame

C. attitude

D. tendency

in the right frame of mind: đúng tâm trạng 39. It was decided that the cost of the project would be _________.and so it was abandoned. A. repressive

B. prohibitive

C. restrictive

D. exclusive

prohibitive: expensive 40. I didn't really feel like memorizing all these definitions. It was only the risk of getting another bad mark that made me _________myself. A. exert

B. absorb

C. endeavour

D. deploy

exert oneself: nỗ lực 41. In times of _________ , unemployment figures usually rise dramatically. A austerity

B severity

C sobriety

D. gravity

times of austerity : giai đoạn khó khăn, suy thoái 42. The delight in treasure finding doesn’t always ________acquiring tremendous amounts of valuables. A. dwell on

B. poke around

C. lay about

D. hinge upon

hinge upon: xoay quanh 43. Let’s _________ the place, it looks so gloomy and unpleasant . A. miss

B. abandon

C. depart 6

D. disappear

abandon: bỏ 44. She used the map to discover where she was in ________to her surroundings. A. connection

B. affinity

C. relation

D. reference

in relation: liên quan đến 45. He let it __________ that the Prime Minister was a close friend of his. A. announce

B. talk

C. drop

D. infer

let sth drop: say more about sth 46. It was a fantastic film. I enjoyed it _________ A. endlessly

B. unendingly

C. without end

D. no end

no end: very much 47. When the children _________ their toys, I donated them to charity. A. outlasted

B. outdated

C. outgrew

D. outwore

outgrow: stop doing sth or lose interest in sth as you become older 48. I was in the ______ of despair before I heard the good news. A. depths

B. profundities

C. bottoms

D. holes

in the depths of despair: tuyệt vọng 49. When are we going to get rid of all these empty cartons? They've been _________ up the office for weeks now. A. buttering

B. clutching

C. cluttering

D. botching

clutter up: làm bừa bộn 50. The luxurious office accentuated the manager's position _________. It enhanced his power and his sense of his own worth. And it made other people feel small. A. on the pecking pole

B. in the nibbling line

C. at the nipping post

D. in the pecking order 7

the pecking order: Tôn ty, trật tự 51. The architect has designed a building of immaculate _____ in everything. Every detail is matched on each side. A evenness

B contrast

C symmetry

D contradiction

C. overcast

D. ingenious

symmetry: sự cân đối, đối xứng 52. The vegetation on the island was _________ A. exuberant

B. chivalrous

exuberant: xum xuê 53. We had been looking for the nest for hours before we _________ lucky. A. hit

B. made

C. struck

D. came

strike lucky: gặp may 54. We don’t have a secretary _________, but we do have a student who comes in to do a bit of filing. A. as such

B. the least bit

C. whatsoever

D. little more

as such:  55. Despite ____________ appearances, he wasn't as crazy as people thought. A. inward

B. outward

C. external

D. strange

outward: kì lạ 56. I really need some vacations now so that when I come back I can _________ in the operating theatre. A. thrive

B. grow

C. proliferate

D. spread

thrive: phát triển, thịnh vượng 57. The first _________ of the ladder is important in your career. A. step

B. grade

C. push

the first rung of the ladder: nấc thang đầu tiên trong sự nghiệp 8

D. rung

58. After hours and hours trying to solve the problem, I was at my _________ end. A. nerves'

B. wits'

C. humours'

D. tethers'

at my wits’ end: không nghĩ ra được giải pháp 59. Her punky hairstyle showed she was not one for following the _________. A. flock

B. herd

C. swarm

D. group

follow the herd: theo trào lưu 60. There wasn't a _________ of truth in what he said. A. ray

B. lump

C. grain

D.pinch

a grain of truth: 1 tí sự thật 61. Ask David to give you a hand moving the furniture. He’s strong as ______. A. an elephant

B. a mountain

C. a gorilla

D. a horse

strong as a horse: rất khỏe 62. He didn’t have a _________ of evidence to support his claims. A. sign

B. scrap

C. sense

D. state

a scrap of evidence: một bằng chứng nào 63. It’s the __________ of stupidity to go walking in the mountains in this weather. A. height

B. depth

C. source

D. matter

the height of stupidity: rất dại 64. I know you’re upset about breaking up with Tom, but there are plenty more ______. A. horses in the stable

B. cows in the shed

C. tigers in the jungle

D. fish in the sea.

there are plenty more fish in the sea: có nhiều sự lựa chọn 65. It must be true. I hear it straight from the _________ mouth. A. dog’s

B. horse’s

C. camel’s 9

D. cat’s

hear straight from the horse’s mouth: nghe trực tiếp 66. It's normal for salaries to be paid monthly in______, meaning you'll need to work four weeks first. A. advance

B. full

C. arrears

D. debt

in arrears: nợ 67. She is so ______ skinned that nothing offends her. A. hard

B. thick

C. strong

D. heavy

thick skinned: mặt dày 68. I’ve only met Stephen in a social context - he’s an unknown _________ where work’s concerned. A. option

B. type

C. category

D. quantity

an unknown quantity: người lạ 69. The competition he set up for young musicians is another _________ of his life-long support for the arts. A. exposition

B. manifestation

C. token

D. exhibition

manifestation: biểu hiện 70. Windows go __________ towards defining the character of a house. A. a long way

B. far out

C. all the way

D. far away

a long way: rất hữu ích 71. Even the most _________ drivers feel an urge to break the speed-limit occasionally. A. lawful

B. legitimate

C. law-abiding

D. judicial

law-abiding: chấp hành nghiêm chỉnh luật lệ 72. I am not sure I can answer that. I have only thought about it in the _______ before. A. general

B. hypothetical

C. indefinite

think sth in the abstract: nghĩ chung chung 10

D. abstract

73. The opposition protests against the government now threaten to get out of _______ and the security forces are likely to make arrests around the country today. A. reach

B. kilter

C. hand

D. ordinary

get out of hand: ngoài tầm kiểm soát 74. I really don’t want to get involved in your problems. Why are you _______me into it? A. pulling

B. dragging

C. wrenching

D. towing

drag sb into: kéo ai vào (1 vấn đề) 75. Everybody was busy with the spring cleaning, except Stanley, who always refused to pull his ______ . A. shocks

B. weight

C. finger

D. share

pull one’s weight: đảm đương phần việc của mình 76. At the time, Mexico was in the _____of its worst economic recession on record. A. grip

B. tug

C. hug

D. grab

in the grip of: trải qua (khó khăn) 77. Harry was offered a scholarship to study in Japan and he _____ the opportunity with both hands. A. grasped

B. grabbed

C. held

D. passed

grap the opportunity: nắm bắt cơ hội 78. A full scholarship to Harvard and you are worried about leaving your job? You’d be a fool to _____ up a chance like that. A. turn

B. brush

C. pass

D. cast

pass up a chance: để vuột mất cơ hội 79. He admitted taking a bribe and he doesn’t think he’s _______ his chances of getting re-elected? A. pulled

B. wiped

C. thrown

blow chance: bỏ lỡ cơ hội 11

D. blown

80. The matter has been left in _______ until the legal ramifications have been explored. A. recess

B. suspension

C. abeyance

D. waiting

in abeyance: hoãn lại 81. It was an extremely hostile article which cast _______ on the conduct of the entire cabinet. A. criticism

B. aspersions

C. disapproval

D. abuse

cast aspersions on: vu khống, bôi nhọ 82. Simon's business has been on the _______ for some time and I understand he's going into liquidation. A. fire

B. rocks

C. wave

D. clouds

on the rocks: có nguy cơ đổ vỡ 83. We've made some great improvements over the past three months, but we're still not out of the _______ . A. jungle

B. bush

C. dark

D. woods

out of the woods: thoát khỏi nguy hiểm 84. If you had never seen a telly ad, you would be all at ______ with popular culture. A. crossroads

B. distance

C. sea

D. length

all at sea: bối rối 85. I'd been living in this country for a few years, but it wasn't until I had kids that I felt like I had really put down ______ here. A. roots

B. seeds

C. nuts

D. fruits

put down roots: lập nghiệp 86. The party was already ______ by the time we arrived. Everyone was singing and dancing. A. in full swing

B. up in the air

C. over the moon

D. under a cloud 12

in full swing: sôi nổi 87. The entire staff was thrown off ______ when the news of the takeover was announced. A. composure

B. disarray

C. stable

D. balance

be thrown off balance: mất bình tĩnh, bối rối 88. I know you have a good voice and have ambitions to be an opera singer but do not give up your day ______ yet. A. situation

B. work

C. job

D. place

don’t give up your day job: đừng mơ tưởng xa xôi 89. We at Buyrite throw down the ______ to competitors to match us for price, quality and service. A. mitten

B. gauntlet

C. sword

D. hat

throw down the gaunlet: thách đấu 90. Sometimes, we don't appreciate the ______ pleasures of life such as a beautiful sky, a cup of coffee with a friend or seeing a good film at the cinema. A. sheer

B. simple

C. normal

D. plain

the simple pleasures: niềm vui bình dị 91. Various ecological issues have come to the ______ since the discovery of the hole in the earth's ozone layer. A. front

B. back

C. side

D. fore

come to the fore: trở nên quan trọng 92. The full horror of the war only hit ______ when we started seeing the television pictures of it. A. base

B. down

C. home

hit home: được hiểu hoàn toàn

13

D. back

93. The most important parts of your job may seem difficult now but they will become second ______ to you within a couple of weeks. A. instinct

B. thought

C. nature

D. mind

become second nature: trở nên quen thuộc 94. I'm about to start my long-planned swimming regime. But I've got really terrible cellulite, which makes me feel rather ______ . A. self-assured

B. self - centred

C. self-conscious

D. self-evident

self-conscious: ngượng ngùng, xấu hổ 95. The inconsiderate driver was ______ for parking his vehicle in the wrong place. A. inflicted

B. harassed

C. condemned

D. confined

be confined for: bị giam 96. From football to fashion, from TV to stage, we name the ______ stars whose careers are likely to rocket in the future. A. out and about

B. up and coming

C. down and out

D. in and out

up and coming: đầy triển vọng 97. Obama expressed regret as a US drone strike has______ killed innocent hostages. A. incongruously

B. vehemently

C. inadvertently

D. graciously

inadvertently: vô tình 98. How do you calculate the distance to the horizon? As a _____, it’s 7 miles + 1 mile per 100 ft above sea level. A. trick of the trade B. golden rule

C. free hand

D. rule of thumb

as a rule of thumb: dựa vào kinh nghiệm 99. Just because we’ve had a good year, this does not mean that we cannot do better: we must not ______ 14

A. have our head in the clouds

B. bury our heads in the sand

C. count our blessings

D. rest on our laurels

rest on your laurels: ngủ quên trên chiến thắng, tự mãn 100. The headmaster at my last school was was a stern disciplinarian and made sure we ______ the line. A. drew

B. faced

C. touched

toe the line: tuân thủ qui định

15

D. toed

PRACTICE TEST 2 1. The designer was given free _____ to produce any design he wanted. A rein

B range

C ride

D rope

be given free rein: được tự do 2. They were _____ over by his kindness and didn’t know what to say. A turned

B knocked

C hooked

D bowled

be bowled over by: ngạc nhiên 3. The office was closed for a week for refurbishment and now the staff have to deal with the _____ that built up during their absence. A backstage

B backlash

C backlog

D backdrop

backlog: công việc ùn ứ, tồn đọng 4. Even though there have been setbacks, because of their determination I’m sure they’ll achieve their goals, _____ . A suffice to say

B be that as it may

C so be it

D come what may

come what may: dù chuyện gì xảy ra 5. John and Sarah lived in the back of _____ and it always took us a whole day to drive there. A the country

B isolation

C nowhere

D beyond

in the back of beyond: ở nơi xa xôi, hẻo lánh 6. My parents looked back with _____ on the days when all of us lived at home and which, they said, were the best years of their lives. A nostalgia

B reminiscence

C homesickness

D recollection

nostalgia: nỗi nhớ về quá khứ 7. I don’t trust him and it really goes against the ________to give him the money. A. cloak B. grain C. rice D. grapevine 16

go against the grain: trái ý muốn 8. It’s time we had a ________talk with each other in an effort to clear the air. A. heart to heart

B. eye to eye

C. face to face

D. cheek to cheek

heart to heart: chân tình 9. As she didn’t understand the teacher’s question, she merely gave him a _______ look. A. clear

B. dim

C. blank

D. hopeless

a blank look: cái nhìn ngơ ngác 10. Sister Morrison might take _______ with me on that matter. A. words

B. discussion

C. issue

D. matter

take issue with: không đồng ý với, tranh cãi với 11. I don't think that revealing your past to your boyfriend scared him _______. A. back

B. down

C. off

D. through

scare sb off: xua đuổi ai 12. There were probably moments when you wondered if anyone spoke the truth or was ______ A. spolit for choice B. below par

C. off the beg

D. on the level

on the level: có thể tin được 13. Substantial members of the ______members ignored the union advice. A. all and sundry

B. flesh and blood

C. head and shoulders.

D. rank and file

rank and file members: nhân viên 14. Many victims of the earthquake pay ______ to the ones who took them out of rubble. A. respects

B. homage

C. tributes

pay homage to: tỏ lòng thành kính 17

D. deference

15. The movie takes considerable liberties ______the novel that it is based on. A. to

B. out of

C. at

D. with

take liberty with: đưa ra những thay đổi không đáng có 16. Don’t believe Samuel. He just ______an act that he is the most miserable person in the world. A. puts on

B. puts into

C. settles up

D. settles in

put on an act: giả vờ 17. Diagnosed with tumor in the brain, she refused to meet her ______but turned to religion for help. A. paleontologist

B. oncologist

C. entomologist

D. seismologist

oncologist: bác sĩ ung bướu 18. Their father was a hero in World War II, whose account has awakened ______memories of the old days. A. down-in-the-dumps

B. disconsolate

C. poignant

D. grief-stricken

poignant: đau lòng 19. I don't like intellectual novels, serious music or films; my tastes are quite ______ A. flat-topped

B. lowbrow

C. shamefaced

D. slow-witted

lowbrow: không đòi hỏi tư duy nhiều 20. The sixth time he called me at night was the _________. A. lost cause

B. last straw

C. touch and go

D. hot air

the last straw: giọt nước tràn ly 21. There’s no doubt about the outcome of the trial. The man is a ______ criminal. A. self-conscious

B. self-contained

C. self-confessed

self-confessed: tự thú nhận 18

D. self-centered

22. Rebecca ______on our conversation to tell us that James had just been rushed to hospital. A. cut in

B. faced up

C. got ahead

D. broke up

cut in on: xen vào 23______ her job, her sons and the housework, she doesn’t have a minute for herself. A. What with

B. If it weren’t for

C. Barring

D. Given

what with: dùng để liệt kê một loạt lí do 24. It’s ______that he never mentioned our argument; I wonder why he didn’t. A. special

B. rare

C. curious

D. eccentric

curious: kì lạ 25. He praised his wife for her dignity under the ______of the tabloid press. A. onslaught

B. assault

C. onset

D. offensive

onslaught: sự công kích dữ dội 26. Brain cancer requires ______ treatment such as surgery. A. aggressive

B. confrontational

C. malignant

D. rigorous

aggressive treatment: sự điều trị khắc nghiệt 27. The government has been forced into a ________ after the revelation of a cover-up. A. climbdown

B. getaway

C. outbreak

D. breakout

climbdown: sự nhượng bộ 28. I don’t know if Ash would be right for the job; he’s a bit of an unknown ________. A. quality

B. qualification

C. quantity

D. identity

an unknown quantity: chưa biết rõ năng lực 29. Searching for one man in this city is like looking for a _________. A. salt of the earth

B. sand in the desert 19

C. needle in a haystack

D. drop in the ocean

look for a needle in a haystack: mò kim đáy bể 30. The Conservatives declared their intention of______the whole Act once they came into power. A. repulsing

B. repelling

C. impelling

D. repealing

repeal: bãi bỏ 31. The growth of psychobiology owes ______to major conceptual advances in the way people think about the brain. A. much

B. as much as

C. much which

D. there is so much

owe much to: nhờ rất nhiều vào 32. The class went to see the performance of Macbeth because it ______ in well with the project they were doing on Scottish history. A. crammed

B. stood

C. tied

D. booked

tie in well with: có mối liên hệ chặt chẽ với 33. I have tried every product on the market and still I can't rid these curtains of the ______of cigarette smoke. A. fumes

B. fragrance

C. stench

D. aroma

stench: mùi hôi 34. Her condition seems to be ______. We’ll have to take her to intensive care. A. ameliorating B. deteriorating C. amputating D. imitating deteriorating: trở nên tồi tệ 35. Not only is little Jonny’s grammar incoherent and his spelling atrocious but also his pronunciation______. A. slothful B. sluggish C. hazard D. haphazard haphazard: bừa bãi, lung tung 36. I need to ______ your offer very carefully before I make a decision. 20

A. look over

B. see out

C. figure out

D. mull over

mull over: suy nghĩ kĩ 37. There’s nothing to ______ as it’s a general knowledge quiz. A. come round to

B. face up to

C. swot up on

D. come up with

swot up on: ôn bài 38. The account of their journey has been ______ together from personal letters and diaries. A. pieced

B. set

C. pulled

D. got

piece together: lắp ghép 39. The noise from the unruly fans celebrating their team’s victory didn’t _____ until early in the morning. A. shut off

B. give away

C. let up

D. fall over

let up: dịu đi 40. Following years of intense training, the accomplished athlete ______ the medal triumphantly. A. took off

B. went off

C. ran off

D. carried off

carry off: giành được 41. We’d been working hard for a month and so decided to go out and ______. A. paint the town red

B. face the music

C. read between the lines

D. steal the show

paint the town red: vui chơi, thư giãn 42. The country is an economic ______ with chronic unemployment and rampant crime. A. lost cause

B. basket case

C. false dawn

D. dark horse

basket case: A company, country, or economy that is doing so badly and has so many problems that it is likely to fail completely 21

43. You’ve got to ______ to succeed in advertising. A. go to your head

B. have your wits about you

C. have your head in the clouds

D. gather your wits

have your wits about you: bình tĩnh, cảnh giác 44. The Prime Minister will decide whether to release the prisoner or not; that’s his ______. A. prerogative B. derogatory C. abdication D. humanity prerogative: đặc quyền 45. The Secretary of State handled the matter ______ and prevented a war. A. adroitly B. intensely C. abjectly D. slightly adroitly: khéo léo 46. The robbery was carried out in ______ daylight and with hundreds of witnesses present. A. open

B. wide

C. broad

D. clear

in broad daylight: giữa ban ngày 47. Most of the examination is written but there is also a(n) ______ part which I am really worried about. A. vocal

B. verbal

C. oral

D. wordy

on oral part: phần thi vấn đáp 48. ______ with anger, Mr. Jensson stormed into the local tax office and demanded to see someone about his case which had dragged on for nearly three years. A. Brimming

B. Pouring

C. Stewing

D. Seething

seethe with anger: đầy giận dữ 49. When I say I want you to be here at six o'clock, I mean six o'clock ______.You cannot be late under any circumstances! A. on the edge

B. at the moment

C. on the dot 22

D. in detail

on the dot: đúng giờ 50. The opposition protests against the government now threaten to get out of ______ and the security forces are likely to make arrests around the country today. A. reach

B. kilter

C. hand

D. the ordinary

get out of hand: ngoài tầm kiểm soát 51. Fingerprints are the most ______ types of evidence used in criminal cases because it’s one of the most reliable forms of identification A. culpable

B. incriminating

C. liable

D.offending

incriminating: buộc tội 52. The inconsiderate driver was ______ for parking his vehicle in the wrong place. A. inflicted

B. harassed

C. condemned

D. confined

be confined for: bị giam cầm 53. Another, perhaps inspired by the nursery rhyme, is that a(n) ______ for sweet things during pregnancy makes you more likely to be having a girl, while a boy will make you crave savoury, salty foods, meat and cheese in particular. A. inspiration

B. affinity

C. predilection

D. propensity

predilection: sự ưa chuộng, thèm thuồng 54. Most of the old road has been ______ by the great interstate highways A. overdone

B. superseded

C. excelled

D. overwhelmed

supersede: thay thế 55. She got very ______working such long hours A. tumble-down

B. downcast

C. run-down

D. down - and – out

run-down: kiệt sức 56. Just because we’ve had a good year, this does not mean that we cannot do better: we must not ______ A. have our head in the clouds

B. bury our heads in the sand 23

C. count our blessings

D. rest on our laurels

rest on our laurels: ngủ quên trên chiến thắng 57. As soon as the problem at work blew up, he instantly thought about how he could come out of it looking good. He is such a ______person. A. self-evident

B. self-conscious

C. self-centred

D. selfless

self-centred: ích kỉ 58. We carried on down the path, ______of the notice warning of avalanche risk. A. careless

B. carefree

C. heedless

D. blind

heedless of: không chú ý 59. The judge declared a ______today due to unfair media coverage and the trial will be restarted again early next year. A. postponement

B. annulment

C. cancellation

D. mistrial

mistrial: vụ xử án sai 60. His performance was so spectacular that he was ______out for praise by the team manager at the end of the game. A. singled

B. filtered

C. distinguished

D. selected

single out: chọn ra 61. He's just getting up my ______ so much at the moment. A. feet

B. chest

C. nose

D. mind

get up one’s nose: làm ai bực mình 62. Something's wrong with this room, but I can't quite ______what it is. A. put my finger on

B. know off-hand

C. give my right arm to

D. lay eyes on

put one’s finger on sth: chỉ ra

24

63. Group E is now wide open with all four teams ______ a chance of qualifying for the knock-out phase going into the final group matches. A. in with

B. up for

C. in for

D. up with

in with a chance: có cơ hội 64. There's so much good theatre and cinema in London, really one is ______for choice. A. overcome

B. ruined

C. spoilt

D. overwhelmed

be spoilt for choice: có nhiều sự lựa chọn 65. The structure parameters of these chucks are ______ those of K11 3-jaw self-centring chucks. A. much the same as

B. nearly as

C. nothing like as

D. nowhere near as

much the same as: giống 66. There are ten prisoners on the ______. A. loose

B.run

C. track

D. go

on the loose: thoát ra ngoài 67. Sometimes, we don't appreciate the ______ pleasures of life such as a beautiful sky, a cup of coffee with a friend or seeing a good film at the cinema. A. sheer

B. simple

C. normal

D. plain

simple pleasures: hạnh phúc bình dị 68. They dismissed him as "disrespectful, very arrogant and ______ rude". A. totally

B. downright

C. outright

D. heavily

downright rude : rất thô lỗ 69. The statement from the ministers contrasts ______ with comments by European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncke A. sharply

B. heavily

C. utterly 25

D. flatly

contrast sharply with: tương phản nhiều với 70. I know how to use computers, but I don't really understand the ______of how they work. A. ins and outs

B. odds and ends

C. dribs and drabs

D. waifs and strays

ins and outs: chi tiết 71. The doctor says that it's ______whether Mary will be okay. A. prim and proper B. spick and span

C. touch and go

D. up and coming

touch and go: không chắc chắn 72. Our staff take pride in providing ______ service. A. mundane

B. atrocious

C. impeccable

D. lousy

impeccable: hoàn hảo 73. It was a ______move to buy your house just before property prices started to rise. A. astute

B. crafty

C. shrewd

D. wily

shrewd: khôn ngoan 74. They adopted a sensible, ______ policy on defence spending. A. state-of-the-art

B. trick-of-the-trade

C. run-of-the-mill

D. middle-of-the-road

middle-of-the-road: ôn hòa 75. He'd be ______if he found out what you're doing A. annoyed

B. irritated

C. livid

D. cross

livid: giận dữ (không cần giới từ phía sau) 76. A lot of older people are ______ because they've been complaining all their lives A. irate

B. crotchety

C. indignant

crotchety: dễ nóng nảy 26

D. infuriated

77. She had a ______ row with Eddie and stormed out of the house. A. blazing

B. heated

C.firing

D. smouldering

have a blazing row: tranh cãi dữ dội 78. Intimate relationships were limited to a stack of old nudie magazines with ______ pages, which he kept on the floor beneath his cot. A. head-on

B. nail-biting

C. narrow-minded D. well-thumbed

well-thumbed pages: có nhiều trang bị sờn (vì đọc quá nhiều) 79. He awoke with a ______ heart, sweating with fear A. plucking

B. flexing

C. gritting

D. pounding

a pounding heart: tim đập thình thịch 80. We reached ______in the meeting and failed to come to a solution A. standstill

B. gridlock

C. standoff

D. stalemate

reach stalemate: bế tắc 81. He was ______aware of his lack of experience A. widely

B. painfully

C. deeply

D. heavily

painfully: đau khổ 82. As an average retail investor I consider myself ______ capable of understanding the operation of crossing networks A. perfectly

B. bitterly

C. widely

D. highly

perfectly capable of: có khả năng hoàn hảo 83. The littlest thing tends to anger my mother, so I feel like I have to walk on ______ whenever I'm at her house. A. eggshells

B. nutshells

C. bombshells

walk on eggshells: cẩn thận 84. Students can be expelled at the ______ of the principal 27

D. seashells

A. disposition

B. dispersal

C. discretion

D. disposal

at the discretion of: theo sự quyết định của 85. He became emotionally ______from his friends and family after the illness. A. distant

B. faint

C. secluded

D. far-away

distant from: xa lánh 86. The sound of his footsteps gradually ______ away. A. died

B. passed

C. vanished

D. dwindled

the sound dies away: âm thanh nhỏ dần 87. He is disliked because of his sly and ______ways of getting what he wants. A. calculating

B. callous

C. inquisitive

D. meticulous

calculating: tính toán 88. She dismissed him with a ______nod of the head. A. blunt

B. curt

C. reckless

D. ruthless

a curt nod of the head: sự gật đầu 89. His performance is described in the paper as "a ______ display of physical agility". A. breathtaking

B. gripping

C. harrowing

D. piercing

breathtaking: hấp dẫn 90. The police are sometimes more ______with female offenders. A. lax

B. lenient

C. easygoing

D. withdrawn

leninent: khoan dung 91. Don’t be taken in by his lying, ______ words A. slack

B. scrupulous

C. treacherous

D. feeble

treacherous words: những lời xảo trá 92. With the amount of traffic nowadays, even a trip across town is ______with dangers. 28

A. beset

B. surrounded

C. assaulted

D. devoid

be beset with dangers: đầy nguy hiểm 93. He was forced to ______ control of the company. A. discard

B. relinquish

C. quit

D. surrender

relinquish: từ bỏ 94. Getting up at 8 o’clock was early by her ______ A. reasons

B. standards

C. limits

D. levels

by one’s standards: theo thói quen, cách nhìn 95. The passion of Argentinian football fans ______no bounds A. recognizes

B. holds

C. sees

D. knows

C. unpunctual

D. belated

C. cluttered

D. burdened

know no bounds: không có giới hạn 96. My library books are a week ______ A. undue

B. overdue

overdue: quá hạn 97. Every shelf is ______with ornaments. A. muddled

B. bundled

be clutterd with ornaments: đầy những đồ trang trí 98. There was a danger of the country reverting to its ______ sin of complacency A. redeeming

B. overriding

C. besetting

D. overwhelming

bestetting: ám ảnh (khó khăn, nguy hiểm) 99. Police are investigating a(n) ______ of burglaries in the Kingsland Road area. A. rate

B. influx

C. tide

a spate of burglaries: lũ trộm 29

D. spate

100. He kept telling us about his operation, in the most ______ detail. A. elaborate

B. knotty

C. graphic

graphic detail: chi tiết sinh động

PRACTICE TEST 3 1. The war in Iraq is a ______ debated issue. 30

D. burning

A. deeply

B. hotly

C. profoundly

D. heavily

a hotly debated issue: vấn đề gây tranh cãi dữ dội 2. He will be remembered by the staff with great ______. A. fondness

B. fancy

C. passion

D. crush

C. grew

D. maintained

fondness: sự yêu thích 3. He carefully ______ his sunflower plants. A. tended

B.attended

tend: chăm sóc 4. She already has a couple of good wins ______. A. under her collar

B. under her belt

C. up her sleeve

D. in her shoes

have sth under one’s belt: có được 5. Whenever she refused, he'd beat her ______. A. black and blue

B. black and white

C. blue in the face

D. out of the blue

black and blue: bầm tím 6. Their qualifications ______them to a higher salary. A. enable

B. entitle

C. entail

D. envisage

entitle sb to sth: giúp ai có được 7. Since he is not polite, he often makes ______ remarks. A. immaterial

B. impertinent

C. impervious

D. implausible

impertinent: xấc xược 8. He had failed because of a lack of talent for ______ speaking A. impeccable

B. impressive

C. imposing 31

D. impromptu

impromptu: không chuẩn bị trước 9. I get ______ pains up my spine whenever I try to move. A. splitting

B. thumping

C. shooting

D. stinking

shooting pains: đau nhói 10. Dealing with the failed waste incinerator project is a ______ issue in west Norfolk A. burning

B. heating

C.boiling

D. firing

a burning issue: 1 vấn đề nóng của xã hội 11. He had the ______ to blame me for his mistake! A. valour

B. chivalry

C. gracefulness

D. audacity

audacity: sự cả gan 12. He had always been ______ by his elder sister. A. overtaken

B. overstated

C. overshadowed D. overwhelmed

overshadow: làm lu mờ 13. He remained loyal to me through ______ A. null and void

B. life and soul

C. thick and thin

D. up and coming

through thick and thin: thậm chí trong lúc khó khăn 14. The long-standing dispute about working conditions finally came ______when the workforce voted for strike action A. to a head

B. to the point

C. to a standstill

D. out of its shell

come to a head: đến lúc cao trào, làm cho tình hình căng thẳng hơn 15. If you're caught stealing you'll be ______. A.in black books

B. for the high jump

C. in a quandary

for the high jump: có thể bị phạt 16. Such a questionable assertion is sure to ______ criticism. 32

D.in the doghouse

A. commence

B. instigate

C. launch

D. provoke

provoke: gây ra 17. Such people ______an indistinct anger and hatred. A. exude

B. exclude

C. expunge

D. extricate

exude anger: bộc lộ sự giận dữ 18. In a culture where knockoffs are normal, from sportswear to DVDs, it will not be easy to ______deep-rooted academic habits A. exude

B. exclude

C. expunge

D. extricate

expunge: xóa bỏ 19. I tried to ______myself from the situation but it was impossible. A. exude

B. exclude

C. expunge

D. extricate

extricate oneself from sth: tách bản thân khỏi cái gì đó 20. She is ______grateful to her family for their support A. continually

B. continuously

C. perpetually

D. eternally

eternally: luôn luôn 21. The child's ______talking started to irritate her. A. constant

B. incessant

C. steady

D. ongoing

incessant: liên tục 22. She had a(n) ______ parade of young men coming to visit her. A. constant

B. incessant

C. steady

D. ongoing

constant:liên tục, không dứt 23. They were able to respond swiftly because they already have a secret ballot strike mandate over a(n) ______pay dispute. A. constant

B. incessant

C. steady 33

D. ongoing

ongoing: đang diễn ra 24. The police have expressed ______concern about the missing child's safety. A. critical

B. essential

C. significant

D. grave

grave concern: sự lo ngại sâu sắc 25. Naylor was one of those men who ______ to the challenge of danger. A. raise

B. rise

C. ride

D. arise

rise to the challenge: có khả năng đối phó với khó khăn, thử thách 26. Like more and more women, she believes marriage would ______her style. A. restricts

B. impedes

C. obstructs

D. cramps

cramp one’s style: cản trở 27. He's not nearly such a good writer as he's ______up to be. A. creased

B. cracked

C. lined

D. valued

be cracked up to be: được đồn là 28. During the bad weather we experienced a few disasters and events, but they were of little ______. A. consequence

B. result

C. care

D. circumstance

of little consequence: không là vấn đề 29. The costs of gathering the initial data are relatively small in ______to the costs of the research itself. A. reference

B. affinity

C. relation

D. connection

in relation to: khi so sánh với 30. The design is ______ from Japanese porcelains of the fourteenth century. A.imitated

B. copied

C. emulated

copy: sao chép 34

D. faked

31. ‘Will you stay for lunch?’ ‘No, but thanks ______’ A. all along

B. all in all

C. all the same

D. all told

thanks all the same: dù sao cũng cảm ơn 32. I might be going on a training course next week, but it's still ______ A. in the air

B. on the air

C. off the air

D. up in the air

up in the air: không chắc chắn 33. I don't want to sound ______, but I thought my picture was the best. A. big-headed

B. blue-eyed

C. narrow-minded D. thick-skinned

big-headed: tự phụ 34. The whole team were ______ at winning the competition. A. up in the arms

B. on the up and up

C. on the cards

D. over the moon

over the moon: vui sướng 35. If you use credit cards to pay off a debt, you're jumping out of the frying pan into the ______. A. fire

B. flame

C. heat

D. blaze

jump out of the frying pan into the fire: rơi vào tình huống khác tồi tệ hơn 36. Some people let their under-fives ______ riot. A. run

B. go

C. make

D.take

run riot: quậy phá 37. He's of no fixed ______and we found him on the streets. A. residence

B. abode

C. home

D. domicile

no fixed abode: vô gia cư 38. The project is being held in ______until agreement is reached on funding it. A. recess

B. suspension

C. abeyance 35

D. waiting

hold in abeyance: hoãn lại 39. I wouldn't want to cast ______ on your honesty. A. criticism

B. aspersions

C. disapproval

D. abuse

cast aspersions on: vu khống, gieo rắc nghi ngờ 40. I need a new French dictionary. Can I pick your ______about the best one to buy? A. brains

B. mind

C. head

D. intellect

pick one’s brains: xin ý kiến 41. This is not to ______ questions of strategy and tactics, merely to place them in an appropriate context. A. evade

B. shirk

C. duck

D. dodge

evade questions: né tránh những câu hỏi 42. You can't ______, it's your duty. You are so lazy! A. evade

B. shirk

C. duck

D. dodge

shirk duty: trốn tránh trách nhiệm 43. The speed at which you eat strongly ______how much you want to eat. A. sways

B. affects

C. influences

D. impresses

influence: ảnh hưởng 44. Many tourists cannot tell the difference between ______Indian craftwork and imported imitations. A. real

B. authentic

C. valid

D. natural

authentic: xác thực 45. They put forward many ______ reasons for not exporting. A. real

B. authentic

C. valid

valid: hợp lí 36

D. natural

46. She always showed ______concern for others A. genuine

B. authentic

C. valid

D. natural

genuine concern: sự quan tâm chân thành 47. We had all the usual problems ______upon starting a new business. A. subsequent

B. consequent

C. attendant

D. relevant

attendant upon: liên quan tới 48. She did not tolerate press ______into her private life. A. invasion

B. intrusion

C. infringement

D. interference

intrusion into private life: xâm phạm đời sống riêng tư 49. They resent foreign ______in the internal affairs of their country A. invasion

B. intrusion

C. infringement

D. interference

interference: sự xen vào, sự can thiệp vào 50. These phone calls are a gross ______of privacy. A. invasion

B. intrusion

C. infringement

D. interference

C. infringement

D. interference

invasion of privacy: xâm phạm sự riêng tư 51. They were sued for ______ of copyright. A. invasion

B. intrusion

infringement of copyright: vi phạm bản quyền 52. He was thorough and ______, rather than brilliant. A. pedantic

B. laborious

C. particular

D. conscientious

conscientious: chu đáo, tận tâm 53. Don't be so ______ - does it really matter if I don't pronounce it right? A. pedantic

B. laborious

C. particular

pedantic: soi mói (chuyện nhỏ nhặt) 37

D. conscientios

54. Collecting the raw materials proved a long and ______task A. pedantic

B. laborious

C. particular

D. conscientious

laborious task: công việc vất vả 55. Don't expect to have me at your beck and ______. A. cry

