Practice English Vocabulary C1 Exercises – Materials and the built environment

A. Complete using the correct form of the words in the boxes.

1   When are you going to move that ……………………. of clothes in your bedroom?

2   The old man slowly put a few more ……………………. of coal on the dying fire.

3   We need to redecorate. Look – there are ……………………. of paint coming off the walls.

4   The building is composed of ……………………. of concrete held together by metal poles.

5   When I come back, I don’t want to find a single ……………………. of dust in here.

6   How many ……………………. of sand do you think there are on this beach?

7   Eat your sandwich in the kitchen, because I don’t want ……………………. on my new sofa.

8   Be careful! I dropped something and there are ……………………. of glass all over the floor.

9   Don’t ……………………. your mosquito bites or you’ll make them worse.

10   I felt great when the coach ……………………. me on the back and said, ‘Well done’.

11   Martin quickly ……………………. his shoes and walked out the door.

12   Don’t ……………………. the dog’s fur the wrong way. She doesn’t like it.

13   I had to really ……………………. that wall to get the graffiti off it.

14   You’ll have to ……………………. your T-shirt to get all the water out of it.

15   You get the orange juice, and I’ll ……………………. some ice.

16   I like to ……………………. my own coffee because it tastes so much better.

17   Don’t ……………………. that spider! Just put it outside on the grass.

18   ……………………. the paper in half and give half to the student next to you.

19   You haven’t broken the window, but you have ……………………. it.

20   Eva was so angry she ……………………. a glass against the wall.

21   Be careful with that old wedding dress – it’s very ……………………. .

22   Why can you see through glass, whereas concrete isn’t ……………………. at all?

23   This paper isn’t ……………………. enough to make a birthday card out of.

24   The windows of the limousine were ……………………., so I couldn’t see who was inside.

25   After being out in the sun for a month, the plastic container became ……………………. .

26   Rocks sink in water because they are ……………………. .

27   This wall appears solid, but when you knock on it, it sounds ……………………. .

28   Alice quickly ……………………. a few clothes into a suitcase and ran out of the house.

29   You could help by ……………………. those boxes over there.

30   Try to ……………………. the clay into the basic shape of a vase.

B. Complete using the words in bold in the correct form.

1   Why do we slip on ice, but not on wood? The answer is ……………………., the force that stops one object moving against another. When two ……………………. are in contact, tiny bumps on each surface prevent them from moving easily. The surface of ice is actually covered in ……………………., so your shoes slide over it. Once you slip, the force of ……………………. takes over, and you fall down! (friction, gravity, liquid, solid)

2   Nylon was the first ……………………. material to be produced using coal, water and air. Since its invention in 1935, it has been used to make many products and long thin strands of it can be made into ……………………. for clothing. Although cheap, many people dislike the plastic ……………………. of nylon and prefer natural fibres, such as cotton. (fabric, synthetic, texture)

3   Rocks are formed in different ways. One type, metamorphic rocks, are produced by high pressure beneath the Earth’s surface, which ……………………. the rocks and makes them ……………………. . Most rocks are a mixture of different chemicals. When a ……………………. occurs in rock form but is not mixed with other chemicals, it is known as a ……………………. . (compact, firm, mineral, substance)

4   If you take a glass of water and ……………………. salt in it, you produce what’s called a solution. If you add more water, the solution becomes more ……………………. . You can ……………………. the solution by adding more salt. (concentrate, dilute, dissolve)

C. Complete using the correct form of the words in the box.

ROW OVER NEW ROAD INTENSIFIES

The proposed (1) ……………….. around the city of Rushton has run into more controversy. The local council have been attempting to (2) ……………….. the road for five years now in order to ease traffic in the (3) ……………….., which is amongst the most densely (4) ……………….. areas in the country. However, residents in (5) ……………….. areas, on the outskirts of the city, are up in arms about the plan, which they claim would spoil the (6) ……………….. .

‘We live in beautiful (7) ……………….. here,’ commented Ada Fowler, one of those whose house (8) ……………….. a position next to the proposed route of the new road. ‘The council have no real concept of (9) ……………….. planning.’

Many of those who (10) ……………….. in the area agree. The council were unavailable for comment.

