Cambridge Proficiency practice

Striving for Proficiency
1
Source: Cambridge ESOL CPE Handbook
¿

Use the word in capitals to form a word
that fits in the space in the same line.
The first one is done as an example.
2http://www.flo-joe.co.uk/cpe/students/tests/wfts1.htm

 For many people Ludwig van
Beethoven (1770-1827) is the most
(0 INFLUENCE) influential figure in the history of
western classical music. His (1 ORDINARY) _______
talent was already clearly evident as a young man,
(2 MERCY) __________ surviving a somewhat
unconventional (3 BRING) __________ during
which his eccentric father would often force him to
take music lessons in the middle of the night.
3
A MUSICAL GENIUS
1. EXTRAORDINARY
2. MERCIFULLY 2. UPBRINGING

 The young Beethoven's ability won him the
admiration of leading contemporary musical
figures. Throughout the 1790s he worked hard to
secure the interest of wealthy patrons. Such
patronage (4 ABLE) __________ him to
concentrate on becoming a successful composer.
4
4. ENABLED

 Whatever his awe-inspiring musical (5 ACHIEVE)
__________ however, his personal life was
something of a disaster. His day-to-day (6 RELATE)
__________ with people invariably turned out to
be rather turbulent. Although he apparently fell in
love with a number of society women, the identity
of the girl who lay closest to his heart remains (7
ELUDE) __________ to this day. 5
5. ACHIEVEMENT/S
6. RELATIONSHIPS
7. ELUSIVE

 However, just at the point when Beethoven was
beginning to reap the rewards of his early
endeavours, he had to come to terms with the
crushing (8 REALISE) __________ that his
increasing deafness was (9 CURE) __________.
From that point on, his music displayed a (10
STRIKE) __________ change in style, becoming
both heavier in tone and larger in scale. 6
8. REALIZATION
9. INCURABLE
10. STRIKING

 INSTRUCTIONS
 For questions 1-15, read the text below and
provide the word which best fits in each
space. Use only one word in each space.
 The first blank (0) is done as an example.
7
http://www.flo-joe.co.uk/cpe/students/tests/ocltst1.htm adapted

8
Global English exists (0) as a political and cultural reality.
Many misguided theories attempt to explain why the English
language should have succeeded internationally, whilst (1) ...
have not. Is it because there is (2) ... inherently logical or
beautiful about the structure of English? Does its simple
grammar (3) ... it easy to learn? Such ideas are misconceived.
Latin was once a major international language, despite
having a complicated grammatical structure, and English also
presents learners (4) ... all manner of real difficulties, (5) ...
least its spelling system. Ease (6) ... learning, therefore, has
little to (7) ... with it. (8) ... all, children learn to speak their
mother tongue in approximately the same period of time, (9)
... of their language.
1. OTHERS 2. SOMETHING 3. MAKE 4. WITH
5. NOT 6. OF 7. DO
8. AFTER 9. REGARDLESS, IRRESPECTIVE

9
English has spread not so (10) ... for linguistic
reasons, but rather because it has often found (11)
... in the right place, at the right time. (12) ... the
1960s, two major developments have contributed
to strengthening this global status. Firstly, in a
number of countries, English is now used in
addition to national or regional languages. As (13)
... as this, an electronic revolution has taken (14) ... .
It is estimated that (15) ... the region of 80% of
worldwide electronic communication is now in
English.
10. MUCH
11. ITSELF
12. SINCE
13. WELL
14. PLACE
15. IN

 Gross
 Huge
 A whirlwind
 Crave
 Long
 Yearn
 Fancy
 Lay up
 Take up
 Catch up
 Empower
 Entitle
10

 It's also the sixth overall highest grossing political
documentary behind four Michael Moore movies and
former Vice President Al Gore's environmental film "An
Inconvenient Truth.” Seattle Times 8/31/12
 “Some have argued that there were gross inequalities in
the way Asians treated Ugandans back then. BBC
8/5/12
 He also described Hodson's actions as a "gross breach
of trust". BBC 8/22/12
11

