Practice English Vocabulary B2 Exercises – Vocabulary Test 1

A. Choose the correct answer.

THE HISTORY OF WRITING

The development of writing (1) ………… a huge difference to the world and we might see it as the beginning of the (2) ………… . Pieces of pottery with marks on that are probably numbers have been (3) ………… in China that date from around 4000 BC. Hieroglyphic and other forms of ‘picture writing’ developed in the (4) ………… around Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq), where the (5) ………… Sumerian civilization was based, from around 3300 BC onwards. However, the first (6) ………… alphabet was used by the Phoenicians around 1050 BC. Their alphabet had 22 letters and it is (7) ………… that it lasted for 1000 years. The first two signs were called ‘aleph’ and ‘beth’, which in Greek became ‘alpha’ and ‘beta’, which gave us the (8) ………… word ‘alphabet’.

The modern European alphabet is based on the Greek and (9) ………… to other European countries under the Romans. A number of changes took (10) ………… as time (11) ………… . The Romans added the letter G, and the letter J and V were (12) ………… to people in Shakespeare’s time.

If we (13) ………… the history of punctuation, we also find some interesting facts. The Romans used to write quaesto at the end of a sentence in (14) ………… to show that it was a question. They started to write Qo in (15) ………… of the whole word, and then put the Q above the o. In the end, that became the question mark’?’

1    A did               B had                      C made              D took

2    A media         B bulletin                C programme   D journalism

3    A invented     B displayed            C discovered     D appeared

4    A distance     B area                     C length             D earth

5    A antique       B old-fashioned   C ancient          D dated

6    A true             B accurate             C exact             D precise

7    A observed    B measured          C counted        D estimated

8    A new             B trendy                C modern         D fashionable

9    A spread        B appeared           C was                D occurred

10 A place           B part                     C control           D account

11 A spent           B passed               C went               D developed

12 A infamous    B unpopular         C unknown       D hidden

13 A look into     B bring on             C make off        D hold up

14 A turn             B fact                     C order              D intention

15 A position      B space                  C spot                D place

B. Choose the correct answer.

16   I was disappointed that the restaurant had ……… flowers on the table.

        A false          B untrue

        C artificial    D forged

17   Sarah and Michael’s ……… seems to make both of them unhappy.

        A connection

        B bond

        C relationship

        D link

18   Anybody found stealing from this shop will be ……… .

        A prosecuted

        B persuaded

        C provoked

        D persecuted

19   Grace thinks she’s very ………, but I don’t think many people like her, really.

        A famous

        B known

        C recognisable

        D popular

20   I glanced at the newspaper and saw that the ……… said ‘President Resigns’.

        A headline   B subtitle

        C heading    D chapter

21   If our flight is delayed, will we ……… our connection in Los Angeles?

        A drop          B miss

        C lose            D lack

22   The doctor told Bill that he needed ……… on his arm.

        A operation

        B surgery

        C remedy

        D cure

23   The judge looked at the ……… and reminded him that he had to tell the whole truth.

        A bystander

        B onlooker

        C witness

        D viewer

24   I think my favourite ……… is probably table tennis.

        A athletics    B exercise

        C sport          D gym

25   The actor, Michael Read, was today ……… with robbery.

        A charged    B accused

        C arrested    D suspected

C. Write one word in each gap.

Your first telescope

Many people look up at (26) ……………… night sky and become fascinated by the wonders of the universe. (27) ……………… that sounds like you, then perhaps it’s time you got your own telescope. Astronomy (28) ……………… be a great hobby and we’ve provided this simple guide for those of you thinking of (29) ……………… it up.

      What if I don’t have much money?

Try a pair of binoculars. You can still see a lot, as (30) ……………… as you don’t expect to see so (31) ……………… detail Explore the Moon and the stars – and who knows? You might (32) ……………… discover a comet! Remember, though, that you (33) ……………… never look at the Sun directly through binoculars or a telescope.

      What kind of telescope do I need?

Depending on what you want to do, you need to choose (34) ……………… a refracting and a reflecting telescope. A refracting telescope (with two glass lenses) is (35) ……………… great way of quickly (36) ……………… your way around the heavens. As well as more stars (37) ……………… you can imagine, these are the planets to explore! You should have no difficulty (38) ……………… finding Mars and even Saturn, with its fantastic rings. If you want to really explore the universe, then you (39) ……………… need a reflecting telescope (with a mirror). These telescopes are much (40) ……………… at collecting light and allow you to see things in amazing detail!

