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You can’t imagine _____ when they received these nice Christmas presents.
Over the past two years the _____ of living has risen considerably.
I expect we'll _____ again one day, but bye for now.
The company's service didn't _____ my requirements.
They find it hard to make ends _____ on his meager salary.
Answer:
My grandmother was strict, but the advice she gave me was always _____, and I did my best to follow it.
She tossed and turned for several hours and then towards morning she fell into a _____ sleep.
The bodywork of the car appears to be quite _____, but the engine definitely needs replacing.
Answer:
Could you add this up for me? I'm no good at all with _____.
The cocktail party was attended by several well-known public _____.
Models have to watch their _____ all the time so they eat very carefully.
Answer:
Complete each sentence using a suitable verb form in line A with a preposition in line B to make a phrasal verb. (You can use prepositions more than once.)
A: [ give | clear | go | implicate | crop | account | bargain ]
B: [ away | up | for | in ]
I was interested in buying a folding bike but a friend me .
I've just been offered a new job! Things are .
Fiona decided not to the exam in December.
Apparently a number of army officers were the plot.
Your explanation does not really the disappearance of the money.
I can't come to your birthday party, something has .
We were late because we hadn't all the traffic on the motorway.
Complete the sentence by changing the form of the word in capitals.
Beavers
After the recent floods, (CONSERVE) are calling for beavers to be reintroduced to Britain. You may wonder how animals that build dams prevent floods when surely the opposite is true. However, beavers construct dams in upland areas, creating small pools and (DIVERT) that retain water and release water to lowland areas much more gradually.
Until the 16th century, Beavers lived wild in parts of Britain, but they were hunted to recently extinction for their fur. However, (RECENT) various British wildlife organizations have applied to reintroduce beavers to the countryside. Along with their potential value in flood prevention, they would create wetland habitats and promote tourism.
But such measures are controversial. Beavers recently reintroduced to Estonia have (FLOOD) large areas of forest and agricultural land, and this. In turn, has damaged crops. As a result, it has been necessary to cull beavers when the population becomes too large. Many people think it (ETHIC) to reintroduce a species which will then be killed.
Write one word in each gap.
THE GREAT DEPRESSION
The Wall Street collapse of September-October 1929 and the Great Depression followed it were the most important events of the twentieth century. They made the Second World War possible, though not inevitable, and by undermining confidence in the efficacy of the market and the capitalist system, they helped to explain the absurdly inefficient and murderous system of Soviet communism survived for long.
Indeed, it could be argued that the ultimate emotional and intellectual consequences of the Great Depression were not finally erased the mind of humanity the end of the 1980s, the Soviet collectivist alternative capitalism crumbled in hopeless ruin and the entire world accepted there was no substitute for the market. Granted the importance of these events, then, the failure of historians to explain either their magnitude or duration is one of the great mysteries of modern historiography.
Read the text below and decide which answer best fits each gap.
The oldest leather shoe in the world
Archaeologists report that a perfectly preserved 5,500-year-old shoe has been discovered in a cave in Armenia in south-west Asia. It is to be the oldest leather shoe ever found.
The shoe was made of a single piece of leather, stitched at the front and back, and was shaped to fit the wearer’s foot. It had been with grasses, either for warmth or to make sure it kept its shape. ‘The shoe is relatively small but we can’t say for whether it was worn by a man or a woman,’ says Dr. Ron Pinhasi, an archaeologist on the research : ‘We thought at first that it was about 600-700 years old because it was in such good shape.’
Shoes of this type from later periods have turned in archaeological excavations in various places in Europe, and shoes of a very similar design were still being used on the Aran Islands off the west coast of Ireland as as the 1950s. It’s a style which popular for thousands of years.
Read the following passage then choose the best answer to each question below.
SUBVERSIVE ART
Subversive political and social messages are a mainstay of the art community. In most modern democratic nations, where free speech is considered an inalienable right, such subversive art is easily found. American film is a fine example of this. Many American films are openly critical of American society and its values. Apocalypse Now, a film about the Vietnam War, is a withering attack on America's involvement and conduct in that conflict. In a more modern setting, African-American film director Spike Lee makes films which depict America as a racist and unjust society. Other arts are filled with examples of subversive art as well. There are countless paintings and sculptures which openly attack Christianity and other values which are considered to be core aspects of America's idéntity. Punk Rock, which originated in England, derided many of England's most sacred of social values. Most famously, the 1970s punk band The Sex Pistols frequently sang songs about overthrowing the government, even going so far as to describe the Queen of England as subhuman.
Not all subversive ait is as upfront in its social criticism. Much of subversive art is quietly subversive. There are a number of reasons for this. The first is, of course, economics. An artist who is too open or too vehement in his or her criticism of society may find it hard to find an audience willing to pay for such art. In some societies, there may be a fear of retribution, either by the government or by individual society members offended by the artist's message. Nor are such fears unfounded. Author Salman Rushdie was forced to go into hiding after he wrote a book that Muslims took to be critical of their religion. Therefore, the subversive messages in art are often hidden.
One common method of hiding subversive messages in one's art is through the use of an unreliable or untenable viewpoint. In this method, the artist actually presents a viewpoint that is in opposition to his or her own but does so in such a way as to render that viewpoint unbelievable in the eyes of the audience. American author Mark Twain was a master at this. The narrator in his most famous novel is a young boy named Huck Finn. Huck supports the values of his society. For example, one of the justifications used by Americans to keep Africans enslaved was that they were somehow less human than whites. There is a scene in which Huck finds his friend Jim, a runaway slave, crying to himself because he misses his children whom he has left behind in slavery. Huck is surprised by this and comments that it seen is remarkable that Jims a slave, could feel sadness for the loss of his children in the same way a white person would. This observation is so absurd that it discredits the entire notion of slaves somehow being less human than their masters.