 Huge, enormous, immense, tremendous imply great
magnitude.
 Huge implies massiveness, bulkiness, or even shapelessness:
a huge mass of rock; a huge collection of antiques.
Enormous, literally out of the norm, applies to what exceeds
in extent, magnitude, or degree, a norm or standard: an
enormous iceberg.
 Tremendous, in informal use, applies to anything so huge as
to be astonishing or to inspire awe: a tremendous amount of
equipment.
 Immense, literally not measurable, is particularly applicable
to what is exceedingly great, without reference to a standard:
immense buildings.
 All are used figuratively: a huge success; enormous
curiosity; tremendous effort; immense joy. 12

 Someone could go open up credit cards, obtain government-
issued ID, take out loans, and generally create a huge
headache for Byrd. Time 9/7/12
 With a huge boost from sports fans, Americans eat about 25
billion Buffalo wings annually, according to chicken industry
data. Seattle Times 9/6/12
 However, the software, functionality, usability, durability and
reliability are also huge factors. Forbes 9/6/12
 The submerged state lurks most massively in tax policy, which
provides huge benefits, but ones that are largely invisible to
their recipients. NY Times 9/6/12
13

 This was a whirlwind performance, tubas, trombone
and trumpets blasting out thrillingly, cymbals crashing
with a celestial grandeur the composer would have
loved. The Guardian 8/4/12
 Two years of whirlwind preparations are about to
come to fruition. Seattle Times 7/3/12
 Cruise and Holmes married in 2006 after a whirlwind
love affair. Seattle Times 6/30/12
 The Czechs have been a mixed bag, sliced and diced by
Russia and then victorious against Greece thanks to a
whirlwind start. The Guardian 6/16/12 14
vendaval, turbilhão, redemoinho, um rápido namoro

 Exercise also can help those who are trying to stop
smoking by lowering stress levels the body
experiences during a craving. Seattle Times 8/22/12
 The elite youth have the money, but crave the
higher living standards of developed nations. NY
Times 8/22/12
 Many came yearning to reunite with parents who
have long been living here illegally. NY Times
8/25/12
 There is something so yearning about the initial
chord sequence. The Guardian 8/14/12
15

1. to bring or get up to date
2. to come up to or overtake (something or
someone) (usually followed by with )
3. to become involved or entangled with
 To use up, consume, or occupy
 To develop an interest in or enter into: take up
mountain climbing; take up engineering.
1. To stock for future use
2. Informal To confine with an illness or injury
16

1.a. Highly decorated: a fancy hat. b. Complex or intricate:
the fancy footwork of a figure skater.
2.a. Elegantly fashionable or sophisticated: a fancy
restaurant; a fancy way of asking for a loan. b. Of superior
grade; fine: fancy preserves.
3. Excessive or exorbitant: paid a fancy price
for the car.
 “Fanciest outhouse I’ve ever seen,” one guest said. NY TIMES
9/5/12
 Brompton Cemetery … Fancy watching The Shining here
after dark? The Guardian 8/29/12
17

 1. to give power or authority to; authorize, especially
by legal or official means: I empowered my agent to
make the deal for me. The local ordinance empowers
the board of health to close unsanitary restaurants. 2.
to enable or permit: Wealth empowered him to live a
comfortable life.
 She said communities needed to be "empowered" to
becoming healthier. BBC 9/4/12
 Farmers have been empowered to improve their own
lives through accessing critical agricultural information
as opposed to depending on aid. The Guardian
8/25/12
18

 Of course you are entitled to express your feelings!
Slate 9/5/12
 Essex Police said departing employees only received
payments they were "contractually and legally entitled
to”. BBC 9/5/12
 "Typically, staff who have worked in the force at a
senior level over a long period of time are entitled to
sizeable payments." BBC 9/5/12
 But now semi-retired, he said he had been told he was
no longer entitled to remain in the UK
indefinitely. BBC 9/2/12
19