B. ring

C. need

D. call

at your back and call: hoàn toàn chịu sự sai khiến của ai đó 56. The ______from the sale will be used to repay the loan. A. produce

B. proceeds

C. receipts

D. returns

proceeds: tiền thu được 57. Sometimes even well-meaning interviewers will throw you a really ______question. A. awkward

B. risky

C. unpleasant

D. touchy

awkward questions: câu hỏi hóc búa 58. We must ______ this notion that you can rely on the state for everything. A. peter out

B. dispel

C. disperse

D. annihilate

dispel notion: từ bỏ suy nghĩ 59. Just one of these bombs could ______a city the size of New York. A. peter out

B. dispel

C. disperse

D. annihilate

annihilate a city: tiêu diệt thành phố 60. Already there were indications that the contest had helped some of those ______writers emerge from total obscurity. A. hopeful

B. aspiring

C. striving

D. wishful

aspiring: có khát khao 61. Vlasov showed great energy and leadership ______, transforming his division into a conspicuous example of efficiency. 38

A. attributes

B. features

C. values

D. qualities

leadership qualities: phẩm chất lãnh đạo 62. The difference is scarcely perceptible to the ______reader. A.common

B. medium

C. average

D. middle

average reader: một người đọc bình thường 63. Kids today are ______on a constant diet of pop music and television. A. fostered

B. raised

C. nurtured

D. grown

be raised on: được giáo dục chủ yếu từ, được tiếp xúc nhiều với 64. They feel strongly that their religion is ______with the political system. A. incongruous

B. inconsistent

C. incidential

D. incompatible

incompatible with: không hòa hợp với 65. These findings are ______with those of previous studies. A. incongruous

B. inconsistent

C. incidental

D. incompatible

inconsistent : không khớp với 66.Such traditional methods seem ______in our technical age. A. incongruous

B. inconsistent

C. incidental

D. incompatible

incongruous: không phù hợp 67. Eye problems can indicate an unhealthy lifestyle with ______suppression of the immune system A. subsequent

B. consequent

C. attendant

D. relevant

subsequent: ngay sau đó 68. This is by no means an ______list but it gives an indication of the many projects taking place A. exhaustive

B. exorbitant

C. execrable 39

D. exalted

exhaustive: thấu đáo, đủ mọi khía cạnh 69. She was the only woman to rise to such an ______position A. exhaustive

B. exorbitant

C. execrable

D. exalted

an exalted postion: vị trí cao 70. Sharon became involved with music in the time-honoured ______-- through her family. A. protocol

B. way

C. fashion

D. procedure

time-honoured fashion: theo cách truyền thống 71. My sisters don't see ______with me about the arrangements. A. face to face

B. at loggerheads

C eye to eye

D. on tenterhooks

see eye to eye: đồng tình 72. The Chancellor is ______with the Prime Minister over public spending. A. face to face

B. at loggerheads

C eye to eye

D. on tenterhooks

at loggerheads with: bất hòa 73. He was still on pins and needles waiting for his directors' decision about the job. A. face to face

B. at loggerheads

C eye to eye

D. on tenterhooks

on tenterhooks: sốt ruột 74. The principles of democracy are sometimes in ______with political reality. A. conflict

B. rivalry

C. odds

D. friction

in conflict with: xung đột với 75. She gave him a sweet smile, totally at ______with the look of dislike in her eyes. A. conflict

B. rivalry

C. odds

at odds with: xung đột, mâu thuẫn

40

D. friction

76. Their conclusions run ______to any simple proletarianisation thesis about the effects of new technology on skill. A. counter

B. against

C. opposed

D. opposite

C. reduced

D.belittled

run counter to: đi ngược lại 77. She was ______ to tears by their criticisms. A. brought down

B. diminished

be reduced to tears: khóc 78. Don't ______her piano playing just because you're jealous. A. bring down

B. diminish

C. reduce

D.belittle

belittle: xem nhẹ, hạ thấp 79. On his wanderings he's picked up Spanish, Italian, French and a(n) ______of Russian A. command

B. smattering

C.knowing

D. acquaintance

smaterring: một ít kiến thức 80. She's a ______vegetarian and refuses to eat any poultry or fish A. firm

B. devout

C. staunch

D. strict

a strict vegetarian: người ăn chay trường 81. He has been a ______supporter of the Liberal Party for over thirty years. A. firm

B. devout

C. staunch

D. strict

a staunch supporter: người ủng hộ trung thành 82. She was a ______Catholic and, so far as I am aware, morally unassailable. A. firm

B. devout

C. staunch

D. strict

a devout Catholic: người sùng đạo Thiên chúa 83. I'm a ______believer in'where there's a will , there's a way. A. firm

B. devout

C. staunch 41

D. strict

a firm believer: người tin tưởng tuyệt đối 84. She must know the play ______by now. A. forwards

B. backwards

C. sideways

D. upside down

know sth backwards: biết rõ tường tận 85. You need to become fully ______with the company's procedures. A. conversant

B. mindful

C. answerable

D. attuned

conversant: thông thạo, hiểu rõ 86. The whole venture has been an ______disaster. A. unmatched

B. unmitigated

C. undiluted

D. unmindful

an unmitigated disaster: hoàn toàn là một thảm họa 87. She dealt with the problem with ______skill. A. consummate

B. comprehensive

C. confirmed

D. compulsive

consummate skill: kĩ năng tốt 88. The aim of the repetitions of the same commercial on television is nothing but to brainwash consumers into ______consumption. A. consummate

B. comprehensive

C. confirmed

D. compulsive

compulsive: nhất thời 89. On the rampant black market prices were particularly ______. A. exhaustive

B. exorbitant

C. execrable

D. exalted

exorbitant: đắt tiền 90. The durable goods orders report should help to ______ fears of a marked slowdown in factory activity. A. avert

B. restore

C. allay

alley fear: xua đi nỗi sợ 42

D.hit

91. UN troops intervened to ______ a threat of violent conflict. A. avert

B. restore

C. allay

D.hit

avert: ngăn chặn 92. The recent proposals made by the Royal College of Psychiatrists are unjustified, unnecessary and ______ A. incompatible

B. unavoidable

C. unworkable

D. insurmountable

unworkable: không thể vận hành 93. Lack of money has proved an almost ______obstacle. A. incompatible

B. unavoidable`

C. unworkable

D. insurmountable

insurmountable: không thể vượt qua 94. This history book is completely ______to me. A. illegible

B. impenetrable

C. impermeable

D. incorrigible

impenetrable: không thể hiểu được 95. Because he was an ______criminal, he was sentenced to life imprisonment. A. illegible

B. impenetrable

C. impermeable

D. incorrigible

incorrigible criminal: tên tội phạm không thể cải tạo được 96. The current cuts in public expenditure will inevitably ______ this situation. A. exacerbate

B. deepen

C. sharpen

D. fulfill

exacerbate: làm nghiêm trọng thêm 97. The lecturer wanted to lay ______on the importance of education. A.mention

B. point

C. highlight

D. stress

lay stress on: nhấn mạnh 98. The President is clearly in a ______about/over how to tackle the crisis. A. dilemma

B. puzzle

C. loss 43

D. problem

in a dilemma: trong tình huống khó xử 99. The government is at a ______to know how to tackle the violence. A. dilemma

B. puzzle

C. loss

D. problem

at a loss: bối rối 100. He's studied in the US and has a good ______ of English. A. command

B. smattering

C.knowing

a good command of: có kiến thức tốt

44

D. acquaintance

PRACTICE TEST 4 1. The money was taken out of the bank in small amounts so as not to ______suspicion. A. awake

B. arouse

C. instigate

D. incite

arouse suspicion: gợi sự nghi ngờ 2. Hopes of a peaceful settlement have been ______ A. torn

B. tarnished

C. dashed

D. smashed

dash one’s hope: làm mất hi vọng 3. The motor industry is ______at the cut in car tax. A. cheering

B. relishing

C. rejoicing

D. enjoying

rejoice at: vui mừng 4. He's very understanding: if I'm ______by the middle of the week he'll always let me have a few groceries on tick till Friday. A. hard up

B. pricey

C. indebted

D. bankrupt

hard up: túng thiếu 5. The sales assistants were so rude to me, I decided to take my ______elsewhere. A. income

B. custom

C. capital

D. fortune

take one’s custom elsewhere: mua hàng ở nơi khác 6. The police are going to ______down on illegal stock exchange activities in the streets. A. dragging

B. kicking

C. dumbing

D. clamping

clamp down on: kiểm soát chặt chẽ 7. She had a strong desire to be a dancer but failed to make the ______. 45

A. grade

B. term

C. mark

D. degree

make the grade: đạt đủ tiêu chuẩn 8. The sexual scandal will ______from the president's fame. A. ruin

B. detract

C. spoil

D. impair

C. trace

D. speck

detract from: làm giảm 9. There isn't a ______of truth in those rumours. A. pinch

B. grain

a grain of truth: một tí sự thật 10. Every ______of emotion seemed to have drained from his face. A. pinch

B. grain

C. trace

D. speck

trace of emotion: 1 chút biểu cảm 11. Here I sit ______ - no food, no money, no anything A. high and dry

B. thick and thin

C. huff and puff

D. wear and tear

high and dry: bơ vơ 12. The media regarded Gorbachev as the ______favorite to dethrone the old champ A. last-minute

B. odds-on

C. so-called

D.well –earned

odds-on: chắc chắn 13. The research has ______implications for medicine as a whole. A. far-fetched

B. far-reaching

C. long-winded

D. nerve-wrecking

far-reaching: có tác động sâu rộng 14. Jacques launched into a ______explanation that left us just as confused as before A. far-fetched

B. far-reaching 46

C. long-winded

D. nerve-wrecking

long-winded: dài dòng 15. We ______ deny that we have ever cheated or tampered illegally with any match ball in any game during our careers. A. categorically

B. fully

C. distinctly

D. highly

categorically: dứt khoát 16. All personal details are treated as ______confidential and remain on computer file. A. severely

B. strictly

C. sharply

D. harshly

strictly confidential: bảo mật nghiêm ngặt 17. The people in that company always talk ______, even on the weekends. A. dirty

B. shop

C. turkey

D. money

talk shop: bàn việc làm ăn 18. It took me ages to ______up the courage to ask for a promotion A. pick

B. hurl

C. yield

D. pluck

pluck up the courage: lấy hết can đảm 19. They still ______enormous influence in politics. A. possess

B. utilize

C. brandish

D. wield

wield influence: có ảnh hưởng 20. I don't know where he is but I could ______a guess. A. hazard

B. conjecture

C. expose

D. imperil

hazard a guess: đoán 21. Don't ______a hard bargain over such a little thing . A. make

B. push

C. drive

drive a hard bargain: thương lượng, trả giá 47

D. bring

22. His patience began to wear ______ during the long wait. A. thin

B. rusty

C. empty

D. perished

wear thin: tàn lụi dần 23. And undoubtedly, their mysterious, indefinable quality is the source of their ______ power. A. disconcerting

B. disembodied

C. dismissive

D. discordant

disconcerting: làm bối rối 24. The depths of this understanding - which I had not at all expected - put me in a ______. A. doubt

B. quandary

C. hitch

D. complexity

in a quandary: trong tình thế khó xử 25. He walked out after a ______row with his wife. A. blazing

B. heated

C. stormy

D. smouldering

a blazing row: cuộc tranh cãi dữ dội 26. I am ______ to listen to your pathetic excuses. A. sick and tired

B. in no mood

C. having enough

D. sick to death

in no mood: không có tâm trạng 27. Anyone who breaks the law does so at their ______ A. peril

B. interest

C. stake

D. doubt

at one’s peril: gây nguy hiểm (cho ai) 28. Thousands of lives will be at ______if emergency aid does not arrive in the city soon. A. peril

B. interest

C. stake

at stake: nguy hiểm 48

D. doubt

29. Sandra will be at least 15 minutes late - that's a ______ A. must

B, definite

C.deal

D. given

that’s a given: điều tất nhiên 30. The researchers determined that concentration effects are applicable to overrepresented minorities living in ______ impoverished ghettos. A. severely

B. strictly

C. sharply

D. harshly

severely impoverish: rất nghèo 31. She's been told that her husband is being______ treated in prison. A. severely

B. strictly

C. sharply

D. harshly

harshly treated: bị bạc đãi 32. Alcohol is ______ forbidden on school premises. A. severely

B. strictly

C. sharply

D. harshly

strictly forbidden: nghiêm cấm tuyệt đối 33. These results contrast ______with other medical tests carried out in Australia. A. severely

B. strictly

C. sharply

D. harshly

contrast sharply with: đối nghịch hoàn toàn với 34. I felt a bit _______ and seemed to have more aches and pains than usual. A. out of sorts

C. on the mend

B. over the worst

D. under the fever

out of sorts: khó chịu, không khỏe 35. A: ‘Oh, I’m exhausted! I’ve been doing homework all day.’ B: ‘Come and put your _______ up for 5 minutes and I’ll make you a cup of tea.’ A. hands

B. hair

C. heart

put your feet up: thư giãn 49

D. feet

36. I overslept this morning and caught the last bus to school by the skin of my _______. A. mouth

B. leg

C. neck

D. teeth

by the skin of one’s teeth: trong gang tấc 37. If you want a flat in the centre of the city, you have to pay through the _______ for it. A. teeth

B. head

C. nose

D. arm

pay through the nose: trả giá cao 38. You will be putting your life on the _______ if you take up skydiving. A. ground

B. line

C. way

D. lane

put sth on the line: liều lĩnh 39. As far as her future goes, Olivia is _______. She hasn't got a clue what career to follow. A. on the level

B. all at sea

C. behind the scenes

D. in the know

all at sea: bối rối 40. Your husband was a bit out of control at the party, to _______ mildly. A. take it

B. put it

C. say

D. tell

put it mildly: nói một cách nhẹ nhàng là vậy 41. There is a large effort ________ to rebuild arts education in the New York city public schools. A. under way

B. a long way

C. out of the way

D. in the way

under way: đang tiến hành 42. A woman who appears to be a __________person who lives under bridges, turns out to be has a metamorphose into a princess and has a regal personage. A. tumble-down

B. downcast

C. run-down

downcast: chán nản, tuyệt vọng 50

D. down-and-cast

43. It included 105 job losses and a _____________ in shift work, with some of the large staff numbers recruited in the past year expected to be let go first A. breakdown

B. layout

C. cutback

D. out-take

cutback: sự cắt giảm 44. I was so tired that I just ______ in the armchair A.flaked out

B.broke up

C.dropped out

D.fell over

flake out: ngủ thiếp đi 45. Our teacher tends to ______ certain subjects which she finds difficult to talk about A.boil down

B.string along

C. skate over

D.track down

skate over: né tránh , bỏ qua 46. It’s a good idea to ______ people before taking them into your confidence A.tumble to

B.root out

C.bank on

D.size up

size up: đánh giá 47. Some people can just ______ a cold,but my colds seem to linger for weeks A.shrug off

B.cough up

C.pull through

D.stamp out

shrug off: dễ dàng vượt qua (bệnh tật) 48. The man in the market was selling leather coats very cheaply: they were such bargains that were soon ______ . A.cleared off

B.done for

C.bought out

D. snapped up

snap up: mua 1 cách nhanh chóng 49. I couldn’t remember where I had left my car, when it suddenly ______ me that I didn’t have a car any longer! A.dawned on

B.ran into

C.went through

D.tumbled to

it suddenly dawned on me: tôi chợt nhớ ra 50. After years of working together, the partners found themselves _______ linked. 51

A. permanently

B. indelibly

C. perpetually

D. inextricably

C. make out

D. get by

inextricably linked: liên quan mật thiết với nhau 51. The medicine takes one hour to _______. A. bear with

B. kick in

kick in: có tác dụng 52. Jennifer _______ the invitation to join us for dinner. A. called on

B. come out

C. got out of

D. passed on

pass on invitation: gửi lời mời 53. It takes a very determined person to achieve results as good as this; you really have to put your______ to it. A. mind

B. head

C. brain

D. thoughts

put one’s mind in: đặt tâm trí vào 54. There's a______ balance between success and failure. A. small

B. narrow

C. fine

D. light

a fine balance: sự cân bằng 55. The manager hesitated to assign the job to the newcomer as he was__________ . A. wet behind the ears

B. feeling your ears burning

C. ringing in your ears

D. keeping your ears open

wet behind the ears: chưa có kinh nghiệm, mới vào nghề 56..I’m afraid Jennifer’s very ______ . She believes everything she’s told. A. gullible

B. trustworthy

C. credible

D. honest

gullible: cả tin 57. I slept badly last night and am feeling particularly ______ this morning. A. slow-witted

B. far-reaching

C. off-hand 52

D. top-heavy

top-heavy: đau đầu 58. Unanswered, the demands for nuclear deterrents have _______ fears of civil war. A. flashed up

B. prognosticated

C. sidetracked

D. stoked up

stock up: làm dấy lên 59. A new computer has been produced, which will ______ all previous models A.overdo

B.supersede

C.excel

D.overwhelm

supersede: thay thế 60. My cousin was nervous about being interviewed on television, but she rose to the _____ wonderfully. A. event

B. performance

C. incident

D. occasion

rise to the occassion: thể hiện, thực hiện 61. My decision to drop out of university after a year is one I now _____ regret. A. painfully

B. harshly

C. heavily

D. keenly

painfully regret: vô cùng tiếc nuối 62. Both the favourite and then the second favourite pulled out. Naturally, we thought we were ______ a chance. A in with

B up for

C in for

D up with

in with a chance : có cơ hội tốt 63. Don’t quote me. What I am about to say is ______ the record. A. on

B. off

C. without

D. above

off the record: chưa chính thức 64. I’m not sure if I’m doing it right, but I’ll try to ___________ahead with it anyway. A. drive

B. bang

C. touch

press ahead: tiếp tục 53

D. press

65. We all have to follow the rules, and none of us is ________ the law. A. beyond

B. over

C. above

D. onto

above the law: ngoài vòng pháp luật 66. He wants to pay the bill himself, but I won’t hear _________ it. A. from

B. about

C. of

D. for

not hear of it: không chấp nhận 67. When his manager went on a business trip, Smith stepped into the _____ and chaired the meeting. A. hole

B. pool

C. breach

D. crack

step into the breach: thay thế (người vắng mặt) 68. James didn’t take _____ to your suggestion that she was mean with money. A. kindly

B. pleasantly

C. cheerfully

D. agreeably

take kindly to: niềm nở 69. We need a more _______ assessment of the chances of ending this war. A. moral

B. sober

C. plain

D. vivid

a sober assessment: đánh giá chính xác 70. Mark Stringly is rarely interviewed as he hates being in the ______. A. flashlight

B. limelight

C. headlight

D. floodlight

in the limelight: được mọi người chú ý 71. I tried to push my way through the standing passengers to get to the door and, failing to keep my ____ about me. A. head

B. soul

C. wits

D. mind

keep my wits about me: cảnh giác, giữ bình tĩnh 72. Steve used to be easy to work with, but since his promotion he’s begun to______ . 54

A. throw his weight around

B. throw in the towel

C. throw him off balance

D. turn up trumps

throw one’s weight around: cư xử 1 cách kiêu căng 73. The new regime determined to ________ compulsory military service. A. stop of

B. end up

C. phase out

D. break off

phase out: xóa bỏ dần dần 74. As their bookshop wasn’t doing well, they decided to branch ______and sell compact discs and cassettes as well. A. out

B. over

C. down on

D. out for

branch out: mở rộng kinh doanh 75. I’d been cooped ______in my office all morning so I went out for a walk and a spot of fresh air. A. over

B. by

C. down

D. up

be cooped up in: bị giữ lại 76. Why don’t you get your homework ______with so you can enjoy the rest of the evening? A. around

B. over

C. by

D. away

get your homework over: làm xong bài tập 77. Morag is very good at ______off the teacher in her school. A. sending

B. calling

C. taking

D. putting

take off sb: bắt chước 78. The class went to see the performance of Macbeth because it ______in well with the project they were doing on Scottish history. A. crammed

B. stood

C. tied

tie in well with: có mối liên hệ chặt chẽ với 55

D. booked

79. I was sitting in a train looking out of the window, when my mind suddenly ______back to that amazing trip we made to India. A. put

B. flashed

C. stirred

D. associated

my mind flashed back to: nhớ về 80. Roberto should try not to let his regrets for what he has done ______away at him. A. come

B. eat

C. stick

D. flood

eat away at: hủy hoại 81. I wish he wouldn’t make such unkind and ______remarks. A. lapse

B. disparaging

C. inconsolable

D. rough

disparaging: khiếm nhã 82. Could you lend me some money to ______ me over to the end of the month? A. hand

B. tide

C. get

D. make

tide sb over: giúp ai vượt qua khó khăn 83. Lisa attempted to ______ herself with her new boss by volunteering to take on extra work. A. ingratiate

B. please

C. gratify

D. command

ingratiate oneself with sb: lấy lòng ai 84. Before they open the new factory, a lot of the young people round here were ________the dole. A. in

B. under

C. on

D. at

on the dole: sống nhờ vào tiền trợ cấp thất nghiệp 85. The factory paid ________nearly a million pounds to their employees who were injured in the explosion. A. off

B. out

C. for

pay out: trả tiền bảo hiểm 56

D. into

86. Harry blew a ________ when his holiday was cancelled. A. switch

B. fuse

C. plug

D. socket

blow a fuse: bực mình, nổi cáu 87. I know you have a good voice and have ambitions to be an opera singer but don’t give up your day________ yet. A. situation

B. work

C. job

D. place

give up your day job: mơ mộng 88. Not only is little Johnny's grammar incoherent and his spelling atrocious but alsohis punctuation ______ A. slothful

B. sluggish

C. hazard

D. haphazard

haphazard: cẩu thả 89. The media are always keen on reporting ______ A. mishaps

B. calamities

C. reverses

D. hardships

calamities: tai họa 90. They continued fighting despite all the ______they met with. A. adversities

B. amenities

C. properties

D. liabilities

adversities: khó khăn 91. I was informed by the police officer that he would be forced to take me into______ A. guardianship

B. bail

C. custody

D. protection

take sb into custody: bắt giữ ai 92. By being rude to his superiors he is considered to have __________ the mark. A. transcended

B. outrun

C. surpassed

D. overstepped

overstep the mark: quá trớn 93. I have been back to the doctor three times and he still hasn't ____________ the reason for all the pain I have been suffering from recently. 57

A. indicated

B. highlighted

C. pinpointed

D. looked up

pinpoint the reason: chỉ ra lí do 94. As soon as the bomb was discovered by one of the cleaning staff, the police had the area ___________ off and no-one was allowed within two blocks of the cafe. A. fenced

B. cordoned

C. walled

D. isolated

cordon off: phong tỏa 95. A couple of boys were _____________ in the pool. A. impinging on

B. larking about

C. ploughing ahead D. floating out

lark about: đùa nghịch 96. We were ____________ the task of writing a report of the college´s games. A. assigned to

B. taken over

C. run up

D. saddled with

be saddled with: bận rộn 97. Anti-terrorist squad officers _________ the area to search for possible bombs. A. sealed off

B. set off

C. come through

D. split up

seal off: phong tỏa 98. The secretary dashed ___________ the weekly report to his director A. up

B. off

C. of

D. for

dash off: làm nhanh 99. I __________ an important deal yesterday and she was so thrilled! A. came across

B. mucked up

C. shot down

D. gunned for

muck up: làm hỏng việc 100. There’s been a slight improvement in his heallth, but he’s not out of the _______ yet. A. bush

B. wood

C. hand

out of the wood: thoát khỏi nguy hiểm 58

D. reach

PRACTICE TEST 5 1. Be realistic! You can’t go through life looking at the world through _______. A. rosed-coloured spectacles

B. bright sights

C. magnificent spectacles

D. green fingers

look at sth through rosed-coloured spectacles: nhìn qua lăng kính màu hồng 2. I realized ______ that he was a thief. A. sooner of later

B. all along

C. at the beginning

D. eventually

all along: ngay từ đầu 3. The minister made no _______ of any further negotiations. A mention

B. comment

C. indication

D. remark

make no mention of: không đề cập đến 4. I don't think Jones and Marlowe should work together on this project. They have shown us before that they are quite _________ as partners. A. rebellious

B. disinterested

C. disagreeable

D. incompatible

incompatible: không hợp nhau 5. Let me ______ over the matter and give you my decision in a few days. A. bite

B. munch

C. chew

chew over: nghiền ngẫm 59

D. gnaw

6. Find someone who will let you talk things through, or _____ that, write down your thoughts. A. except

B. failing

C. for all of

D. given

failing that: nếu không 7. They will need time to _________ the proposals we have submitted. A. lash out

B. scroll over

C. shrivel up

D. mull over

mull over: ngẫm nghĩ 8. Karen was terribly nervous before the interview but she managed to pull herself ________ and act confidently. A. through

B. over

C. together

D. off

pull oneself together: giữ bình tĩnh 9. I don't agree with his policies but I'm going to ______ them for now. A. play along with

B. play cat and mouse with

C. play havoc with

D. play down

play along with: tạm thời làm theo 10. His promise is as good as ______. We can rely on him. A. gold

B. gem

C. diamond

D. jewel

as good as gold: có thể tin tưởng 11. These days the castle is swamped with ________ of tourists. A. hordes

B. cliques

C. mobs

D. assemblies

hordes of tourists: nhiều du khách 12. His flat looks so ______ that it is difficult to believe he just had a party last night. A. spick and span B. by and large

C. safe and sound

spick and span: sạch sẽ 60

D. sick and tired

13. I am not able to go anywhere this weekend because I am up to my ______ in work. A. neck

B. nose

C. waist

D. ankle

up to my neck in work: bận rộn với nhiều công việc 14. Brain cancer requires ______ treatment such as surgery. A. aggressive

B. confrontational

C. malignant

D. rigorous

aggressive treatment: điều trị khắc nghiệt 15. He praised his wife for her dignity under the ______ of the tabloid press. A. onslaught

B. assault

C. onset

D. offensive

under the onslaught of: dưới sự ép buộc của 16. The old man led a _______ existence after she left and refused even to see his children. A. reclusive

B. deserted

C. remote

D. vacant

lead a reclusive existence: sống ẩn dật 17. I thought I had made it_____ that I didn’t wish to discuss this matter. A. distinct

B. plain

C. frank

D. straight

make it plain that: nói rõ 18. We work too much. Our teacher keeps our noses to the ________ . A. stone

B. mill stone

C. stonemill

D. grindstone

keep one’s nose to the grindstone: bắt ai làm việc cật lực 19. He is a simple fellow. He usually wears his heart on his _________ . A. arm

B. sleeve

C. face

D. brow

wear one’s heart on one’s sleeve: chất phác, thật thà 20. This is the straw that breaks the _________ back. A. horse’s

B. mule’s

C. donkey’s 61

D. camel

this is the last straw that breaks the camel’s back: không còn sức chịu đựng 21. The juvenile delinquent was place on ___________ for a year. A. trial

B. charge

C. probation

D. surveillance

on probation: án tù treo 22. I soon got the ____________ of the new machine. A. hang

B. sway

C. string

D. drift

get the hang of something: hiểu, nắm bắt được 23. Harry was offered a scholarship to study in Japan and he _____ the opportunity with both hands. A. grasped

B. grabbed

C. held

D. passed

grap the opportunity: nắm bắt cơ hội 24. A full scholarship to Harvard and you are worried about leaving your job? You’d be a fool to _____ up a chance like that. A. turn

B. brush

C. pass

D. cast

pass up a chance: bỏ lỡ cơ hôị 25. He admitted taking a bribe and he doesn’t think he’s _______ his chances of getting re-elected? A. pulled

B. wiped

C. thrown

D. blown

blow chances of: lỡ cơ hội 26. Given the appalling weather conditions on top of the mountain, I’d say the chances of their finding any survivors are very _______ indeed. A. narrow

B. lean

C. remote

D. shallow

remote chane: cơ hội nhỏ nhoi 27. I suppose there is a _______ chance that he could win, but I can’t see it happening, myself. A. thin

B. slim

C. meagre 62

D. short

a slim chance: cơ hội mỏng manh 28. If someone offered me a posting in South Africa, I’d _______ at the chance. A. bound

B. jump

C. grab

D. seize

jump at the chance: chộp lấy cơ hội 29. During winter the shelters are full of people of no fixed _______ A. residence

B. abode

C. home

D. domicile

no fixed abode: vô gia cư 30. Until your finances are in the _______, it is not a good idea to take out a loan. A. credit

B. funds

C. profit

D. black

in the black: nhiều tiền 31. The matter has been left in _______ until the legal ramifications have been explored. A. recess

B. suspension

C. abeyance

D. waiting

be left in abeyance: bị hoãn lại 32. It was an extremely hostile article which cast _______ on the conduct of the entire cabinet. A. criticism

B. aspersions

C. disapproval

D. abuse

cast aspersions on: vu khống 33 Could I pick your _______ on the subject before the meeting? A. brains

B. mind

C. head

D. intellect

pick one’s brains: tham khảo ý kiến 34. Simon's business has been on the _______ for some time and I understand he's going into liquidation. A. fire

B. rocks

C. wave

on the rocks: gặp khó khăn 63

D. clouds

35. She wouldn’t have heard anything. She is _______ deaf. A. stone

B. rock

C. post

D. bat

stone deaf: điếc 36. We've made some great improvements over the past three months, but we're still not out of the _______ . A. jungle

B. bush

C. dark

D. woods

out of the woods: thoát khỏi nguy hiểm 37. We need a process that ______ corrupt police officers. A. tides over

B. beats about

C. barks up

D. weeds out

weed out: loại bỏ 38. If you had never seen a telly ad, you would be all at ______ with popular culture. A. crossroads

B. distance

C. sea

D. length

all at sea: bối rối 39. Kristina felt on top of the ______ when she won the beauty pageant. A. world

B. earth

C. sky

D.universe

on top of the world: vui 40. Mary is the black ______ of the family. She's always in trouble with the police. A. dog

B. cat

C. sheep

D. horse

the black sheep of the family: người bị bỏ rơi trong gia đình, không được quan tâm 41. His fee is a drop in the ______ compared with the real cost of broadcasting. A. bucket

B. ocean

C. lake

D. sea

a drop in the ocean: nhỏ nhoi 42. I'd been living in this country for a few years, but it wasn't until I had kids that I felt like I had really put down ______ here. 64

A. roots

B. seeds

C. nuts

D. fruits

put down roots: sống và có công việc ổn định 43. I'm absolutely ______ under with work at the moment. A. snowed

B. iced

C. rained

D. fogged

be snowed under with work: vùi đầu vào công việc 44. I have been ______ by ill health ever since I left university. A. hounded

B. wormed

C. ducked

D. dogged

be dogged by ill health: bị bệnh 45. It was a very wild winter. I think we had one ______ of snow and that was it. A. gust

B. flurry

C. drop

D. patch

flurry of snow: tuyết rơi nhẹ 46. I always clean the flat before my mom comes round, but she always find at least one ______ of dust and says it’s filthy. A. scrap

B. gust

C. speck

D. blade

speck of dust: hạt bụi 47. As winter ends, I always seem to feel a ______ of energy. A. charge

B. spring

C. revival

D. burst

feel a burst of energy: tràn đầy năng lượng 48. The entire staff was thrown off ______ when the news of the takeover was announced. A. composure

B. disarray

C. stable

D. balance

be thrown off balance: bối rối 49. Gavin will ______ to the challenge of his new promotion. A. raise

B. rise

C. ride 65

D. arise

rise to the challenge: đối mặt với thử thách 50. I know you have a good voice and have ambitions to be an opera singer but do not give up your day ______ yet. A. situation

B. work

C. job

D. place

give up your day job: mơ mộng xa xội 51. I am in the ______ as to where Chris was last night. A. shade

B. dark

C. pink

D. black

in the dark: không biết gì 52. Breaking his leg dealt a ______ to his chances of becoming a professional footballer. A. thump

B. strike

C. hit

D. blow

deal a blow: giáng 1 đòn mạnh 53. Let’s make a dash for the train now as the rain seems to be ______ off. A. easing

B. slowing

C. reducing

D. running

ease off: giảm bớt 54. Our firm is so successful because it is at the cutting ______ of compoter technology. A. limit

B. fringe

C. verge

D. edge

at the cutting edge: lợi thế, vượt xa trong 1 lĩnh vực nào đó 55. Monsoon Wedding was described as a cinematic jewel when it hit the _____________ screen. A. golden

B. silver

C. bronze

D. diamond

the silver screen: ngành điện ảnh 56. For busy people in today’s society, lifestyle management is gaining ______ . A. points

B. speed

C. ground

gain ground: phổ biến 66

D. terrain

57. We at Buyrite throw down the ______ to competitors to match us for price, quality and service. A. mitten

B. gauntlet

C. sword

D. hat

throw down the gaunlet: thách đấu 58. This time she's leaving for ______. She will never return. A. all

B. always

C. good

D. once

for good: mãi mãi 59. The old house was ______furnished and we had to buy almost everything new. A. thinly

B. sparsely

C. mildly

D. rarely

sparsely: thiếu dụng cụ, đồ đạc 60. Sometimes, we don't appreciate the ______ pleasures of life such as a beautiful sky, a cup of coffee with a friend or seeing a good film at the cinema. A. sheer

B. simple

C. normal

D. plain

simpel pleasure: hạnh phúc bình dị 61. That old house hasn't been lived in for nearly thirty years, hence the fact that it looks so ______ . A. decrepit

B. trashed

C. rotten

D. derelict

derelict: bị bỏ hoang 62. Despite harsh criticism, she's sticking to her ______ on this issue. A. weapons

B. guns

C. thumb

D. neck

stick to one’s guns: giữ lập trường 63. If traffic increases beyond a certain level, the city grinds to a ______ A. halt

B. stop

C. pause

grind to a halt: bị tê liệt, chậm lại (giao thông, công việc)

67

D. end

64. Various ecological issues have come to the ______ since the discovery of the hole in the earth's ozone layer. A. front

B. back

C. side

D. fore

come to the fore: trở nên quan trọng 65. I've seen her perform on television, but never in the ______ A. meat

B. flesh

C. blood

D. vein

see somebody in the flesh: gặp ngoài đời 66. The full horror of the war only hit ______ when we started seeing the television pictures of it. A. base

B. down

C. home

D. back

hit home: trở nên rõ ràng 67. She's always ______ to me about how badly she's treated at work. A. grumbling

B. whining

C. objecting

D. complaining

grumble: càu nhàu 68. I didn't mean to leave her name off the list; it was a(n) ______ . A. neglect

B. disregard

C. insult

D. oversight

oversight: sơ suất 69. The most important parts of your job may seem difficult now but they will become second ______ to you within a couple of weeks. A. instinct

B. thought

C. nature

D. mind

become second nature: trở nên quen thuộc 70. The winning team were roundly criticised by the local media for the way in which they had ______ over the losing team. It was considered very unsporting. A. gloated

B. relished

C. showed up

gloat over: cười hả hê 68

D. dominated

71. Jack was disappointed not to be promoted as he was given to ______ that the job would be his. A. know

B. understand

C. realize

D. say

be given to understand: tin là 72. I retired three years ago and didn't know what to do with myself. Getting this dog has given me a new ______of life. A. burst

B. loan

C. lease

D. extension

give somebody a new lease of life: mở ra 1 cuộc sống mới 73. I found the last scene extremely ______ and particularly well - directed. A. pathetic

B. sympathetic

C. pitiful

D. moving

moving: cảm động 74. I'm about to start my long-planned swimming regime. But I've got really terrible cellulite, which makes me feel rather ______ A. self-assured