D. Circle the correct word.

1   I’d hate to live in such a built-up / high-rise area as this.

2   My grandparents have just moved into a built-up / high-rise block and they seem to like it.

3   The first skyline / skyscraper was made possible by advances in the use of metal and glass as building materials.

4   I love to look at the skyline / skyscraper of London at night, don’t you?

5   The government is planning to provide low-cost estate / housing for people on low incomes.

6   I grew up on a local estate / housing, so I know the area quite well.

7   They’re going to demolish / evict the old Town Hall today.

8   You can’t demolish / evict a poor old woman like that and just leave her homeless!

9   St Paul’s Cathedral is a really impressive structure / infrastructure.

10   This country just doesn’t have the structure / infrastructure to host the Olympic Games.

E. Write one word in each gap.

Britain’s Inner Cities

After decades of neglect, it’s not unusual to see buildings which have been boarded (1) ……………… in Britain’s inner cities. After businesses have closed (2) ……………… for the day, many city centres are depressing, no-go areas. The problems of decay have been piling (3) ……………… for years and will not be solved easily. However, some councils are finally deciding to fix inner city areas (4) ……………… to attract residents and investors back. The process begins by knocking (5) ……………… old, ugly buildings and putting (6) ……………… attractive office and apartment blocks. Advertising hoardings are taken (7) ……………… and facilities to attract families, such as play areas, are put (8) ……………… . Urban regeneration can be a long, expensive process, but for many towns and cities it has paid off.

F. Complete using a phrasal verb with a word from box A in the right form and a word from box B. You need to use some words from box B more than once.

1   The fair must be happening in town because they’ve ………………. tents.

2   ………………. a circle ………………. of the first piece of card and stick it on the second piece.

3   If the juice is too strong for you, why don’t you ………………. it ……………….?

4   That wall would fall over if it wasn’t ………………. with planks of wood.

5   You’ve got blood on your collar. It won’t ………………., you know.

6   I’ve got a large family, but they’ve all ………………. across the whole country.

7   I hate buying furniture from that place because you have to ………………. it ………………. yourself.

8   The steps were ………………. after many years of use.

G. The phrasal verb pile up has a meaning connected to ‘increase’. Tick the sentences where the phrasal verb means something like ‘increase’.

1   I see the supermarket has put its prices up again. ………………..

2   Speed up, or we’re never going to get there! ………………..

3   Pass me a cloth and I’ll just wipe up that water on the table. ………………..

4   Work is really beginning to mount up, so I’ll have to go into the office this weekend. ………………..

5   Marianne had something stuck in her throat, but she finally coughed it up. ………………..

6   You’ll have to speak up because I’m a little deaf, you know. ………………..

7   You need to build up your strength if you’re going to take part in the marathon. ………………..

8   Oh, I wanted to watch this programme. Turn the TV up. ………………..

9   Jill and I had a terrible row, but we soon made up. ………………..

10   Honestly, I couldn’t eat another thing! What are you trying to do – fatten me up? ………………..

H. Complete using the phrases in the box.

1   We had a few difficulties at first, but it was pretty ……………………… after that.

2   Don’t worry – these drinks are ……………………… .

3   Lance built a log cabin in a Canadian forest, using ……………………… that were all around him.

4   Isambard Kingdom Brunel, the great engineer, was born in ……………………… Portsmouth in 1806.

5   The offer ……………………… is far too low and I’m going to ask them to increase it.

6   I would invest in ………………………, because property is usually a safe investment.

7   Charles was so ……………………… that he was exhausted after just half a day on the building site.

8   A ……………………… such as silver is valuable because of its rarity.

I. Write one word in each gap.

Building the home of the future

I’ve always kept a sharp eye (1) …………………… developments in building, so when it was time to plan my own home, I was determined to build the home of the future. It wasn’t easy. There are rules and regulations everywhere that seem to block (2) …………………… way and, to (3) …………………… matters worse, not everyone agrees on the best way to go about it. It certainly gave me a window (4) …………………… the world of architecture to hear my architect explain the problems he knew we were going to face. Perhaps I was crazy (that’s a (5) …………………… of opinion!), but I knew what I wanted. It had to look great, but (6) …………………… the surface I wanted it to be high-tech and environmentally friendly. I did a lot of research, and that certainly smoothed the (7) …………………… for what was to come. I did some of the physical work myself, putting up walls and bending things (8) …………………… shape, and I’d like to erect a monument (9) …………………… the person who invented solar-powered heating. In the end, my architect’s predictions of doom (10) …………………… no foundation and it all took just eight months.

J. For each question, write one word which can be used in all three sentences.

1   These accusations are completely without ……………………. .

      The ……………………. stone for the new hospital was laid by the Mayor.

      You have to do a ……………………. course before you can start your degree.

2   Joshua looks aggressive, but he’s not such a ……………………. guy once you get to know him.

      It’s time this government got ……………………. with people exceeding the speed limit.

      The last few years have been quite ……………………. on Amanda and I’m glad things seem to be getting better.