VOCABULARY BUILDING
20www.flo-joe.co.uk/cpe/students/tests/printrp1.htm

After a variety of jobs, Jerome Flynn became (1)
greatly/largely/hugely/grossly successful with fellow Robson
Green in the TV series Soldier, Soldier, and then when they (2)
joined/teamed/fixed/grouped up as singers in 1995, they
had 3 number one hits. 'It was a whirlwind, fantasy time,' says
Jerome. 'We made the records because we quite (3)
craved/longed/yearned/fancied the money, and it paid off. It
was a lot of fun, but you can become (4) laid /seized /taken
/caught up in the pop world. It's addictive, and once you're a
pop star, people tend to (5) lift/ have/ put/ hold you on a
pedestal. It was so mad we had to get out while the going was
good. Now money doesn't seem so much, although it (6)
enabled/empowered/entitled/effected me to leave my
career behind for a while. But Robson wanted to go back to
acting and has made quite a success of it. I'd like to work with
him again one day. 22
TEAMED joined / fixed / grouped
HUGELY
greatly / largely / grossly
FANCIED
craved / longed / yearned
CAUGHT laid / seized / taken
PUT lift/have/put/hold
ENABLED
empowered / entitled / effected

A few days ago, I was (1) going through/settled down/checking
up/passing over my new sailing gear ready for my first long trip,
around the coast of Britain on the sailing ship Hirta. I watched a
TV report of some fellow yachtsmen crossing the finishing (2)
mark/strip/line/sign of a place called Ushant to complete a
record round-the-world voyage. The sea was rough, the wind
looked fierce and, although they were putting a brave (3)
face/eye/appearance/view on it, the winning yachtsmen looked
exhausted. What I was seeing on the television screen was not
my (4) thought/idea/notion/sense of yachting. I felt smug
knowing I had this marvellous opportunity to drift gently round
Britain learning to sail, and that I would be steering (5)
clean/straight/short/clear of the horrors of ocean sailing.
Casually I looked up Ushant on the map. I went quite cold:
Ushant was (6) virtually/practically/simply/barely 32 kilometres
further south than the starting point for my great journey on the24
going through / settled down /checking
up / passing over
LINE mark/ strip/ sign
FACE/
eye / appearance / view
IDEA / thought / notion / sense
CLEAR /
clean/ straight / short
BARELY / virtually / practically / simply

'And there's another thing,' said Mrs. Murgatroyd. Beside her in
the taxi her husband concealed a small sigh. With Mrs. Edna
Murgatroyd there was always another thing. No matter how well things
were (13) doing/getting/going/being, Edna went through life to the
accompaniment of a running commentary of complaints, an endless
litany of dissatisfaction. In short, she (14)
nagged/gossiped/uttered/voiced without cease.
In the seat beside the driver, Higgins, the young executive from
head office, who had been selected for the week's vacation at the
(15)liability/expense/debit/deficit of the bank on the grounds of being
'most (16) promising/emerging/favourable/auspicious newcomer' of
the year, sat silent. He was in foreign exchange, an eager young man
whom they had only met in London airport 12 hours earlier and whose
natural enthusiasm had gradually (17) washed/ebbed/dripped/rinsed
away before the onslaught of Mrs. Murgatroyd. The driver, full of smiles
when they selected his taxi for the run to the hotel a few minutes
earlier, had also caught the mood, and he too had (18)
paused/reposed/lapsed/desisted into silence. 26

• Complete the sentence so that it has a similar
meaning to the 1Sst sentence, using the word given.
Don’t change the word given.
Use 3 to 8 words, including the word given.
27
http://www.flo-joe.co.uk/cpe/students/tests/strtest1.htm

 Mick will give you lots of excuses for being
late but don't believe any of them. MANY
 No __________ Mick gives you for being late,
don't believe any of them.
 Answer:
28
matter how many excuses

 LIGHT
 The mistake in the accounts
only __________ the figures
were re-checked.
29
came to light when / after / once

 PLAN
 Everything __________
during my trip to France.
30
went according to plan

 CUT
 They had to ______ because
of the heavy downpour.
31
cut short their picnic /
cut their picnic short

 CRUCIAL
 Careful __________ of the
reforms.
32
planning is / plans are crucial
to / for the success

 SUSPECTED
 Helen's brother __________ the money.
33
is suspected of stealing /
having stolen

LEAVES
 Half-an-hour _______completely
exhausted.
34
of listening / listening to Marion leaves me
(feeling)

 SIGNS
 Karen's schoolwork ____________
this term.
35
shows definite signs of
improvement / improving / having
improved

