Practice English Vocabulary C1 Exercises – Vocabulary Test 1

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

Car review: the XR1200

Although still a relative (1) ……………….. (COME) to the world of high-performance sports cars, General Autos has (2) ……………….. (GO) quite a transformation since their first effort, the Xtreme, attracted such (3) ……………….. (FAVOUR) comment in the motoring press, which led to disappointing sales. Their latest effort, the XR1200 (4) ……………….. (CONVERT), went into (5) ……………….. (PRODUCE) last month, and I had the chance to test-drive one.

To say that the XR1200 is better than the Xtreme is a huge (6) ……………….. (STATE). Not only is it much better, it represents a (7) ……………….. (REVOLT) new approach to this class of car. From the seats to the angle of the steering wheel, everything on this car is (8) ……………….. (ADJUST), meaning that you can set the car up to fit you perfectly. The engine, too, is easy to set up for maximum efficiency, with the help of powerful dual (9) ……………….. (PROCESS) that monitor performance 1,000 times a second.

Even the bodywork incorporates state-of-the-art ideas, with a new durable material that should mean that your XR1200 (10) ……………….. (LAST) almost anything else on the road.

B. Write one word in each gap.

11   Did you hear that Rita told Charles the wrong time for the meeting …………… purpose so that he’d be late?

12   We will be writing to you …………… due course with details of the conditions of your employment.

13   She didn’t understand what I was driving …………… so I had to make it very simple for her.

14   The company is currently …………… discussion with the bank regarding a large loan.

15   I think you need to focus more …………… the central character of the book in your essay.

16   From now ……………, all orders must be accompanied by form E4-17.

17   I didn’t manage to book anything, so we’ll just have to trust …………… luck and hope we find rooms when we get there.

18   There are a number of changes …………… the way, and I’m afraid that some people will lose their jobs.

C. Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first sentence, using the word given. Do not change the word given. You must use between three and eight words, including the word given.

19   We need to do two hours’ work before we can take a break. been

        We can’t take a break …………………………….. two hours.

20   I was just about to ask Amy to marry me when she told me she wanted to split up! verge

        I was just …………………………….. Amy to marry me when she told me she wanted to split up!

21   We were going to be 12 for dinner, but Vicky couldn’t come in the end. meant

        There …………………………….. 12 for dinner, but Vicky couldn’t come in the end.

22   Dad decided to pay a mechanic to look at the car when he couldn’t find the problem. looked

        Dad decided to …………………………….. by a mechanic when he couldn’t find the problem.

23   Jan has been having problems with her e-mail so it’s quite likely she hasn’t got your message. well

        Jan …………………………….. your message because she’s been having e-mail problems.

24   Letting Brittany walk home on her own was a mistake. have

        You …………………………….. Brittany walk home on her own.

25   I strongly suggest that you don’t forget your dictionary next lesson. better

        You …………………………….. your dictionary next lesson.

26   I’m sure that the only thing that prevented me from leaving university was my dad’s advice. it

        I’m sure that …………………………….. I would have left university.

27   You have to put more effort in if you want to succeed. fail

        You …………………………….. you put more effort in.

28   The start of the debate is scheduled for six. due

        The debate …………………………….. at six.

D. Complete using the words in the box. There is one word you will not need to use.

29   What you’ve written here is a bit …………………… and your position isn’t really clear.

30   We’ve made a/an …………………… decision, but you’ll know our final decision at the end of the week.

31   I’ve just bought myself a/an …………………… device that turns any mobile into a metal detector.

32   You might hear native speakers saying ‘ain’t’ in …………………… speech.

33   My flying lessons came to a/an …………………… halt when the flying school closed down.

34   Only the …………………… intervention of the managing director prevented a costly mistake.

35   The film was the first to have a/an …………………… launch in the US, Europe and Japan.

E. Write one word in each gap.

Instant decisions

We often assume the best way to come to a decision is to (36) ………………. ages taking (37) ………………. account a lot of information before we arrive (38) ………………. our conclusion. We weigh the evidence (39) ………………. the belief that instant decisions are unreliable. However, there are arguments (40) ………………. a reassessment of that view. It may be that from (41) ………………. to time our subconscious mind does a better job (42) ………………. a moment than our conscious mind does.

When Evelyn Harrison, an expert on sculpture, (43) ………………. shown a statue that the J. Paul Getty Museum had purchased for $10 million, she blurted (44) ………………. that it was a fake. It came (45) ………………. a shock to the museum. Harrison was unable to explain why she had formed that impression, but it was enough to cast doubt (46) ………………. the statue. Now most experts have come (47) ………………. to her position, but how did she tell the (48) ………………. between that and the real article so quickly?

It’s probable that her subconscious mind sorted through information that (49) ………………. the notice of her conscious mind. Although we are rarely, (50) ………………. ever, aware of our subconscious mind, it can be surprisingly effective.

F. Complete using the words in the box. You will have to use some words more than once. There is one word you will not need to use.