3   The building collapsed only a ……………………. of months after construction was completed.

      My parents said that I have to find a flat of my own this month, no ……………………. what.

      We need to install traffic lights at this junction as a ……………………. of some urgency.

4   There was a hush in Parliament as the Minister took the ……………………. .

      I’d be afraid of burglars if I lived in a ground ……………………. flat.

      I quite enjoyed the club, but I thought the ……………………. show was terrible.

5   The Smiths were pretty quick off the ……………………. to sell when they heard house prices were falling.

      I think that what you said to Rita about her taste in furniture really hit the ……………………. .

      Poverty and unemployment have certainly left a ……………………. on this area.

6   A record number of businesses are predicted to ……………………. in the next 12 months.

      Now carefully ……………………. the paper in two, and you can begin to see the shape of the paper plane.

      Don’t ……………………. your arms and talk to me in that tone of voice!

K. Complete using the words in the box. You have to use some words more than once.

1   That awful new office block is a real blot on the ………………….. .

2   The crime rate is soaring! It’s becoming a real concrete ………………….. out there.

3   Make yourself at ………………….. while I just put the kettle on and make us a nice cup of tea.

4   It’s my birthday, so I’m planning to go out on the ………………….. with my friends this evening.

5   Living in the commuter ………………….. is okay, but I’d love to move back into the city.

6   I don’t know how Nicole survives, living all the way out in the ……………………

7   We couldn’t afford to live in London, so we ended up living in a satellite ………………….. about half an hour away.

8   I love this hotel, and it’s always been a kind of ………………….. from home for me.

9   After losing his job and getting divorced, it seemed only a matter of time before Anthony was out on the ………………….. .

10   It’s fine to travel, but there’s nothing better than ………………….. sweet home.

L. Each of the words in bold is in the wrong form. Rewrite them correctly.

1   The manufacturer industries are a major employer in this area. …………………….

2   Dunscar and the roundness areas have seen a sharp increase in house prices. …………………….

3   When the mixture starts to solidity, put it in the freezer. …………………….

4   Each housing is responsible for maintaining the area in front of their house. …………………….

5   ‘I’ll always be here for you,’ Brittany said soften. …………………….

6   Be careful – the floor’s wet and it’s a bit slippage. …………………….

7   I dropped a spanner and it made a loud, metallurgy sound. …………………….

8   There have been substance improvements to the local area. …………………….

9   The council apply the rules on building quite rigidity. …………………….

10   After the earthquake, all the buildings were checked for structure damage. …………………….

M. Use the word given in capitals to form a word that fits in the space.

Rebuilding Coventry

In the late 30s, (1) ………………… (ANALYSE) knew that the centre of the historic town of Coventry in the West Midlands needed to be redeveloped. Plans had to be (2) ………………… (SHELF) when the Second World War started in 1939. However, the architects’ opportunity (3) ………………… (MATERIAL) when the city centre was practically destroyed during the war. Many buildings were (4) ………………… (REPAIR) damaged and demolition work began. Aiming to create a much more (5) ………………… (SPACE) area for (6) ………………… (RESIDE) to work and shop in, town planners came up with a radical idea. They would make the city more (7) ………………… (INHABIT) by pedestrianising the centre, preventing cars entering. There were (8) ………………… (OBJECT) from local shopkeepers, who thought that it would have an impact on trade, but the planners went ahead. What was once a (9) ………………… (DENSE) populated area became a pleasant, attractive place to visit. It was a real (10) ………………… (ARCHITECT) achievement, one that many British towns have emulated since.

N. The suffix –en, as in soften, can be added to nouns or adjectives to form verbs and means ’cause to become’ or ‘become’. Tick the nouns and adjectives below which can take –en to form verbs. You may have to double a final letter or remove a final -e.

10   loose           …………………

11   narrow       …………………

12   red              …………………

13   short           …………………

14   strength     …………………

15   tall               …………………

16   tight            …………………

17   weak           …………………

18   wide            …………………

O. Complete the sentences using words formed in exercise N in the correct form.

1   Apparently, they’re going to ………………… the road here so that it can cope with the heavy traffic.

2   This decision by the authorities only ………………… our determination to fight on.

3   Ryan’s face ………………… as he realised what a terrible mistake he’d made.

4   The dress suits you, but it’s a bit long. You can always ………………… it.

5   Could you help me ………………… my seat belt? It’s a bit loose.

6   Some flowers in here would certainly ………………… the place up, wouldn’t they?

7   They leave the clay in the sun to ………………… and use the bricks to build houses.

8   We must remain strong and not ………………… if we’re going to stop this bypass being built.