 TURNED
 The old railway station __________ a
museum.
36
has (now) been turned into

Read four extracts which are all concerned in some way with
products.
For questions 1-8, choose the answer which you think fits
best according to the text.
37http://www.flo-joe.co.uk/cpe/students/tests/read1p2.htm

 You want to improve the quality of life, without using drugs or
stimulants
 You are ready to start the journey back to health and fitness,
however short or long it may be
 You would prefer to use stress to your advantage rather than be
its victim
 You are prepared to take charge of your own destiny and
benefit from your own well-being
 You would like to get back the shape nature intended you to
have
 You like to understand the principles behind concepts before
taking action
 You want to enhance your mental powers and your ability to
focus on the task in hand
 Short-term fixes, be they through patches or pills, gimmicks or
gizmos, hold no appeal
 you are prepared to take a step at a time, build upon your
success and take pleasure in the results
 you have the temperament and strength of character to endure
the journey to physical, mental and spiritual health
 This is the video for you! 39

1 The advertised video is aimed at people who
A. are capable of perseverance
B. have been trying to change career
C. are too absorbed in their work
D. would like to change their personalities
2. In the text which of the words in bold is used dismissively?
A. stress
B. principles
C. patches
D. journey 40
LOOK at the questions &
then the text again

 You want to improve the quality of life, without using drugs or
stimulants
 You are ready to start the journey back to health and fitness,
however short or long it may be
 You would prefer to use stress to your advantage rather than be
its victim
 You are prepared to take charge of your own destiny and
benefit from your own well-being
 You would like to get back the shape nature intended you to
have
 You like to understand the principles behind concepts before
taking action
 You want to enhance your mental powers and your ability to
focus on the task in hand
 Short-term fixes, be they through patches or pills, gimmicks or
gizmos, hold no appeal
 you are prepared to take a step at a time, build upon your
success and take pleasure in the results
 you have the temperament and strength of character to endure
the journey to physical, mental and spiritual health
 This is the video for you! 41

1 The advertised video is aimed at people who
A. are capable of perseverance
B. have been trying to change career
C. are too absorbed in their work
D. would like to change their personalities
2. In the text which of the words in bold is used dismissively?
A. stress
B. principles
C. patches
D. journey 42
A
C

All toasters are not exactly the same under the skin but they are as
near as makes no difference. They are boxes which neatly grill the bread,
waffles or whatever between little electric fires and eject them just before
they start to burn: an easy, well-proven technology whether it is purely
mechanical or microchip-controlled. The last fundamental innovation in
toaster design was in 1927, when the Sunbeam company of America
marketed the first pop-up model. Since then, there has been little to do
design-wise except to alter the styling according to the tastes of the time.
Designers try to give toasters the equivalent of sunroofs and anti-lock
brakes - wider slots, double slots, 'cool wall' designs and the like - but cannot
get away from the fact that you need only two controls: a push-down lever
and a timer. Upgrades merely dress up a timeless concept and are anyway
almost all adopted immediately by other manufacturers. So what you
buy is styling, which can be a dirty word among 'pure' designers, since it is
really just packaging, little different from the box the toaster comes in. 'Real'
design, it is said, is more fundamental. This is arguable: one of the greatest
designers of the 20th Century, the French-born, America-based Raymond
Loewy, was principally a stylist, and who can argue with the power of his
famous creation, the Coca-Cola bottle, which is functionally far less efficient
than a standard beer or wine bottle? 44

3. What does the writer say about developments in the
design of toasters?
A. They have spoilt the original design.
B. They are made to fool the public.
C. They are copied from other types of products.
D. They have only been superficial.
4. The writer uses the Coca-Cola bottle as an example of
A. the advantages of using 'real' design.
B. the fact that success may not depend on good design.
C. the kind of thing that 'pure' designers approve of.
D. the unpredictability of public response to style. 45
LOOK at the questions
& then the text again