51   Timmy’s only six, but he comes ……………….. with the funniest things sometimes.

52   The destruction of this area of habitat will mean that some species of plant will die ……………….. .

53   You’re going to have to knuckle ……………….. if you don’t want to fail the exam next month.

54   Could you pass a message ……………….. to your brother?

55   I see that you’ve managed to take the dishwasher ……………….., but can you put it back together again?

56   I decided to have a few lessons to brush ……………….. my German before I went on holiday.

57   I had to give a talk about history, so I spent the weekend reading ……………….. on the Second World War.

58   Mull my offer ……………….. for a few days and then let me know what you think.

59   You’ll have to postpone your holiday because I’m afraid something has cropped ……………….. at work.

60   I can’t believe you’ve already got ……………….. the lemonade I bought at the supermarket.

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

61   Have you ever seen Ivor doing an …………………… of Mike? It’s hilarious!

        I’m going to wear my new suit to the interview to make a good …………………… .

        We were under the …………………… that the order would be delivered by today.

62   Let’s just …………………… through what’s going to be happening at the wedding tomorrow.

        We should have finished building by the end of July, if we don’t …………………… into any problems.

        I always get a headache when we visit Georgia because she just lets her kids …………………… riot.

63   I don’t know what the …………………… for the council’s decision was, but it doesn’t seem like a good idea.

        I’ve been promoted to assistant manager on a temporary ……………………, but I hope it’ll become permanent.

        On the …………………… of your interview, we’re very happy to be able to offer you a position at our company.

64   The new legislation has …………………… up a number of unexpected problems.

        The board of directors have …………………… the budget out and asked that we look at the figures again.

        Mr Parris turned round from the blackboard and demanded to know who had …………………… the piece of paper.

65   The detectives checked everyone’s story and by a …………………… of elimination they were left with one suspect.

        It is hoped that the current peace …………………… will bring the civil war to an end.

        I was in the …………………… of cooking dinner when Madison rang to say that she’d be late.

66   Our teacher keeps a …………………… of our test scores so that she can see how much we’ve progressed.

        I wrote my autobiography because I want to set the …………………… straight about a few things that have appeared in the press.

H. Write one word in each gap.

67   No matter what we said, Dimitris ……………….. to his guns and wouldn’t change his mind.

68   The fact that Jenny and Ben didn’t invite us to the wedding ……………….. volumes.

69   Matt finally decided to ……………….. clean and admitted that he’d broken the TV.

70   Take the second left and then just ……………….. your nose and the post office is on the right.

71   As soon as the kids got to the party, they ……………….. a beeline for the ice cream.

72   You should sit down and ……………….. stock of your life and decide whether this is the right thing to do.

73   Jill ……………….. cars inside out, so why don’t you get her to have a look at the engine? ·

74   I ……………….. two and two together and realised that Tracy had been lying to me.

I. Choose the correct answer.

75   I expect you’ll feel a lot better when you ……………… your exams out of the way.

        A will get     B have got

        C had got     D are getting

76   I suppose I found it hard at my new school because I just ……………… to the situation.

        A didn’t use

        B used not

        C wasn’t used

        D wasn’t getting used

77   By the end of next month Annabel and I ……………… out with each other for three years.

        A will have been going

        B will go

        C have been going

        D will be going

78   We have to leave now because we are due ……………… in Edinburgh by six.

        A being        B to being

        C to be          D be

79   Our plane tickets never arrived, ……………… in the post.

        A were lost

        B having lost

        C had been lost

        D having been lost

80   It ……………… that there is easily enough food in the world to feed everyone.

        A has been calculated

        B calculates

        C being calculated

        D would calculate

81   It was the first time I ……………… in such an important match.

        A was ever playing

        B have ever played

        C have ever been playing

        D had ever played

82   It turned out that I ……………… have bought Frank a present after all.

        A mustn’t    B oughtn’t

        C needn’t     D mightn’t

J. Choose the correct answer.

83   Nobody has any firm information, so we can only ……………… on what caused the accident.

        A guess          B contemplate

        C speculate    D assume

84   Cars have been banned from the city centre, which makes the area much safer for ……………… .

        A passersby

        B onlookers

        C pedestrians

        D footmen

85   There has been a real boom in ……………… electronics over the last three decades.

        A consumer   B customer

        C buyer            D client

86   When I realised that I’d left my homework at home, I quickly ……………… back to get it.

        A crept         B dashed

        C crawled     D drifted

87   I know it’s got his name on the cover, but he used a ……………… .

        A correspondent

        B model

        C ghostwriter

        D fellow

88   The text doesn’t give you the answer explicitly – you have to ……………… it from the evidence.

        A convert    B grasp

        C reckon       D deduce

89   Are you having a ……………… exam before you sit the actual exam in June?

        A fake           B mock

        C false          D dress

90   I couldn’t decide what to write about, when I suddenly ……………… upon the idea of doing something on writer’s block.

        A thought    B chanced

        C hit              D arrived