B. self - centred

C. self-conscious

D. self-evident

self-conscious: xấu hổ 75. What can we do to persuade drivers that alcohol can turn a car into a ______weapon? A. lethal

B. fatal

C. mortal

D. venal

a lethal weapon: vũ khí chết người 76. Large UK-owned companies are ______ their European rivals when it comes to creating wealth, a study has concluded. A. outstripping

B.. catching up

C. overruning

D. exceeding

outstrip: bỏ xa, vượt trội hơn 77. Donald Trump’s pledge to rip up existing trade deals with Mexico would ______ substantial damage on the US economy and kill the region’s competitiveness on the 69

world stage, according to the Mexican economist who led the country’s trade talks with the US. A. induce

B. inflict

C. impose

D. wreak

inflict: gây ra 78. Another, perhaps inspired by the nursery rhyme, is that a(n) ______ for sweet things during pregnancy makes you more likely to be having a girl, while a boy will make you crave savoury, salty foods, meat and cheese in particular. A. inspiration

B. affinity

C. predilection

D. propensity

predilection: sự ưa chuộng 79. The inconsiderate driver was ______ for parking his vehicle in the wrong place. A. inflicted

B. harassed

C. condemned

D. confined

be confined for: bị bắt 80. The proposal would ______ a storm of protest around the country A. spark

B. sparkle

C. ignite

D. trigger

spark: khuấy động 81. She refused to answer questions that ______ her private affairs A. infringed on

B. imprinted in

C. impinged on

D. indulged in

infringe on: xâm phạm 82. The book is such a ______ that I can not put it down A. page-turner

B. best-seller

C. duvet-cover

D. mind-reader

a page-turner:1 quyển sách thú vị 83. The European Parliament has called for a humanitarian conference to be ______ to discuss how to tackle the growing crisis. A. gathered

B. collected

C. assembled

convene: triệu tập 70

D. convened

84. The rates of extreme poverty have halved in recent decades. But 1.2 billion people still live ______ A. on the house

B. on the tenterhooks

C. on the breadine

D. on the cards

live on the breadline: sống trong nghèo khổ 85. From football to fashion, from TV to stage, we name the ______ stars whose careers are likely to rocket in the future. A. out and about

B. up and coming

C. down and out

D. in and out

up and coming: có tiềm năng 86. Obama expressed regret as a US drone strike has______ killed innocent hostages. A. incongruously

B. vehemently

C. inadvertently

D. graciously

inadvertently: vô tình 87. You never know whether to take Vic seriously or whether his remarks are tongue in ______ . A. cheek

B. mouth

C. tooth

D. face

tongue in cheek: mỉa mai, hài hước 88. Applications for the course are coming in thick and ______. A. thin

B. quick

C. fast

D. skin

thick and fast: dồn dập 89. Mike ______ the tone of the formal dinner by appearing in a pair of ripped jeans and an old T-shirt. A. set

B. lowered

C. degraded

lower the tone of: làm giảm sự trang trọng 90. The exercise routine works in ______ with the diet. 71

D. put

A. tandem

B. league

C. hand

D. cooperation

91. The audience were in ______ as they watched the latest Aykebourne comedy. A. stitches

B. pleats

C. tears

D. shreds

in stitches: cười không ngớt 92. Do not mention work to Ray, as it is a sore ______ with him at the moment. A. finger

B. point

C. place

D. thumb

a sore point: điều làm đau lòng 93. It is hard to get back into the ______ of things after a long holiday. A. pace

B. way

C. swing

D. rhythm

get back into the swings: trở lại bình thường 94. The trouble with socializing with colleagues is that they usually end up talking ______ A. sense

B. shop

C. back

D. safe

talk shop: bàn việc kinh doanh 95. Take your mobile phone with you just to be on the ______ side. A. sunny

B. secure

C. straight

D. safe

on the safe side: cho chắc chắn 96. Dealing with the failed waste incinerator project is a ______ issue in west Norfolk A. burning

B. heating

C.boiling

D. firing

a burning issue: vấn đề nóng 97. With the amount of traffic nowadays, even a trip across town is ______ with dangers. A. beset

B. surrounded

C. assaulted

beset with dangers: đầy giận dữ 98. He was forced to ______ control of the company. 72

D. devoid

A. discard

B. relinquish

C. quit

D. surrender

relinquish: từ bỏ 99. Getting up at 8 o’clock was early by her ______ A. reasons

B. standards

C. limits

D. levels

by one’s standards: theo thói quen, quan điểm 100. He kept telling us about his operation, in the most ______ detail. A. elaborate

B. knotty

C. graphic

D. burning

graphic detail: thông tin chi tiết

PRACTICE TEST 6 1. I knew my mother would ________ a face the minute she saw my new hair cut. A. drag

B. lift

C. pull

D. race

pull a face: nhăn nhó 2. When she started borrowing my clothes without asking, I had to put my ______ down. A. stamp

B. show

C. fish

D. foot

put one’s foot down: kiên quyết nói không 3. If you are going to town, keep your eyes ________ for that book I was telling you about. A. peeled

B. clean

C. wide

D. fresh

keep one’s eyes peeled: tìm kiếm 4. He was a tall, intimidating persson, with a firm tone of voice and a very short ______ . A. fuse

B. line

C. patience

D. temperament

a very short fuse: nóng tính 5. Peter was ______ of revealing the company’s future plans to the reporter. 73

A. circumspect

B. wary

C. prudent

D. cautious

wary of: thận trọng 6. I'd just met his parents for the first time so I was on my best ______ . A. manners

B. conduct

C. behaviour

D. demeanour

on one’s best behavior: cư xử khéo léo 7. As his whole family were doctors, it was in his ______ to take up that profession A. blood

B. spirit

C. soul

D. heart

in one’s blood: ngấm vào máu 8. Though we'd all been close on the school trip, we parted ______ with one another once we were back home. A. views

B. friendship

C. company

D. opinions

part company with: tách ra 9. It pays to be above ______ in your dealings with the Inland Revenue. A. board

B. timber

C. plank

D. panel

above board: trung thực 10. Excuse me if I'm speaking out of ______, but what you are proposing is quite wrong. A. mind

B. line

C. turn

D. order

out of turn: chưa đến lượt 11. Dr Johnson managed to ensure that the scientists in his research team were the ______ of the crop. A. top

B. catch

C. cream

D. blend

the cream of the crop: thành phần ưu tú nhất 12. Larry displayed the courage of his ______ by saying no to his supervisor. A. convictions

B. certainties

C. principles 74

D. opinions

the courage of convictions: can đảm làm theo những gì mình cho là đúng 13. At 69 he is as firmly in the ______ seat of the company as ever. A. front

B. driving

C. leading

D. foremost

in the driving seat: giữ vị trí lãnh đạo 14. Now, 10 days since the hurricane made landfall, residents are struggling to pick up the ______. A. bits

B. parts

C. pieces

D. slices

pick up the pieces: khắc phục thiệt hại 15. I believe he really does want to work for us, but he’s playing hard to ______ so that we offer more money. A. catch

B. get

C. grab

D. give

play hard to get: làm kiêu, làm giá 16. Some people try to ______ the myth that women are weak. A. maintain

B. preserve

C. perpetuate

D. disseminate

perpetuate: duy trì (quan điểm) 17. It’s a ______ for decent jobs these days, so you need every qualification you can get. A. scramble

B. jumble

C. jostle

D. flurry

scramble: sự tranh giành 18. It’s been a ______ winter this year, with temperatures as low as -15° A. fervent

B. sharp

C. bitter

D. fetid

a bitter winter: mùa đông khắc nghiệt 19. Keith is a ______ of knowledge when it comes to computers. A. stream

B. fountain

C. pool

a fountain of knowledge: kho kiến thức 75

D. spring

20. It’s a modern city, full of ______ tower blocks A. rising

B. heaving

C. ascending

D. soaring

soaring tower blocks: tòa nhà cao tầng 21. A narrow path winds its ______ down from the mountain. A. course

B. route

C. way

D. direction

wind its way down: uốn khúc 22. Try to ______ count of how many calories you eat over a week. A. have

B. make

C. keep

D. hold

keep count of: nắm số lượng 23. There's still a ______ bit of work to be done on the house. A. decent

B. fair

C. big

D. large

a fair bit of work: 1 số công việc 24. The extra payments are a ______for most single mothers. A. lifeline

B. lifequard

C. lifeboat

D. lifebelt

lifeline: cứu tinh 25. I arrived early for the meeting so I was twiddling my ______for half an hour. A. fingers

B. toes

C. hands

D. thumbs

twiddle one’s thumbs: rảnh rỗi 26. The film's only ______ grace is the excellent cinematography. A. winning

B. rescuing

C. saving

D. giving

saving grace: cái bù lại, điều cứu vãn 27. A full-sized tripod is far too ______ to carry around. I find this pocket – sized one is much handier. A. overweight

B. inept

C. unwieldy 76

D. outsize

unwieldy: nặng nề 28. Many diseases that used to be considered ______ of mankind are now easily treatable with antibiotics A. scourges

B. tortures

C. blights

D. thorns

scourge: tai họa 29. She knows ahe needs exercise, but finds going to the gym a ______. A. job

B. toil

C. work

D. chore

find somethiing a chore: khó chịu khi làm gì 30. The special effects were quite good, but that’s more than could be ______ for the acting. A. mentioned

B. spoken

C. said

D. told

that’s more than could be said: còn nhiều điều cần nói 31. There are some safety ______ in connection with the new building that still need to be addresssed. A. worries

B. cares

C. troubles

D. corners

safty corners: qui tắc an toàn 32. After the earthquake, the entrance hall was turned into a ______ casualty ward. A. mainstay

B. makeshift

C. piecework

D. wayside

C. welled

D. filled

makeshift: tạm thời 33. Tears ______ up out of the baby's eyes. A. raised

B. mounted

well up: tuôn ra 34. She went under ________as a waiter to write an article on tipping. A. mask

B. act

C. pose

under cover: ngụy trang 77

D. cover

35. There is a new _____ to our family. My mother has just given birth to a baby. A. growth

B. admission

C. topping

D. addition

addition: thành viên mới 36. I don’t want to burden my daughter with my problems; she’s got too much _____ A. up her sleeve

B. in her mind

C. in effect

D. on her plate

get too much on one’s plate: bận 37. We live in a _____ society where shopping is all-important. A. customer

B. consumer

C. consumption

D. civil

a consumer society: xã hội tiêu dùng 38. That human rights are _____ is unacceptable in a civilized society. A. infringed

B. impeached

C. abrogated

D. quashed

infringe: vi phạm 39. He set one alarm-clock for five o’clock and the other for five past so as to _____ that he did not oversleep. A. assure

B. ensure

C. insure

D. reass

ensure: bảo đảm 40. Improving the overall environmental quality is a long-term battle in which we do want the participation of everyone in society in order to ________ results. A. realize

B. reap

C. bear

D. generate

realize results: thu được kết quả 41. While backpacking in a quiet, traditional region, I came across the seemingly __________ fast food ads typical of my hometown. A. invasive

B. infuriating

C. irritating

D. ubiquitous

ubiquitous: có ở khắp nơi 42. I dislike him so much that I find it difficult even to be _______ to him. 78

A. civil

B. tactful

C. diplomatic

D. well-mannered

civil: lịch sự 43. Leili said she found learning languages as easy as __________. She had a gift for it. A. sliding off a branch

B. falling off a log

C. diving off a climb

D. branching off a bough

as eassy as falling off a log: rất dễ 44. You are going to need her help. If I were you, I’d ___________ a bit. I’d try to get her on my side, you know what I mean. A. soap her down

B. oil her over

C. butter her up

D. grease her out

butter somebody up: nịnh bợ 45. That woman sees nothing _________ in letting her children run around as they wish. A. awry

B. amiss

C. afraid

D. alike

see nothing amiss: không thấy gì sai 46. It looks like she’s really _________ with her successful new business. A. closing a deal

B. moving on up

C. breaking it even D. raking it in

rake it in: kiếm được nhiều tiền 47. There is a great deal of pressure in the newspaper industry; editor might work a 12hour day with no _________. A. come-down

B. letdown

C. crackdown

D. let-up

let-up: sự nghỉ ngơi 48. It was Alice’s year: a new home, a better job - everything just clicked into _________. A. spot

B. position

C. place

click into place: diễn ra thuận lợi 79

D. spaceholes

49. The professor’s _________theory is that singing preceded speech. A. fancied

B. fond

C. pet

D. prefer

pet theory: lý thuyết được chú ý 50. It took me several seconds to grasp the meaning of her statement but finally the ________ dropped. A. penny

B. axe

C. hammer

D. stone

the penny dropped: sáng tỏ 51. Somebody who is foolish or stupid is________ . A. soft in the head

B. riding high

C. over the moon

D. pushing up daisies

soft in the head: ngu ngốc 52. The government is doing all it can to _______ war on dangerous driving. A. launch

B. wage

C. stage

D. battle

wage war on: tuyên chiến với 53. Take care that your love for him doesn't _______ your judgment. A. cloud

B. darken

C. shadow

D. topple

cloud your judgement: làm lu mờ lỳ trí 54. Although the twins look identical, they have widely _______ opinions on almost every topic under the sun. A. distinct

B. dissimilar

C. divergent

D. distinguished

divergent: đối nghịch nhau 55. The children's interest in playing the game soon _______. A. flagged

B. stumbled

C. tottered

flag: giảm (hứng thú) 80

D. thawed

56. The princess's nanny's autobiography really gives the _______ on life among the royals. A. show-down

B. know-how

C. low-down

D. look-out

low-down: sự thật 57. A(n) ________ attempt by the army was quickly foiled. A. coup

B. overthrow

C. overtake

D. mutiny

coup: đảo chính 58. Having gained a ________ victory in the general elections, they proceeded with their ambitious programme. A. galloping

B. staunch

C. landslide

D. close-up

a landslide victory: chiến thắng vang dội 59. It was the most boring, long-________speech I have ever had the misfortune to hear. A. lasting

`

B. winded

C. standing

D. running

long-winded: dài dòng 60. The journey would take ________ fifty minutes. A. give or take

B. about

C. anywhere between

D. in rough

about: khoảng 61. There’s no need to get so ________ about being turned down. There are other advertising agencies out there, you know. A. destitute

B. despondent

C. descendant

D. despicable

despondent: chán nản 62. Many companies have had to ________ their plans for expansion due to the economic recession. A. scrap

B. harbour

C. refrain 81

D. oust

scrap: hủy bỏ 63. I ________ you that this new job is a step up the ladder, but it will mean moving to another part of the country. A. divulge

B. quibble

C. heckle

D. grant

grant sb: phải thừa nhận với ai đó rằng 64. The only thing that ________ the race was Kaba’s accident. A. dismantled

B. scrapped

C. marred

D. frayed

mar: phá hỏng 65. The whole situation is getting out of ________. Let’s do something before it turns into a bitter row. A. capacity

B. charge

C. hand

D. discipline

get out of hand: vượt ngoài tầm kiểm soát 66. The weekend is over, so tomorrow morning it’s back to the________ . A. grind

B. labour

C. drudgery

D. toil

back to the grind: trở về với cuộc sống thường nhật 67. It takes time to get a financial system up and ________ after the introduction of a new currency. A. walking

B. proceeding

C. running

D. going

up and running: hoạt động trôi chảy, trơn tru 68. Life is so full of both good fortune and misfortunes that you have to learn to take the rough with the________. A. smooth

B. ready

C. calm

D. tough

take the rough with the smooth: chịu đựng được gian khổ 69. Stephen really lost his________ when his dental appointment was cancelled yet again. A. head

B. voice

C. calm 82

D. rag

lose one’s rag: giận dữ 70. 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

take it as read: cho là hiển nhiên 71. I don’t believe for a moment that if you play that record backwards, you’ll hear a ________ message in the background. A. subsiding

B. sublingual

C. subliminal

D. telepathic

subliminal: thuộc tiềm thức 72. The festival audience were ________ each other in order to get as near to the stage as possible. A. staggering

B. jostling

C. strolling

D. fidgeting

jostle: xô đẩy 73. -“They say that your wife tends to pry into other people private’s matters.” - “ I don’t care. It’s no skin off my _______” A. palm

B. skull

C. cheek

D. nose

no skin off one’s nose: không phải chuyện của tôi 74. Take the doctor’s advice into consideration. He’s in ________ earnest about the epidemic. A. mortally

B. fatally

C. gravely

D. deadly

in deadly earnest: sốt sắng 75. It’s important to keep your _____ about you when you are walking through the African bush. A. wits

B. heads

C. brains

D. minds

keep your wits about you: cẩn trọng 76. The science teacher asked the class to ______ the results of their experiment on a graph. A. draw

B. illustrate

C. plot 83

D. sketch

plot: biểu thị 77. She's such a ______ of strength that everyone relies on her in a crisis. A. tower

B. pillar

C. post

D. support

a tower of strength: người có thể nhờ vã 78. Tom was able to ______ a pretty picture of the situation and impressed his manager. A. paint

B. draw

C. present

D. make

paint a picture: phác họa hình ảnh 79. It is far too easy to lay the blame ______ on the shoulders of the management. A. flatly

B. willingly

C. squarely

D. perfectly

squarely: trực tiếp 80. David has a(n) ______ to fainting at the sight of blood. A. inclination

B. predilection

C. predisposition

D. penchant

predisposition: tố chất, thói quen 81. The school committee paid ______ to their famous former pupil by naming the new gym after her. A. esteem

B. homage

C. honour

D. respect

pay homage to: tỏ lòng kính trọng 82. After his long illness, the old man appeared so thin and ______ that a gust of wind might have blown him away. A. flimsy

B. faint

C. withered

D. frail

frail: yếu ớt 83. You could tell that she wasn't happy about the news by the way she ______ her face in disapproval. A. came on

B. brought round

C. settled for 84

D. screwed up

screw up one’s face: cau có 84. Going to the unemployment office and having to wait there for hours is a ______ experience. A. soul-destroying

B. heart-stopping

C. power-sharing

D. thought-provoking

soul-destroying: nhàm chán 85. Mr. Newrich invited his guests to an expensive restaurant. However, he felt ______ at ease. A. sick

B. painful

C. ill

D. unwell

ill at ease: không thoải mái 86. The gift, together with the flowers, was a ______of his gratitude and appreciation. A. coupon

B. memento

C. remembrance

D. token

token: sự thể hiện, bày tỏ 87. If she doesn't get what she wants, she throws a ______, stamping her feet and screaming her head off. A. outburst

B. tantrum

C. steam

D. rage

throw a tantrum: giận dữ 88. The ______workers were expecting thousands of refugees to turn up at the camps over the next few weeks. A. social

B. concern

C. relief

D. agency

the relief worker: nhân viên cứu trợ 89. The police have been ______ the district for the murderer, leaving no stone unturned. A. brainwashing

B. penetrating

C. ransacking

D. scouring

scour: lùng sục 90. Despite the fog, we were able to discern a ______of cottages in the distance. 85

A. cluster

B. clutter

C. congregation

D. constellation

cluster: cụm, đám 91. I'm afraid we got our ______crossed. I thought my husband would be picking up the children and he thought I was doing it. A. minds

B. purposes

C. fingers

D. wires

get one’s wires crossed: hiểu sai mục đích 92. Today many people find that the pressure they have at work makes their jobs ________ as they have to put their families totally in the background. A. untenable

B. unforgivable

C. unsustainable

D. unreliable

untenable: không thể tiếp tục được 93. The man’s choice to run away virtually ______ to an admission of guilt. A. devoted

B. came

C. amounted

D. added

amount to: đồng nghĩa với 94. I have to stress that the ______ is on you to bring up your own children. A. duty

B. charge

C. onus

D. liability

the onus is on you: bạn có trách nhiệm 95. She was just an ordinary person before suddenly thrusting into the ______. A. limelight

B. floodlight

C. headlight

D. flashlight

limelight: sự chú ý của công chúng 96. Many people no longer trust their own _____ memories and commit every detail of their lives to some digital device or other and are completely lost without it. A. fallible

B. susceptible

C. vulnerable

D. controllable

fallible: có thể mắc sai sót 97. I associate public transport with one of the worst experiences of my life and the _____ of it is that I will never catch a bus again. 86

A. hard and fast

B. thick and thin

C. long and short

D. ups and downs

long and short: nói tóm gọn là 98. Getting that job did a lot to ______his ego after having been turned down many times. A. boost

B. promote

C. develop

D. accelerate

boost one’s ego: đẩy mạnh sự tự tin 99. My boss is a typical person who has to deal with ___________ activities every day. A. miscellaneous

B. multifarious

C. assorted

D. manifold

multifarious: nhiều 100. Fortunately, her parents were ______ unaware of what was happening to her. A. rapturously

B. exultantly

C. blissfully

blissfully unaware: hoàn toàn không hay biết

87

D. jubilantly

PRACTICE TEST 7 1. I was promised a good job from January this year, but it’s April now and I’m afraid that they are just ____________ me along. A. cheating

B. swindling

C. stringing

D. bringing

string somebody along: lừa 2. Although we now believe this to be impossible, early scientists tried to produce ______ motion machines, that is, machines which would never stop. A. perpetual

B. everlasting

C. undying

D. forever

perpetual: không ngừng nghỉ 4. Mr. Discontent wanted to complain to the waiter but was afraid of making a(n) ______. A. act

B. drama

C. play

D. scene

make a drama: làm lớn chuyện 5. Is an inexperienced civil servant __________ to the task of running the company? A. capable

B. skilled

C. eligible

be suited to: phù hợp với 88

D. suited

6. After the concert, everyone had to ________ home through the snow. A. trace

B. tread

C. trudge

D. trickle

trudge: lê bước 7. The students paid _________ attention to the distinguished professor. A. respectable

B. respected

C. respectful

D. respective

pay respectful attention: thể hiện sự kính trọng 8. Jerry has been burning the midnight ________ over the last few days; his final exam is soon. A. lamp

B. light

C. candle

D. oil

burn the midnight oil: thức khuya làm việc 9. Books taken from the short ________ section are due to be returned the next day. A. borrowing

B. credit

C. loan

D. return

the loan section: mục mượn sách 10. You are bound to find information on the stock market crash of 1987 in the newspaper ________. A. files

B. archives

C. records

D. collections

archives: nơi lưu trữ 11. I knew my mother would ________ a face the minute she saw my new haircut. A. drag

B. lift

C. pull

D. raise

pull the face: nhăn nhó 12. There are a lot of computer programmes nowadays, but really good ones are few and far ________ A. between

B. apart

C. away

D. amongst

few and far between: ít, thưa thớt 13. He is such a kind and caring young boy - he wouldn’t hurt a ________ . 89

A. bird

B. worm

C. fly

D. bug

not hurt a fly: không làm hại ai 14. In the last century, it was widely _______ that Indian fakirs were capable of superhuman feats. A. held

B. grasped

C. kept

D. shaken

it is widely held that: mọi người cho rằng 15. You can buy goods on the Internet with a credit card, but there is a danger of _____ if someone else obtains the number. A. corruption

B. fraud

C. embezzlement

D. disruption

fraud: lừa gạt 16. As he accepted the award from the organization, his voice _____ with emotion. A. quivered

B. flinched

C. cringed

D. winced

quiver: run 17. You say that this small spare part cost you $100? I am sure you paid through the _____ for it. A. eye

B. nose

C. ear

D. lips

pay through the nose: trả giá, mặc cả 18. It was mindless of you to _____ Sam in the face. You should never have done it if you expect him to love you. A. slam

B. clap

C. slap

D. clasp

slap sb in the face: làm phật lòng ai 19. The train service has been a _____ since they introduced the new schedules. A. shambles

B. rumpus

C. chaos

D. fracas

shambles: cảnh hỗn độn 20. Fiona’s offered to help you. Don’t ask why – never look a gift _____ in the mouth. 90

A. horse

B. cow

C. deer

D. dog

look a gift horse in the mouth: từ chối, chê 21. Sandra’s unpleasant _____ suggested that she knew about Amanda’s terrible secret. A. grimace

B. smirk

C. wince

D. snort

smirk: cười đểu, khinh bỉ 22. The altitude _______ his breathing, making him a bit spaced out and disorientated. A. played downed

B. played havoc with

C. played himself in

D. played up to

play havoc with: gây khó khăn 23. These men share a tendency toward balladeering that _______ me the wrong way. A. bothers

B. provokes

C. riles

D. rubs

rub somebody the wrong way: làm ai bực mình 24. I’m afraid the results of the X-ray examination are quite ________. A. undecided

B. indecisive

C. inconclusive

D. irresolute

inconclusive: chưa thể đi đến kết luận 25. A lot of people who have had a ___________ deal in life will show surprising cheerfulness. A. bad

B. rough

C. raw

D. clean

a raw deal: sự đối xử bất công 26 . The accused man was released on _________ pending the hearing of the case. A. deposit

B. bond

C. deposition

D. bail

on bail: được bảo lãnh 27. The main cause of the strike was the management’s refusal to give further consideration to the question of pay ________. 91

A. differences

B. differentials

C. subsides

D. dissimilarities

pay differentials: sự chênh lệch về lương 28. The Chairman ruled the speaker’s question ______. A. out of line

B. out of tune

C. out of order

D. out of condition

out of order: không phù hợp, không đúng mực 29. When several companies showed interest in buying the film rights to his novel, he knew he had __________. A. upped the ante

B. scooped the bag

C. caught the fat one

D. hit the jackpot

hit the jackpot: thành công lớn 30. The tournament isn’t over yet, not by a long ___________. A. talk

B. chalk

C. walk

D. hawk

not by a long chalk: hoàn toàn không 31. The rumour that his job was in jeopardy caused Pete to______ with concern. A. frown

B. beam

C. grimace

D. howl

frown with concern: cau mày 32. Little did I imagine The Amazing Race would entail long-winded journey and ups and downs ____. A. aplenty

B. inexhaustibly

C. profusely

D. superabundant

aplenty: dồi dào 33. It stands to reason that a touch of humor and optimism can work ____. A. on all cylinders

B. spectacles

C. wonders

D. your fingers to the bone

work wonders: có ích 92

34. Researchers have made a(n) ____ plea for more sponsorship so that they can continue their project. A. compassionate

B. dispassionate

C. encompassed

D. impassioned

impassioned: mãnh liệt, mạnh mẽ 35. At first, she was ____ dumbfounded to hear that he wanted to break up, and then came the stirring of autohypnotic perturbation. A. exceedingly

B. out-and-out

C. somewhat

D. utterly

utterly: hoàn toàn 36. In the hands of a reckless driver, a car becomes a ____ weapon. A. lethal

B. fatal

C. mortal

D. venal

a lethal weapon: vũ khí chết người 37. It’s a shame they did not pick you, but it does not ____ out the possibility that you might get a job in a different department. A. rule

B. strike

C. cancel

D. draw

rule out: loại trừ 38. There’s a small hard ____ on my wrist. I think I’d better see the doctor. A. swelling

B. lump

C. bruise

D. rash

lump: cái bướu 39. At first Tom insisted he was right, but then began to ____. A. back down

B. follow up

C. drop off

D. break up

C. deferred

D. delayed

back down: nhường bước 40. The decision was ____to a later meeting. A. cancelled

B. arranged

defer: hoãn lại 41. Tempers began to ____ as the lorries forced their way through the picket lines. 93

A. break

B. fray

C. grate

D. fire

fray: phát cáu lên 42. The old ship will be towed into harbour and ____ . A. broken up

B. broken down

C. broken in

D. broken off

break up: tháo dỡ 43. Making private calls on the office phone is severely____on in our department. A. frowned

B. criticised

C. regarded

D. objected

be frown on: không được tán thành, chỉ trích 44. Apart from the ____ cough and cold. I’ve been remarkably healthy all my life. A. odd

B. opportune

C. irregular

D. timely

odd: lặt vặt 45. The company was declared bankrupt when it had ____ more debts than it could hope to repay. A. inflicted

B. incurred

C. entailed

D. evolved

incur debts: mắc mợ 46. Architectural pressure groups fought unsuccessfully to save a terrace of eighteenth century houses from ____ . A. disruption

B. abolition

C. demolition

D. dismantling

demolition: sự phá hủy 47. Before I went to drama school, I had to ____ quite a lot of family pressure for me to study medicine. A. resist

B. restrain

C. refuse

D. reconcile

resist: chịu đựng 48. Strong protests were made ____ with demands for an international enquiry. A. joined

B. added

C. coupled 94

D. included

couple with: kết hợp với 49. What her problems all seemed to ____ to was lack of money. A. analyse

B. condense

C. boil down

D. sum up

boil down to: qui cho là 50. The picture looked very impressive but in fact it had been____________from another. A. imitated

B. emulated

C. copied

D. faked

copy: sao chép 51. The archaeologist was amazed to sse that the body hadn’t____________at all. A. mouldered

B. rotted

C. wasted

D. decomposed

decompose: phân hủy 52. We put some____________of bread out everyday for the birds. A. chips

B. crumbs

C. cubes

D. slivers

crumbs of bread: vụn bánh mì 53. I found the information for the project in the encyclopedia but I couldn’t give ____________and verse on it. A. chapter

B. unit

C. poem

D. extract

give chapter and verse: đưa ra thông tin chính xác, chi tiết 54. Speaking about his long battle with his illness struck a ____________with the audience. A. wire

B. string

C. rope

D. chord

strike a chord: nói đúng tâm lí 55. He is not under arrest, nor have police placed any ____________on his movements. A. obstacle

B. restriction

C. veto

restriction: sự hạn chế 95

D. regulation

56. The entire staff was thrown off ____________when the news of the takeover was announced. A. composure

B. disarray

C. stable

D. balance

be throwned off balance: bối rối, mất bình tĩnh 57. I’m not sure I can answer that. I’ve only thought about it in the ____________before. A. general

B. hypothetical

C. indefinite

D. abstract

think about something in the abstract: nghĩ chung chung 58. The matter has been left in____________until the legal ramifications have been explored. A. recess

B. suspension

C. abeyance

D. waiting

in abeyance: hoãn lại 59. Could I pick your ____________on the subject before the meeting? A. brains

B. mind

C. head

D. intellect

pick one’s brains: hỏi ý kiến 60. The modification has been the _______ on the cake for both of us, for a lot of hard work has gone into the design and development of the course. A. chilling

B. cooling

C. freezing

D. icing

the icing on the cake: một tin mừng hay điều tốt đẹp 61. Annabel and Insidious 3 are not James Wan’s best movies by far and those would be _______ between any of the other sequels on air, but they are pretty incredible. A. kiss-offs

B. summings-up

C. tip-offs

D. toss-ups

toss-up: sự lựa chọn 62. You shouldn’t have been _______ to your elders by raising those matters. A. ill-mannered

B. immaterial

C. impertinent

impertinent: xấc xược 96

D. inapposite

63. Should you fail, the sacrifices made by your family would be meaningless and reside _______. A. on your conscience

B. at your wits’ end

C. off your own boat

D. under your thumb

on your conscience: hối lỗi 64. Many Americans refused to fall in with the idea that religion is a(n) _______ disreputable anachronism. A. academically

B. cerebrally

C. cognitively

D. intellectually

intellectually: trí thức 65. She expects the political experience gained in this election will stand her in good _______ in her future career, which, she suggests, could include another campaign. A. footing

B. grounding

C. precedent

D. stead

stand someone in good stead: có lợi cho ai 66. I ran into an unknown in the gap-filling exercise, but I did try and _______ the gap. A. held on

B. hang out

C. pressed on

D. stuck at

stick at: đương đầu với khó khăn 67. I was out of __________ with you on this matter, but let’s not quarrel about it. A. empathy

B. harmony

C. keeping

D. sympathy

out of sympathy: không đồng tình 68. Poor management brought village shops to teeter _______ of collapse although community-owned shops, Internet retailing and home delivery schemes were becoming more popular. A. in the teeth

B. on the brink

C. on the razor’s edge

D. on the threshold

on the brink: bên bờ vực 69. Our lecturer _______ the importance of taking notes 97

A. reincarnated

B. reiterated

C. rehabilitated

D. reciprocated

reiterate: lặp đi lặp lại 70. The contemporary dialogue for me struck a slightly _______ note. A. disembodied

B. discordant

C. dismissive

D. disconcerting

discordant: chói tai 71. Both of the jobs I’ve been offered are fantastic opportunities – I’m in such _______! A. a constituency

B. a deviation

C. an arrhythmia

D. a quandary

in a quandary: ở vào tình thế khó xử 72. Sharon is such a positive person – she _______ her problems, whatever they are. A. goes light on

B. throws light to

C. makes light of

D. sheds light upon

make light of: xem nhẹ 73. After hearing news of the attack, the general made plans for an immediate _______ against the enemy. A. compilation

B. retaliation

C. accumulation

D. incantation

retaliation: trả thù 74. He didn’t mean to be offensive; it was quite an _______ remark. A. innocuous

B. indehiscent

C. incendiary

D. insidious

innocuous: vô hại 75. Serena is still _______ ignorant of the fact that she is about to be made redundant. A. blissfully

B. decorously

C. jubilantly

D. ecstatically

blissfully ignorant: hoàn toàn không nhận biết 76. No decision has been taken about the building of the new airport. The authorities are still _______. A. beating about the bush

B. comparing apples and oranges 98

C. sitting on the fence

D. holding all the aces

sit on the fence: lưỡng lự 77. Oil spills will _______ even the healthiest of marine ecosystem. A. play havoc on

B. break ground with

C. pay the consequences for

D. take their toll on

take their toll on: gây thiệt hại 78. Congratulations on your success! How does it feel to be_______? A. the man of the hour

B. a word of honor

C. an egg on the face

D. the top of the morning

the man of the hour: người được ngưỡng mộ, ngợi ca 79. She was so _____ about my ambition to be an actress that I really wish I hadn’t confided in her. A. ridiculous

B. ironical

C. droll

D. sarcastic

sarcastic: mỉa mai 80. The two men had a disagreement when they first met. That disagreement _______ the scene for the lifelong hostility between them. A laid

B arranged

C prepared

D set

set the scene: gây ra 81. This will cause all sorts of problems. ~ I know. It’s a _______ for disaster. A. recipe

B. ingredient

C. receipt

D. reason

C. go ahead

D. I wouldn't say no

a recipe for disaster: điều gây ra thảm họa 82.

A: He thinks the exam will be easy. B: Oh, _________.