All toasters are not exactly the same under the skin but they are as
near as makes no difference. They are boxes which neatly grill the bread,
waffles or whatever between little electric fires and eject them just before
they start to burn: an easy, well-proven technology whether it is purely
mechanical or microchip-controlled. The last fundamental innovation in
toaster design was in 1927, when the Sunbeam company of America
marketed the first pop-up model. Since then, there has been little to do
design-wise except to alter the styling according to the tastes of the time.
Designers try to give toasters the equivalent of sunroofs and anti-lock
brakes - wider slots, double slots, 'cool wall' designs and the like - but cannot
get away from the fact that you need only two controls: a push-down lever
and a timer. Upgrades merely dress up a timeless concept and are anyway
almost all adopted immediately by other manufacturers. So what you
buy is styling, which can be a dirty word among 'pure' designers, since it is
really just packaging, little different from the box the toaster comes in. 'Real'
design, it is said, is more fundamental. This is arguable: one of the greatest
designers of the 20th Century, the French-born, America-based Raymond
Loewy, was principally a stylist, and who can argue with the power of his
famous creation, the Coca-Cola bottle, which is functionally far less efficient
than a standard beer or wine bottle? 46

3. What does the writer say about developments in the
design of toasters?
A. They have spoilt the original design.
B. They are made to fool the public.
C. They are copied from other types of products.
D. They have only been superficial.
4. The writer uses the Coca-Cola bottle as an example of
A. the advantages of using 'real' design.
B. the fact that success may not depend on good design.
C. the kind of thing that 'pure' designers approve of.
D. the unpredictability of public response to style. 47
D
B

Daydreamingschoolchildrenaroundtheworldlovetodoodleweirdand
wonderfulcars.Mostgrowuptodrivesomethingmuchmorevisuallymundanethan
thoseadolescentflightsoffancy.Butafewareactivelyencouragedtocontinue
drawingextraordinaryandlargelyunrealisticmodesoftransportwhentheyare
studyingatcollege.Theyarethecardesignersoftomorrow,whowillshapewhatwe
willdriveinthenextcentury. OnavisittotheArtCentreinLosAngeles,which
runsacourseforvehicledesigners,Iwasshownsomeoftheworkinprogressby
RonaldHill,headoftransportationdesign.Itsvisualexcitementcontrastedstarklywith
thedull,practicalsilhouettesofmanymodernproductioncars. Soaresuch
unrealisticshapesoutoftouchwiththerealworldofcars,anddoesitreallybenefit
studentstocontinuetheirschooldaydoodles,albeitinamoresophisticatedmanner?
Hillinsiststhattheexploratorydesignsarevital,andarguesthatmorerealistic
considerationsare,atleasttemporarily,irrelevant.'Thismaybetheonlychanceinthe
careerofthesestudentswhentheycantakesomerisk,stretchtheirimaginationsand
reallyletfly.There'splentyoftimelateronforthemtoworryaboutconstraintsof
legislationandpracticalissues.Wecallthisthe'bluesky'period,whentherereallyis
nolimitsetontheirdesigninnovation.'
49

5. The writer implies what about trainee car designers?
A. They will go on to design more conservative cars.
B. Their designs form the basis of those of production
cars.
C. They often criticise the designs of existing cars.
D. The designs are restricted by what is possible.
6. What does Ronald Hill say about car design?
A. There are too many regulations about it.
B. Impractical designs play an important part in it.
C. Cost has too much influence on design.
D. Too much of it is dull and predictable. 50

Daydreamingschoolchildrenaroundtheworldlovetodoodleweirdand
wonderfulcars.Mostgrowuptodrivesomethingmuchmorevisuallymundanethan
thoseadolescentflightsoffancy.Butafewareactivelyencouragedtocontinue
drawingextraordinaryandlargelyunrealisticmodesoftransportwhentheyare
studyingatcollege.Theyarethecardesignersoftomorrow,whowillshapewhatwe
willdriveinthenextcentury. OnavisittotheArtCentreinLosAngeles,which
runsacourseforvehicledesigners,Iwasshownsomeoftheworkinprogressby
RonaldHill,headoftransportationdesign.Itsvisualexcitementcontrastedstarklywith
thedull,practicalsilhouettesofmanymodernproductioncars. Soaresuch
unrealisticshapesoutoftouchwiththerealworldofcars,anddoesitreallybenefit
studentstocontinuetheirschooldaydoodles,albeitinamoresophisticatedmanner?
Hillinsiststhattheexploratorydesignsarevital,andarguesthatmorerealistic
considerationsare,atleasttemporarily,irrelevant.'Thismaybetheonlychanceinthe
careerofthesestudentswhentheycantakesomerisk,stretchtheirimaginationsand
reallyletfly.There'splentyoftimelateronforthemtoworryaboutconstraintsof
legislationandpracticalissues.Wecallthisthe'bluesky'period,whentherereallyis
nolimitsetontheirdesigninnovation.'
51

