Choose the right answer (A, B, C or D) to complete the text. There is an example at the beginning

THE NEW BRITISH LIBRARY

Originally commissioned 14 years ago, the new British Library was (0) … to open in 1990. However, the project has been (1) … by political fighting, poor planning and financial problems. The most recent (2) … came in June when inspectors discovered that 60 miles of new metal shelving had started to (3) … and needed to be (4) …. That would (5) … the opening of the project’s first phase for yet another two years. “Things have gone from bad to worse”, said Brian Lake, secretary of the Regular Readers, an association of writers and scholars who are not happy with plans for the new library. “It is a grand national project that has become a great national scandal.”

It sounded like a splendid idea when the government (6) … its £164 million project in 1978. Sophisticated electronic (7) … would help keep the library’s irreplaceable stock at an optimal (8) … and humidity. A computer-controlled delivery system would provide books to readers within minutes of a (9) … rather than days. And to (10) … other needs of the reading public, the library would also include (11) … galleries, a restaurant and a conference hall.

That was the plan, (12) …. The start of construction was delayed until 1982 by arguments about planning and by a (13) … of government. Four years later, members of the cabinet ordered a (14) … report and discovered that the committee responsible for (15) … the project hadn’t met in four years.

	A	projected	B	supposed	C	assumed	D	pretended
	A	delayed	B	bothered	C	infected	D	restricted
	A	comeback	B	setback	C	drawback	D	cutback
	A	fade	B	melt	C	mould	D	rust
	A	substituted	B	replaced	C	abandoned	D	rejected
	A	distract	B	destroy	C	postpone	D	postdate
	A	imposed	B	unveiled	C	claimed	D	manifested
	A	items	B	computers	C	equipment	D	tools
	A	heat	B	temperature	C	cold	D	warmth
	A	reservation	B	demand	C	wish	D	request
	A	fit	B	serve	C	bring	D	obey
	A	exposition	B	show	C	exhibition	D	demonstration
	A	especially	B	anyway	C	eventually	D	meanwhile
	A	variation	B	difference	C	shift	D	change
	A	progress	B	progression	C	progressive	D	progressing
	A	guarding	B	supervising	C	overlooking	D	watching

32. Decide which of the numbered parts in each extract is a colloquialism and is, therefore, out of place.

1. Letter to the bank manager: “(1) Dear Sir, (2) Please credit my account with the (3) enclosed sum. My (4) account number is 745996. (5) Love from Jane Smith.”

2. Judge: “(1) Sir, your driving has not only been (2) irresponsible, it has also been dangerous. (3) That’s why I’m fining you (4) five hundred bucks. This is the minimum (5) penalty for such an offence.”

3. Advertisement: “(1) Use Fantasy Soap! It contains (2) the perfumes of the tropics, (3) the oils of the east, and our own (4) secret ingredient. Use it regularly and it (5) will stop you smelling. ”

4. British rail announcement: “Passengers are (1) respectfully reminded (2) to exercise caution when rising from their seats (3) so as to avoid (4) bashing their heads on the (5) overhead luggage rack.”

5. Psychiatrist: “After (1) lengthy analysis of this patient I (2) have come to the conclusion that he is (3) a complete nutcase. I (4) feel that it is (5) futile to continue with therapy.”

33. Choose the right answer to complete each situation.

1. My friend likes detective novels …

1. and me too

2. and also I

3. but neither do I

4. but I don’t

2. “I’d like you to read … from this text,” the teacher said.

1. the first two sentences	3. the Sentences One and Two
2. the two first sentences	4. first and second sentences

3. If you … an essay, would you go the library?

1. will have to write	3. had written
2. were to write	4. should have written

4. It was not until Gutenberg was 35 … he turned his attention to printing.

1. when

2. -

3. as

4. that

5. You’re not the only one who didn’t read the classics at school. I didn’t …

1. neither

2. also

3. too

4. either

34. Decide whether there is a mistake in the sentence. If the sentence is not right, write “1”; if the sentence is correct, write “2”.

1. Francisco can not only read English, he can speak well, too.

2. When Mario realised that he couldn’t answer the teacher’s question, he turned as red as a beatroot.

3. I’d like you to change the first five words of the sentence.

4. I came far too late: the lecture had been over and the Professor had gone.

5. The Russians have a marvelous folk song tradition.

35. Finish the text by using five correct choices from the list below.

In the little valley …(1)… the Sleepy Hollow, lived a school-master …(2)… Ichabod Crane. The name Crane rather suited him as he was …(3)…, thin, with long legs and arms, and hands that …(4)… a mile out of his sleeves. But he was considered by the women to be a man of great learning …(5)… he had read several books quite through.

(1) because of	(4) for	(7) hung
(2) by the name of	(5) hanged	(8) tall
(3) called	(6) high	(9) which calls

36. What’s described? Read each description carefully and decide what sort of book is being described.

1. After nearly two decades in Britain, the author took the decision to move back to the States. But before leaving his much-loved home, he insisted on taking one last farewell look on the “small island”, a sort of valedictory tour of the place that had so long been his home.

1. a book on travel	2. an autobiography
3. a book of legends	4. a tourist guide

2.Densely populated with wonderful one-liners from such formidable figures as Churchill and Shakespeare to more recent luminaries of British stage, screen and society including Michael Caine, Margaret Thatcher and John Lennon, to name but a few, this book celebrates all that makes Britain brilliant.

1. a book of biographies	2. a book of aphorisms
3. an anthology	4. a book of memoirs

3. In this astonishing memoir, the young author candidly describes the remarkable way in which he was trained in his profession, his terrifying first lesson and his ever more frightening experience in his first job at Truss comprehensive, one of the worst in the country.

1. a horror story	2. a thriller
3. an autobiographical story	4. memoirs of an old teacher

4. “ Swing’em Fair ” was once a common expression used in old Coventry to describe public hanging. Public executions were extremely popular and people travelled from miles around to witness them, blocking roads and lanes with carts and carriages of all description, for the day of an execution was regarded as a public holiday. Why were people so happy and determined to attend?

1. a Gothic novel	2. a book of science fiction
3. an adventure story	4. a book on history

5. What’s an alibi, a celibate, a dilemma? Should underway be two words? Is the word meretricious worth using at all? How do you spell realise? With an s or a z? Should you split infinitives, end sentences with prepositions, start them with conjunctions? “Quite Literally” answers questions like these, and more.

1. a book of detective stories	2. an essay
3. a guide to English usage	4. a novel of manners

37. Choose the right answer to complete each sentence.

1. I’ve already seen this book. I … at the book when I was at Bruce’s.

1. saw

2. had seen

3. was looking

4. looked

2. Can you tell me how long James I … the King of England?

1. was

2. has been

3. had been

4. will be

3. Where … a minute ago?

1. you’ve been

2. did you be

3. were you

4. you was

4. I’m trying to remember where ….

1. did I lay that book

2. that book lays

3. I laid that book

4. is this book lying

5. I wonder if I … the article by the time the bell goes.

1. read

2. ‘ll read

3. ‘ll have read

4. have read

38. Put these words and phrases in the correct order to make sensible sentences. Begin with the subject.

1. (1) every (2) Jack went (3) last (4) morning (5) to town (6) week

2. (1) at (2) I saw (3) last week (4) that film (5) the Rex Cinema (6) twice

3. (1) before supper (2) every evening (3) the park (4) round (5) several times (6) she walks

4. (1) at the prep course (2) every week (3) had lessons (4) last winter (5) my sister (6) three evenings

5. (1) and landed in London (2) at 18.40 hours (3) from Moscow (4) later (5) the plane took off (6) three and a half hours