A. if you like

B. famous last words 99

famous last words: dùng để chỉ những lời quá tự tin, người nói sẽ cảm thấy hối tiếc 83. We had to _______ in the back of the car for an hour to find the missing keys. A. bed out

B. ransack

C. root around

D. turn upside down

root around: tìm kiếm 84. If the basket is removed with more citric acid added, it may be used to manufacture or _______ alcohol. A. amend

B. patch up

C. rectify

D. remedy

rectify: tinh cất 85. They spend so much time arguing that, when it comes to the _______, decisions are often deferred. A. crunch

B. outcry

C. panic stations

D. uproar

when it comes to the crunch: đến lúc cần hành động 86. We were bitterly disappointed when our team were _______ to the second division from the first. A. allocated

B. designated

C. relegated

D. stipulated

relegate: rớt hạng 87. Working night shifts at the weekend is _______ of any job in hospitality. A. cut and thrust

B. ebb and flow

C. nuts and bolts

D. part and parcel

part and parcel: phần quan trọng 88. Materialism traps us _______ in a world of possessions hag-ridden by irrational fears of likely loss and lurking dangers. A. impromptu

B. off the cuff

C. on a whim

D. unawares

unawares: bất ngờ, không báo trước 89. Although she had been told quite _______ to pull herself together, she simply couldn’t stop crying. A. rigidly

B. sternly

C. unrelentingly 100

D. unsympathetically

sternly: nghiêm khắc 90. He was highly knowledgeable on the areas. Many would say he was something of a _______. A. novice

B. probationer

C. tenderfoot

D. veteran

veteran: người từng trải 91. The ______________ in our building often falls asleep at the front desk. A. caretaker

B. stockbroker

C. undertaker

D. bookmaker

caretaker: người trông nom 92. Police blamed a small hooligan______ in the crowd for the violence which occurred. A. constituent

B. element

C. division

D. portion

element: thành phần 93. He was arrested for trying to pass______ notes at the bank. A. camouflaged

B. fake

C. counterfeit

D. fraudulent

counterfeit: giả 94. It was such a shock to receive a letter like that________ A.in the red

B. out of the blue

C.in the pink

D. over the moon

out of the blue: bất ngờ 95. Mr Wellbred went to a school which______ good manners and self-discipline. A. blossomed

B. planted

C. harvested

D. cultivated.

cultivate good manners: nuôi dưỡng nhân cách 96. The smell of the burnt cabbage was so __________ that it spread to every room. A. pervasive

B. effusive

C. extensive

D. diffuse

pervasive: lan tỏa khắp nơi 97. If the terrorists are not sent to prison, there will be a public ______ 101

A. attack

B. onslaught

C. recrimination

D. outcry

outcry: sự phản đối 98. She was in the office all of Wednesday and so has a ___________ alibi. A. stale

B. considerable

C. broad

D. cast-iron

a cast-iron aliibi: chứng cơ ngoại phạm vững chắc 99. Her dishonety served as a ____________ to the speedy termination of her employment. A. catastrophe

B. catharsis

C. catalepsy

D. catalyst

catalyst: sự gây ra, chất xúc tác 100. In his speech he made a flattering ______ to your work. A. allusion

B. appetite

C. application

allusion: lời ám chỉ

102

D. applause

PRACTICE TEST 8 1. If we _________ over the details, we’ll never finish filming this episode by today. A. niggle

B. discuss

C. huddle

D. mob

nigglve over: bực mình 2. The camel has adapted to survive in an _____________ environment like the desert for many days without water. A. acidic

B. alkaline

C. arid

D. avid

arid: khô cằn 3. My manager is a typical working mother who has to deal with ___________ activities every day. A. miscellaneous

B. multifarious

C. many

D. manifold

multifarious: nhiều 4. He'll have to buckle ________ to his work soon if he wants to pass his finals. A. up

B. in

C. down

buckle down to work: bắt đầu làm việc chăm chỉ 5. He spoke well though it was his _________ speech. 103

D. for

A. first-hand

B. maiden

C. slurred

D. prime

C. fruit

D. vegetable

maiden: đầu tiên 6. In his ___________days he was quite dandy. A. salad

B. green

in salad days: thời trẻ 7. What ________ the smoke and the noise, the party made me feel quite ill. A. if

B. with

C. through

D. of

what with the smoke and the noise: nào là khói và tiếng ồn 8. Speed limits on the road ________ to protect pedestrians as well as motorists. A. serve

B. prove

C. succeed

D. intend

serve: giúp 9. Tax ________ deprives the state of several million pounds a year. A. retention

B. desertion

C. escapism

D. evasion

tax evasion: trốn thuế 10. What are you going to do when all you money ________. A. runs down

B. runs deep

C. runs dry

D. runs short

money runs dry: hết tiền 11. Fred says that his present job does not provide him with enough ________ for his organising ability. A. scope

B. space

C. capacity

D. range

scope: cơ hội 12. A few political extremists ________the crowd to attack the police. A. animated

B. agitated

C. incited

incite: xúi giục, kích động 104

D. stirred

13. Some people can_________out of their shyness as soon as they are 20. A. move

B. change

C. grow

D. turn

grow out of shyness: không còn ngượng 13. Please don’t talk about the day – I want to__________it all behind me. A. block

B. stir

C. summon

D. put

put it all behind me: bỏ lại phía sau mọi thứ 14. Advertisers often aim their campaigns at young people as they have considerable spending___________? A. power

B. strength

C. force

D. ability

spending power: khả năng chi tiêu 15. The weather is usually mild, although we sometimes get a cold________at he beginning of the year. A. spell

B. term

C. interval

D. wave

cold spell: khoảng thời gian thời tiết lạnh 16. He had a ___________ escape since the bullet came within inches of his head. A. slender

B. close

C. near

D. narrow

have a narrow escape: sự thoát nạn trong gang tấc 17. I can’t tell you the exact amount, but I can give you a ______ estimate. A. smooth

B. tidy

C. rough

D. similar

have a rough estimate: sự phỏng tính 18. ______benefits include a new car and free health insurance. A.Well

B. Fringe

C. Edge

fringe benefits: phụ cấp 19. You haven’t heard all the facts so don’t________to conclusion. 105

D.Verge

A. walk

B. go

C. fly

D. jump

jump to conclusion: đi đến kết luận 20. I really cannot believe that anyone would ______ to such underhand tactics. A. dabble

B. stoop

C. reach

D. conceive

stoop: cúi xuống, hạ mình 21. Dominant individuals may use ______ gestures to underline their power. A. submissive

B. expansive

C. flirtatious

D. nervous

expansive: đa dạng, nhiều 22. Andrew’s ______ was to only tell his mother bad news when she was busy so that she would have less chance to react. A. tactics

B. intent

C. ploy

D. threat

ploy: mánh khóe 23. A sharp frost ______ the beginning of winter. A. advertised

B. predicted

C. heralded

D. showed

herald: báo trước 24. The old man led a ______ existence after she left and refused even to see his children. A. reclusive

B. deserted

C. remote

D. vacant

reclusive: ẩn dật 25. They’re having serious problems. Their relationship is on the _______. A. cliffs

B. rocks

C. stones

D. grass

their relationship is on the rocks: mối quan hệ bị rạn nứt 26. The renewed interest in Elizabethan times is evident in the _______ of new Hollywood films set during that period. A. spate

B. hypocrisy

C. transience 106

D. demise

in the spate of: nhiều 27. Religion and politics interest him almost ________. A. equally

B. the same

C. similarly

D. alike

equally: như nhau 28. Our salesmen normally _______ their travel expenses from the company. A. settle

B. reimburse

C. cover

D. claim

claim: đòi 29. A property company was making a take-over ________ for the supermarket site. A. proposition

B. bid

C. tender

D. proposal

make a take-over bid: ra giá để mua lại 30. At first the children enjoyed the game but quite soon the novelty ________. A. went off

B. died out

C. wore off

D. died down

wear off: mất dần 31. The train _______ the bay and then turned inland for twenty miles. A. coasted

B. skirted

C. edged

D. sided

skirt: đi vòng quanh 32. I’m not keen on _______ control of the project to a relative newcomer. A. undertaking

B. charging

C. entrusting

D. allotting

entrust: giao phó 33. I’m _______to listen to your pathetic excuses,” She said. A. sick and tired

B. in no mood

C. having enough

D. sick to death

in no mood: không có tâm trạng 34. “There’s no need to stand on ceremony, _______in,” said a disembodied voice from the kitchen. 107

A. plough

B. burrow

C. fork

D. dig

dig in: bắt đầu ăn 35. It was _______ by chance that we managed to find her. A. sheerly

B. purely

C. plainly

D. highly

purely by chance: hoàn toàn tình cờ 36. I wish you would stop sitting on the_______and decide whose side you’re on. A. fence

B. crossroads

C. wall

D. middle

sit on the fence: lưỡng lự 37. Within minutes the building was_______.in flames. A. engulfed

B. engrossed

C. engaged

D. entangled

be engulfed in flames: chìm trong biển lửa 38. The price of bread has just doubled, but with. _______ inflation what can you expect A. rampant

B. steadfast

C. profuse

D. staunch

rampant inflation: lạm phát tăng cao 39. He’s a nice guy, always already to do somebody a good _______. A. present

B. play

C. turn

D. pleasure

do somebody a good turn: giúp đỡ ai 40. Young children often ask many questions because they are naturally _______. A. intriguing

B. inquisitive

C. ingenious

D. captivating

inquisitive: hiếu kì 41. The rather humid climate in no way_______ from the beauty of place A. subtracts

B. protracts

C. detracts

detract from: làm giảm

108

D. attracts

42. Don’t thank me for helping in the garden. It was _______pleasure to be working out of doors. A. plain

B. mere

C. simple

D. sheer

sheer pleasure: niềm vui 42. My sunburnt nose made me feel rather _______for the first few days of the holiday. A. self-effacing

B. self-centred

C. self- conscious

D. self-evident

self-conscious: xấu hổ 43. The peace of the public library was _______by the sound of transistor radio A. smashed

B. fractured

C. demolished

D. shattered

shatter: phá tan 44. Anticipating renewed rioting, the authorities erected _______to block off certain streets. A. barrages

B. barricades

C. ditches

D. dykes

barricade: vật chướng ngại 45. With their modern, lightweight boat, they soon _______ the older vessels in the race A. outstripped

B. caught up

C. overran

D. exceeded

outstrip: bỏ xa 46. The accused man was able to prove his innocence at the trial and was ___. A. absolved

B. forgiven

C. acquitted

D. abandoned

acquit: tha bổng 47. Luckily my wallet was handed in to the police with all its contents ___. A. preserved

B. unscathed

C. contained

D. intact

intact: nguyên vẹn 48. According to a Government spokesman, further ___ in the public sector are to be expected. 109

A. cutbacks

B. breakdowns

C. outtakes

D. layouts

cutback: sự cắt giảm 49. Don’t get yourself ___ up over such a trivial matter A. done

B. worried

C. whipped

D. worked

get yourself worked up over: bận tâm 50. There was a lot of ___ as throngs of people tried to see the famous actor walking through the mall. A. stamina

B. discipline

C. counsel

D. commotion

commotion: sự rối loạn, hỗn độn 51. When the ship docked at Hamburg, they found a(n) ___ in the hold. A. gate-crasher

B. stowaway

C. interloper

D. trespasser

stowaway: người đi lậu vé 52. He wants to pay the bill himself, but I won’t hear ___ it. A. from

B. about

C. of

D. for

hear of: chấp nhận 53. When his parents are away, his eldest brother ___. A. kocks it off

B. calls the shots

C. draws the line

D. is in the same boat

call the shot: chỉ huy 54. They lived in a thatched cottage in a ________ village in the heart of the English countryside. A. dense

B. conventional

C. lush

D. quaint

quaint: cổ 55. As they travelled across the________ landscape, each one of them wondered how it was possible to grow anything there. 110

A. barren

B. bustling

C. grimy

D. mundane

barren: cằn cỗi 56. Elena is a________ talented singer and has already had three successful albums. A. deeply

B. perceptibly

C. remarkably

D. absolutely

remarkably: nổi bật 57. John and Sarah lived in the back of________ and it always took us a whole day to drive there. A. the country

B. isolation

C. nowhere

D. beyond

in the back of beyond: ở nơi xa xôi hẻo lánh 58. The new restaurant in town has a wonderfully relaxing ________. A. ambience

B. environment

C. impression

D. attitude

ambience: bầu không khí, môi trường 59. The manager was forced to make a________ decision while he was under pressure and it was one he would live to regret. A. fresh

B. close

C. snap

D. bitter

make a snap decision: quyết định nhanh 60. The new company had been________ with one problem after another and looked as if it were about to go under. A. glorified

B. tainted

C. fraught

D. bewildered

be fraught with one problem: gặp phải vấn đề 61. Don’t take your mobile phone with you to the exam, the examiners will ________ it if they find it on you. A. seize

B. spurn

C. confiscate

D. toil

confiscate: tịch thu 62. It’s best to meet your problems ________ and solve them before they get worse. 111

A. eye-on

B. hair-on

C. nose-on

D. head-on

meet your problems head-on: đối mặt với vấn đề 63. He will be sue for __________ of contract if he does not do what he promised A. breach

B. fracture

C. crack

D. rupture

breach of contract: vi phạm hợp đồng 64. When people live in such close __________ to each other, there are bound to be occasional problems A. neighborhood

B. vicinity

C. position

D. proximity

proximity: sự gần gũi 65. The __________ were stacked against them but they survived their ordeal. A. fates

B. hopes

C. odds

D. chances

the odds were stacked against them: mọi thứ đều chống lại họ 66. Tragedy __________ yesterday when a man was swept out to sea by a freak wave. A. struck

B. sparked

C. hit

D. came

tragedy strikes: thảm họa ập tới 67. I always take my lucky _________with me into an exam. A. sign

B. item

C. charm

D. spell

lucky charm: bùa may mắn 68. Why are all your clothes in a __________on the floor? A. bulk

B. heap

C. batch

D. sum

in a heap: chất thành đống 69. Sending out e-mails that people haven’t asked for to ______addresses is often known. A. sufficient

B. countless

C. widespread

multiple addressed: nhiều địa chỉ 112

D. multiple

70. We all have to follow the rules, and none of us is ________ the law. A. beyond

B. over

C. above

D. onto

above the law: ngoài vòng pháp luật 71. I’m not sure if I’m doing it right, but I’ll try to ___________ahead with it anyway. A. drive

B. bang

C. touch

D. press

press ahead: đối mặt 72. The extensive winds that have been ________ Florida will move away as the weekend draws to a close. A. battering

B. punching

C. cracking

D. thumping

the winds batter: gió ập tới, tấn công 73. Some great men have had an __________ school record. A. undistinguished B. indistinguishable

C. extinguished

D. indistinct

undistinguished: bình thường, không nổi bật 74. She didn’t want me to go with her to the party in case I ________ her style. A. restricted

B. impeded

C. obstructed

D. cramped

cramp: cản trở 75. ________ edge technology is a category of technologies so new that they could have a high risk of being unreliable. A. Cutting

B. Bleeding

C. Tearing

D. Surging

bleeding edge techonogy: công nghệ hiện đại (có thể gây ra phiền phức) 76. You've got a whole week to yourself and you can read to your heart's ________. A. happiness

B. content

C. contentment

D. delight

to one’s heart’s content: nhiều như bạn muốn 77. We intend this to be a(n) ________ project, taking us into the next decade. 113

A. constant

B. incessant

C. steady

D. ongoing

ongoing: vẫn đang tiếp tục 78. I'd like to reserve ________ until I see the report. A. condemnation

B. thought

C. criticism

D. judgement

reserve judgement: không nói ra quan điểm của mình 79. After a few years in one place, I get ________ feet A. itchy

B. scratchy

C. sore

D. light

get itchy feet: muốn đi đây đi đó 80. It seems like ________ justice that he should lose his house as well as his wife. A. poetic

B. only

C. small

D. rough

rough justice: sự không công bằng 81. At the moment the election seems balanced on a ________ edge. A. razor

B. knife

C. cliff

D. chair

on a knife edge: không chắc chắn, mọi thứ đều có thể xảy ra 82. A gun battle broke out which ________ in the death of two police officers. A. culminated

B. erupted

C. escalated

D. concluded

culminate: cực điểm là gây ra 83. The only ________ feature of the job is the salary. A. saving

B. redeeming

C. recovering

D. acquitting

redeeming: bù lại 84. Let me take care of the invitations—you've enough ________ with the caterers. A. on your hands B. in hand

C. at her hand

have enough on your hands: bạn đã đủ mệt với

114

D. at hand

85. I am sorry to have bothered you. I was under the ________ that you wanted me to call you. A. mistake

B. miscalculation

C. misconception

D. misapprehension

under the misapprehension: hiểu nhầm 86. If the work-force respected you, you wouldn’t need to ________ your authority so often A. assert

B. affirm

C. maintain

D. inflict

assert authority: sử dụng quyền lực 87. The economic situation makes many people unwilling to take the ________and open their own businesses. A. initiative

B. bull

C. plunge

D. opportunity

take the plunge: mạo hiểm 88. Roy________the depths of despair when his wife left him A. plumbs

B. reaches

C. fills

D. achieves

plumb the depths of despair: tuyệt vọng cùng cực 89. I’ll keep you ________ on his progress. A. noticed

B. announced

C. mailed

D. posted

keep somebody posted: cung cấp thông tin cho ai 90. She has a(n) ________ mind which kept her alert and well-informed even in old age. A. examining

B. demanding

C. enquiring

D. querying

enquiring: ham học hỏi 91. Rather than be ________ by complaints from others, you can learn how to deal with them with tact and grace. A. overrun

B. overcome

C. overwhelmed 115

D. overhauled

overwhelm: bối rối 92. Several of the advertising hoardings had been ________ by anti-sexist slogans. A. deleted

B. mutilated

C. erased

D. defaced

deface: phá hoại danh tiếng 93. Only after buying the cottage did we discover that it was ________ with mice. A. inflicted

B. infested

C. invaded

D. infected

be infested with: đầy 94. The protesters were ordered to ________ and calm was restored to the area. A. dissolve

B. scatter

C. disperse

D. dislocate

disperse: giải tán 95. Rescuers cast a ________ to the drowning man and hauled him out of the sea. A. lifeguard

B. lifeboat

C. lifeline

D. lifesaver

lifeline: dây an toàn 96. In terms of loss of human life, the cost of a third world war is ________. A. absurd

B. bizarre

C. uncanny

D. unthinkable

unthinkable: không tưởng tượng được 97. Disagreements among party members have led to a major political ________. A. tussle

B. wrangle

C. scrap

D. squabble

wrangle: cuộc tranh cãi 98. I was ________ when I heard that the MP for Burnham had been arrested for fraud. A. leveled

B. floored

C. hurled

D. heaved

floored: ngạc nhiên, bối rối 99. Trent’s theory rested on such a dubious scientific ________ that most rejected it outright. 116

A. footing

B. grip

C. balance

D. traction

footing: nền tảng, cơ sở 100. Fewer supporters attended the political ________ than had been expected. A. gathering

B. assembly

C. ally

D. convention

ally: đồng minh

PRACTICE TEST 9 1. Their decision on whether I get the job or not will be based mostly on my academic ________. A. reputation

B. credits

C. credentials

D. standing

credentials: năng lực, bằng cấp 2. Having sacked three employees, the boss was obliged to provide each with ________ pay. A. retirement

B. unemployment

C. dismissal

D. severance

severance pay: tiền bồi thường 3. James could no longer bear the ________ surroundings of the decrepit old house. 117

A. oppressive

B. pressing

C. domineering

D. overbearing

oppressive: ngột ngạt 4. Critics agree that Trevor Richmond gave a particularly ________ performance as King Lear. A. holding

B. arresting

C. apprehensive

D. detaining

arresting: lôi cuốn 5. She found the novel absolutely ________ and impossible to put down. A. riveting

B. pinning

C. enfastening

D. nailing

riveting: lôi cuốn 6. Every room in the hotel was characterized by shabby furmiture and ________ lighting. A. morose

B. negative

C. sullen

D. glum

glum: buồn bã 7. Having beaten all six challengers, he is now the ________champion of the world. A. undisputed

B. unchallenged

C. unquestioned

D. unaccosted

undisputed: không thể bác bỏ 8. Ben thought it pointless to swim against the ________ as the vast majority of guests clearly wanted to go to the party. A. tide

B. flow

C. wind

D. drift

swim against the tide: chống lại 9. Turning on his ________ lights would have alerted other drivers to his presence at roadside. A. danger

B. risk

C. hazard

D. peril

hazard light: đèn báo hiệu 10. She was very frustrated, but didn’s say anything because she didn’t want to ________ the boat. 118

A. shake

B. rattle

C. rock

D. roll

rock the boat: gây phiền phức 11. I am sick of hearing the same old ________ in meetings. A. plentitudes

B. placidities

C. pliabilities

D. platitudes

platitude: điều vô vị 12. She had a(n) ________ interest in holding a seperate bank account. A. vested

B. invested

C. shadowed

D. implied

vested interest: quyền lợi được đảm bảo 13. The Prime Minister gave a(n) ________ response to the question. A. evading

B. invasive

C. evasive

D. invading

evasive: thoái thác 14. He didn’t mean to be offensive; it was quite a(n) ________ remark. A. innocuous

B. inaugural

C. integral

D. insidious

innocuous: vô hại 15. State pensions are currently at the centre of a(n) ________ debate. A. scorching

B. exploded

C. fiery

D. flamed

a fiery debate: cuộc tranh cãi dữ dội 16. In the director’s opinion, it was high time the actress began to ________ her age. A. be

B. reach

C. act

D. perform

act one’s age: cư xử phù hợp với lứa tuổi 17. My hopes of becoming a lawyer ________ when I failed my A levels. A. cracked

B. crumbled

C. crashed

D. smashed

crumble: sụp đổ 18. What ‘s done is done. It’s ________ wondering if you could have prevented it. 119

A. helpless

B. valueless

C. futile

D. antiquated

futile: vô ích 19. He realized that his fondness for her was turning into a foolish ________. A. fascination

B. infection

C. infatuation

D. affliction

infutuation: sự say đắm 20. A special feature of the room is the huge picture window which ________ a splendid view of the Quantock hills. A. allows

B. affords

C. enables

D. presents

afford: mang lại, tạo 21. Our plans to start our own business seem ________ to failure. A. doomed

B. fated

C. compelled

D. designed

doomed to failure: bị thất bại 22. He thought that if he admitted he was afraid of swimming, he would lose ________ with his friend. A. weight

B. nerve

C. face

D. regard

lose face with: mất mặt 23. When I left the office, I was ________ with indignation at the treatment I had received. A. seething

B. overflowing

C. stewing

D. spinning

seething with: sôi sục, giận dữ 24. If he hadn’t shown such a(n) ________ disregard for company regulations by smoking while on duty, he wouldn’t have been dismissed. A. callous

B. blatant

C. dire

D. abject

blatant: trơ trẽn 25. The new round of negotiations is hoped to ________ the deadlock in the Middle East. 120

A. break

B. remove

C. dispense

D. unite

break the deadlock: phá vỡ sự bế tắc 26. This savage war had ________ this beautiful country waste and left many of its inhabitants homeless. A. cast

B. grown

C. laid

D. set

lay sth waste: tàn phá 27. Your leftist ________ in the face of our party programme, so you d’ better drop them or find another party for yourself. A. fly

B. run

C. turn

D. look

fly in the face of: chống đối 28. A lot of scorn has been ________ on the Canadian seal hunters for their merciless practices A. blamed

B. launched

C. poured

D. fixed

pour scorn on: chỉ trích 29. We ‘ve had to quit our coopertaion with this wholesaler as we could never ________ a bargain. He asked for more than we could offer. A. strike

B. hit

C. beat

D. knock

strike a bargain: thỏa thuận 30. The final decision has already been taken, so there’s no use in your ________ the toss. A. arguing

B. disapproving

C. dismissing

D. quarelling

argue: tranh luận 31. One might think you were ________ liberties with me. I don't like it when you make free with my lawn mower. You should at least ask when you want to borrow it. A. placing

B. making

C. taking

take liberties with: tùy tiện 121

D. finding

32. What the secretary says doesn’t necessarily ________ much weight, but you should never disobey your director’s instructions. A. play

B. carry

C. hold

D. mean

carry much weight: có tầm ảnh hưởng lớn 33. Environmentalists have no political ________ to grind - they just want to save the planet. A. axe

B. stone

C. hammer

D. tool

have axe to grind: có mục đích cá nhân 34. After spending weeks constructing my project, I was thrilled to ________ the day at the science fair. A. succeed

B. run

C. carry

D. take

carry the day: thắng lợi 35. I had ________ my hopes on this promotion, so I was crushed when I didn't get it. A. clipped

B. nailed

C. stuck

D. pinned

pin my hopes on: đặt nhiều hi vọng 36. Thank you for paying me back—now we can ________ it quits. A. name

B. call

C. consider

D. state

call it quits: không ai nợ ai 37. She looked confused for a moment, then suddenly the ________ dropped. A. pound

B. coin

C. quid

D. penny

the penny dropped: sáng tỏ 38. She said she was late because her flight was canceled, and we gave her the ________ of the doubt. A. right

B. point

C. benefit

give somebody the benefit of the doubt: quyết định tin ai đó 122

D. value

39. Catherine ________ spots off the other kids in the spelling bee. A. won

B. knocked

C. drew

D. beat

knock spots off: vượt trội 40. I love these pants because they fit like a ________ and they're so comfortable. A. suit

B. sock

C. glove

D. shirt

fit like a glove: vừa vặn 41. You should know better than to wear a skirt like that to a formal dinner—it is simply not the ________ thing! A. made

B. found

C. done

D. held

not the done thing: không được chấp nhận 42. A: "I'm getting paid to stay in my neighbour's mansion while they're on holiday. " B: "Wow, that'll be money for old ________!" A. rope

B. wire

C. string

D. line

money for old rope: tiền kiếm được 1 cách dễ dàng 43. He’s had his ________ into me for months, and every time I make a mistake, he tells my boss. A. dagger

B. knife

C. hatchet

D. axe

have one’s knife into somebody: hãm hại 44. Just ________ put with the suitcases, while I go and find a cab. A. be

B. hold

C. keep

D. stay

stay put: ở tại chỗ 45. A: Sometimes this job frustrates me so much I could just break down in tears. B.: Keep a ________ upper lip. Things are bound to improve. A. hard

B. tight

C. stiff 123

D. loose

keep a stiff upper lip: giữ bình tĩnh 46. I can't believe you ________ the gaff and talked about the plans for her surprise party right to her face! A. burst

B. blew

C. split

D. banged

blow the gaff: tình cờ tiết lộ bí mật 47. As computer technology improves, it's ironically getting harder and harder to find a piece of equipment that can ________ the test of time. A. stand

B. live

C. bear

D. endure

stand the test of the time: trường tồn với thời gian 48. I was worried when my boyfriend and uncle started arguing over their different political views, but luckily they found common ________ when discussing their favorite TV shows. A. base

B. term

C. ground

D. field

find common ground: tìm được điểm chung 49. I can't stand his behaviour. It is very easy for him to ________ off the handle. A. rush

B. jump

C. move

D. fly

fly off the handle: nổi giận 50. I wish I could convey how much it means to me having you all here, but words ________ me at the moment. A. miss

B.abandon

C. leave

D. fail

words fail me: không nói nên lời 51. I had to set Stephen ________ after I realized that he'd been operating the machinery wrong this whole time. A. clear

B. straight

C. aware

D. familiar

set somebody straight: giúp ai hiểu vấn đề 52. I didn't want to believe it, but in my ________ of hearts I knew that it was true. 124

A. depth

B. bottom

C. soul

D. heart

in my heart of hearts: trong thâm tâm 53. Unions accept free accommodation and travel, yet they would scream ________ murder if the same was received by politicians. A. red

B.blue

C. yellow

D. black

scream blue murder: la om sòm 54. I grew up in California, so when I moved to Minnesota, I felt like I stuck out ________. A. a kilometre

B. an inch

C. a yard

D. a mile

stick out a mile: rõ ràng 55. I only caught a ________ glimpse of the driver of the getaway car, but I know I would recognize her if I saw her again. A. fleeting

B. rushing

C. rushing

D. flying

catch a fleeting glimpse of: thoáng thấy 56. Mary is completely hard and selfish—she doesn't have the ________ of human kindness in her. A. cream

B. oil

C. milk

D. water

the milk of human kindness: lòng tốt 57. Sorry, I can’t seem to get my brain into ________ this morning. A. wheel

B. starter

C. clutch

D. gear

get sth into gear: hoạt động bình thường 58. Your jokes are perfect for your speech tonight. You'll have them ________ in the aisles! A. falling

B. rolling

C. jumping

roll in the aisles: cười ngặt nghẽo 125

D. turning

59. I've had some good winnings at blackjack, but I don't think I should ________ my luck any further. A. press

B. bend

C. tease

D. push

push my luck: mạo hiểm 60. I don't care if I have to drive through a blizzard—we are getting to this wedding come hell or high ________! A. wave

B. iceberg

C. water

D. flood

come hell or high water: quyết tâm làm điều gì đó 61. I was all ready to tell him that the relationship was over when he greeted me with a big bunch of flowers - that took the ________ out of my sails. A. wind

B. breeze

C. air

D. flow

take the wind out of my sails: làm ai đó chùn bước 62. I'm sure there's no real crisis—Janet is always crying ________ so that we'll do her work for her. A. dog

B. bear

C. wolf

D. donkey

crying wolf: nhờ giúp đỡ (nhưng chưa thực sự cần) 63. My parents always taught me to reach for the ________ when I was growing up—that I could be anything I set my mind to! A. stars

B. moon

C. sun

D. galaxies

reach for the moon: đặt quá nhiều mục tiêu, tham vọng 64. Look at that fool, all dressed up like a ________ dinner. Who told him that patterned suit was a good idea? A. tiger’s

B. whale’s

C. cow’s

D. dog’s

like a dog’s dinner: luộm thuộm (ăn mặc) 65. You need to wear a life jacket because there's always a chance that the boat could turn ________. 126

A. beetle

B. fish

C. crab

D. turtle

turn turtle: lật thuyền 66. The fantastic performance by the Ugandan runner put his opponents in the ________. A. shade

B. bottom

C. mud

D. snow

put somebody in the shade: vượt trội hơn ai đó 67. The study has firmly put/set the cat among the ________by claiming that most of the therapeutic effects of expensive antidepressant pills can be mimicked by dummy pills. A. mice

B. dogs

C. pigeons

D. ants

put the cat among the pigeons: nói hoặc làm điều gì đó gây ra phiền toái 68. The police knew with certainty he had drugs in his car, so he became trapped between the devil and the deep blue ________: either lie to the police, or admit that the drugs belonged to him. A. heaven

B. sea

C. ocean

D. sky

between the devil and the deep blue sea: trong tình thế khó xử 69. The teacher suspected that there had been some ________ business going on while she was out of the room. A. horse

B. fox

C. moose

D. monkey

monkey business: hành động xấu, gian lận 70. It won't be easy, but I'm sure we can run that jewelry to ________. A. ground

B. land

C. soil

D. grass

run something to ground: tìm được cái gì đó 71. I didn't pursue it in detail because I'm afraid I had other ________ to fry at the time. A. chickens

B. fish

C. shrimps

D. snails

have other fish to fry: có nhiều chuyện quan trọng hơn cần làm 72. Tickets are hard to come by but I'll do my ________ best to get you one. 127

A. utmost

B. level

C. regular

D. extreme

do my level best: cố gắng hết sức mình 73. What you have just said will forever ________ heavy on your reputation. Nobody’s going to justify an insult like this. A. sit

B. stand

C. rest

D. lie

lie heavy on: gây ảnh hưởng 74. The opening band totally ________ the show tonight—they were amazing. A. stole

B. grabbed

C. robbed

D. seized

steal the show: trở thành tâm điểm chú ý 75. At the end of her speech, she ________ a note of warning about the risks involved in the project. A. hit

B. punched

C. struck

D. beat

strike a note: biểu lộ 76. Our students are unprepared for the workforce, and we are ________ a harvest of lowered standards. A. earning

B. growing

C. reaping

D. gathering

reap a harvest of: nhận được thành quả 77. You can't take the children out sailing in this weather! Have you completely taken leave of your ________? A. mind

B. brains

C. senses

D. logic

take leaves of your senses: mất trí, cử xử không bình thường 78. The way to be successful in business is always to stay one ________ ahead of your competitors. A. jump

B. thing

C. act

stay one jump ahead: vượt lên, ở vị trí cao hơn 128

D. move

79. I feel just awful for Mary—she's been eating her ________ out ever since she found out she was rejected by her top-choice school. A. head

B. tongue

C. heart

D. mouth

eat one’s heart out: buồn lòng 80. I was only five minutes late, but the boss ________ me packing nonetheless. A. sent

B. made

C. let

D. forced

send somebody packing: mắng mỏ 81. If he has a great job but is always broke, it ________ the question of where the money is going? A. pleases

B. expects

C. begs

D. demands

beg the question: đặt ra vấn đề 82. I know voicing my opinion on this legislation may put my job in jeopardy, but it's time to take a firm ________against these discriminatory hiring. A. line

B. measure

C. penalty

D. strike

take a firm line against: chống lại 83. That car accident seems to have scared Janet out of her ________ — she's still shaken by it. A. powers

B. senses

C. wits

D. moods

scare somebody out of their wits: làm ai sợ phát khiếp 84. We've had to cut a few people ________ from the staff this year to reduce costs. A apart

B. free

C. aside

D. loose

cut somebody loose from: cắt giảm 85. Our ________ were in our mouths as we waited for them to announce the winner. A. stomaches

B. fingers

C. hearts

out hearts are in our mouths: lo lắng, sốt ruột 129

D. noses

86. These fanatics are in ________ earnest when they say they want to destroy all forms of government. A. mortally

B. fatally

C. deadly

D. gravely

in deadly earnest: nghiêm túc 87. Being late to a job interview ________ ill for you getting hired. A. bodes

B. stands

C. points

D. hints

bode ill for you: dấu hiệu xấu 88. It’s true I am late for meeting, but by ________ of excuse let me tell you that my plane was delayed in Hannover. A. means

B. aid

C. way

D. reason

by way of excuse: để tôi giải thích 89. We ________ on hard times after my wife's restaurant closed down, so I had to take on a second job to make ends meet. A. moved

B. landed

C. dropped

D. fell

fall on hard times: lâm vào hoàn cảnh khó khăn 90. As I said before, the report will be released in the ________ of time. I can't estimate when that will be. A. rightness

B. fullness

C. greatness

D. correctness

in the fullness of time: ở thời điểm thích hợp 91. I may seem confident when I'm leading a training seminar, but I'm really shaking in my ________ most of the time. A. trousers

B. suits

C shirts

D. shoes

shake in my shoes: sợ, lo lắng 92. I have to be dressed to ________ at this event tonight—a lot of important people will be there. A. murder

B. kill

C. execute 130

D. die

dressed to kill: ăn mặc đẹp, thời trang để gây ấn tượng với mọi người 93. Mary was not feeling well, and she didn't give a good ________ of herself in last night's game. A. performance

B. display

C. achievement

D. account

give a good account of: thể hiện tốt 94. What a bad day: I left my phone in the grocery store, my car broke down on the way home, and, to ________ it all off, my groceries broke through the bag as I was walking to the front door. A. top

B. sum

C. total

D. peak

top it all off: làm cho tình hình tồi tệ hơn 95. It is difficult to get skips in this age group capable of keeping their ________ up at this level of competition. A. end

B. self

C. frame

D. edge

keep one’s end up: giữ vững tinh thần 96. The return on your investment will come in ________ at first, but you'll see a more steady flow of income later. A. bits and bobs

B. dribs and drabs

C. fingers and thumbs

D. bibs and tuckers

dibs and drabs: số lượng nhỏ giọt 97. I know my brother has fought ________ to be re-elected, so his victory tonight is certainly well earned. A. doom and gloom

B. life and death

C. rack and ruin

D. tooth and nail

fight tooth and nail: làm mọi cách 98. The Government is trying to ________when it says it will spend more on the health service without raising taxes. 131

A. chew the fat

B. wave the flag

C. square the circle

D. put the lid

square the circle: làm điều tưởng chừng là không thể 99. I didn't have time to organize my thoughts, so I just spoke ________. A. beyond the pale

B. in deep water

C. off the cuff

D. on the hop

off the cuff: không chuẩn bị trước 100. There is a big investigation ________, but I don't know when. A. in the offfing

B. off the peg

C. on the blink

D. over the hill

in the offing: sắp diễn ra

PRACTICE TEST 10 1. You can try reformatting your computer, but once you open that ________, you'll probably be working on it for days, A. apple of discord

B. can of worms

C. load of cobblers

D. spot of bother

open a can of worms: gây ra phiền phức 2. The film still ________with younger audiences, even after all these years. A. beats the drum

B. rings a bell

C. strikes a chord

D. hits the right note 132

strike a chord: gây ấn tượng 3. I had a ________this morning when a tractor trailer unexpectedly swerved into my lane. A. deep end