5. The writer implies what about trainee car designers?
A. They will go on to design more conservative cars.
B. Their designs form the basis of those of production
cars.
C. They often criticise the designs of existing cars.
D. The designs are restricted by what is possible.
6. What does Ronald Hill say about car design?
A. There are too many regulations about it.
B. Impractical designs play an important part in it.
C. Cost has too much influence on design.
D. Too much of it is dull and predictable. 52
A
B

7. ALBEIT means:
A. furthermore
B. moreover
C. nonetheless
D. although, even if
53
D

MyfavouritepartsoftheNewYorkTimesonSundayaretheperipheralbits-the
partsthataresodullandobscuretheyexertakindofhypnoticfascination.AboveallIlike
theadvertisingsupplements,likethegiftcataloguefromtheZwingleCompanyofNew
Yorkofferingscoresofproductsofthethings-you-never-knew-you-neededvariety-an
umbrellawithatransistorradiointhehandle.Whatagreatcountry! Onceina
derangedmomentIboughtsomethingmyselffromoneofthosecatalogues,knowing
deepinmymindthatitwouldendinheartbreak.Itwasalittlereadinglightthatyou
clippedontoyourbooksoasnottodisturbanyonesleepinginthesameroom.Inthis
respectitwasoutstandingbecauseitbarelyworked.Thelightitcastwasabsurdlyfeeble
(inthecatalogueitlookedlikethesortofthingyoucouldsignalshipswithifyougotlost
atsea)andleftallbutthefirsttwolinesofapageindarkness.Ihaveseenmoreluminous
insects.Afteraboutfourminutesitslittlebeamflutteredandfailedaltogether,andithas
neverbeenusedagain.AndthethingisthatIknewallalongthatthiswashowitwas
goingtoend,thatitwouldallbeabitterdisappointment.Onsecondthoughts,ifIever
ranoneofthosecompaniesIwouldjustsendpeopleanemptyboxwithanoteinit
saying'Wehavedecidednottosendyoutheitemyou'veorderedbecause,asyouwell
know,itwouldneverworkproperlyandyouwouldonlybedisappointed.Soletthisbea
lessontoyouforthefuture.'
55

7. The writer says that when he bought a light from a
catalogue
A. he had not thought about it carefully enough.
B. it taught him a lesson about misleading adverts.
C. it was something he had always wanted to do.
D. he was not surprised by the outcome.
8. The writer thinks that the companies who produce
such gift catalogues
A. are cynical towards their customers
B. should not be allowed to operate
C. are unique to the United States
D. never sell useful goods 56

MyfavouritepartsoftheNewYorkTimesonSundayaretheperipheralbits-the
partsthataresodullandobscuretheyexertakindofhypnoticfascination.AboveallIlike
theadvertisingsupplements,likethegiftcataloguefromtheZwingleCompanyofNew
Yorkofferingscoresofproductsofthethings-you-never-knew-you-neededvariety-an
umbrellawithatransistorradiointhehandle.Whatagreatcountry! Onceina
derangedmomentIboughtsomethingmyselffromoneofthosecatalogues,knowing
deepinmymindthatitwouldendinheartbreak.Itwasalittlereadinglightthatyou
clippedontoyourbooksoasnottodisturbanyonesleepinginthesameroom.Inthis
respectitwasoutstandingbecauseitbarelyworked.Thelightitcastwasabsurdlyfeeble
(inthecatalogueitlookedlikethesortofthingyoucouldsignalshipswithifyougotlost
atsea)andleftallbutthefirsttwolinesofapageindarkness.Ihaveseenmoreluminous
insects.Afteraboutfourminutesitslittlebeamflutteredandfailedaltogether,andithas
neverbeenusedagain.AndthethingisthatIknewallalongthatthiswashowitwas
goingtoend,thatitwouldallbeabitterdisappointment.Onsecondthoughts,ifIever
ranoneofthosecompaniesIwouldjustsendpeopleanemptyboxwithanoteinit
saying'Wehavedecidednottosendyoutheitemyou'veorderedbecause,asyouwell
know,itwouldneverworkproperlyandyouwouldonlybedisappointed.Soletthisbea
lessontoyouforthefuture.'
57