Mark Twain was not the only artist to hide the subversive nature of his work. In earlier times, prior to the printing press and the mass production of posters, artists depended on the support of wealthy individuals to make their living. A rich noble who appreciated the work of an artist would become his or her and support the artist. In return the artist was generally expected to create art that the patron approved of, and herein was the problem.
These wealthy nobles represented - the social elite, which in most cases was exactly the element of society which artists wished to criticize. One could hardly expect a patron to pay for art that was openly critical of his social class, so artists became experts in concealing the subversive message in their art. A close look at any of the great artists of history: da Vinci. Shakespeare, Milton, etc. will reveal many hidden elements of social subversion.
Use the letter A, B, C, D to answer these questions with reference to the passages. There are some passages you can use more than once.
Like most companies in an increasingly globalised world, our firm does business with other firms abroad. Company cultures vary worldwide, and it is important for delegates from our company to recognise how company culture overseas might be different from our own. This document will give you a brief guide to company culture in the countries we associate with.
A. Russia
Until recently, people and businesses were oppressed by the state and this has affected people's attitudes. It is not uncommon for laws to be ignored and taxes to go unpaid. In some cases, only contracts between close personal friends are acknowledged. Therefore, networking is vital for successful business. Presently, the legal situation in Russia is in a state of flux, with laws constantly being rewritten. Those that exist are often unenforceable. Most agreements are therefore made on a trust basis, so it is vital that personal relationships do not break down. The management style is centralised and directive. Too much debate can indicate a lack of decisiveness. Subordinates take orders from the 'big boss'. Many westerners see this as a lack of initiative on the part of middle managers, but in actual fact, middle managers have little power. Most delays occur because the question has not been presented to actual decision-maker. However, things are changing in Russia. The old regime is gradually being replaced by western business style, and younger managers will have a much more modem approach than their older counterparts.
B. South Korea
South Korea is one of the world's most successful economies, having seen five consecutive decades of high economic growth. When faced with adversity, South Koreans change direction quickly and effectively. Despite the frantic economic growth, South Korean society is still very conservative and conformist due to the influence of Confucian values. Companies are hierarchical and regimented and 'face' is very much valued. Consequently, change can sometimes be slow and painful. Managers are paternalistic, authoritative figures who expect their instructions to be carried out obediently and respectfully. In return, they give their subordinates support and help, not only in work issues but in home issues as well. Group harmony is important, so South Koreans avoid confrontation and blame, especially among people of equal rank. Friendship is therefore vital to business success. The Korean saying 'make a friend first and a client second' sums this up exactly.
C. Australia
Australia has a relatively small population in relation to its vast size. Its geographic isolation and its small domestic market mean that international trade is essential to guarantee future prosperity. Increasingly, this is done in countries in Asia rather than Commonwealth countries. Australian managers are not considered to have superior status to other workers. Their jobs are just different. Authoritative management styles are not appreciated among Australians workers. Instead, managers adopt a more consultative and inclusive style which encourages open debate. Challenging superiors is acceptable, indeed it is a sign of commitment and professionalism. Outsiders may consider such dialogues confrontational, but Australians regard them as effective ways to communicate ideas. Australian managers like to be seen as 'one of the boys' and they are more likely to socialise with their team than segregate themselves and just mix with other managers.
D. UK
In the last half century. Britain, like many industrialised countries, has moved away from heavy engineering towards service and high-tech industries. With this has come a major shift in management style. Hierarchical systems have been swept aside and replaced by modern business models, heavily influenced by the US. The Job for life' is rare. Neither managers nor junior workers expect to climb the corporate ladder within one company: rather, they manage their own career paths by progressing from company to company. Such short-terrorism can be frustrating for outsiders. British managers tend to be generalists rather than specialists, and are not necessarily the most technically competent person in the team. Instead, they are expected to have the necessary interpersonal skills to ensure the team works together effectively. They cultivate a close and humorous relationship with subordinates, which may be considered too soft. Giving direct orders can be seen as impolite, so managers often make indirect requests rather than explicit instructions, which is sometimes confusing for non-British people.
Which country is being referred to in the statements below?
Complete the second sentence so that it has the same meaning to the first.
Because of his conviction for fraud, the trainer lost his licence.
=> His conviction for fraud .........
Complete the second sentence so that it has the same meaning to the first.
My little brother can be so annoying sometimes.
=> I am ............
Complete the second sentence so that it has the same meaning to the first.
New road developments pose a major threat to these ancient woodlands.
=> These ancient ..........
Complete the second sentence so that it has the same meaning to the first.
Wash vegetables before eating them.
=> Vegetables ..........
Complete the second sentence so that it has the same meaning to the first.
They declared war on the pretext of defending their territorial rights.
=> The excuse ..........
Complete the second sentence using the word given so that it has the same meaning to the first.
I don't think the television's likely to blow up at any minute. (LIKELIHOOD)
Complete the second sentence using the word given so that it has the same meaning to the first.
I was too scared to tell him what I really thought. (LACKED)
Complete the second sentence using the word given so that it has the same meaning to the first.
They remained close friends, despite having had many differences. (FALLEN)
=> Though ..........
Complete the second sentence using the word given so that it has the same meaning to the first.
I resent the way that she clearly feels herself to be superior to me. (NOSE)
=> I am ..........
Complete the second sentence using the word given so that it has the same meaning to the first.
Fortunately his route took him very near where they lived. (LUCK)
=> As ..........