Whatever you decide, welcome to the wonderful world of astronomy!

D. Choose the correct answer.

41   I think the discussion has gone on ……… and we should make a decision.

        A enough long

        B such long

        C long enough

        D so long

42   ‘Did you call John?’

        ‘No, because I ……… go out. I’ll try him later today.’

        A had to       B must

        C might         D need

43   There ……… be a lot more open space around here before they built the new underground station.

        A would        B used to

        C used           D got used to

44   If you hadn’t lost the pieces, we ……… a game of chess.

        A couldn’t have had

        B can’t have

        C may have

        D could have

45   ‘Why are you taking your PlayStation games?’

        ‘Oh, just ……… Tommy wants to borrow them.’

        A as long as

        B in case

        C provided that

        D unless

46   I suppose we really ……… to book our ferry tickets in advance.

        A should       B can

        C must          D ought

47   I’m afraid we’ve run out of ……… this week, so we’ll see you at the same time tomorrow for It’s Worth a Million!

        A the time   B some time

        C time           D a time

48   The man might have got away with the crime if the policeman ……… him.

        A wasn’t seeing

        B hadn’t seen

        C didn’t see

        D wouldn’t have seen

49   ‘I’ve been reading a great book.’

        ‘I seem to be ……… busy to find the time for reading these days.’

        A so               B too

        C such           D enough

50   The hotel has a poor reputation and ……… people want to stay there.

        A little           B a few

        C a little        D few

E. Match to make sentences. There is one extra letter you will not use.

51   The Pattersons have decided to pull

52   Mr Greene seems to find it difficult to get

53   We haven’t made a final decision, but we’ve narrowed it

54   Dad thought it might be a good idea to look

55   It seems that Matt has fallen

56   I think it was Bob who came

57   The holiday started okay and then turned

A   down to France or Spain for this summer’s holiday.

B   up the train times on the Internet.

C   up with the idea of going to Poland.

D   out with Dave over their holiday plans.

E   on with our holiday as if nothing had happened.

F   out of our trip together because Angie’s got a fever.

G   into a bit of a nightmare when our luggage got lost.

H   on with people from other countries.

F. Complete the second sentence using the word given, so that it has a similar meaning to the first sentence. Write between two and five words in each gap.

58   I lost my keys once before this month.   second

        This is the ………………………………………… my keys this month.

59   I started playing squash six years ago.   for

        I ………………………………………… six years.

60   I can’t wait until I’m old enough to go to a match on my own.   forward

        I’m really ………………………………………… old enough to go to a match on my own.

61   Accidents are often caused by careless driving.   results

        Careless driving ………………………………………… accidents.

62   It’s a waste of time denying that you did it when we’ve got proof.   point

        There ………………………………………… that you did it when we’ve got proof.

63   Don’t you wish you could travel into space?   able

        Wouldn’t you love ………………………………………… into space?

64   I called the travel agent to check that I had the right timetable.   make

        I called the travel agent to ………………………………………… I had the right timetable.

65   I’m afraid you’re too young to go down the water slide.   old

        I’m afraid you ………………………………………… to go down the water slide.

66   My mum says doctors weren’t so expensive in the past.   used

        My mum says doctors ………………………………………… so expensive.

G. Use the word given in capitals to form a word that fits in the gap.

DISHONEST AND DUMB

Some (67) …………………… (CRIME) become known for their intelligence and avoid being caught for years. Others are just so stupid that it seems (68) …………………… (RIDICULE). Take, for instance, one (69) …………………… (ROB), who decided that he was feeling a little tired half-way through burgling a house. Seeing the (70) …………………… (COMFORT) bed, he decided to take a nap. It may seem (71) …………………… (BELIEF), but he was still asleep when the owners got home! They (72) …………………… (NERVOUS) who came to arrest Sleeping Beauty right away! Another (73) …………………… (HUMOUR) story is that of the man who stole a (74) …………………… (SECURE) camera. He managed to steal the camera (75) …………………… (EQUIP), but left the tape behind. It was used as (76) …………………… (EVIDENT) in court because, of course, it showed him taking the camera!