7. The writer says that when he bought a light from a
catalogue
A. he had not thought about it carefully enough.
B. it taught him a lesson about misleading adverts.
C. it was something he had always wanted to do.
D. he was not surprised by the outcome.
8. The writer thinks that the companies who produce
such gift catalogues
A. are cynical towards their customers
B. should not be allowed to operate
C. are unique to the United States
D. never sell useful goods 58
D
D

Once in a deranged moment I bought something myself
from one of those catalogues, knowing deep in my mind
that it would end in heartbreak.
 DERANGED means ________.
The light it cast was absurdly feeble (in the catalogue it
looked like the sort of thing you could signal ships with if
you got lost at sea) and left all but the first two lines of a
page in darkness.
 FEEBLE means ____________.
59
= insane
= dim, weak, inadequate/ débil /

For question 1-7, choose the answer (A, B, C, or D) which
you think fits best according to the text.
60

SPORTSWRITING 4 slides
Offices and bars are full of casual obscenity, but most British newspapers
are ... well, not necessarily careful about language, but careful about bad
words anyway. The phrase 'family newspaper' is an ineluctable part of our
lives. Newspapers are not in the business of giving gratuitous offence. It is
a limitation of newspaper writing, and one everybody in the business,
whether writing or reading, understands and accepts. There are many
other necessary limitations, and most of these concern time and space.
Newspapers have dominated sportswriting in Britain for years, and
have produced their own totem figures and doyens. But ten years ago, a
new player entered the game. This was the phenomenon of men's
magazines; monthly magazines for men that had actual words in them -
words for actually reading. GQ was the pioneer and, in my totally unbiased
opinion as the long-term author of the magazine's sports column, it leads
the way still, leaving the rest panting distantly in its wake.
61

Sport, is of course, a blindingly obvious subject for a men's
magazine - but it could not be tackled in a blindingly obvious way.
Certainly, one of the first things GQ was able to offer was a new way of
writing about sport, but this was not so much a cunning plan as a
necessity. The magazine was doomed, as it were, to offer a whole new
range of freedoms to its sportwriters. Heady and rather alarming
freedoms. Freedom of vocabulary was simply the most obvious one and,
inevitably, it appealed to the schoolboy within us. But space and time
were the others, and these possibilities meant that the craft of
sportswriting had to be reinvented.
Unlike newspapers, a magazine can offer a decent length of time to
research and to write. These are, you would think, luxuries - especially to
those of us who are often required to read an 800-word match report over
the telephone the instant the final whistle has gone. Such a discipline is
nerve-racking, but as long as you can get it done at all, you have done a
good job. No one expects a masterpiece under such circumstances. In
some ways the ferocious restrictions make the job easier. But a long
magazine deadline gives you the disconcerting and agoraphobic freedom
to research, to write, to think. 62

To write a piece for a newspaper, at about a quarter of the massive
GQ length, you require a single thought. The best method is to find a really
good idea, and then to pursue it remorselessly to the end, where ideally
you make a nice joke and bale out stylishly. If it is an interview piece, you
look for a few good quotes, and if you get them, that's your piece written
for you. For a longer piece, you must seek the non-obvious. This is a good
quality in the best of newspaper writing, but an absolute essential for any
writer who hopes to complete the terrifying amount of words that GQ
requires. If you write for GQ you are condemned to try and join the best.
There is no other way.
GQ is not restricted by the same conventions of reader expectation
as a newspaper. You need not worry about offending people or alienating
them; the whole ethos of the magazine is that readers are there to be
challenged. There will be readers who would find some of its pieces
offensive or even impossible in a newspaper, or even in a different
magazine. But the same readers will read the piece in GQ and find it
enthralling.
63