B. dead beat

C. close shave

D. tight corner

have a close shave: thoát chết trong gang tấc 4. Blake may seem bossy, but it's Lisa that really ________ in that relationship. A. fills their boots

B. puts a sock

C. gets their knickers

D. wears the trousers

wear the trousers: người nắm quyền quyết định 5. The government is using the taxes from the working class to bail out the banks that ruined the economy? That really ________! A. sows wild oats

B. spills the beans

C. takes the biscuit

D. upsets the apple cart

take the biscuit: điều đáng ngạc nhiên 6. I've searched ________ for that old photo album, but I can't find it anywhere. A. high and low

B. long and short

C. straight and narrow

D. thick and thin

high and low: khắp nơi 7. Sheila swore that she would ________ after she figured out that I had started the rumor about her. A. fight sight of me

B. get even with me

C. lay heavy on me

D. run afoul of me

get even with sb: trả thù 8. Jacob thinks he's a big ________ now that he's been promoted to assistant manager. 133

A. bread

B. apple

C. cheese

D. meat

big cheese: người có tầm ảnh hưởng, nhân vật quan trọng 9. I hope this doesn't ________ your style, but could you please not hum while you work? A. restrict

B. impede

C. cramp

D. obstruct

cramp one’s style: gây phiền hà, cản trở 10. Fighting among rebel soldiers ________ last night and a curfew has now been imposed on the city. A. enhanced

B. aggravated

C. heightened

D. intensified

intensify: bùng phát dữ dội 11. The judge’s ruling ________ a wave of protest campaigns across the country. A. provoked

B. instigated

C. launched

D. commenced

provoke: tạo ra, gây ra 12. Although she was able to walk with the aid of crutches, having a broken ankle ________ her movements considerably. A. barred

B. hindered

C. intervened

D. blocked

hinder: gây khó khăn, cản trở 13. Hopefully the boss ________ fit to give us some extra time off for the holidays. A. sees

B. looks

C. shows

D. appears

see fit: chấp thuận 14. I'm flat ________ once again and don't know how I'm going to pay my rent. A. shattered

B. broke

C. smashed

D. torn

be flat broke: túng quẫn 15. My grandmother was a lovely person who ________ pleasure from helping others. A. gathered

B. derived

C. deduced 134

D. collected

derive: có được 16. The designer refuses to gild the ________, preferring clean, simple lines for his creations. A. lily

B. flower

C. rose

D. daisy

gild the lily: tô vẽ, làm màu 17. During pioneer days a lot of land in the United States was up for ________. A. gain

B. promotion

C. taking

D. grabs

up for grabs: available 18. The prosecution is going to try to trip you up with your statement and your alibi, but so long as you stick to your ________, there's nothing to worry about. A. weapons

B. guns

C. thumb

D. neck

stick to one’s guns: giữ vững lập trường 19. After she found out about his latest relapse with drugs, she decided it was best to leave him for ________. A. all

B. always

C. once

D. good

for good: mãi mãi 20. I can’t tell you ________ the population of Prague, but there’s an encyclopedia in the cupboard. A. in hand

B. off – hand

C. at hand

D. on hand

off-hand: ngay lập tức 21. Once at the skating rink, Ivan was allowed to skate to his heart’s ________. A. happiness

B. content

C. contentment

D. delight

skate to his heart’s content: làm thỏa thích 22. Companies around the world are losing money hand over ________ as oil prices continue to plummet. A. finger

B. wrist

C. thumber 135

D. fist

lose money hand over fist: thua lỗ rất nhanh 23. Even though you did not win the race, take ________ from the fact that you did your best. A. heart

B. courage

C. consolation

D. meaning

take heart from: tự hào 24. He managed to ________ the flow of blood by tightly bandaging the wound. A. restrain

B. curb

C. check

D. inhibit

check: ngăn (chảy máu) 25. I’ll reserve ________ on Ben Shipley’s latest novel until I ‘ve read it. A. condemnation

B. thought

C. criticism

D. judgement

reserve judgement sth until: không đánh giá cái gì cho đến khi 26. The pensioners complained that they had received ________ justice when their claim for an increase in benefits was rejected without discussion. A. poetic

B. only

C. small

D. rough

rough justice: bạc đãi 27. No further incidents have been reported today, but this remains a town on the ________ of conflict. A. razor

B. verge

C. cliff

D. chair

on the verge of conflict: có nguy cơ xung đột 28. Giant sea turtles have been coming to this spot to mate since time ________. A. immemorable

B. immortal

C. immemorial

D. inumerable

time immemorial: thời xa xưa 29. This shoe repairer is so quick that he can sole and heel your shoe in a(n) ________. A. moment

B. hurry

C. jiffy

jiffy: trong phút chốc 136

D. instant

30. If you notice that something isn't working, please take the ________ to fix it. A. initiative

B. risk

C. biscuit

D. isssue

take the initiative: mạnh dạn đưa ra quan điểm để giải quyết vấn đề 31. The windscreen ________ into a thousand pieces when the car hit a lamp – post. A. smashed

B. shattered

C. snapped

D. cracked

shatter: tan vỡ 32. Well, like it or ________ it, this old, falling-down hotel is the only one with rooms available this weekend. A. jump

B. lump

C. dislike

D. loathe

like it or lump it: dù có muốn hay không 33. She laid her job on the ________ when she told the boss that he was wrong. A. ground

B. way

C. lane

D. line

lay sth on the line: đặt cái gì vào tình thế nguy hiểm 34. His friends and family left him in the ________ when he went bankrupt. A. church

B. lurch

C. end

D. street

leave sb in the lurch: bỏ rơi ai đó 35. Tara was really laying it on ________ about her accident at work. A. fine

B. broad

C. thick

D. thin

lay it on thick: thổi phồng 36. Jane ________ about the surprise party for Sheila and now the whole idea is ruined. A. blabbed

B. gossiped

C. prattled

D. chatted

blab : tiết lộ bí mật 37. We could hear the monkeys ________ long before we reached the cage. A. chatting

B. chattering

C. prattling 137

D. babbling

chatter: hú 38. Your column must have ________ a nerve, because we are getting slammed with feedback from readers—and they're not happy. A. drilled

B. had

C. touched

D. hit

touch a nerve: gây đụng chạm 39. I'm sure it's thrilling, but I'd rather not ________ my neck just for a bit of an adrenaline rush. A. risk

B. break

C. twist

D. endanger

risk one’s neck: mạo hiểm 40.

A: "How's John doing?" B: "He had a rough week of it with the flu, but he's on the ________ now, thank

God." A. run

B. top

C. go

D. mend

on the mend: hồi phục 41. Did I go ________ with the Christmas decorations? I'm worried I bought enough Christmas lights to light up Times Square. A. overboard

B. overhead

C. overload

D. overskill

go overboard: vung tay quá trán 42. It was a tough act to follow, but the band rose to the ________ and played the best set of their career. A. top

B. occasion

C. bait

D. skill

rise to the occasion: trình diễn tốt 43. You say you need new clothes but your wardrobe is full to ________ with dresses. A. overflowing

B. overfilling

C. overlaying

overfow with: đầy 138

D. overstepping

44. I went to great ________ to get this party organized, so don't make some lame excuse about not coming! A. pains

B. torment

C. efforts

D. difficulty

go to great pains: dành nhiều thời gian và công sức 45. I'm really glad that pompous oaf lost his court case, maybe that will bring him down a ________ or two. A. step

B. notch

C. peg

D. rung

bring/take sb down a peg (or two): to show someone that they are not as important as they thought 46. The economic situation makes many people unwilling to take the ________ and open their own businesses. A. initiative

B. bull

C. plunge

D. opportunity

take the plunge: mạo hiểm 47. The new soap opera on Channel 3 ________ new depths in terms of tastelessness. A. plumbs

B. reaches

C. fills

D. achieves

plumb new depths: chạm đến cực điểm của sự tồi tệ 48. The Queen was present at the official ________ of the statue. A. revealing

B. unpacking

C. unwrapping

D. unveiling

unveil : kéo băng khánh thành 49. The weekend is over, so tomorrow’s morning it’s back to the ________. A. grind

B. labour

C. grudgery

D. toil

back to the grind: trở lại cuộc sống thường nhật 50. Looking after a house, four children, a lazy husband and two dogs is real ________. A. labour

B. drudgery

C. toil

drudgery: công việc nặng nề và nhàm chán 139

D. grind

51. Stephen really lost his ________ when his dental disappointment was cancelled yet again. A. head

B. voice

C. calm

D. rag

lose one’s rag: giận dữ 52. It only took me a few minutes to get the printer up and ________ after taking it out of the box. A. walking

B. proceeding

C. running

D. going

up and running: hoạt động trơn tru 53. It was a hot summer day and ice cream salesmen were doing a ________ trade. A. busy

B. lucrative

C. bustling

D. roaring

do a roaring trade: bán đắt như tôm tươi 54. Bob is so short-tempered; he should try to ________ his anger. A. curb

B. control

C. temper

D. stunt

curb: kiềm chế ( cảm xúc) 55. If you ________ your demands, they may be accepted by others. A. control

B. temper

C. stunt

D. curb

temper: kiềm chế (tham vọng) 56. As far as I can ________, she wasn't there on that occasion. A. memorise

B. reminisce

C. recollect

D. remind

recollect: nhớ 57. I'm sure it won't rain, but I'll take an umbrella (just) to be on the ________ side. A. sunny

B. straight

C. safe

D. secure

on the safe side: để phòng hờ 58. I was in ________ at that comedy show. I could barely breathe it was so funny. 140

A. stitches

B. pleats

C. shreds

D. tears

in stiches: cười ngặt nghẽo 59. She tried to ________ Tom’s importance to the company in order to gain a promotion for herself. A. diminish

B. swindle

C. reduce

D. shrink

diminish: làm giảm 60. I hate the way Tony ________ around looking so self – important. A. struts

B. scampers

C. slithers

D. slinks

strut around: kênh kiệu 61. Most frequently, the earthquake lasts 30 to 60 seconds, so usually there is no time to avert the mortal ________ once the shaking starts. A. upkeep

B. upturn

C. upshot

D. upswing

upshot: hậu quả 62. They live under a constant pressure of being ________ and subsequently replaced by someone who is younger, faster and more accomplished. A. outcast

B. outshone

C. outstayed

D. outgrown

outshine: tỏa sáng hơn 63. My brother loves watching horror movies but I find them too ________ myself. A. gruesome

B. untimely

C.ghostly

D. sterile

gruesome: kinh tởm 64. There was a lot of _______ as throngs of people tried to see the famous actor walking through the mall A. stamina

B. discipline

C. counsel

D. commotion

commotion: hỗn độn, lộn xộn 65. Luckily my wallet was handed in to the police with all its contents _______. 141

A. preserved

B. unscathed

C. contained

D. intact

intact: còn nguyên vẹn 66. Serena is still _______ ignorant of the fact that she is about to be made redundant. A. blissfully

B. decorously

C. jubilantly

D. ecstatically

blissfully ignorant: hoàn toàn không hay biết 67. No decision has been taken about the building of the new airport. The authorities are still _______. A. beating about the bush

B. comparing apples and oranges

C. sitting on the fence

D. holding all the aces

sit on the fence: lưỡng lự 68. Oil spills will _______ even the healthiest of marine ecosystem. A. play havoc on

B. break ground with

C. pay the consequences for

D. take their toll on

take toll : gây thiệt hại, phá hủy 69. Don’t look so worried! You should take the boss’s remarks with a ________of salt. A. teaspoon

B. pinch

C. grain

D. dose

take sth with a pinch of salt: đừng bận tâm 70. Rachel has an amazing ________ of jokes that she uses to good effect at parties. A. body

B. repertoire

C. variation

D. store

repertoire of jokes: trò đùa 71. The old house was unable to withstand the ________of severe winter weather and suffered considerable structural damage. A. extremity

B. onslaught

C. outrage

onslaught: sự tàn phá, tấn công 142

D. fury

72. I’m not surprised people are arguing- they are at the _________of their tether. A. end

B. limit

C. finish

D. termination

at the end of one’s tether: mất hết sự kiên nhẫn 73. To get his proposal accepted, the Finance Manager had to _______ heavy pressure from colleagues. A. fend off

B. laugh off

C. send off

D. push off

fend off: đương đầu áp lực 74. At first the children enjoyed the game but quite soon the novelty ________. A. went off

B. died out

C. wore off

D. died down

wear off: nhạt dần 75. My uncle pulled a few ________ and got me a job in the company where he works. A. chords

B. threads

C. ropes

D. strings

76. After congratulating his team, the coach left, allowing the players to ________ their hair down for a while. A. put

B. get

C. let

D. take

let one’s hair down: thư giãn, tự do 77. The question of peace settlement is likely to figure ________ in the talks. A. prominently

B. prolifically

C. proportionately D. properly

figure prominently: là vấn đề được thảo luận chính 78. I thought I had made it ________ that I didn’t want to discuss this matter any more. A. frank

B. distinct

C. plain

D. straight

make it plain: nói rõ 79. I went to see the boss about a pay rise and he ________ with a weak excuse about a business dinner and left me standing there. A. brushed me aside

B. brushed me up 143

C. brushed me off

D. brushed me down

brush sb off: từ chối 80. She was very fortunate to ________ an excellent private tutor to help her with her study. A. think through

B. seek out

C. pick up

D. light upon

light upon: nhờ vào 81. We had to _______ in the back of the car for an hour to find the missing keys. A. bed out

B. ransack

C. root around

D. turn upside down

root around: tìm kiếm 82. They spend so much time arguing that, when it comes to the _______, decisions are often deferred. A. crunch

B. outcry

C. panic stations

D. uproar

when it comes to the crunch: khi đến lúc phải đưa ra quyết định 83. James never really broke the rules but he did _______ them a little bit when it suited him. A. twist

B. curve

C. move

D. bend

bend the rules: thay đổi 84. Take care that your love for him doesn't _______ your judgement. A. cloud

B. darken

C. topple

D. shadow

cloud one’s judgement: làm mờ lí trí 85. It was so hot in the restaurant that, after half an hour, we were all starting to _______. A. wilt

B. shrivel

C. fade

D. weed

wilt: khô héo, mệt mỏi 86. Maria and Jean had a _______ romance — they met and married within two months. A. hurricane

B. cyclone

C. whirlwind 144

D. typhoon

whirlwind: diễn ra nhanh như gió lốc 87. After the football match the crowds _______ out of the stadium into the nearest bars and cafes. A. leaked

B. poured

C. trickled

D. dripped

pour: tràn ra, tản ra 88. I'm afraid we got our _______ crossed — I thought my husband would be picking up the children and he thought I was doing it. A. minds

B. purposes

C. wires

D. fingers

get one’s wires crossed: hiểu nhầm 89. All sides have to accept that the arbitrator's decision will be _______ A. fixing

B. tying

C. binding

D. compelling

binding: bắt buộc tuân theo 90. Ever year many small companies get _______ up by large multinationals. A. swallowed

B. digested

C. drowned

D. burnt

swallow up: thâu tóm 91. Marlene is quite _______ - I don't know she manages to fit everything in. A. inexhaustible

B. tiresome

C. inexorable

D. indefatigable

indefatigable: làm việc không biết mệt mỏi 92. I'd like to _______ my argument with an anecdote whose significance will soon become apparent. A. predict

B. announce

C. herald

D. preface

preface argument: thảo luận trước 93. I felt an _______ with the writer from his descriptions of a world that seemed to have a great deal in common with my own. A. affection

B. affinity 145

C. adherence

D. acknowledgement

affinity: sự đồng cảm 94. The princess's nanny's autobiography really gives the _______ on life among the royals. A. show-down

B. know-how

C. low-down

D. look-out

low-down: thông tin quan trọng 95. It's always nice to see Bella — she's such a _______ of sunshine. A. light

B. ray

C. glow

D. beam

ray of sunshine: người mang lại niềm vui cho người khác 96. I don't think Paul will ever get married — he's the stereotypical _______ bachelor. A. settled

B. confirmed

C. fixed

D. determined

confirmed bachelor: người thích độc thân 97. The children's interest in playing the game soon _______ A. flagged

B. stumbled

C. tottered

D. thawed

flag: nhạt dần 98. Do you have any figures showing the _______ of left-handedness is in the general population? A. occurrence

B. incidence

C. persistence

D. accidence

incidence: tỷ lệ 99. It's as if that silly argument we had has driven a _______ between us and we've lost all our old closeness. A. beam

B. ledge

C. plank

D. wedge

drive a wedge between sb: ngăn cách 100. Sources in France suggested that further _______ would be needed before they would agree to a deal. 146

A. concessions

B. consolations

C. contractions

D. contortions

concession: nhượng bộ 101. It was a close _______ but we just made it to the airport on time for our flight. A. run

B. drive

C. call

D. go

close call: thoát hiểm trong gang tấc 102. The government is doing all it can to _______ war on dangerous driving. A. launch

B. wage

C. stage

D. battle

wage war on: tuyên chiến với 103. Not many people are good at assessing their own abilities and Mark must be _______ for recognising that he would never become a great musician. A. merited

B. commended

C. advocated

D. talented

commend: khen ngợi 104. The country has few natural resources and its economy has been _______ for some time now. A. ailing

B. diseased

C. unwell

D. sickening

ail: suy yếu (kinh tế) 105. Anyone who lies under oath will be charged with _______ the course of justice. A. perverting

B. inverting

C. converting

D. diverting

pervert the course of justice: to act illegally to avoid punishment or to get the wrong person punished 106. My sister likes wearing tight tops and close-fitting dresses but I prefer _______; sweaters and jeans. A. floppy

B. baggy

C. flabby

D. shabby

baggy: hanging loosely because of being too big or having been stretched 107. There is a very strong movement now against _______ sports like hunting or shooting. 147

A. death

B. killing

C. blood

D. terminal

blood sports: any sport that involves animals being killed or hurt to make the people watching or taking part feel excitement 108. I'm sure I was invited to join the committee as the _______ woman. A. token

B. sample

C. representative

D. coupon

token: đại diện, biểu trưng 109. One of the most powerful pressure groups in the country is the road and car _______, which opposes any legislation that will increase taxes specifically for them. A. branch

B. folder

C. segment

D. lobby

lobby: a group of people who try to persuade the government or an official group to do something 110. Unfortunately, his report doesn't _______ with what we've learnt from other sources. A. pally

B. rally

C. tally

D. ally

tally: phù hợp

CHAPTER 2: WORDFORM PRACTICE TEST 1 1. Democracy died after a period of ________(cease) wars, imperial expansion abroad, and the rise of demagoguery at home. incessant/ceaseless: triền miên, không dứt 2. The consequences of ________ (compel) gambling are comparable to those of any other addictive disease and are not simply those of financial loss. compulsive: có tính ép buộc 3. The prison service has the twin goals of punishment and ________ (habit). rehabilitation: sự phục hồi 148

4. The first ________ (conceive) is that legal study at university is exclusively for students who intend becoming solicitors or advocates. misconception: sự hiểu sai 5. Too late, she remembered the ________ (settle) effect such comments would have on Johnny. unsettling: đáng lo 6. Some economists are now predicting the danger of ________ (run) inflation. runaway: xảy ra rất nhanh 7. The ________ (narrate) in this book plays second fiddle to the excellent photographs. narrative: câu chuyện 8. They were now faced with seemingly________(mount) technical problems. insurmountable: không thể vượt qua 9. When you come down on him too hard, you may only intensify his own ________ (critic) self-criticism: tự phê bình 10. Your speech should not have been ________ (lace) with these facts beside the point. interlaced: trộn lẫn 11. Their views lie outside the ________ (stream) of current medical opinion. mainstream: xu hướng 12. The teachers are fair and avoid ________ (favour) and scapegoating. favouritism: sự thiên vị 13. She has become ________(mesh) in a tangle of drugs and petty crime. enmeshed: vướng vào 14. Do not set your goals too high or else you will always be failing and there is nothing more ________ (moral). 149

demoralising: làm nản lòng 15. The demise of the industry has caused ________(tell) misery to thousands of hardworking tradesmen. untold: đáng kể 16. Attracting the banks are the ________ (surge) economy and reforms that have opened up industries to foreign capital. resurgent: hồi sinh 17. The ordinary reader is impressed by the tone and manner of publication, and the words chosen to ________ (head) a story. headline: đặt tiêu đề 18. At all events, it was this group of the ________ (possess) that gave the first successful impetus to the Revolution. dispossessed: nghèo 19. ________(prey) pricing by large supermarkets was threatening the livelihood of smaller businesses. predatory pricing: chính sách hạ giá để tiêu diệt đối thủ 20. He is a ________(voice) critic of the president's stance on abortion. vociferous: mạnh mẽ 21. She made several ________ (par) remarks about the manager she dislikes. disparaging: làm mất danh dự 22. As women we tend to be ________ (face) and make light of what we have achieved. self-effacing: khiêm tốn 23. GEW lamp dimming promise uptime at least 1500 hours, raised productivity and reduces ________ (time). downtime: thời gian chết của máy móc 24. Would you mind if I took one of the pictures as a________(keep)? 150

keepsake: vật lưu niệm 25. Mania usually alternates with depression, to form a ________ (pole) disorder. bipolar (disorder): bệnh trầm cảm 26. This was too we a ________ (hole) for the tax planners: no wonder inheritance tax is called a voluntary tax. loophole: kẽ hở 27. The teacher said that he found it difficult to cope with a class of ________ (affect) teenagers. disaffected: bất bình 28. He is ________ (fail) polite and tries desperately to understand other people's views. unfailingly: luôn luôn 29. The court ________ (turn) that decision on the grounds that the Prosecution had withheld crucial evidence. overturned: lật đổ 30. Some of these statements are misleading and some downright ________ (amend). mendacious: sai sự thật 31. The state ________ (fast) refused to settle this matter at any time. steadfastly: kiên quyết 32. What is illustrated by these photographs is as much the culture of shamelessness as the reigning admiration for ________ (apology) brutality. unapologetic: không biết hối lỗi 33. The judge found that in her case there were________(mitigate) circumstances. mitigating: làm dịu bớt 34. He impressed his audience by the ________ (profound) of his knowledge. profundity: sự uyên thâm 151

35. The causes of social ________(stress) include inadequate housing. distress: cảnh khốn cùng 36. He was in the ________ (envy) position of having to choose between imprisonment or exile. unenviable: không mong muốn 37. He was ________ (capacity) by old age and sickness. incapacitated: suy yếu 38. The bank is ________ (solve) and will be unable to live up to its obligations. insolvent: vỡ nợ 39. Natalie considered herself very ________ (virtue) because she neither drank nor smoked. virtuous: có đạo đức tốt 40. Their refusal to ________ (tail) spending plans and to increase the burden on poll tax payers is expected. curtail: cắt giảm 41. Rather than a benevolent "socialist" super power China, whose population is made up over 90% Han Chinese, will ________ (stride) the world as a racially homogeneous, and communalistic "Middle Kingdom”. bestride: bắc ngang qua 42. Broadly speaking, on-line shopping experiences can be categorized into two distinct dimensions: ________ (use) and hedonic value. utilitarian: thực dụng 43. It encouraged experimenters to propose ________ (beat) or novel approaches to problems. offbeat: khác thường 44. It's a bustling ________ (eat) where the fishy fare is served in cones of butcher's paper. 152

eatery: quán ăn 45. Several spoke out against the harshly ________ (right) tone of the original motion. self-righteous: tự cho là đúng 46. Elections are essential for the ________ (sustain) of parliamentary democracy. sustenance: sự tồn tại 47. ________ (similar) is consequently difficult, particularly as the minority groups experience considerable hostility. Assimilation: sự đồng hóa 48. Growth and ________ (mature) of vascular plants are often controlled by light, usually in conjunction with temperature. maturation: sự lớn lên 49. The practice of meditation and ________ (temple) is life-long, reflecting this daily process of repentance and change at heart. contemplation: sự suy ngẫm 50. The new policy only serves to ________ (accent) the inadequacy of provision for the homeless. accentuate: nhấn mạnh 51. Pressure was applied with cool precision: women had discovered that to ________ (step) male dominance was to avoid destructive rage. sidestep: tránh 52. I found your book absolutely ________ (thrall)! enthralling: làm say mê 53. Listen to both sides and you will be ________ (light), heed only one side and you will be ________ (night). enlighted – benighted: làm sáng tỏ-nông cạn

153

54. Bertha, exaggerating the seriousness of the affair, thought it ________ (charlatan) to undertake a post without knowledge and without capacity. charlatanry: lừa đảo, giả dối 55. I write this down ________ (verb), for much the same reason I took notes in college. verbatim: đúng nguyên văn 56. She came to the party wearing a(n) ________ (land) costume and blond wig. outlandish: nổi bật 57. Opposition leaders said they would try to stage nationwide protests, but previous opposition rallies have met only ________ (warm) support. lukewarm: lãnh đạm, thờ ơ 58. She gave me some friendly advice without a trace of ________ (descend). condescension: sự hạ mình 59. It's that ________ (patron) tone of hers that I can't bear. patronizing: ra vẻ bề trên 60. And then, to the audience's ________ (mystic), the band suddenly stopped playing. mystification: sự bối rối 61. The ________ (conspire) of the assissination of the president was brought to light in time. conspiracy: âm mưu 62. The report is critical of attempts by________(official) to deal with the problem of homelessness. officialdom: giới viên chức 63. The system of counties was essential to Frankish government, and a count could wield considerable power, particularly in ________ (far) regions. far-flung: xa xôi 154

64. Jaubert had been a reasonable man to work for, had never asked her to do anything illegal or ________ (taste) distasteful: không vừa ý 65. Darwin's theory of evolution was a(n) ________ (shed) dividing the old way of thinking from the new. watershed: bước ngoặt 66. I can find just enough re-run of quality programmes to prevent myself from falling into utter despair and pining for the good old days of ________ (year). yesteryear: trước đây 67. If he resigned it would be ________ (amount) to admitting that he was guilty. tantamount: tương đương với 68. For twenty-five years he ________ (pain) amassed evidence to support his hypothesis. painstakingly: chịu khó 69. He felt out of place, a(n) ________ (conform) in a society where conformity was highly prized. nonconformist: người không theo khuôn phép 70. She unveiled the picture with a(n) ________ (ceremony) gesture. ceremonious: trịnh trọng 71. Travellers may be ________ (inquire) about the world, but they also travel to make discoveries about themselves. inquisitive: tò mò 72. Both Hathor and her potential victims became ________ (exceed) drunk and merry, so she failed at her task. exceedingly: dư 73. Operation Rescue was an organization notorious for its ________ (front) tactics and its implacable opposition to abortion under all circumstances. 155

confrontational: đương đầu 74. A(n) ________ (face) approach to sustainable construction is required for use by policy - makers, practitioners and civil society. multi-faceted: nhiều phương diện 75. Wage control is the ________ (corner) of the government's economic policy. cornerstone: cơ sở 76. She's ________ (fail) cheerful no matter what the circumstances. unfailingly: luôn luôn 77. Instead of just ________ (moan) your fate, why not do something to change it? bemoaning: than phiền 78. For users, they are still expensive ________ (add) features and come with their own set of integration problems. add-on: thêm vào 79. Foreign observers also accused the authorities of widespread ________ (practice). malpractice: hành vi bất chính 80. ________ (type) images of women are used to legitimise male dominance. Stereotypical: rập khuôn 81. It will ________ (legal) sex - far from helping girls resist pressure, it will help boys bully girls into sex. legitimate: hợp pháp hóa 82. Mongolia, although poor, has considerable ________ (tap) resources of oil and minerals. untapped: chưa khai thác 83. Towards the end of the ________ (infant) period the child is becoming more perspicacious. infantile: còn trẻ con 156

84. It would be ________ (ingenuity) on our part to pretend ignorance of our book's impact, both in sales and controversy. disingenuous: gian xảo 85. I think I must have known ________(conscience) that something was going on between them. subconsiously: tiềm thức 86. If evolution has________ (wire) into us a belief that there are objective moral obligations, then we will believe that there are. hard-wired: ăn sâu vào 87. You want clothes that are stylish as well as practical, versatile, ________ (task) and low maintenance. multitasking: nhiều công việc 88. His failures ________ (line) the difference between theatre and film direction. underline: nhấn mạnh 89. In other words, subcultural cleavage has attenuated and cultural ________ (homogeneous) has extended from structural orientation into policy orientation. homogeneity: tính đồng nhất 90. As the inspector and others came in, she regarded them ________ (disdain), seemingly unconcerned about her capture. disdainfully: miệt thị 91. The concert hall itself reminds one ________ (play) of reproduction art deco and is also acoustically first-class and adaptable. playfully: khôi hài 92. She didn't want to confront the ________ (escape) fact that she would have to sell the house. inescapable: không thể tránh khỏi 93. He made a fortune buying ________ (run) houses and fixing them up to sell. 157

run-down: đổ nát 94. Business schools, who currently dominate entrepreneurship teaching and research, ________ (compartment) knowledge into functional boxes. compartmentalise: phân chia 95. Idealism was deeply________ (credit) by the failure to prevent the outbreak of the Second World War. discredited: làm mất uy tín 96. We will reform principal local councils into a(n) ________ (unit) system based on natural communities and the wishes of local people. unitary: thống nhất 97. Since ________ (regulate), banks are permitted to set their own interest rates. deregulation: sự bãi bỏ qui định 98. These years witnessed the ________(integrate) and destruction of the English peasantry. disintegration: sự tan rã 99. This was really a(n) ________(whim) thought, and I reproved myself often for the simplicity of it. whimsical: kì dị 100. There seems to be a(n )________ (satisfy) demand for more powerful computers. insatiable: không thỏa mãn được PRACTICE TEST 2 1. A portion of the proceeds will be ________ for providing school fees for poor children for the coming academic year. (mark) earmarked: dành riêng 2. The administration ropes in all educational institutions, government offices, public sector ________ and universities for the purpose of mobilising funds. (take) 158

undertakings: việc kinh doanh 3. Contraception is less ________ or affordable in South America. (cure) procurable: có thể đạt được 4. Both toxic and ________ potentials are properties of all drugs. (cure) curative: chữa bệnh 5. While learning has changed for students in this new century, we are ________ by the boundless opportunity presented in our lifetime. (bold) emboldened: khuyến khích 6. It does not become an economic ________ but it does become a ‘newly industrialized country’, like Malaysia, Taiwan and South Korea. (power) economic superpower: siêu cường kinh tế 7. We believe that the most effective enforcement tool is self-policing and ________ (strain). self-restraint: tự kìm chế 8. It is possible to humanely raise and slaughter a variety of food animals, including ________ poultry and beef cattle. (range) free-range: nuôi tự nhiên 9. Most of this feature includes behind-the-scenes video ________ of the crew working and goofing off. (foot) footage: cảnh phim 10. Together they forged a(n) ________ intellectual climate that has profoundly shaped my career. (vigor) invigorating: tiếp thêm sinh lực 11. We will investigate the tradeoffs among data ________, data hiding capacity, and probabilities of extraction errors in different applications. (perceive) imperceptibility: không thể thấy 159

12. This is a(n) ________ thriller that promises to deliver. (page) page – turning: thú vị 13. Death, from this perspective, seems unproblematically universal, a simple, irreducible fact of our nature, ________ the same across all societies and throughout time (yield) unyieldingly: không thay đổi 14. Of course there is a(n) ________ between such advantages of large cells and the disadvantages of slower cell multiplication. (trade) trade – off : sự kết hợp, đan xen 15. Today we look at claims that in Queensland, the regime that looks after the most vulnerable people, the infirm elderly, and ________ adults, is failing. (capacity). incapacitated: bị làm mất sức lao động 16. Scholars have tried to make a case for ________, competitiveness, and selfishness as innate human trait. (acquire) acquisitiveness: sự thu lợi 17. The judge ruled that Newman's comments were not a(n) ________offense. (act) actionable: có thể kiện 18. She was a very selfish, ________ bad-tempered little girl. (agree) disagreeable: khó chịu 19. Before creating this sculpture, she studied all the masterpieces of classical ________ (antique). antiquity: đồ cổ: 20. He claims that the laws are ________ and have no contemporary relevance. (antique) antiquated: không hợp thời 21. I fretted and sweated as they stalked in and stared around with that ________, accusatory look of all cops everywhere. (approve) disapproving: tỏ ý không tán thành 160

22. A good teacher can encourage ________creativity. (art) artistic: nghệ thuật 23. She's ________ and knows how to get round her parents. (art) artful: xảo quyệt 24. Most ________ or totalitarian regimes are nonconstitutional. (authority) authoritarian: độc đoán 25. One encouraging feature of period-instrument performances in recent decades has been a growing concern with reliable and ________editions. (authority) authoritative: hoàn chỉnh, đáng tin cậy (thông tin) 26. It is essential that there is a(n) ________ (author) use of the confidential information. unauthorised: trái phép 27. He thought back to the ________ days of his childhood. (care) carefree: vô tư, thảnh thơi 28. They gave him a(n) ________ assurance that he would not be hurt.(category) categorical: dứt khoát 29. They are taking ________measures to safeguard their forces from the effects of chemical weapons. (caution) precautionary: để phòng ngừa 30. Their ________ greetings did not seem heartfelt. (ceremony) ceremonious: kiểu cách 31. The full costume is only worn on important ________ occasions. (ceremony) ceremonial: trang trọng 32. Utilitarian notions in the social sciences are not enough for even providing a(n) ________ framework for grasping what actually happens. (concept) conceptual: dựa trên khái niệm 161

33. It once seemed ________ to everyone that men should travel to the moon. (conceive) inconceivable: khó tin 34. The procedure is in strict ________ with standard international practices.(conform) in conformity with: tuân theo 35. The present economic policy is a(n) ________ of the earlier one. (continue) continuation: sự kế tiếp 36. An historical awareness also imparts a sense of________(continue). continuity: tính liên tục 37. Last month's elections saw a ________ in power of the country's socialist party. (continue) continuance: sự kéo dài 38. It's very ________ to find out that your own team members have been lying to you. (courage) discouraging: mất tinh thần 39. Do you believe in the ________ powers of the local mineral water? (cure) curative: chữa bệnh 40. She has an artist's ________ eye. (discriminate) discriminating: sáng suốt 41. The government enacted laws to protect women from ________employment practices (discriminate) discriminatory: có sự phân biệt đối xử 42. Maria loved both the children. There was never a hint of ________ (favour) favouritism: sự thiên vị 43. They often are involved in the hiring and dismissal of employees but generally have no role in the ________ of personnel policy. (form) 162

formulation: sự soạn thảo 44. An agreement on the ________ of a new government was reached on June 6. (form) formation: sự thành lập 45. There are people who want to ________ you and grind you down. (humble) humiliate: làm bẽ mặt 46. The discussions reached a new level of ________ and by lunchtime the exchanges were becoming very heated. (intense) intensity: sự dữ dội, mãnh liệt 47. ________ and specialization in agriculture, especially in the vineyards, gave rise to commercial exchange and opportunity for profit and saving. (intense) Intensification: Sự đẩy mạnh 48. Areas near the frontier were rough and ________ in the old days. (law) lawless: vô trật tự 49. It is ________ for a teacher to inflict corporal punishment on pupils. (law) unlawful: trái pháp luật 50. The relation of politics and economy is a ________ of historical gradual progress. (master) masterstroke: kì công 51. A builder from South London, McAvoy was the ________ of the robbery (master) mastermind: người vạch kế hoạch 52. Photographs and ________ that cover the walls and fill several display cases chronicle the foods this area is famous for. (memory) memorabilia: những việc đáng ghi nhớ, vật kỉ niệm 53. The three countries have signed a(n) ________ pledging to work together. (memory) memorandum: bản ghi nhớ 163

