LESSON 23

PROGRESS TEST

1. Fill each of the blanks with a suitable word or phrase.

a. I resent …………………………… to as ‘a common thief’. b. I‘ve always regretted …………………………… learned German properly.c. Although the exam was difficult, I don’t anticipate ……………………………

work as hard as I did last year.d. To my pleasant surprise, repairing the engine proved ……………………………

difficult as I thought it would.e. I dare …………………………… will find the calculation more complicated than

you thought.f. He was obliged …………………………… for his rudeness.g. The managing director welcomed me warmly but realized too late that he had

mistaken …………………………… someone else.h. Some newspapers are perceived …………………………… more on

entertainment than news.i. His reputation was …………………………… tatters as a result of the scandal.j. The entire project was …………………………… to the scrapheap and we’ve

been told to start again.

2. In the following sentences, sometimes one and sometimes both of the alternatives are acceptable. Cross out those that are not acceptable.

a. My parents have always given me a good / great deal of encouragement.b. There seems to be masses / tons of stuff that we’ve left out of the inventory.c. They sent me a considerable / huge quantity of material to read.d. The fact that I wasn’t born in this country added a whole new dimension / size to

the problem.e. There was a widespread / across-the-board condemnation of their behaviour. f. There are an awful / a horrible lot of soaps on TV.g. A disaster of this scale / magnitude mercifully seldom appears.h. Donations for the disaster fund have topped / exceeded $1m.

3. Fill each of the gaps with one of the adjectives listed.

unpronounceable incompatible unworkable insolubleunmanageable inscrutable unapproachable illegibleunintelligible uncontrollable irretrievable inconsolable

1. I think you’ll find ultimately that your plan is totally …………………2. With his grunts and sideways looks the boss gives the impression of being

extremely …………………3. What was written on the fax from Mongolia was almost totally …………………4. Though they had a few hobbies in common, the couple acknowledged that they

were …………………5. With the bad line, what she said was virtually …………………6. We tried our best but the problem proved to be …………………7. A Polish name with eight consonants and a ‘y’ is practically ………………… for

an English mouth.8. I’ve been to almost every salon in town but my hair is still …………………9. I sometimes have this almost ………………… urge to run down our street with

no clothes on.10. he just sat there throughout the whole conference with an impassive,

………………… look on his face.11. She burst into tears when he left and was ………………… for some hours

afterwards.12. Any ………………… expenses will have to be deducted from the refund you

receive.

4. Replace a ‘speaking’ verb (underlined) with one of the words or phrases listed.

said under his breath enquired snapped roared chantedsaid with a smirk chortled declared hinted admittedstammered shrieked

a. ‘Get out of my office!’ he bellowed.b. ‘Can I help you in any way?’ she asked.c. ‘Was it twenty or twenty-five per cent you got in the test?’ he sneered.d. ‘That’s so typical of my young grandson’, the old man chuckled.e. ‘You’ll regret this’, he muttered.f. ‘I want you in my office in two minutes’, he said angrily and sharply. g. She confessed that she had been economical with the truth.h. ‘You did what?’ he exclaimed loudly.i. ‘Jobs not hand-outs! Jobs not hand-outs!’ they repeated together. j. He insinuated that things had gone wrong because of me.k. ‘But, but, but. But surely not!’ he stuttered.l. She announced that she would be leaving within the month.

5. Circle the corresponding letter of the word that best completes each sentence.

1. My music teacher suggested ……… for an hour before breakfast.a. practising b. to practise c. having practised d. to practising 2. I ……… to have to inform you that your ticket is not valid.a. regret b. sorry c. apologise d. resent3. What the boy really ……… was to go to the cinema with his father. a. enjoyed b. wanted c. appreciated d. adored4. How very young children acquire linguistic skills never ……… to amaze me.a. stops b. finished c. ceases d. ends5. The incoming administration ……… to clean up corruption in the city.a. pledged b. contemplated c. suggested d. resumed6. Worried about the future of the family business, he ……… for his sons to follow

in his footsteps.a. desired b. yearned c. considered d. anticipated7. Stockhausen’s early compositions have been ……… as ‘crash, bang, wallop’

music.a. dismissed b. sent out c. eulogized d. dreaded8. We rarely see ……… on most matters of business policy. a. face to face b. at loggerheads c. eye to eye d. on tenterhooks9. I frequently find myself in ……… with the board of directors.a. conflict b. rivalry c. odds d. friction10. Their latest proposal runs ……… to everything they’ve been saying over the last

year.a. counter b. against c. opposed d. competitive11. I discovered that I was in complete ……… with everyone else in the office.a. difference b. variance c. disagreement d. competition12. In a fury he ……… into his detractors, denouncing them as shallow.a. argued b. laid c. attacked d. crashed13. We encountered particularly ……… opposition in the second round of the

tournament. a. hard b. iron c. rigid d. stiff14. The complainant ……… libel proceedings against the magazine.a. founded b. created c. initiated d. set off15. My aunt ……… on a long story about losing her night-dress down a manhole (or

something).a. set off b. evoked c. embarked d. opened16. After several disastrous matches, he was ……… of the captaincy.a. cancelled b. removed c. relieved d. reduced17. Her announcement was designed to ……… rumours of her imminent retirement.a. peter out b. dispel c. disperse d. annihilate18. The secretary was ……… to tears by the manager’s behaviour.a. brought down b. diminished c. reduced d. belittled19. The effects of the anesthetic ……… after a couple of hours.a. wiped out b. finished off c. dried up d. wore off20. We were forced to ……… our accounts because of financial pressures. a. end b. fold c. close d. break off