54. Olympic gold medalist Ekaterina Gordeeva is writing a(n) ________ about her life with Sergei Grinkov, her late husband and figure-skating partner.(memory) memoir: nhật kí 55. Her first defeat was an early lesson in ________ (humble). humility: sự khiêm tốn 56. They cannot forget the ________ they suffered at the hands of their oppressors. (humble). humiliation: sự bẽ mặt 57. Sales have slowed down quite ________ (mark). markedly: rõ rệt 58. To the untrained eye, the two flowers look ________ similar. (mark) remarkably: đáng chú ý, nổi bật 59. Always check the ________ before you buy a secondhand car (mile) mileage: đồng hồ đo quãng đường di chuyển 60. The invention of the wheel was a(n) ________ in the history of the world. (mile) milestone: cột mốc quan trọng 61. One ________ lapse in concentration could prove fatal. (moment) momentary: chốc lát, nhất thời 62. It was in Glasgow, however, that many ________ events were taking place. (moment) momentous: quan trọng 63. Guy was greedy, ________, obsessed with power and self-gratification. (moral) amoral: không theo nguyên tắc 64. Capital punishment was regarded as inhuman and ________ (moral) immoral: vô đạo đức 164

65. Since their interest in the past was primarily ________, precise knowledge of actual events and when they happened was not required. (moral) moralistic: khắc khe về mặt đạo đức 66. A couple of victories would improve the team's ________enormously. (moral) morale: tinh thần 67. You become ________ when things are not going your way and you can't really see a way out of it. (moral) demoralised: bị suy thoái về đạo đức 68. To the audience's ________, the band suddenly stopped playing. (mystical) mystification: sự bối rối 69. Electric-powered cars are still something of a(n) ________ (novel) novelty: sự mới lạ 70. Comparisons are simpler to make when ________ data is presented in diagrammatic form and conclusions are easier to draw from it. (number) numerical: bằng số 71. ________ pictures have been deemed to contribute to a hostile environment (object) Objectionable: có thể bị phản đối 72. Personal disinterest in a programme content will help your ________ in assessing its potential for your public relations purposes. (object) objectivity: tính khách quan 73. To say that the ________(observe) of this custom or law is sacrilegious or illicit must be regarded as ________ (error). observance – erroneous: sự tuân thủ-sai lầm 74. Recent developments in biology have made it possible to acquire more and more precise information concerning our genetic ________ . Scientists can even today identify a number of genetic disorders that may cause illness and disease. (make) 165

genetic make-up: cấu tạo gen 75. Since 1990 the price of sugar has tended to fluctuate more wildly than any of the other four commodity groups, and has almost ________ been the most expensive relative to 2002-2004 prices. (vary) invariably: luôn luôn 76. A dozen international poverty and development organizations published a report last week on the impact of building new coal power plants in countries where a large percentage of the population lacks access to electricity. The report’s conclusions are strikingly ________: on the whole, building coal power plants does little to help the poor, and often it can actually make them poorer. (intuition) counter-intuitive: khác thường 77. The scandal surely ________ the end of his political career. (sign) signals/signalled: báo hiệu 78. He gained ________ for being difficult to work with as an actor. (notorious) notoriety: tai tiếng 79. Tre Transformer is quite intriguing. It is ________ one of the best movies of the year. (doubt) undoubtedly: chắc chắn 80. Her hip has been ________ for quite a while, and she'll probably need surgery on it. (trouble) troublesome: phiền 81. Her latest novel is a(n) ________ thriller, set some time in the late 21st century. (future) futuristic: hiện đại 82. The new policy only serves to ________ the inadequacy of help for the homeless. (accent) accentuate: nhấn mạnh 166

83. Successful candidates will be required to ________ an induction programme. (take) undertake: đảm nhận 84. Radio 4 also announced a new ________ of Primo Levi’s short story collection The Periodic Table, starring Henry Goodman and introduced by Janet Suzman, to be broadcast in 12 episodes of varying lengths this spring. (drama) dramatisation: sự chuyển thành kịch 85. In the UK, the ratio of people of working age to people over 65 could fall from 3.7 to 1 in 1999 to 2.1 to 1 in 2040. This suggests a very big increase in the ________ ratio and is consequently a cause for concern because with current spending pension commitments, it will place a higher burden on the shrinking working population. (depend) dependency ratio: tỷ lệ phụ thuộc 86. The UK government has already made tentative steps to raise the retirement age and increase the role of private sector pensions. These policies will make an ageing population more ________ (manage). manageable: dễ quản lí 87. Ian Darkin of One Traveller, which specialises in offering holidays for mature single travellers, says: “The new generation of ________ (retire) aren’t sitting at home knitting. Their keenness to experience other countries and cultures is ________ (diminish) with age.” retirees – undiminished: người nghỉ hưu-không giảm bớt 88. The UN Security Council unanimously adopted a(n) ________ calling for a halt to hostilities. (solve) resolution: sự kiên quyết 89. Environmental degradation is ________ (character) as any change or aggravation to nature’s turf seen to be pernicious or ________ (desire). characterized – undesirable: có đặc điểm-gây khó chịu, không mong muốn 90. The United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction describes environmental degradation as the ________ of the limit of the earth to meet social and environmental destinations, and needs (less). 167

lessening: sự giảm đi 91. Humans have destroyed a tenth of Earth’s remaining ________ in the last 25 years and there may be none left within a century if trends continue, according to an authoritative new study. (wild) wilderness: vùng hoang dã 92. Technology has been lauded as a way to free up time for us, yet the reality of an allconsuming medium often does the reverse. New innovations bring with them a host of ________ consequences, ranging from the troubling to the downright depressing. Social media makes us lonely. Too much screen-time makes teenagers fall behind their peers. And at the more feeble end of the spectrum, many of us have walked into an obstacle while texting. (intend) unintended: không được dự tính trước 93. Zombies are archetypal monsters from the bottom of the uncanny valley, with their dead eyes and ________ faces (express). expressionless: không biểu cảm 94. The terrible scenes were indelibly ________ on his mind (print). imprinted: in dấu ấn 95. Phyllis Schlafly, the ________ conservative activist who helped defeat the Equal Rights Amendment in the 1970s, has died. (speak) outspoken: thẳng thắn 96. The results ________ poor hygiene as one cause of the outbreak. (imply) implicate: cho thấy 97. The country’s economic crisis had a(n) ________ effect on world markets. (settle) unsettling: đáng lo 98. The piece, which had been affected by centuries of ________ and grime, was brought back its former glory by seven conservators from the museum's Hamilton Kerr Institute. (colour) discolouration: sự bạc màu 168

99. The company has established total ________ over its rivals. (supreme) supremacy: ưu thế tối cao 100 Despite fighting between the government and SPLA rebels, citizens will be allowed ________ (hinder) access to humanitarian aid via "tranquility corrid. unhindered: không bị cản trở

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PRACTICE TEST 3 1. With increasing numbers of people choosing to teach English as a foreign language, the need to gain a(n) ________ (credit) qualification has never been more important. accredited: được công nhận 2. A campaign is calling for the reversal of a decision to scrap A-level archaeology saying it would cause _______(revoke) harm to the development of future archaeologists. irrevocable: không thể thay đổi 3. Sir Adrian was a true gentleman. He was ________ (fail) polite to everyone he met within the business and was on first name terms with many of them, regardless of where they worked. unfailingly: luôn luôn 4. An eight-month inquiry by the all party group on ________ (mind) found frontline public servants could be less likely to fall ill with stress, or quit altogether, if they engage in the increasingly popular meditation practice. mindfulness: chánh niệm 5. ________ (absent) is an issue of growing concern among employers in the UK owing to changing legislation, but there is virtually no robust data on its direct or indirect costs. Absenteeism: sự vắng mặt không có lí do chính đáng 6. A decision to allow ________ (hear) evidence in disciplinary proceedings against a doctor linked to child abuse claims was ________ (law). hearsay – unlawful: tin đồn-bất hợp pháp 7. Slavoj Žižek was born in communist Yugoslavia in 1949, and received a thorough grounding in Marxism and the principles of ________ (dialect) materialism. dialectical: biện chứng 8. Can you make up a(n) ________ (four) for tennis tomorrow? 170

foursome: đấu cặp 9. These wonderful books ________ (capsule) moments in history in truly unforgettable ways . encapsulate: tóm lược 10. Proposals to protect the right of mentally ________ (capacity) people to be involved in important decisions about their life have been published by the government. incapacitated: bị làm mất sức lao động 11. Authorities in the US state of Michigan have charged a taxi driver with six counts of murder after he went on a random shooting spree on Saturday. Jason Brian Dalton, 45, remained ________ (express) as the charges were read in court on Monday. expressionless: không biểu cảm 12. Around 40% of jobseekers have been without work for more than one year, the report says, running "significant risks of ________ (moral), loss of self-esteem and mental health problems" demoralization: sự làm mất tinh thần 13. A former migrant has returned home to Senegal after becoming ________ (heart) with life as an illegal migrant in Spain. After six years, Babacar Dialor Faye never got his legal documents and had to live on ________ (hand) from the Red Cross. disheartened – handouts: nản lòng-sự cứu trợ 14. Kids have become ________ (sense) to violence. Someone's been shot, and kids are playing up and down the streets on their bikes, because they're used to seeing it and that's also what you see in a war zone. desensitized: bớt nhạy cảm 15. Parents often favour one child over another and, at its worst, parental________ (favour) can be one of the most profound and damaging emotional dynamics a child ever encounters. It can affect the rest of their lives. favouritism: sự thiên vị

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16. When Emma was widowed in 1879, she decided to leave her home in Koblenz, Germany, to start ________ (new) in Glasgow, and settled in the city by 1881. anew: từ đầu 17. Anti-terrorism police patrol units are to be introduced across London boroughs. This tactic was endorsed by Lord Harris in his review of London's ________ (prepare) for a terror attack, commissioned by the mayor. preparedness: sự chuẩn bị sẵn sàng 18. Reports of memory loss with long-term cannabis use are nothing new, and an influential paper published last year provided evidence that smoking marijuana has a(n) ________ (delete) effect on intelligence. deleterious: có hại 19. THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) is the primary psychoactive compound in cannabis and is what causes the subjective "high". This includes changes in ________ (perceive) sensations, a feeling of ________ (content) and increased appetite . perceptual – contentment: thuộc giác quan-sự thỏa mãn 20. Cyanide ________ (toxic) is experienced by humans at doses of around 0.5–3.5 milligrams per kilogram of body weight . toxicity: tính độc 21. She has become increasingly ________ (opinion) and verbalises her opinions forcefully without any insight into their effect on others. opinionated: bảo thủ, ngoan cố 23. ________ who want to fund the restoration of a derelict arts centre in Cheltenham have pleaded with other bidders to let it become community-run (benefit) Benefactors: nhà hảo tâm 24. He was a bad influence on the child, who was at a(n) ________ (impress) age. inpressionable: dễ bị ảnh hưởng 25. Membership talks were launched in 2005, but progress has been slow, as several EU states have serious ________ about Turkish EU membership. (give) 172

misgivings: mối nghi ngại 26. He has such great power and yet talked with such ________(humble). There aren’t many people in politics who are as charismatic as President Obama. humility: sự khiêm nhường 27. For many people Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) is the most influential figure in the history of western classical music. His extraordinary talent was already clearly evident as a young man, ________ (mercy) surviving a somewhat unconventional upbringing during which his eccentric father would often force him to take music lessons in the middle of the night. mercifully: 1 cách nhân từ, một cách may mắn 28. How often have you seen rich people take to the stress, shouting that they are earning too much? Protesters are typically blue-collar workers yelling that the minimum page has to go up, or that their jobs should not go overseas. Concern about ________ (fair) is always ________(symmetry), stronger in the poor than the rich. And the ________ (lie) emotions are not as ________(loft) as the ideal itself. Children become thoroughly________ (indignation) as the slightest discrepancy in, say, the size of their slice of pizza compared to their sibling’s. fairness: sự công bằng, asymmetrical: không đều nhau, underlying: cơ sở, cơ bản, lofty: kiêu kỳ, indignant: căm phẫn 29. Many teachers expressed serious ________ (give) about the new tests. misgivings: mối lo ngại 30. The price of property in the city is ________ (prohibit) prohibitive: đắt đỏ 31. ________ is an economic theory which states that a progressively greater level of consumption is beneficial to the consumers. (consume) consumerism: chủ nghĩa tiêu dùng 32. If your credit card debt is mounting and yet you can't stop spending, you could be a ________(shop). shopaholic: nghiện mua sắm 173

33. The number of people suffering from shopping addiction has . ________ (TAKE) the number of drug and drink addicts combined. overtaken: vượt 34. Everyone has heard of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart; few of his son Franz Xaver. A new CD collection ________ (title) The Other Mozart celebrates Franz's music - in all its haunting, ________ (melancholy) innocence. The 27 songs are brief slivers of ideas, ________ (develop) shadows of what might have been, reaching a beautiful fulfillment in the later works. But it is clear that the music never reaches the heights of his genius father. Franz was the youngest of Mozart's children, and his mother's hopes and ambitions focused on him following the ________ (mature) death of his father. The very best teachers were automatically available to Franz's, who made his public debut as a singer, aged five. The songs bring to light Franz's ________. (piano) accomplishments; the piano parts are extremely demanding. The songs hint at Franz's love for a woman; they speak time and again of unattainable love and ________ (fulfil) longing. ________ (realist), however, the fact remains that this music, had it been written by a composure of any other name, would probably have remained buried in the archives. entitled: cho quyền, melancholic: u buồn, underdeveloped: chưa phát triển hoàn toàn, premature: sớm, pianistic: thuộc về piano, unfulfilled: không thành, realistically: thực tế là 35. The region has several medium-sized towns and cities, but no major ________ (urban) conurbation: khu thành phố 36. When you're on a cross-country flight, it's tough to tolerate the ________ crying of a baby. (cease) incessant: không dứt 37. Our ________ mind registers things which our conscious mind is not aware of. (conscious) subconscious: tiềm thức 38. They were now faced with seemingly ________ technical problems (mount). insurmountable: không thể vượt qua 174

39. The report should distinguish clearly between ________ fact, firm opinion and mere speculation (dispute) indisputable: không thể chối cãi 40. They have become ________, with both sides refusing to compromise any further. (reconcile) irreconcilable: không thể giảng hòa 41. Finland’s metalworkers' union chief Riku Aalto has criticised government proposals to alter nationwide labour conditions as ________and unprofessional (amateur). amateurish: nghiệp dư 42. His interpretation of the figures is far too ________ (simple) simplistic: đơn giản 43. The organization insists that it is ________ and does not identify with any one particular party (politics) apolitical: phi chính trị 44. The new regulations will be ________ for small businesses. (burden) burdensome: phiền toái 45 Solon replies that birds like peacocks are ________ in their beauty. (compare) incomparable: vô song 46. It is ________ to generalize from the results of a single experiment. (advise) inadvisable: không nên 47. Try not to ________ to criticism (react) overreact: phản ứng quá mạnh mẽ 48. He was confused and ________ and I didn't get much sense out of him. (cohere) incoherent: không mạch lạc 49. Gradually she began to notice one or two little ________ in his character. (perfect) 175

imperfections: sự không hoàn hảo 50. They’re concerned about the ________ of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. (build) buildup: sự tích tụ 51. Karen has always felt ________ by her famous elder sister. (shadow) overshadowed: bị làm lu mờ 52. An increasing number of tests are available for detecting foetal ________ (normal). abnormalities: sự bất bình thường 53. He is currently standing trial for alleged ________ (practice) malpractices: hành động phi pháp 54. All points on a circle are ________ (distant) from the centre. equidistant: khoảng cách bằng nhau 55. The worsening situation forced the company to ________ (size) from 39 employees to 7. downsize: cắt giảm 56. The new version of the program comes with a much better user ________(face). interface: giao diện 57. Who will be the main ________ of the cuts in income tax? (benefit) beneficiary: người được hưởng lợi 58. The parents showed remarkable ________(bear) toward their defiant and unruly son. forbearance: sự chịu đựng, rộng lượng 59. A(n) ________(mean/menace) has been committed but the offender has not been caught. misdemeanour: tội nhẹ 60. I keep getting ________ (contrary) advice - some people tell me to keep it warm and some tell me to put ice on it. 176

contradictory: mâu thuẫn 61. He gazed at her with ________ (smell) eyes, wishing she wasn't married. smouldering/smoldering: âm ỉ 62. He had a(n) ________ (rival) knowledge of south Arabian society, religion, law and customs. unrivalled: không gì sánh được 63. The ship is an exact ________ (reply) of the original Golden Hind. replica: bản sao 64. ________(provide) and expression as well as musical accompaniment of the exercises plays a central role in the training programme of the Medau-Schule. Improvisation: sự ứng biến 65. Ariadne herself personifies the passively courageous, endlessly ________(resource), and ________ (love) restorative element in every psyche. resourceful – lovingly: tháo vát-yêu thương, âu yếm 66. ________ (brain) on creative tasks has been a major activity in the advertising business where it began in the 1930s. Brainstorming: ý kiến bất chợt 67. Abuses of the investigative process may ________(perceive) lead to abridgment of protected freedoms imperceptibly: không thể nhận thấy 68. Their contributions to science have earned them a(n) ________ (last) place in history. everlasting: vĩnh viễn 69. She appeared on television to make a(n) ________ (passion) plea for help. impassioned: mãnh liệt, dữ dội 70. No one will raise moral psychology of the question of obesity, for fear of sounding ________(passion) and ________(reaction). 177

uncompassionate – reactionary: tàn nhẫn-phản động 71. We should take a more ________ (passion) view and consider the long-term effects of Briant's work. dispassionate: không thiên vị 72. The solutions ________ (compass) a wide range of options to suit all tastes and pockets. encompass: xoay quanh 73. He was known to be a loud-mouthed, ________ (opinion) bigot. opinionated: ngoan cố, khăng khăng giữ ý kiến của mình 74. The aim of the report is to ________ (lucid) the main points of the new regulations. elucidate: làm sáng tỏ 75. Some things are ________ (alien) true: Water is wet, gra is green (kind of), dogs bark and houses prices rise inalienably: không thể thay đổi 76. Jack tried to ________ (one) for his rudeness by sending her some flowers. atone: chuộc lỗi 77. By 1980 the Republican Party platform had become antiabortion; and a president who pledged to ________ (law) abortion altogether had been elected. outlaw: cấm 78. Tootle seems to be essentially a(n) ________ (caution) tale, warning the child to stay on the narrow road of virtue. cautionary: để cảnh báo 79. The country's great influence in the world is ________ (proportion) to its relatively small size. disproportionate: thiếu cân đối 80. In the US, a school ________ (intend) is in charge of the schools in a particular area. 178

superintendent: giám thị 81. The demonstrators ________ (brand) banners and shouted slogans. brandished: nói một loạt 82. He has a(n) ________(can) knack of being able to see immediately where the problem lies. uncanny: phi thường, kì lạ 83. Mick was stubborn and ________ (dominate) with a very bad temper. domineering: độc đoán, hốc hách 84. My profession had an important influence in the formation of my character and ________ (temper). temperament: tính khí 85. The final whistle was greeted with ________ (triumph) cheers from players and spectators. triumphant:chiến thắng, vui mừng 86. She has never traced back her ________ (line), but believes her grandparents were from Aberdeenshire. lineage: dòng dõi 87. She was a devout Catholic and, so far as I am aware, ________ (assail/salient) morally. unassailable: không thể đánh đổ 88. In the field of ________ (diet), standards of practice have been developed for practitioners in the field. dietetics: dinh dưỡng 89. I am afraid I have quite a(n) ________ (incline) to retire on a pension. disinclination: sự không thích

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90. A(n) ________ (reach) and comprehensive strategy, carefully integrated with broader plans for health care reform, is required. far-reaching: có ảnh hưởng sâu rộng 91. They're making efforts to streamline their normally ________(cumber) bureaucracy. cumbersome: phức tạp 92. Trading can be characterized as a pure, ________ (cumber) personal choice with an immediate outcome. unencumbered: không lúng túng 93. He's ________(centre), ________(manipulate), insensitive; classic signs of a personality problem. self-centred – manipulative: ích kỉ-áp đặt 94. Sometimes a sympathetic friend can be a constant source of discouragement, all ________ (know). unknowingly: vô tình 95. Some say he was reborn as an undead god, others that he was simply a(n) ________ spirit. disembodied: tách rời thể xác 96. This book is about people who claim to have ________ (normal) abilities such as ESP and mind-reading. paranormal: bất bình thường 97. The refugees slept in ________ (shift) tents at the side of the road. makeshift: tạm thời 98. The inheritance of ________ (mode) company structures from the past, reinforced by further concentration, produced very rigid company organisation. outmoded: lỗi thời 99. In the ________ (mingle) of news and commercials we have a struggle of sorts between two different orientations. 180

intermingling: trộn lẫn 100. Two hijackers used fake explosives to _______ (command) the airliner. commandeer: kiểm soát

PRACTICE TEST 4 A. There are a myriad of lifestyle issues affecting the youth of today. Such is the pressure heaped on many school-goers to achieve academic excellence by their parents that these 1_______ (real) expectations are causing children to become hopelessly depressed. Indeed, some, in their 2_______ (despair) to escape and their sense of guilt at being unable reach the levels of success demanded of them by their 3_______ (push) parents, either rebel in what is 4_______ (amount) to a cry for help, or, worse still, engage in 5_______ (harm). It is no coincidence that suicide rates, expecially amongst young males, have been rising steadily for some time now. These are tough times to be a teen. Then there are those who get hooked on the internet; the 6 _______ (virtue) world becomes their reality. For these teens, their social circle shrinks 7_______ (drama) until, at last, their friendship sphere is limited solely to their online 8_______ (bud). Not alone do they commonly suffer from sleep 9_______ (private) on account of their destructive addiction to game play and net-surfing, their behaviour may become so 10 _______ (err) and peculiar over time as to be considered 11_______ (social) . And while they sit at their computer screens hidden away in splendid isolation from the real world, such is the lack of exercise they get that their calorie intake far exceeds what is necessary for them to maintain a stable weight. In essence, due to their sedentary lifestyle, their weight 12_______ (rocket) until such time as they become morbidly obese. 1. unrealistic : phi thực tế 2. desperation: sự tuyệt vọng 4. tantamount: tương đương với 7. dramatically

5. self-harm: tự làm hại bản thân 6. virtual: ảo

8. buddies: bạn

10. erractic: thất thường

3. pushy: thúc ép

9. deprivation: sự tước đoạt

11. antisocial : khó gần gũi

12. skyrockets: tăng mạnh

B. The standard of television programming produced in this country is in terminal decline. The 1_______ (shed) has become a meaningless term confined in its 2_______ 181

(apply) to 3_______ (go) days when adult content felt the full force of censorship and was not allowed to appear on the box until after 9:00 p.m. Nowadays, however, it seems anything goes any time. And, truth told, whatever anything is, it seldom 'goes' for much longer than a half hour or so at any rate before it is interrupted by a commercial break. And don't even get me started on those appalling 4_______ (inform) most of the networks run right the way through the night, one after another, for up to thirty minutes at a time. lt is truly painful. Terrestrial television is now, as far as I am concerned, a laughing stock. All the quality has been bought up by the satellite networks, with their big-money weight behind them, but even here 5_______ (pick) are slim. In protest at the dire state of things, I have become a converted 6_______ (net). I look to the web now to find good content. There, I can find just enough 7_______ (run) of quality programmes to prevent myself from falling into utter despair and pining for the good old days of 8_______ (year). 1. watershed: bước ngoặt 3. bygone: đã qua

2. applicability: tính có thể ứng dụng

4. infomercials: quảng cáo

6. netizen: dân mạng

7. re-run: sự phát lại

5. pickings: lợi lộc 8. yesteryear: quá khứ, năm ngoái

C. In January 2001, the 1_______ (govern) Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) issued its latest report on climate change. Climate models worked out by giant super-computers had become far more reliable since the previous report in 1995 and allowed them to 2_______ (praise) the earlier projections for global warming. Their conclusions were that something very serious is happening and that it cannot be a natural process. The 1990s was the hottest decade for 1,000 years and the Earth is warming faster than at any time in the last 10,000 years. According to the report, human activities are 3_______ (equivocate) to blame for the temperature rise. The burning of fossil fuels releases carbon dioxide and, due to deforestation, there are fewer trees to absorb this gas and recycle it back into oxygen. Methane 4_______ (concentrate) have also gone up dramatically because of increases in rice culture and 5_______ (cattle), both of which generate methane from 6_______ (compose) vegetation. These greenhouses gases trap heat in the Earth’s atmosphere and cause the temperature to rise. In the worst case, the resulting melting of ice-caps and glaciers would cause sea levels to rise by up to 88 cm, endangering the homes and 7_______ (lively) of tens of millions of people who live in low-lying regions. Unfortunately, there is far greater 8_______ (unanimous) among the world’s scientists over the issue than among politicians. As long ago as 1990, the IPCC recommended a 182

60% reduction in carbon dioxide 9_______ (emit), as the basic level required to return the planet’s climate to a healthy level. Governments globally failed to 10_______ (act) these proposals. Now that the dangers have been reaffirmed by the latest report, it is high time that governments took an active interest in exploring alternative, renewable energy sources. 1. intergovernmental: nhiều chính phủ 2. reappraise: đánh giá lại 3.unequivocally: rõ rệt, dứt khoát 4. concentrations: nồng độ 5. cattle(-)raising/ breeding: chăn nuôi gia súc sinh kế 8. unanimity : sự nhất trí 9. emissions: sự tỏa ra, khí thải

6. decomposing: phân hủy 7. livelihood:

10. enact: ban hành

D. People intuitively recognize the importance of self-esteem to their psychological health, so it isn't particularly remarkable that most of us try to protect and enhance it in ourselves whenever possible. What is remarkable is that attention to self-esteem has become a(n) 1_______ (commune) concern, at least for Americans, who see a favorable opinion of oneself as the central psychological source from which all manner of positive outcomes spring. The corollary, that low self-esteem lies at the root of individual and thus 2_______ (society) problems and 3_______ (function), has sustained an ambitious social agenda for decades. Indeed, campaigns to raise people's sense of self-worth abound. Consider what transpired in California in the late 1980s. Prodded by State Assemblyman John Vasconcellos, Governor George Deukmejian set up a task force on self-esteem and personal and social responsibility. Vasconcellos argued that raising self-esteem in young people would reduce crime, teen pregnancy, drug abuse, school 4_______ (achieve) and pollution. At one point, he even expressed the hope that these efforts would one day help balance the state budget, a prospect predicated on the observation that people with high 5_______ (regard) earn more than others and thus pay more in taxes. Along with its other activities, the task force assembled a team of scholars to survey the relevant literature. The results appeared in a 1989 volume 6_______ (title) The Social Importance of SelfEsteem, which stated that "many, if not most, of the major problems plaguing society have roots in the low self-esteem of many of the people who make up society." In reality, the report contained little to support that assertion. 1. communal : công cộng, chung 2. societal : thuộc xã hội 3. dysfunctions : sự hoạt động khác thường 4. underachievement: sự làm kém, không tốt như mong đợi5. self-regard : tự trọng 6. entitled: được đặt tên 183

E. An emerging discipline called neuroaesthetics is seeking to bring scientific 1_______ (objective) to the study of art, and has already given us a better understanding of many 2_______ (master). The blurred 3_______ (image) of Impressionist paintings seems to stimulate the brain's amygdala, for instance. Since the amygdala plays a crucial role in our feelings, that finding might explain why many people find these pieces so 4_______ (move). Could the same approach also shed light on abstract twentieth-century pieces, from Mondrian's geometrical blocks of colour, to Pollock's 5_______(seem) haphazard arrangements of splashed paint on canvas? 6_______ (sceptical) believe that people claim to like such works simply because they are famous. We certainly do have an inclination to follow the crowd. When asked to make simple 7_______ (perceive) decisions such as matching a shape to its rotated image, for example, people often choose a definitively wrong answer if they see others doing the same. It is easy to imagine that this 8_______ (mental) would have even more impact on a fuzzy concept like art appreciation, where there is no right or wrong answer. 1. objectivity: tính khách quan 2. masterpieces: kiệt tác 4.moving: cảm động

3.imagery : hình tượng

5. seemingly: có vẻ 6. skeptics: những người hoài nghi perceptual : thuộc tri giác, cảm giác 8. mentality: tâm lí

7.

F. Pop art was a(n) 1_______ (convention) art style in which 2_______ (common) objects such as comic strips, soup cans and road signs were used as subject matter, and were often incorporated into the work. The pop art movement was largely a British and American cultural phenomenon of the late 1950s and ‘60s. Art critic Lawrence Alloway, referring to the prosaic 3_______ (icon) of its painting and sculpture, named the movement pop art. It represented an attempt to return to a more objective and 4_______ (universe) accepted form of art after the dominance in both the United States and Europe of the highly personal abstract 5_______ (express). The art form was iconoclastic, rejecting the 6_______ (supreme) of the ‘high art’ of the past and the 7_______ (pretend) of other contemporary avant-garde art. Pop art became a cultural institution because of its close reflection of a particular social situation and because its easily 8_______ (comprehend) images were immediately exploited by the mass media. Although the critics of pop art describe it as sensational and non-aesthetic, its proponents saw it as an art that was democratic and not 9_______ (discriminate), bringing together both connoisseurs and untrained inexperienced viewers. Even though public reaction to pop art 184

was 10_______ (favour), it found critical acceptance as a form of art suited to the highly technological, mass media-oriented society of western countries. 1. unconventional: trái với thường lệ 2. commonplace : tầm thường, quen thuộc 3. iconography: sự mô tả bằng hình tượng 4. universally: toàn cầu supremacy: uy quyền

5. expressionism : chủ nghĩa biểu hiện

7. pretentiousness: sự phô trương, khoe khoang được 9. discriminatory: phân biệt đối xử

6.

8. comprehensible: có thể hiểu

10. unfavourable: không có ích G. The comedy Bringing Up Baby, on the other hand, presents practically non-stop dialogue delivered at 1_______ (neck) speed. This use of dialogue 2_______ (score) not only the dizzy quality of the character played by Katherine Hepburn, but also the 3_______ (absurd) of the film itself and thus its humor. The audience is bounced from gag to gag and conversation to conversation; there is no time for audience reflection. The audience is caught up in a(n) 4_______ (wind) of activity in simply managing to follow the plot. This film presents pure 5______ (escape) - largely due to its frenetic dialogue. 1. breakneck: nguy hiểm 2. underscores: nhấn mạnh 3. absurdity: điều vô lí 4. whirlwind: cơn lốc 5. escapism: sự thoát li thực tế

PRACTICE TEST 4

185

1. This place is an ___________ zone, which is restricted to people who work in the Parliamentary House only. (EXCLUDE) exclusionary: cấm vào 2. He was ___________ by the darkness and got lost in the forest. (NIGHT) benighted: dốt nát 3. He was ___________ with intelligence but he tried hard to make up for it. (ENDOW) unendowed: không được trời phú 4. Any ___________ gimmicks are forbidden in this competition. (MALICE) malicious: hiểm độc 5. Surely all women must have ___________ instinct or the human race would die out. (MOTHER) maternal: thuộc về mẹ 6. Putting up with noise coming from the neighbor is probably the most ____________ thing. (TO) untoward: bất tiện 7. The leader was taken into custody, which brought an end to the _____________. (SURGE) insurgency: sự nổi loạn 8. The spectacular view of Sa Pa has _____________ many visitors. (RAPTURE) enraptured: làm thích thú 9. Andy has received such _____________ fame after he tried himself in the school’s play. (WONT) unwonted: hiếm thấy 10. The aridity in that area _____________ a poor crop. (TOKEN) betokens: là biểu hiện của 11. Some people argue that money has _____________ football. (BASE) 186

debased: làm giảm giá trị 12. This remote village bore the _____________ of the storm. (PREDATOR) depredation: sự đánh phá 113. “People” is a ____________ word. (SYLLABLE) disyllabic: gồm 2 âm tiết 14. The young boy was _____________ by the two men who then asked the innocent for money. (WAY) waylaid: đón đường 15. Taking that old lady for a ride is _____________. (CONSCIENCE) unconscionable: phi lý 16. To achieve the _____________ logic, you have to employ certain techniques of using connectives like ‘and’, ‘or’ in the right place within the sentence. (SENTENCE) sentential: cách ngôn 17. This chair is almost too ____________, so replace it with a new one! (ANNUAL) superannuated: quá cũ 18. Underground nuclear _____________ are believed to have been carried out. (NOTE) denotations: dấu hiệu 19. The opponents of nuclear power may object to the scheme for some ______________ reasons. (MENTION) undermentioned: được nên bên dưới 20. Every point in his speech is _____________, which allows the audience to follow easily. (PERSPEX) perspicuous: rõ ràng 21. The ______________ is used to measured the smallest things! (MICRO) micrometer: vi kế 187

22. His ______________ talking annoys the teachers a lot. (TERMINAL) interminable: liên miên 23. Many ______________ policies have come into force to boost the economic development. (BUSINESS) pro-business: tốt cho doanh nghiệp 24. A(n) _____________ schedule assists me in passing the day smoothly. (ARRANGE) prearranged: đặt trước 25. Allowing yourself anything you like makes you a ____________ figure. (INDULGE) self-indulgent: tự nuông chiều 26. Mary ______________ with her husband about his budget this month. (POSTULATE) expostulated: phản đối 27. It is impossible to _______________ his excellence at work. (SAY) gainsay: phủ nhận 28. People in coastal area live mainy on the ______________, which allows them to earn a great deal of money from the sea products (CULTURE) aquaculture: sự trồng trên nước 29. People felt a great pity for the time spent to see such a(n) _____________ film. (ABYSS) abysmal: cực kì xấu 30. Every book has a ______________ including what the authors say about their masterpiece. (WORD) foreword: lời nói đầu 31. I cannot imagine why there are such ______________ people in this world. Don’t they feel any sympathy for the homeless? (HEART) hard-hearted: nhẫn tâm 188

32. I will bring my unbrella along on the _____________ that it rains. (CHANCE) offchance: ít khả năng 33. The dramatic decrease in the ________________ of this factory can be a direct result of underpayment. (PUT) throughput: lưu lượng 34. The contaminated drinking water in Flint, Michigan can cause ______________ consequences. (LIFE) lifelong: cả đời 35. It is a _____________ fact that the vegeterian sausages were invented during World War I. (KNOW) little-known: ít được biết tới 36. His recent unpredictable mood ____________ him from his friends. (STRANGE) estranges: li gián, làm xa cách 37. I was ______________ and fell in love with her immediately at first sight. (LOVE) lovestruck: bị tiếng sét ái tình 38. The camera must be clean with a soft ____________ cloth. Otherwise, the water will permeate and cause damage. (WRING) well-wrung: được vắt kĩ 39. His recent ups and downs made the criminal more ____________ than ever. (BITE) hard-bitten: chai lì 40. John Cena used to be in his _____________ in WWE but since his dislocation, he had to leave for operation and it would take him a long time to make a full recovery. (DAY) heyday: thời hoàng kim 41. Bats use ______________ to navigate in the dark when hunting prey. (LOCATION) echolocation: tiếng vang 189

42. He was lying, indicated by the _______________ sign that his hands were shivering. (TELL) tell-tale: làm lộ 43. Thanks to the _____________ at the bottom of the page, the Chinese-VietNamese poem becomes more accessible. (NOTE) footnote/annotation: chú thích 44. The dog seems rather _______________; it must not have been fed for days. (SEE) unsightly: không ưa nhìn 45. ________________ injection is the most common way to inject drugs. (VEIN) intravenous: trong tĩnh mạch 46. _________________ medication brings about a quick relief but it is not recommended for long-term treatment. (ACT) short-acting: trong thời gian ngắn 47. Ivan’s camera now ________________ because he carelessly dropped it into the pool. (FUNCTION) malfunctions: không hoạt động được 48. Mary told the doctor about her stomach’s ________________. It didn’t seem to work properly. (FUNCTION) dysfunction: sự hoạt động khác thường 49. A cock roach can continue to live for a few days even if it is ________________. (CAPITA) decapitated: bị cắt phần ngọn, phần đầu 50. Their house is decorated in such a _________________ way so that it fit in with other houses. (DESCRIBE) nondescript: thông thường, bình dân 51. ________________ people are strong and healthy ones who can make a living on their own. (BODY) 190

able-bodied: cơ thể khỏe mạnh 52. I spent the whole evening _______________ my messy house. (CLUTTER) decluttering: dọn dẹp 53. Remember to read every _______________ in the contract because it can be a trap for the unwary. (PRINT) small-print: phần in chữ nhỏ 54. I did my project in my own way, not in a ________________ one. (TREAD) well-trodden: nhiều người 55. From six o’clock _______________, I’m home! (ON) onwards: kể từ 56. Some of the ________________ and __________________ regions in Somalia have adopted distinctive symbols , including flags, while others continue to use the Somali flag. (DEPEND/AUTONOMY) quasi-independent/semi autonomous: gần như độc lập 57. A(n) _________________ disease is one that will gradually deteriorate the functioning of any one part in your body. (GENERATE) degenerative: suy thoái 58. It is widely known that judges have _________________ powers. (DISCRETION) discretionary: tự do theo ý mình 59. The little boy left his hand-made boat _______________ on the river. (DRIFT) adrift: trôi giạt 60. The students are ________________ seperated into differnt classes. (QUALIFY) qualitatively: định tính 61. He suffered from headaches as an _______________ of his accident. (AFFECT) aftereffect: di chứng 191

62. The renown that Michael Jackson gained for himself is almost ________________. (SUPERIOR) insuperable: không thể vượt qua 63. Viet Nam used to be ________________ into two seperate areas, with the border being Gianh river. (MASS) demassified: chia ra 64. The walls were _________________ with colors, which make it so beautiful. (STRIPE) striated: có sọc 65. A bottle of cooled water had __________________ effects on us after a long walk. (VIGOR) invigorating: làm phấn khởi lên 66. Hand ________________ is accused of including BBA, which can cause many health problems. (SANITARY) sanitizer: phương tiện sát trùng 67. Their trouble is __________________. They themselves made the situation worse. (INFLICT) self-inflicting: tự gây ra 68. The _________________ inside our bodies is a complex system. (MUSCLE) musculature: hệ thống cơ 69. I do not understand why Adriana was so ________________ at last night’s party. She is usually clever and tactical when meeting people. (ADROIT) maladroit: vụng về 70. Viet Nam went through _________________ process and became an independent country. (COLONY) decolonisation: phi thực dân hóa 192

PRACTICE TEST 5 1. The act of _________ should be prohibited under any circumstances. Everyone all has equal rights to vote. (FRANCHISE) disenfranchisement: sự tước quyền công dân 2. The boss ordered his staff to be ________ with each other in dealing with the company's end-of-year burden. (LABOR) collaborative: cộng tác 3. It is such a _________ story that the mom lost her child when her family immigrated from Africa into Europe. (LUCK) hard-luck: cảm động 4. The mayor was determined that he would do everything in his power to _________ the murder case. (MYSTERY) demystify: làm rõ 5. The government stressed it was not abandoning its tough __________ policies. (INFLATE) anti-inflationary: chống lạm phát 193

6. The woman detected her ________ conditions soon after she felt ill in her body. (CANCER) precancerous: báo trước bệnh ung thư 7. I cast my eyes ________ and saw the geese flying in V-line. (HEAVEN) heavenwards: về phía chân trời 8. ________ programs are offered to those who want to do professional training while being paid to work. (SERVICE) In-service: đang thực hiện 9. It is inhumane to sell ________ limbs of the animals, such as rhinoceros or elephants, in the market place. (MEMBER) dismembered: chia thành từng phần, cắt thành từng phần 10. He was regarded as a _______ winner as he beat his opponents in three straight sets. (RUN) runaway: nhanh, dễ dàng 11. Although some hold out hope for a sea wall and land reclamation programme, it is admittedly nothing more than a mere ________ (STOP) stopgap: sự thay thế tạm thời 12. A(n) ________ is implanted in the body to prop up the heart. (MAKE) pacemaker: máy điều hòa nhịp tim 13. She is ________ gorgeous in that gown. (DIE) drop-dead: bất thần 14. His behavior at the party was _________, which went beyond everyone's expectations. (ERR) aberrant: khác thường 15. The advent of computers was one of the _________ milestones in the mankind's history. (NOTE) 194

noteworthy: đáng chú ý 16. His condition was so serious _________ as he had to stay in hospital for a month. (MUCH) inasmuch: bởi vì 17. Pending the _________ of KFC, the manager had to catch up on a huge number of backlogs. (TAKE) takeover: quyền tiếp quản 18. It is __________ to be waken up by the noisy music from the neighbor's house. (IRK) irksome: annoying 19. Like many other __________ of my age, I dread to use hi-tech gears. (TECHNICAL) technophobes: người sợ công nghệ 20. Bacteria derived from __________ disease can be contagious among people having reciprocal contact. (MENINGES) meningitic: viêm màng não 21. The woman is getting older. She is now in the __________ year of her age. (LIGHT) twilight: tuổi xế chiều 22. Chemicals are easily __________ if they are laid open in the atmosphere for a long time. (ACTION) deactivated: không hoạt động 23. The spectators booed as the referee did not disallow the _______ goal. (SIDE) offside: việt vị 24. The government must work at full tilt to promote the economy and reduce the ________. (EFFICIENT) deficits: số tiền thiếu hụt 25. The Earth is experiencing a major ________ in the climate. (HEAVE) upheaval: chuyển biến 195

26. My ________ is the unique thing that distinguishes me from others. (MARK) birthmark: vết bớt 27. Children who grow up in peace tend to be more ________ than those who grow up in war. (ADAPT) maladapted: không thích nghi 28. My mother ________ me a great deal of encouragement after I got bad grades in my exam. (VOUCH) vouchsafed: dành, ban phát 29. He is a(n) ________ man. He does not gain any ground in his family. (WILL) weak-willed: yếu đuối, thiếu ý chí 30. You can look at the ________ of this Chinese book to see the elucidation of these new words. (ADD) addendum: phụ lục 31. The reaction that occurs within the cell is called _________ reaction. (CELL) intracellular: nội bào 32. He was ________ from the hustle and bustle of life since he moved to this rural area. (TANGLE) disentangled: thoát khỏi cảnh rối rắm 33. I ________ over whether to go abroad or not. (SHALL) shilly-shally: do dự 34. Many people nowadays want to indulge themselves in ________ industries such as finance and the like. (KNOW) knowledge-based: dựa vào tri thức 35. Please accept this ________ as a reminder of your stay here. (REMEMBER) memento: vật lưu niệm 36. A(n) ________ is the one who turns into wolf during full moon. (WOLF) 196

werewolf: ma sói 37. Nitrogen oxide is a(n) ________ compound of oxygen and nitrogen. (ATOM) biatomic: lưỡng nguyên tử 38. The story broadens the horizon of the children about their _______. (BEAR) forebears: tổ tiên 39. I met my old friend at the supermarket this morning, which was quite ________. (FORTUNE) fortuitous: tình cờ 40. The mall has intrigued a great number of visitors since it was ________ last month. (GRAND) aggrandized: mở rộng 41. She cast her eyes ________ and saw a mysterious man looking at her. (STREET) streetwards: về phía con đường 42. The girl excelled herself at the exam and came ________ to the two boys. (THREE) tertiary: thứ ba 43. Scientists from Russia, America and Japan have recently filled the periodic table’s seventh row with four _________ chemical elements. (HEAVE) superheavy: siêu nặng 44. It is a misconception that _________ human blood is blue. (OXYGEN) deoxygenated: mất hết oxy 45. The house is painted in such a(n) _________ style. (SAVOUR) unsavoury: nhạt nhẽo, vô vị 46. In this modern day, you have to keep yourself _________ so as not to lag behind others. (DATE) uptodate: bắt kịp thời đại 197

47. This book is _________. You can find information about the varieties of plants around the world here. (EMBRACE) all-embracing: bao gồm tất cả 48. The little rainfall ________ a poor crop for farmers in this village. (BODE) foreboded: dự báo 49. That word is such a(n) ________. It is not easy to pronounce at all. (JAW) jawbreaker: từ khó phát âm 50. _________ and disinfectants are widely used in hospital to kill the bacteria. (SEPTIC) antiseptics: chất khử trùng 51. Due to the prolonged _________, the goods arrived later than we had expected. (CONTAIN) containerization: sự cho hàng vào container 52. Found in ________ condition, the house is intended to be demolished. (DOWN) run-down: xuống cấp, tồi tệ 53. ________ of violence has been possible by means of television. (DOCTRINE) Indoctrination: sự truyền bá 54. He laid his desk _________. It is untidily filled with all kinds of stuff. (HEAP) aheap: ngổn ngang 55. It is ________ that he will press ahead with his project. Nothing can prevent him. (ODD) odds-on: chắc chắn 56. X-rays, known as a form of ________, are widely utilized nowadays to diagnose medical conditions. (RADIAL) irradiation: bức xạ 57. His misunderstanding of the situation resulted in his _________. Everyone could make out the embarassing remarks on his face. (COMPOSE) 198

discomposure: sự mất bình tĩnh 58. The minister _________ the fight against hunger in his opening speech. (ACCENT) accentuated: nhấn mạnh 59. Even the most _________ equipment cannot replace the role of the teachers in the future. (ART) state-of-the-art: công nghệ hiện đại 60. America is considered one of the biggest _________ in the world. (POWER) superpowers: cường quốc 61. The water ________ in the building is of great concern. It can damage the walls if not managed properly and timely. (FILL) infiltration: sự thấm qua 62. He took off his hat and a pigeon flew out. It was ________ a trick. (GUILE) beguilingly: lí thú 63. In a _________ manner, he stepped into the room and shouted at the top of his voice. (DOUBT) redoubtable: đáng sợ 64. You should not assess a situation from such a(n) ________ side. (LATERAL) unilateral: đơn phương 65. The homless woman pleaded for a shelter from the rain in a(n) _________ tone. (PASSION) impassioned: say sưa, mãnh liệt 66. The man reported than he had seen a(n) _________ object, which might well be a UFO. (EGG) egg-shaped: có hình quả trứng 67. The coal cellar needs to be equipped with _________ system in order to prevent suffocation. (VENT) 199

ventilation: hệ thống thông gió 68. The advent of Internet is an important __________ in human history. (MARK) landmark: bước ngoặc 69. His face showed the remark of _________ even when we were talking about seriously. ( FLIP) flippancies: sự xấc xược 70. What you know is rather __________. And it is unfair to judge just through a cursory glance. (FACIES) superficial: nông cạn 71. Moving _________ is moving in a direction opposite to the direction the hands of the clock moves. (CLOCK) counterclockwise/anticlockwise: ngược chiều kim đồng hồ 72. Reta is studying animal __________ at the Oxford university. (GENE) genomics: bộ gen 73. The crews fortuitously dicovered a __________ in the ship’s cool chamber. (STOW) stowaway: người đi lậu vé 74. The man was _________ on a medal for bravely taking a child out of the burning house. (STOW) bestowed: ban tặng 75. The report has _________ the cause of global warming in the past decades. (POINT) pinpointed: chỉ ra 76. It may take more than a month to deliver our car from Germany to VietNam as it is _________. (SHIP) shipborne: chở trên tàu 77. “Titanic” is an example of _________ romance. (SHIP) shipboard: trên tàu 200

78. The machine cannot work properly as a direct result of _________. (ALIGN) misalignment: sự sắp xếp sai 79. There used to be a __________ in Quang Tri, whose remains now become a historical site. (HOLD) stronghold: pháo đài, đồn lũy 80. Andy was ___________ from the volunteer group due to his poor attitude. (COMMUNICATE) excommunicated: bị đẩy ra khỏi 81. I was so ____________ that even a spider scared me. (KNEE) weak-kneed: yếu ớt 82. The government ____________ its responsibility in the leakage of confidential information. (NEGATE) abnegated: từ chối 83. Try not to be ___________ even if you are tremendously successful. (VAIN) vainglorious: khoe khoang 84. Bob is a(n) ___________ of an intelligent student. (TYPE) archetype: hình mẫu 85. The goverment’s policy to soothe the anger among people was ___________. It should have happened earlier. (CHRONOLOGY) anachronistic: sai thời điểm 86. Tom’s collection is such a(n) ___________. There is no connection between things. (MASH) mish-mash: mớ hỗn độn 87. I was completely ___________ by the fact that he was going to get married. (MUSE) bemused: làm sửng sốt 201

88. Sleeping during day and working when night comes sounds seemingly __________. (SCIENCE) antiscientific: phản khoa học 89. I question whether a spectacle so fantastic and impressive was ever dealtwith, even in the pages of __________ fiction. (SCIENCE) quasiscientific: có vẻ mang tính khoa học 90. Adam’s gait is a(n) __________ for his strong personality. (WORD) byword: điển hình 91. The apricot blossom __________ during spring. (GERM) germinates: nảy mầm 92. In an _________ world, people have to change to get into the swing of the environment. (EVOLVE) ever-evolving: luôn thay đổi 93. I __________ the distance from my house to the Ann’s hospital and arrived there rather late. (RECK) misreckoned: tính sai 94. Harry Porter’s personality is successfully ___________ by J.K.Rowling throughout her series. (LINE) delineated: mô tả 95. Your __________ saying last night could hurt other people’s feelings although you might not intend to say so. (SENSE) insensate: vô cảm 96. What Thuy Minh said has provoked violent __________ from critics as well as celebrities. (BLAST) counterblast: sự phản đối 97. You are becoming a(n) ___________. Just go outside and see what happens. (LAY) 202

layabout: người vô công rỗi nghề 98. A ___________ is an instrument that separates light into a frequency spectrum and records the signal using a camera. (SPECTRUM) spectrograph: máy quang phổ 99. Cindy showed ___________ support at Josh’s project. She always believes him. (FALTER) unfaltering: không nao núng 100. This place is an ___________ zone, which is restricted to people who work in the Parliamentary House only. (EXCLUDE) exclusionary: không cho vào

CHAPTER 3: CLOZE TEST Part 1. Cressida Cowell is the author of the widely-praised How to Train your Dragon series of children’s books. She spent her own childhood holidays on a remote island, where she has left very much to her own (1)________. As a result, she became an avid reader, entertaining (2)________ with books and developing a fervent imagination. She even (3)________ up her own secret languages. Cowell believes that today’s children still have a real (4)________ for language, even though their attention (5)________ may not be as great as in her day, (6)________ them less tolerant of descriptive passages in stories. Her books are outlandish and exciting, with vivid imagery, cliffhangers and eye-catching illustrations. Dragons seem to (7)________ to children of all nationalities, who also seem to (8)________ with her

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protagonist, Hiccup, quite easily. Hiccup is a boy who battles his way through’s life problems, often against the (9)________ . Cowell is currently planning an illustrated book for teenagers. In her own words, she enjoys breaking the (10)________ and finds that kids are open-minded enough to accept this. devices – herself – dreamt – ear – span – making – appeal – identify – odds – mould Part 2. Recent research carried out in Ireland amongst chefs and consumers found that 48% of people (1)________ to regularly over-ordering in restaurants. A campaign has been launched as a result calling for the food-service industry to join (2)________ with chefs and consumers to address the issue of food waste. To bring the research findings to (3)________, the owner of a restaurant in Dublin is creating a "Great Irish Waste" menu, reconsidering food ingredients that have been thrown away, rejected or (4)________ inedible and turning them into imaginative dishes that are both appetising and of a suitable (5)________ to serve his customers. He says that while there will always be some (6)________ of waste in the kitchen due to elements such as bones or fat trimmings, there's an opportunity to minimize wastage in the restaurant (7)________ through better communication. "Even though so much food comes back on customers' plates and goes in the bin, the majority of diners aren't aware of the environmental or cost (8)________ of that waste." Without consumers shifting their (9)________ restaurants will struggle to reduce food waste significantly. Tackling this problem as a consumer is straightforward. Ultimately, it (10)________ down to smart shopping, clever cooking and shrewd storage. admitted – forces - life – deemed – standard – degree – itself – implications mindset - comes Part 3. The relationship between the modern consumer and his or her rubbish is a complex one. Getting rid of rubbish has come to mean a great deal more than simply consigning breakfast leftovers (1)________ a plastic bag. With the (2)________ of recycling, rubbish has now invaded many people’s personal lives to an unprecedented degree. There was a time, in living (3)________, when rubbish collection was a simple matter – but today’s household rubbish, (4)________ being discarded, has to be filed and sorted into colour-coded containers according to its recycling category. 204

What is more, we are (5)________ out in a rash of irritation by the suggestion that, if rubbish collections (6)________ to become more infrequent, people would then make the effort to cut down on shopping and recycle more. We might be excused for wondering how this would be (7)________. Can people realistically buy fewer eggs or tubes of toothpaste than their lives (8)_______? Recycling is (9)________ to be good for us. But for some, it’s just a (10)________ of rubbish. to – advent – memory – before – brought – were – possible – require - supposed – load Part 4. The environmental outlook for the future is mixed. Inspite of economic and political changes, interest in and (1)________ about the environmental remains high. Problems such as acid deposition, chlorofluorocarbons and ozone depletions still require (2)________and concerted action is needed to deal with these. (3)________ acid deposition diminish, loss of aquatic life in nothern lakes and streams will continue and forest growth may be affected. Water pollution will (4)________ a growing problem as an increasing human population (5)________ untold stress on the environment. To reduce environmental degradation and for humanity to (6)________ its habitat, societies must recognize that resources are finite. Environmentalists believe that, as populations and their demands increase, the idea of continuous growth must give (7)________ to a more rational use of the environment, but that this can only be brought about by a dramatic (8)________ in the attitude of the human species. concern – solutions – Until – remain – puts – save - way - change Part 5. Just as a language may develop varieties in the (1)________ of dialects and argots, languages as a whole may change (Latin, for example, evolved into the different Romance languages). Sometimes rapid language change occurs as a result of (2)________ between people who each speak a different language. In such circumstances a pidgin may arise. Pidgins are grammatically based on one language but are also influenced, especially in vocabulary, by (3)________; they have relatively small sound systems, reduced vocabularies, and simplified and altered grammars, and they rely heavily on context in order to be (4)________. Pidgins are often the result of contact by traders with island and coastal peoples. A pidgin has no native speakers; when speakers of a pidgin have children who learn the pidgin as their first language, that language is then (5)________ a creole. Once the creole has enough native speakers to form a speech community, the creole may (6)________ into a fuller language. Many creole speakers 205

think of their languages as dialects of some colonial languages. Linguists nearly always disagree with this view - from our (7)________, creoles have independent grammars and all the equipment of full, proper languages. form – contact – others – understood – called – expand - perspective Part 6. The issues for emerging economies are a little more straightforward. The desire to build on undeveloped land is not (1)________ out of desperation or necessity, but is a result of the relentless (2)________ of progress. Cheap labour and a relatively highlyskilled workforce make these countries highly competitive and there is a flood of inward investment, particularly from multinationals (3)________ to take advantage of the low wages before the cost and standard of living begin to rise. It is (4)________ such as these that are making many Asian economies extremely attractive when viewed as investment opportunities at the moment. Similarly, in Africa, the relative (5)________ of precious metals and natural resources tends to attract a lot of exploration companies and a whole sub-industry develops around and is completely dependent on this foreign-direct investment. It is understandable that countries that are the focus of this sort of attention can lose (6)________ of the environmental implications of large-scale industrial development, and this can have devastating consequences for the natural world. And it is a vicious (7)________ because the more industrially active a nation becomes, the greater the demand for and harvesting of natural resources. For some, the environmental issues, though they can (8)________ be ignored, are viewed as a peripheral concern. Indeed, having an environmental conscience or taking environmental matters into consideration when it comes to decisions on whether or not to build rubber-tree plantations or grow biofuel crops would be quite prohibitive in. For those (9)________ in such schemes it is a pretty black-and-white issue. And, for vast tracts of land in Latin America, for example, it is clear that the welfare of the rainforests (10)________ little to local government when vast sums of money can be made from cultivating the land. born – march – looking – factors – abundance – sight – cycle – hardly – involved – matters Part 7. It seems that a large percentage of today’s population is addicted to all forms of digital media and no one seems (1)________ of the nagging phone that buzzes, rings or sings to its owners incessantly. Many people no longer trust their own fallible memories and (2)________ every detail of their lives to some digital device or (3)________ and are completely lost without it. Generally speaking, it is the younger generation who are so addicted, but more and more people seem to be (4)________ their way of life eroded by the digital world. People ‘tweet’ the most mundane of (5)________ as well as the most 206

interesting – in their world, having a cup of coffee is as exciting as climbing Mount Everest! There is a grave danger that people are allowing technology to take (6)________ over everything else in their lives. And in educational circles, concern is (7)________ over the influence of social media, which seems to be adversely affecting students’ progress in some cases. free – commit – other – having – matters – precedence - growing Part 8. Social networking is here to (1)________ and interaction between people all over the world has never been (2)________. We can share our lives with our network friends who can help us solve problems or offer advice. Although these sites can (3)________ as a kind of group therapy session with people who seem to care and who will listen, there is little or no censorship, so cyber-bullying is a growing problem. Perhaps there need to be more (4)________ on what people are allowed to say. Nevertheless, social networking sites can be a great way to find people with shared (5)________ and they can also be very informative if used wisely. For many people, it offers them a feeling of (6)________ from the real world. Furthermore it gives them a chance to chat about anything and (7)________, often quite meaningless, without fear of being rejected by others. (8)________ the drivers, it has become a compelling activity for many, so it is hardly surprising that some people feel a (9)________ of disconnectedness if they are unable to get online for any period of time. And when they do get back online after a few hours of downtime, there is an unmistakable feeling of relief at being a (10)________ of the world once more. stay – easier – act – constraints – interests – escapism – everything – Whatever – sense - part Part 9. It is hardly surprising, in light of their desperation, that the peoples of the developing world who are on the very bottom (1)________ of the ladder have little time for the conservationists and environmentalists who (2)________ bloody murder at what they perceive to be a total (3)________ for the environment in some parts of the “Third World”. And while they – the nature campaigners, that is – have, on the (4)________ of it, a very valid point after all, serious, and, in some cases, irrevocable (5)________ has been done to many precious habitats and the rare creatures that inhabit same – we must understand that the rules of supply and demand are in (6)________ here in the developing world just as much as anywhere else. For example, on the African plains, where (7)________ is still rife, and in the mountain forests where rogue hunters patrol, ask yourself this; would they bother if there wasn’t a market for their kill? Believe me, for every bull elephant slaughtered for its ivory (8)________, there is a rich, greedy, fat-cat 207

collector ready to pay a premium to acquire this ‘find’ – in fact, there are probably ten of them. Similarly, for every mountain gorilla murdered, whose dismembered limbs appear in tourist outlets (9)________ so-called ‘ornaments’ – ashtrays and jewellery boxes, if you don’t mind – there has to be a willing buyer; an admirer of these grotesque trinkets. And there are plenty of them it (10)________ out. It’s the same principle with rare animal furs and skins; who do you think buys the crocodilian handbag? I doubt the local tribespeople could afford the price tag, don’t you? It is an absolute tragedy that endangered species of animals are being (11)________ to the verge of extinction, of this there can be no doubt. But we must try to understand the reasons why this is happening. The reality is that poaching will continue while it is a lucrative occupation and while the (12)________ of finding other forms of employment are very poor. Developing nations need our help, not our scorn. (13)________ that for the few unscrupulous trophy hunters still out there; rich, spoilt, despicable Western brats who get a (14)________ out of taking aim at some of the world’s most precious and endangered species; it is a good thing for them that we live in a civilised world where the death penalty has, by and large, been removed from the list of possible punishments our courts can (15)________ down. That said, since they have made themselves judge, jury and executioner for the innocent creatures they have slain, perhaps nothing (16)________ than a capital sentence would be good enough for these trigger happy delinquents. rung – scream – disregard – face – harm – play – poaching – tusks - as – turns – hunted – prospects – Save – kick – hand - less Part 10. While the internet opens up a whole new (1)________ of knowledge and information for this and future generations to explore, it also (2)________ a number of serious concerns for parents with young, net-savvy children. For (3)________, it is exceptionally difficult to (4)________ your children's net activity and keep (5)________ of whom they are interacting with online. Secondly, there is little (6)________ any censorship of the internet, so parents must be willing to do the censoring themselves or rely on software products to do it for them. Even still, there are ways around the bestintentioned of such programmes, and, besides, the alarming level of growth in cyberbullying is (7)________ of a trend parents should, perhaps, be far more concerned about. lt used to be that children were (8)________ from the bullies one they returned to the safe confines of their home, (9)________ escaped their schoolyard tormentors, but not anymore. There is nowhere to (10)________ thanks to social networks like Facebook, which, if anything, make the (11)________ far and wide of malicious rumours and the like easier than ever before given the virulent (12)________ of the internet. 208

world – poses – starters – monitor - abreast – if – indicative – protected – having – hide – spreading - nature Part 11. Today many people find that the pressure they have at work makes their jobs untenable as they have to put their families totally in the (1)________. So working from home, being more at the (2)________ of your family rather than your current boss, has great appeal to many as they start up their own businesses from bedrooms or garages. But don’t just think about it. Now is the time to start, so (3)________ while the iron’s hot. Providing you are disciplined in what you do, and (4)________ the idea of working mostly alone and without the team spirit (5)________ by working alongside others, then what’s stopping you? You gain far more flexibility as you can choose the working hours that suit you. You will still have to meet deadlines, but they are ones that you or customers have (6)________. And if you are at a (7)________ end during quiet times, you can go out and do things you couldn’t do before. But don’t get (8)________ away with the idea of making millions. You’ll need to be determined and work hard to succeed, but it’ll pay off in the end. background – disposal – strike - embarce – engendered – set – loose - carried Part 12. It is said that we never stop learning until the day we die. Broadening our horizons has never been easier, as the twenty-first century (1)________ ever more opportunities for learning and developing our skills. And if you don’t want to (2)________ out in the job market and (3)________ for a poorly-paid, boring job, there’s no (4)________ these days. Thousands of online courses allow you to work at your own (5)________, while you are doing a full-time job. Although be careful that you don’t (6)________ off more than you can chew! Modern-day society puts a lot of pressure on people, many of whom have had to take out (7)________ and run up enormous overdrafts, just to survive. The situation they find themselves in is often not of their own (8)________ but rather that of the global economy. Facing up to difficult situations by doing something about it rather than running away and coming up with new ways of solving these problems is the (9)________ to survival, and ongoing education helps you do this. Don’t (10)________ around complaining. Get out there and do something about it. Remember, actions speak louder than words! offers – lose – settle – excuse – pace – bite – loans – making – key - sit Part 13. According to some psychologists, we should examine our deeper (1)________ when we attempt to help others who appear to be in need of our support. Helping others is clearly a good thing to do, and it can have a therapeutic effect on both giver and 209

(2)________. If, however, we begin to focus on what we might (3)________ out of helping someone, rather than how that person might be helped, we could be in (4)________ of adopting a somewhat calculating attitude. This would be to lend (5)________ to the ideas of those psychologists who believe that, ultimately, we only do things for our own (6)________ that no actions are truly altruistic. And, of course, we can all think of examples of problems that have been exacerbated by the well-intentioned, but ill-considered intervention of third (7)________. We should also (8)________ in mind that doing too much for people and protecting them from the consequences of their actions can (9)________ their motivation and even rob them of the resources to (10)________ things out for themselves. motives – recipient – get – danger – weight – ends – parties - bear – reduce – sort Part 14. We live in culture that values participation over ability: the karaoke culture. In broadcasting, it seems we cannot (1)________ the vogue for “access TV”, “people shows” and “video diaries”. (2)________ is our apparent obsession with documenting our own lives that, in future, programmes will be replaced by cameras in every room, so that we can watch (3)________ endlessly on TV. In the countless shows that (4)________ our daytime schedules, the audience has become the star. The public make programmes, the public participate in programmes, the public become performers. Anybody can do it! But there is a world of (5)________ between enjoying something and joining in. If we all join in, what is the (6)________ of artists or experts? If everything (7)________, there can be no mystery, no mystique. I love listening to a genius and learning from (or even just appreciating) his or her skill. To assume then that I can “have a (8)________ at” their craft would be monstrous impudence on my part. escape – Such – ourselves – fill – difference – point – accessible - go Part 15. Few inventions have had more scorn and praise (1)________ upon them at the same time than television. And few have done so much to unite the world (2)________ one vast audience for news, sport, information and entertainment. Television must be rated (3)________ printing as one of the most significant inventions of all time in the field of communications. In just a few decades it has (4)________virtually every home in the developed world and an ever-increasing proportion of homes in developing countries. It took over half a century from the first suggestion that television might be (5)________ before the first flickering (6)_______were produced in laboratories in Britain and America. In 1926 John Logie Baird’s genius for publicity brought television to the (7)________ of a British audience. It has since reached such (8)________ of success and 210

(9)________ on such a pivotal function that it is difficult to imagine a world (10)________ of this groundbreaking invention. heaped – into - alongside – reached – possible – pictures – attention – heights – taken - bereft Part 16. Concentration is good in exams, bad in orange juice. Concentration happens when you manage to focus on one thing to the (1) ______ of all others, and concentrating on that one thing (2) ______ you to stop worrying about a lot of other things. Sometimes, of course, your mind concentrates when you don’t want it to. Maybe you can’t get something out of your head, such as a problem you have to (3) ______ up to, or an embarrassing situation you’ve been in. That’s why collecting things as a hobby is popular; it (4) ______ your mind off other things. Indeed, some people seem to prefer looking after and cataloguing their collections to actually (5) ______ anything with them, because this is when the absorbing, single- minded concentration happens. The natural span for concentration is 45 minutes. That’s why half an hour for a television programme seems too short whilst an hour seems too long. But many people's lives are (6) ______ of concentration. Modern culture is served up in small, easily digestible chunks that require only a short (7) ______ span although young people can concentrate on computer games for days at a (8) ______. Sticking out the tongue can aid concentration. This is because you can’t (9) ______ yourself with talking at the same time and other people won’t (10) ______ to interrupt your thoughts, because you look like an idiot! exclusion – allows – face – takes – doing – devoid – attention – time – distract - dare Part 17. Television occupies a large portion of American children's time. Starting in preschool, children spend more time watching television than participating in any other activity (1)________ sleeping. Children also have extensive experience with television before being exposed to many socializing (2)________, such as schools, peers, and religious institutions. (3)________ the central role of this medium in most children's lives, it is important to understand its potential positive and negative effects on a variety of cognitive, academic, social, behavioral, and attitudinal outcomes. The results of recent research suggest that there is considerable overlap between the comprehension processes that take place during reading and those in prereading television viewing. Thus, it may very well be the (4)________ that children who learn these comprehension skills from television viewing before they are able to read are 211

equipped with some very important tools when they later start to read. If (5)________, this has important implications for education, by opening the door for early childhood education of some of these essential literacy skills. Clearly, television viewing is not the sole (6)________ in which important cognitive precursors to literacy may develop. For instance, children may be (7)_______ to narratives through parental bedtime reading and storytelling, particularly given that most parents have positive beliefs about the value of such activities. Television, however, may be an especially ideal medium in which to cultivate some of the skills and knowledge needed for later reading acquisition. For example, this medium involves minimal print, and the decision to view can be controlled entirely by the preschooler. Television is also partially a visual medium, and thus (8)________ information more concretely than do written and spoken text. This content difference across media seems to (9)________ for the fact that preschoolers frequently are better at (10)________ televised stories than audiotaped ones. except/but - agents – Given – case – so – context – exposed - presents - account recalling Part 18. Television used to (1)______as a uniquely unifying national phenomenon. Never before had so many people had so common (2)______ core of shared cultural experiences. People might not know the names of their next-door neighbours, (3)_____ they probably watched many of the same programmes. Thses days, however, with the vast (4)_____ of television programming, everyone can watch (5)_______ different, just as each Internet user can explore a different selection of websites. Even so, programmes (6)_______ at international markets generally (7)_______ to be less popular (with the partial exception of those from America) and people still often choose to watch their own national programmes. In (8)_______, if television develops along similar (9)_______to the movie business, with a few blockbusters attracting vast international audiences, people may even (10)______ up watching a narrower range of programmes. But (11)______ patterns of viewing habits develop, television will almost certainly become a personal (12)_______ of equipment, more (13)_______ a mobile phone than a communal source of entertainment. Armed (14)_______ a credit card and a remote control, viewers will be able to pick their programmes from wherever they choose. Television will then have become truly global. (15)______, perhaps, will the cultural values it instils. 212

act – a – but – expansion - something – aimed – tend – fact – lines – end – whatever – piece – like – with - So Part 19. Language is thought to be a mechanism for transmitting the information (1)________ thoughts. One experiment used to demonstrate this idea (2)________ subjects to listen to a short passage of several sentences. The subjects are then asked to repeat the passage. Most subjects accurately convey the gist of the passage in the sentences they produce, but they do not come (3)________ to repeating the sentences verbatim. It appears as if two transformations have occurred. Upon hearing the passage, the subjects convert the language of the passage into a more abstract representation of its meaning, which is more easily (4)________ within memory. In order to recreate the passage, the subject (5)________ this representation and converts its meaning back into language. This (6)________ of thought and language is less intuitive than it might be because many people find language to be a powerful (7)________ with which to manipulate their thoughts. It provides a mechanism to internally rehearse, critique, and (8)________ thoughts. This internal (9)________ of communication is essential for a social animal and could certainly be, in (10)________, responsible for the strong selective pressures for improved language use. within – requires – close – stored - recalls – separation – tool – modify –form - part Part 20. There are solid reasons for supporting, preserving, and documenting endangered languages. First, (1)________ and every language is a celebration of the rich cultural diversity of our planet; second, each language is an (2)________ of a unique ethnic, social, regional or cultural identity and world view; third, language is the repository (3)________ the history and beliefs of a people; and finally, every language encodes. a particular subset of fragile human knowledge about agriculture, botany, medicine, and ecology. Mother tongues are (4)________ of far more than grammar and words. For example, Thangmi (known in Nepali as Thami), a Tibeto-Burman language spoken by an ethnic community of around 30,000 people in eastern Nepal, is a mine of unique indigenous terms for local flora and fauna that have medical and ritual (5)________. Much of this local knowledge is falling into (6)________ as fluency in Nepali, the national language, increases. When children (7)________ to speak their mother tongue, the oral (8)________ of specific ethnobotanical and medical knowledge also comes to an end. each – expression – of – comprised – value – disuse – cease - transmission 213

Part 21. Broadcasting has democratized the publication of language, often at its most informal, even undressed. Now the ears of the educated cannot escape the language of the masses. It (1)_______ them on the news, weather, sports, commercials, and the everproliferatinggame shows. This wider dissemination of popular speech may easily give purists the (2)_______ that language is suddenly going to hell in this generation, and may(3)_______ the new paranoia about it. It might also be argued that more Americans hear more correct, even beautiful, English on television than ever before. Through television more models of good usage (4)_______ more American homes than was ever possible in other times. Television gives them lots of colloquial English too, some awful, some creative, but that is not new. Hidden in this is a (5)_______ fact: our language is not the special private property of the language police, or grammarians, or teachers, or even great writers. The genius of English is that it has always been the tongue of the common people, literate or not. English belongs to everybody: the funny (6)_______ of phrase that pops into the mind of a farmer telling a story; or the travelling salesman's dirty joke; or the teenager saying, 'Gag me with a spoon'; or the pop lyric — all contribute, are all as valid as the tortured image of the academic, or the line the poet sweats over for a week. Through our collective language (7)________ some may be thought beautiful and some ugly, some may live and some may die: but it is all English and it (8)________ to everyone — to those of us who wish to be careful with it and those who don't care. surrounds – idea – justify – reach – simple – turn – sense – belongs Part 22. Little babies are not so innocent after all, it would seem. Infants as young as six months, new research claims, are capable of lying to their doting parents, which they do (1)________ crying when they are not truly (2)_________ pain or distress. They do it simply to draw attention to themselves, but once they start receiving the loving hugs and cuddles they (3)_________ badly crave, the babies then do (4)________ best to prolong this reward by offering fake smiles. This has led to suggestions that human beings are 'born to lie' and that this is a unique quality of our species. As someone who has devoted a lifetime to studying human and animal behaviour, I have to report that this is actually (5)_________ from being the truth. Mankind may be the most adept species at telling fibs, but we are far from alone. A young chimpanzee in captivity, for example, is just as capable of 'lying', as I have witnessed on many occasions, most commonly when human handlers, working with young chimps, have to leave them alone. (6)________ human babies, the apes really hate 214

(7)___________ left alone, and for this reason, their handlers, (8)_________ have become their 'family', should ideally never be out of sight. Even (9)_________ the handlers always do their best to avoid going away for too long, some absence is unavoidable. In (10)__________ a situation, and as soon as the young ape knows it is going to be left alone, it will start protesting vocally, and these protests can be heard as the handler leaves the building. The screaming stops when the door is slammed, (11)__________ at this point the ape knows that the handler can (12)________ longer hear him. It has total control (13)_________ its crying and can switch it on and off whenever it likes. The crying is actually a deliberate signal, rather (14)________ an uncontrollable outburst. But (15)________ this is a case of "real" lying rather depends on how you look at it. by – in – so – their - far - Like – being – who - though - such - since - no - over - than - whether Part 23. Once children had ambitions to be doctors, explorers, sportsmen, artists or scientists. Now, taking their (1)________ from TV, they just “want to be famous”. Fame is no longer a (2)________ for gallant service or great, perhaps even selfless endeavour. It is an end in (3)________, and the sooner it can be achieved, the sooner the lonely bedroom mirror can be replaced by the TV camera and flash gun, the (4)________ Celebrity is the profession of the moment, a vain glorious vocation which, like some 18th-century royal court, seems to exist largely so that the rest of us might watch and be amazed while its members live out their lives in public, (5)________ self-regarding members of some glittering soap opera. Today, almost anyone can be famous. (6)________ has fame been more democratic, more ordinary, more achievable. No wonder it s a modern ambition. It’s easy to see why people crave celebrity, why generations reared (7)________ the instant fame offered by television want to step out of the limousine with the flashlights (8)________ around them. It doesn’t want to be the (9)________ of attention at some time in their lives? Modern celebrity, peopled by (10)________ largely vain and vacuous, fills a need in our lives. It peoples talks shows, sells goods and newspapers and rewards the famous for — well, being famous. lead – reward – itself – better – like - Never – on – bouncing – centre - the Part 24.

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In 1942, only a few months after the United States had entered World War II, as Hitler plunged deeper into Russia and Japan was advancing victoriously throughout the Pacific, President Roosevelt, Secretary of State Cordell Hull, and his deputy, Sumner Welles, along with many politicians, journalists, and academics, were already involved in a debate on postwar arrangements. Many of the proposals were far-reaching, (1)________ revolutionary. In no other country did the shock of war create such a (2)________ at a time when the Nazis and the Japanese were still clearly winning. Such activities (3)________ strikingly with the negativism and lack of verve that now, in our peaceful time, characterize the discussion, when there is any, of international organization for the future. At the end of the war, (4)________ from the usual xenophobes and isolationists, relatively few voices questioned the need for the new international system. On the (5)________, there was a tendency to oversell it and to create unrealistic hopes for its effectiveness. Thus when the cold war—along with the usual tendency of sovereign states to quarrel and (6)________ to violence—shattered the dream of a more rational world, public disillusion and hostility to the UN (7)________ all the fiercer. In fact, the UN has never quite (8)________ from its failure to live up to its advance notices. Already in 1942 there were warning (9)________. Professor Nicholas Spykman of Yale wrote that “plans for far-reaching changes in the character of international society are an intellectual by-product of all great wars,” but they have never altered “the fundamental power patterns.” Spykman predicted that the new postwar order would remain “a world of power politics in which the interest of the United States will continue to demand the preservation of a (10)________ of power in Europe and Asia.” even – response – contrast – apart – contrary – resort – grew – recovered – voices – balance Part 25. Thousands of tired, nerve-shaken, over-civilized people are beginning to find that we cannot (1)________ without the wilderness and that mountain parks and reservations are useful not only as fountains of timber and irrigating rivers, but as fountains of life. The national park movement, is seeing to the worldwide protection of wild places, not only out of respect for their intrinsic natural (2)________, but also for their capacity to (3)________ people’s lives with a depth of spiritual and poetic inspiration, dicovery and adventure. 216

It is often in the (4)________ places, away from the dominating presence or evidence of human activity, that thousands find spiritual and physical refreshment: on the downs, along the seashore or by the mountain streams. It is a dislike of constraint and restriction which (5)________ us to wild places. We aspire to wild landscapes because we aspire to freedom. In Britain our wild landscapes are now small in (6)________ and ecologically (7)________ due to overgrazing, acid rain and nitrogen pollution. What is (8)________ is doubly precious. do – value – enrich – remote – draws – scale – degraded – left Part 26. A few countries, mainly in the south, have large herds of elephants that are growing in number and are rapidly exceeding the (1)________ of game reserves to sustain them. In most other countries, mainly in the centre of the continent, elephants are (2)________ but extinct. The lines of conflict are (3)________ by this division. Countries with big and growing herds push for culling and trade in elephant products. Those (4)________ favour a ban on trade in ivory. For environmentalists, the answer is to (5)______ elephants from overpopulated to underpopulated areas, can help to ease the pressures to cull and stops the bitter clashes (6)________ what to do. However, this is often just too expensive. The only real (7)________ lies in the opening up of large new elephant rangelands by dropping the fences of game reserves and joining them up with other protected areas, including those in adjacent countries. This would create new homelands for thousands of elephants at a (8)________ of the cost. In fact, one such trans-frontier park was opened early this year. between South Africa and Botswana in the Kalahari. The governments of South Africa, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Mozambique have agreed to (9)________ up two more trans- frontier parks in areas (10) ________ high elephant congestion. capacity – all – drawn – without – redistribute – over – solution – fraction – set - of Part 27. The advertising industry is suffering from a brain drain because an increasing number of senior executives find the strains of the job (1)_______ with family life, a survey shows. Stress counsellors say more mature staff are voting with their (2)_______ because they are disillusioned by poorer pay and less fun since the spendthrift heyday of the late Seventies. Rather than pursue a place on the board, many choose alternative but less 217

lucrative jobs as (3)_______ as furniture-making and alternative medicine, which enable them to spend more time with their children. Experts from the institute say their 2001 census of the 14,000 advertising employees in Britain raises (4)_______ over a lack of experience in senior positions. There was a danger that unless companies made greater efforts to retain experienced staff, they may lose (5)_______ with the "grey market" as the population grew older. Hamish Pringle, the institute's director general, says: "It bothers me that by definition this means the industry has very few people with any significant business experience. There are people advising clients on multimillion-pound decisions who are really very wet behind the (6)_______. You've got to ask yourself whether that is really good for the business." He says increasing numbers of men and women tired (7)_______ by the dual demands of desk work and essential socialising in the London-dominated industry are leaving around the age of 40 to achieve a healthier balance between work and home life. incompatible – feet – varied – concerns – touch – ears – out Part 28. Sports psychology is the science of behaviour (1)_______ to exercise and sport participation. With levels of competition rising ever higher and differences between competing athletes being measured in fractions of a second, increasing numbers of sportsmen and women are using sports psychologists to help them gain a competitive (2)_______. During the past decade major national organizations addressing the area of sports psychology have emerged. Parallel increases have been apparent in the number of books on the topic, but there is a (3)_______ between the large amount of publicity about the field and the relatively few trained professionals around. Until now it has been a comparatively unknown area academically, however, in the (4)_______ of the next few years, with a rising number of universities offering specialist training, this (5)_______ of affairs will be resolved as more and more people take up the profession in earnest. applied – edge – discrepancy – course – state Part 29. The research in the University of Leicester Department of Media and Communication examines interest in celebrities and gossip about them. It was carried out by Dr Charlotte De Backer who (1)_______ in her study to explain interest in celebrity culture. 218

She said: “Life is about learning, (2)_______ experience and in that process we have a tendency to observe and mimic the actions of others. Ideally we mimic what makes others successful and (3)_______ unsuccessful actions others have trialed (and paid for). “In reality, humans seem to have the tendency to mimic the overall behavior pattern of higher status or more successful others. “This explains why celebrities act as role models for broad (4)_______ of behaviour they display - good or bad.” Dr De Backer also examined another theory for interest in celebrity, known as the Parasocial Hypothesis. In this (5)_______, the bonds are parasocial, or one-way because the celebrity reveals private information (often involuntary), and the audience members respond emotionally to this, but there is no feedback of the private life of the audience going to the celebrity (or hardly ever), and (6)_______ do celebrities display emotions towards their audience Her study of 800 respondents and over 100 interviews confirmed that younger participants showed greater interest in celebrity gossip, even if it was about celebrities who were a lot older than them and even when they did not know the celebrities. They showed greatest interest in internationally (7)_______ celebrities, because they considered those as more prestigious. Her study also found that older people were interested in celebrity gossip not because they wanted to learn about the celebrities, but because it helped them to (8)_______ social networks with other people. “We did find in the interviews that older people do not gossip about celebrities as (9)_______ because they want to learn from them or feel befriended with them, but they use celebrity gossip to (10)_______ with real - life friends and acquaintances. sought – gaining – avoid – ranges – case – nor – known – form – much – bond Part 30. How far should members of the public have to run the risk of personal harm where scientific or technological innovation is (1)_______? In some legal systems, incuding European Union law, the (2)_______ of the precautionary principle is a statuory requirement. The precautionary principle advises society to be cautious about a technology or practice where there is scientific uncertainty, ignorance, gaps in knowledge or the likelihood of (3)_______ outcomes. 219

This runs (4)_______ to the optimistic notion that any adverse effects that arise unintentionally can be addressed. (5)_______, some claim these may provide an opportunity to develop new solutions, and in this way contribute to economic growth. For this reason, the US Chamber of Commerce dislikes the precautionary approach and prefers the use of sound science, cost – benefit (6)_______, and risk assessment when assessing a particular regulatory issue. Its strategy is therefore to : ‘Oppose the domestic and international adoption of the precautionary principle (7)_______ a basis for regulatory decision making.’ Yet history (8)_______ us that asbestos, halocarbons and PCBs seemed like miracle substances at first, but turned out to be highly problematic for human and environmental health. concerned – application/adoption – unforeseen – counter – Indeed – analysis – as – reminds Part 31. Our biological clocks govem almost every aspect of our lives. Our sensitivity to stimuli (1)_______ over the course of the day, and our ability to perform certain functions is subjects to fluctuations. Consequently, there is an (2)______ time for tasks such as making decision: around the middle of the day. Anything that (3)_______ physical coordination, on the other hand, is best attempted in the early evening. What is more , there is a dramatic drop in performance if these activities are carried out at other times. The risk of accident in a factory, for example, is 20% higher during the night (4)________. Primitive humans lived their lives in (5)_______ with the daily cycle of light and dark. Today we are firmly convinced that we can impose schedules on our lives at (6)_______. Sooner or later, however, we pay a price for ignoring our natural rhythms. A good example is jet lag, caused when we confuse our body's biological clocks by (7)_______several time zones, people suffering from iet lag can take several days to (8)_______ to new time zones, and have a reduced ability to make decisions, which is a wonying thought, as serious (9)_______ of judgment can be made, And this may be just the tip of the iceberg. An increasing number of people suffer from seasonal affective disorder (SAD), a form of depression that can be triggered by living in artificial conditions. SAD can be serious, and sufferers, may (10)_______ need to take antidepressant drugs. varies – optimum – demands – shift – tune – will – crossing – adjust – errors – even Part 32. 220

In cities around the world a wide range of schemes is being instigated to promote environmental awareness. ‘It’s just as easy to (1)_______ of litter properly as it is to drop it on streets’, says the city councillor, who has called on the government to mount a concerted campaign to deal with the problem of litter. It’s just a question of encouraging people to do so as a (2)_______ of course. Once the habit is ingrained, they won’t even (3)______ they are doing it. After all, think what we have achieved with recyclable waste in the home. People have become accustomed to doing this, so it doesn’t (4) ______ to them that they are spending any additional time in the process. Only if they have to carry this waste for some appreciable distance to find a suitable container do they feel they are (5) ______. Most people know they should behave in a responsible way and just need (8) (6)_______ to do so. So a quirky, light – hearted gimmick might be enough to change behaviour. With this in (7) _____, the city of Berlin is introducing rubbish bins that say ‘danke’, ‘thank you’ and ‘merci’. It might just (8)_______ the trick in this city, too. dispose – matter – notice – occur – inconvenienced – prompting – mind – do Part 33. One of the strongest influences on teenagers today is that of their peers. What their friends think, how they dress and how they act in class and out of it (1)_______ the behaviour of nearly every teenager. In their (2)_______ not to be different, some children go so (3)_______ as to hide their intelligence and ability in case they are made fun of. Generally, teenagers do not want to stand out from the (4)_______. They want to fit in, to be accepted. In psychological terms the importance of peer pressure can not be overemphasized. There is a lot of evidence that it has great (5)_______ on all aspects of their lives, from the clothes they wear, the music they listen to and their (6)_______ to studies, to their ambitions in life, their relationships and their (7)_______ of self-worth. However, as adolescents grow up into young adults, individuality becomes more acceptable and in their (8)_______ for their personal style, the teenager and young adult will begin to experiment and be more willing to (9)_______ the risk of rejection by the group. Concern about intellectual ability and achieving good exam results can dominate as the atmosphere of competition develops and worries about the future (10)_______ any fears of appearing too brainy. affect – efforts – far – crowd – bearing – attitude - sense – search – run – override Part 34. As medical science progresses, we are becoming an increasingly elderly (1)_______ and, although living to a ripe old age can only be a good thing, it brings with it a large number 221

of problems that we have yet to deal with properly. One (2)_______ problem is that the burden of financing care for the elderly seems to be (3)_______ on a reduced percentage of the working population. The gradual but steady trend (4)_______ smaller families is likely to result in a smaller number of people to pay for the requirements of an increasingly elderly population. The services needed by the elderly appear to have stretched to breaking (5)_______. Nursing homes, homecare, meals on (6)_______ and so on all need more investment if we wish our elderly to live as fulfilled and independent a life as possible. Young people today are encouraged to start saving with personal pension (7)_______ as early as possible to ensure an adequately financed retirement, since it is predicted that state pension levels in the future will not be enough to guarantee a (8)_______ of the lifestyle they have become accustomed to. But we still have to cope with an expanding older population who are discovering too late that the (9)_______ they had taken to guarantee an income for their later years were not sufficient. Obviously, the (10)_______ on public funds to subsidize this shortfall is enormous. society – such – falling – towards – point – wheels - schemes – continuation – steps – pressure Part 35. Our ultimate escape from whatever life has thrown at us during our waking day is sleep. Nature’s healer lowers our eyelids and (1)_______ us with the comforting blanket of unconsciousess. Every night we are given a period in which our bodies and minds can recuperate and (2)_______ us for the trials and demands of the following day. As we all know, our subconscious controls our quiet periods, taking our (3)_______ on journeys consisting of events and half-remembered thoughts from our conscious hours. Our journeys are usually fragmented patterns of sensations and pictures, sometimes pleasant, sometimes harrowing. These periods of (4)_______ and dreams are essential for our health and well-being but an increasing number of people today suffer from an inability to enjoy this necessary form of escape. Insomnia affects a high proportion of us and this frustrating, debilitating malady can have dire results. The insomniac wades (5)_______ his waking hours in a fog. Creative thought can be deadened, reflexes slowed and sensations dimmed. If this ability to sleep lasts for more than a week or two, what is known as chronic insomnia (6)_______ in, sometimes causing severe depression and leaving the sufferer unable to cope with daily life. covers – prepare – minds – consciousness – through – sets 222

Part 36. Throughout history people of all cultures have (1)_______ to their dreams as a means of finding solutions to problems or answers to specific questions. Nowadays it may seem to be a forgotten art, but controlled dreaming is increasingly being advocated as a means of tapping (2)_______ the causes of deep – rooted problems. The procedure, known as “incubating a dream”, is not difficult and almost anyone can develop the habit of focusing on a specific question before (3)_______ off, in the hope that the subconscious will provide enlightment. Answers may come in the (4)_______ of symbols or events and may not be immediately obvious, but with guidance and practice, almost anyone can do it. Many dream enthusiasts have gone a step (5)_______ and perfected a technique known as ‘lucid dreaming’. This (6)_______ training your mind to stay awake while dreaming in order to coherently experience the dream and even control it. Most of us are familiar with the kind of dream where we know we are dreaming, but being able to do it at (7)_______ and having the capacity to influence events in the dream is a subtle art. This technique has been shown to be a useful way of facing up to one’s fears, insecurities, doubts or negative (8)_______. Conversely, lucid dreaming can be a kind of wish fulfilment, opening up unlimited (9)_______ within the imagination, empowering the dreamer in a way that can be carried over into waking life as an additional (10)_______ to one’s self-esteem or feelings of well-being. turned – into – dropping – form – further – involves – will – emotions – avenues – boost Part 37. Some current evidence (1)_______ that dreams may serve no useful psychological or physiological function, and perform no adaptive role in maintaining our psychological health. In fact, some researchers believe that dreams are merely an evolutionary byproduct of sleep (2)_______ with a gradually awakening consciousness in human beings – a developmental cognitive achievement assigned to the healthy functioning of a complex neural network located in specific (3)_______ of the forebrain. Nevertheless, the way dreams reflect our emotional preoccupations or run (4)_______ to our awakened states of consciousness may explain why, throughout history, dreams have been (5)_______ to various uses. For example, in many societies dreams would be used by shamans or witch doctors as a means to diagnose or cure illnesses, or to (6)_______ off evil spirits. Occasionally, dreams would be used to predict the weather or (7)_______ 223

prophecies. In modern times dreams have been used by psychotherapists as a means of understanding the patient’s (8)_______ of mind, or simply to induce him or her to talk about repressed feelings. Dreams may (9)_______ be used socially, as an ice-breaker, or as a way for some people to express fantasies. But there are emergent functions, coming (10)_______ as a result of dreams rather than causing them. suggests – combined – areas - parallel – put – fend – make – state – even – about Part 38. A few generations ago, a university education could only be aspired (1)_______ by an elite minority. In the last few decades, however, a change has slowly but (2)_______ been taking place and prospective students who, a century ago, would have known that even a basic education was beyond their (3)_______, can now look forward to gaining a degree in higher education. Universities have been (4)_______ into places not only of learning, but also of business and are (5)_______ out on a regular basis their finished product – the graduate. However, degree – holders are still faced with a problem. What used to be a passport to employment is no longer a (6)_______ of success. And (7)_______ so: there are so many graduates on the job market these days that it would be impossible to employ them all. Were employers able to do (8)_______, everyone would surely be a great deal happier. Consequenty, a number of schemes have been set up in order to help and advise those (9)_______ who have been unable to find work. The matter of further education is still (10)_______ that needs attention. to – surely – reach – transformed – churning – guarantee – understandably – so – graduates – one Part 39. There has been a significant (1)_______ in entertainment trends over the last twenty years or so. Entertainment used to be public; now it is becoming more and more (2)_______. Formerly, people wanting to amuse themselves did so in groups; these days, people (3)_______ entertain themselves on their own. Long, long ago, there were storytellers. They used to travel around the country and their (4)_______ was awaited with eager anticipation. In the more (5)_______ past, people used to have musical evenings, they used to play games together, or simply sit around the fire and chat. 224

Nowadays, instead of playing board games in a group, children play video games alone or with one (6)_______ person. People of all ages spend their evenings alone watching televisions, videos and DVDs. And large numbers of young (and not so young) enthusiasts spend their free time surfing the net, which, by its very (7)_______, tends to be a solitary activity. Forms of entertainment have always been changing of course, but it could be said that these recent changes – all products of technological development – (8)_______ a more fundamental shift. One could (9)_______argue that this shift is symbolised by the earphones that are in evidence everywhere. Can this deliberate attempt to (10)_______ out the rest of the world really be called entertainment? shift – private – do - arrival – recent – other – nature – mark – further – shut Part 40. An Italian academic, Giorgio Stabile, has (1)_______ to light the fact that the ubiquitous symbol of Internet era communication, the @ sign used in email addresses, is (2)_______ a 500-year-old invention of Italian merchants. He claims to have stumbled on the earliest known example of the symbol’s use, as an (3)_______ of a measure of weight or volume. He said the @ sign (4)_______ an amphora, a measure of capacity based on the terracotta jars (5)_______ to transport grain and liquid in the ancient Mediterranean world. The first known (6)_______ of its use occurred in a letter written by a Florentine merchant on May 4, 1536. The ancient symbol was uncovered in the (7)______ of research for a visual history of the 20th century. Apparently, the sign had made its (8)_______ along trade routes to northern Europe, where it took on its contemporary accountancy (9)_______: “at the price of”. According to Professor Stabile, the oldest example could be of great value as it could be used for publicity (10)_______ and to enhance the prestige of the institution that has it in their possession. brought – actually – indication – represented – used – instance – course – way meaning – purposes Part 41. These days, there is a growing band of 'shoestring renovators' who, in a (1)_______ where finance is hard to come by, are scaling (2)_______ their refurbishment plans and coming up with imaginative ways to transform their homes. Extra money is in short (3)_______ so things are done (4)_______ the cheap - not in a nasty way but in a way that makes use of materials that other people don't want. Sarah and her husband are an 225

example of this way of a (5)_______ budget: the loan on an old cottage they bought was reduced by the bank so they had no choice but to do most of the work themselves. Sarah spent every spare minute for a year painting and decorating. She sourced materials and furniture from eBay and recycled friends' unwanted possessions. Do-It-Yourself, however, is not (6)_______ its hazards: Steve, Sarah's husband, (7)_______ himself out cold for two hours by hitting his head on a low beam above the front door. Another time, they only just (8)_______ to save their new kitchen furniture from being ruined after a mains water pipe burst. However, the upside is that the project has opened up a new (9)_______ for Sarah - people have seen her work and have suggested she start up her own home-styling business. And the cottage next door is for sale so more creative furniture sourcing could lie just around the (10)_______ ! climate – back – supply – on – tight – without – knocked – managed – avenue – corner Part 42. Many students in the UK consider doing a gap year before going to university. Critics (1)_______ whether it is a just a long glorified holiday or if it's really worth doing. Does it actually help students in their careers? Some educational establishments (2)_______ encourage students to take a gap year and recommend that students take advantage of the opportunities (3)_______. However, most of them would prefer it if the students did some (4)_______ of voluntary work instead of just having a holiday. There are numerous organisations which organise these trips for students and it's a good idea to (5)_______ them out online. One of the main advantages is that it's a great way to get to know more about different cultures and, for many, it is also a painless way to learn another language by speaking to local people. Volunteers who stay in local homes say that they get the chance to experience local culture and customs and, in (6)_______, to try a variety of food which they wouldn't (7)_______ have tried. When I was 18 years old, I had set my (8)_______ on going to work in Africa for a year, but unfortunately my parents wouldn’t let me go and (9)_______ that I went to university immediately. I'm 49 years old and still haven’t had my gap year! Maybe one day I'll get (10)_______ to doing it. question – do – available – kind – check – particular – otherwise – heart – insisted around Part 43.

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Violence is alive and well on television. Yet there appears to be a difference in the quality, variety, and pervasiveness of today’s televised violence. Some observers believe that, as a result of more than three decades of television, viewers have developed a kind of (1)_______ to the horror of violence. By the age of 16, for example, the (2)_______ young person will have seen some 18,000 murders on television. One extension of this phenomenon may be an appetite for more varied kinds of violence. On the basis of the amount of exposure, certain things that initially would have been beyond the (3)_______ have become more readily accepted. Violence on TV has been more prevalent than in recent years, in (4)_______ measure because there are fewer situation comedies and more action series. But also because some 25 million of the nation’s 85 million homes with television now receive one of the pay cable (5)_______ which routinely show uncut feature films containing graphic violence as early as 8 in the evening. The evidence is (6)_______ so overwhelming that just as witnessing violence in the home may contribute to children learning and acting out violent behavior, violence on TV and in the movies may lead to the same result. Studies have shown that a steady diet of watching graphic violence or sexually violent films such as those shown on cable TV has caused some men to be more (7)_______ to accept violence against women. Not only actual violence, but the kind of violence coming through the television screen is causing concern. One of the principal developments is the increasing sophistication of the weaponry. The simple gunfight of the past has been augmented by high-tech crimes like terrorist bombings. Programs in the past used the occasional machine gun, but (8)_______ weapons as the M-60 machine gun and Uzi semi-automatic have become commonplace today on network shows. Many people are no longer concerned about televised violence because they feel it is the (9)_______ of the world. It is high time that broadcasters provided public (10)_______ on TV screens that would warn viewers about the potentially harmful effects of viewing violence. community – average – pale – large – services – becoming – willing – such – way – messages Part 44. Over the last century the world has become increasingly smaller. Not geographically, of course, but in the (1)_______ that media, technology and the opening of borders has enabled the world’s citizens to view, share and gain access to a much wider range of 227

cultures, societies and world views. In this (2)______ pot that the world has become, today’s child is privy (3)_______ facets of the human experience that his immediate predecessors had no inkling even existed. It (4)_______ to reason that in order to absorb, configure and finally form opinions about this information-laden planet, children must be supplied with certain tools. (5)______ in this list of ‘tools’ are: education, social skills, cultural awareness and the acquisition of languages, the most important of these being the latter. Until recently, a child who had the ability to speak more than one language would have been considered a very (6)______ entity. This one-language phenomenon could be attributed to a combination of factors. One of them is that the monolingual environment in which a child was raised played a strong role, (7)_______ did the limited, biased education of the past. With regard to immigrants, the sad fact was that non-native parents tended to withhold the teaching of the mother tongue so that the child would acquire the ‘more prestigious’ language of the adopted country. Nowadays, the situation has (8)_______ an almost complete reversal. In the majority of North American and European countries, most children are given the opportunity to learn a second or even a third language. Children acquire these foreign languages through various and diverse means. In many countries, learning a foreign language is a compulsory subject in the state school (9)_______. Other children rely on language schools or private tuition to achieve their goal. In other instances, children are (10)_______ to bilingual parents, who, if they so desire, may teach the children two languages. sense – melting – to – stands – Included – rare – as – undergone – curriculum – born Part 45. Our daily lives are largely made up of contacts with other people, during which we are constantly making judgments of their personalities and accommodating our behavior to them in (1)_______ with these judgments. A casual meeting of neighbors on the street, an employer giving instructions to an employee, a mother telling her children how to behave, a journey in a train where strangers eye one another without exchanging a word all these involve (2)_______ interpretations of personal qualities. Success in many vocations largely depends on skill in (3)_______ up people. It is important not only to such professionals as the clinical psychologist, the psychiatrist or the social worker, but also to the doctor or lawyer in dealing with their clients, the businessman trying to outwit his rivals, the salesman with potential customers, the teacher with his pupils, (4)_______ to speak of the pupils judging their teacher. Social life, indeed, would be (5)_______ if we did not, to some extent, understand, and react to the motives and qualities of those we meet; and clearly we are sufficiently accurate for most practical purposes, although we 228

also recognize that misinterpretations easily (6)_______ - particularly on the part of others who judge us! Errors can often be corrected as we go (7)_______. But whenever we are (8)_______ down to a definite decision about a person, which cannot easily be revised through his 'feed-back', the inadequacies of our judgments become apparent. The hostess who wrongly thinks that the Smiths and the Joneses will get on well together can do (9)_______ to retrieve the success of her party. A school or a business may be saddled for years with an undesirable member of staff, because the selection committee which interviewed him for a quarter of an hour (10)_______ his personality. accordance – mutual – sizing – not – impossible – arise – along – pinned – little misjudged Part 46. Can you feel your anxiety and stress levels increasing every time you get caught in a traffic jam? Do you find it difficult to control your tongue when your boss points out your shortcomings yet again? Do you (1)_______ for state-of-the-art technology in your home that you haven’t had to pay for? If you are shouting an enthusiastic “Yes!” in answer to these questions, then it could be (2)_______ to make a career and life change that may not even require you to quit your job. Working from home is a relatively new phenomenon, but is becoming an increasingly popular (3)_______ with both businesses and employees. The technology available to us means that we no longer need to be in the same office building as our colleagues to communicate effectively with each other. Companies may choose to employ a proportion of their staff as home-based workers, as, of course, a workforce set up in such a way requires far less office (4)_______ and fewer parking facilities. The fixed costs of a business can be dramatically reduced. Employees can enjoy the added benefits of freedom to schedule the day as they choose and freedom to spend more time at home with their families. We can even go so far as to say that the working-from-home phenomenon could be one of the answers to the pollution problems which the modern world has inflicted upon (5)_______. Fewer people travelling to work every day equals fewer cars. Fewer cars, of course, (6)_______ to lower CO2 levels in the atmosphere. But what are the drawbacks to working at home? For many of us, work is a means of (7)_______ our nearest and dearest and making our own mark on the world. The relationships we have with our colleagues are a significant part of our life - after all, fulltime workers spend a third of their day in their workplace. Some people who work from home feel that they are actually much more (8)_______ and can get tasks done in a much 229

shorter time than in an office environment. Others, however, may be demotivated by the isolation and find it difficult to get down to tasks which have a more intangible deadline. As with most aspects of life, a (9)_______ is probably the best solution for the majority of workers – a job based at home which requires regular contact with colleagues at regular meetings. Management surveys show that successful business is easier if we operate as a (10)_______: brainstorming and sharing ideas and offering support and motivation to each other. After all, we are only human and we need others to complain to if we have a bad day at work! yearn – time – option – space – itself – equates – escaping – productive – balance – team Part 47. Beauty is the (1)_______ of a thing or person that gives you pleasure. Inner beauty refers to psychological factors, such as intelligence, kindness, compassion, and honesty. Outer beauty, or physical attractiveness, refers to factors such as looks, health, youthfulness, and symmetry. Is the ability to define physical or psychological attractiveness innate or learned ? Is beauty objective or subjective? There is some (2)_______ that the sense of beauty is subjective and culturally relative. The popular saying “beauty is in the eye of the (3)_______” tells us that different people have different opinions about what is beautiful. For example, most Westerners consider a woman with a wide mouth attractive, while many Chinese regard a woman with a small mouth as beautiful. During part of China’s history, women with big feet were considered to be ugly. Traditional Chinese footbinding was (4)_______ to keep a woman’s feet tiny and thus “beautiful”. To people in the modern world, the foot-binding of women was painful, horrible, and ugly. These two examples suggest that some ideas about beauty are learned and (5)_______ to change. On the other hand, research indicates that a preference for beautiful faces (6)_______ early in a child’s development. A small child plays with facially attractive dolls longer than with facially unattractive dolls. Children innately pay attention to the beauty of nature. People from various cultures and periods of time may have slightly different ideas about beauty. Nonetheless, they usually share many (7)_______ of beauty. A kind, honest, and intelligent individual is attractive. So is a healthy, youthful person with a mathematically 230

(8)_______ face and a well – proportioned body. The appreciation of many aspects of both inner beauty and outer beauty is innate. Many aspects of beauty have been valued throughout human (9)_______. Our notion of beauty is innate, though that innate sense may be (10)_______ by the environment. quality – evidence – beholder – intended – subject – occurs – standards – average – history – influenced Part 48. Early civilisations, as (1)_______ to merely primitive early societies, seem to have a common positive characteristic in that they change human (2)_______ of things. They bring together the cooperative efforts of large number of people, usually bringing them together physically in large agglomerations. Civilisation is usually marked by urbanisation. It would be a bold individual was willing to draw a precise (3)_______ at the moment when the balance tipped (4)_______ a dense pattern of agricultural villages clustered (5)_______ a religious centre or a market to reveal the first true city. However, it is perfectly resonable to say that more than any (6)_______ institution has provided the critical mass which produces civilisation. Inside the city, the surpluses of wealth produced by agriculture made possible other things (7)_______ of civilised life. They provided for the upkeep of a priestly (8)_______ which elaborated a complex religious structure, leading to the construction of great buidings (9)_______ more than merely economic functions, and in due (10)_______ to the writing down of literature. opposed – scale – line – towards – around/round – other – characteristic – class serving – course Part 49. The average citizen is bombarded with TV commercials, posters and newspapers advertisements (1)_______ he goes. Not only this, but promotional material is constantly on (2)_______, with every available public space from shop to petrol station covered with advertising of some kind. People who are foolish enough to drive with their windows open are likely to have leaflets advertising everything and anything thrust in at them. The amount of advertising to which we are (3)_______ is phenomenal, yet advertisers are being hurt by their industry’s worst recession in a decade and a conviction that is in many respects more frightening than the (4)_______ and busts of capitalism: the 231

belief that advertising can go no further. Despite the ingenuity of the advertisers, who, in their need to make advertisements as visually as attractive as possible, often totally obscure the message, the consumer has become increasingly cynical and simply blanks (5)_______ all but the subtlest messages. The advertising industry has therefore turned to a more vulnerable (6)_______: the young. The messages specifically aimed at children are for toys and games – whose promotional budgets increased fivefold in the 1990s – and fast food, which dominate the children’s advertising market. However the main thrust of advertising in this area is no longer (7)_______ traditional children‘s products. Advertisers acknowledge that the commercial pressures of the 1990s had an extraordinary effect on childhood: it is now generally believed that the cut-off (8)_______ for buying toys has been falling by one year every five years. Research suggests that while not so many years ago children were happy with Lego or similar construction games at ten or eleven, most of today’s children (9)_______ them at six or seven. In effect, the result is the premature (10)_______ of children. wherever – view – exposed – booms – out – target – towards – point – abandon – ageing/aging Part 50. The game of solving difficult puzzles has always filled people with the feeling of a profound excitement. No (1)_______, then, that the fascination of treasure hunting has invariably been associated with the possibility of (2)_______ the most improbable dreams. According to what the psychologists claim, there is a little boy in every treasure hunter. Yet, the chase of hidden valuables has recenlty become a serious venture with amateur and professional seekers equipped with highly sophisticated (3)_______ like matal detectors, radars, sonars or underwater cameras. What (4)_______ the adrenaline level in these treasure - obsessed fanatics are legends, myths, old maps and other variety of clues promising immeasurable fortunes (5)_______ beneath the earh's surface or drowned in the ancient galleys. For many reasure hunters the struggle of hint searching is even more stimulating than digging out a treasure (6)_______ composed of golden or silver objects, jewellery and other priceless artefacts. The job is, however, extremely strenuous as even the most puzzling clues must be thoroughly analysed. Failures and misinterpertations (7)_______ quite frequently, too.Yet, (8)_______ the most unlikely clue or the smallest find is enough to reinforce the hunter's self - confidence and passion. 232

Indeed, the delight in treasure finding doesn't always depend on acquiring tremendous amounts of valuables. Whatever is detected, (9)_______ it a rusty sundial or a marble statue, brings joy and (10)_______ after a long and exhausting search. wonder – realizing – devices –raises – buried – trove – occur – even – be - reward

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