That is because the magazine is always slightly uncomfortable to be
with. It is not like a cosy member of the family, nor even like a friend. It is
the strong, self-opinionated person that you can never quite make up your
mind whether you like or not. You admire him, but you are slightly uneasy
with him. The people around him might not altogether approve of
everything he says; some might not care for him at all. But they feel
compelled to listen. The self-confidence is too compelling. And just when
you think he is beginning to become rather a bore, he surprises you with
his genuine intelligence. He makes a broad joke, and then suddenly he is
demanding you follow him in the turning of an intellectual somersault.
64

Officesandbarsarefullofcasualobscenity,butmostBritish
newspapersare...well,notnecessarilycarefulaboutlanguage,but
carefulaboutbadwordsanyway.Thephrase'familynewspaper'isan
ineluctablepartofourlives.Newspapersarenotinthebusinessof
givinggratuitousoffence.Itisalimitationofnewspaperwriting,and
oneeverybodyinthebusiness,whetherwritingorreading,
understandsandaccepts.Therearemanyothernecessarylimitations,
andmostoftheseconcerntimeandspace.
1. Whatdoesthewritersayaboutnewspapersinthe1st paragraph?
A. Theytendnottoincludearticlesreaderswillfindvery
challenging.
B. Articlesinthemdonotreflectthewaypeoplereallyspeak.
C.Theyaremoreconcernedwithprofitthanwithqualityofwriting.
D. Theyfailtorealisewhatkindofwritingwouldappealtoreaders.
66
B

Newspapers have dominated sportswriting in Britain for
years, and have produced their own totem figures and doyens.
But ten years ago, a new player entered the game. This was the
phenomenon of men's magazines; monthly magazines for men
that had actual words in them - words for actually reading. GQ
was the pioneer and, in my totally unbiased opinion as the long-
term author of the magazine's sports column, it leads the way
still, leaving the rest panting distantly in its wake.
2. What does the writer imply in the second paragraph?
A. GQ magazine contains articles that are well worth reading.
B. Some of the more recent men's magazines are unlikely to
survive.
C. The standard of sportswriting in newspapers has improved in
recent times.
D. He is in a position to give an objective view of sportswriting in
magazines.
67
A

3. Why were sportswriters for GQ given new freedoms?
A. The restrictions of newspaper writing do not apply to writing
for GQ.
B. The magazine's initial plans for its sports articles proved
unrealistic.
C. Notions about what made good sports journalism were
changing.
D. The writers that it wanted to employ demanded greater
freedom.
4. What does the writer say about the amount of time allowed
for producing articles?
A. The best articles are often produced under great pressure of
time.
B. Having a long time to produce an article encourages laziness.
C. Writers are seldom satisfied by articles produced in a hurry.
D. Having very little time to produce an article can be an
advantage.
68
A
D

5.Whycan'twritersforGQusethesamemethodsaswritersfornewspapers?
A. Articles in GQ are not allowed to consist mainly of interviews.
B. They want to be considered better than writers for newspapers.
C. Writers for newspapers do not have so much space to fill.
D. They've been told to avoid the conventions of newspaper writing.
6. What does the writer say in the penultimate paragraph about
certain pieces in GQ?
A. They will create enormous controversy.
B. They unintentionally upset some readers.
C. They are a response to demand from readers.
D. They match readers' expectations.
7. The writer likens GQ magazine to a person who
A. says things you wish you had said yourself.
B. frequently changes his point of view.
C. forces you to pay attention to him.
D. Wants to be considered entertaining. 69
C
D
C

& SUMMARY WRITING
70
• Read 2 texts for questions 1-5.
• For questions 1-4 answer with a word or short
phrase. Complete sentences are unnecessary.
• Write a summary according to the instructions in
question 5.
www.flo-joe.co.uk/cpe/students/tests/comp1.htm

Does the thought of making a presentation to a group of peers
bring you out in a cold sweat? If so, you're not alone. The mere idea of
having to 'stand and deliver' in front of others is enough to strike dread
into the heart of the most experienced business person, let alone
students. Yet effective spoken communication is an essential skill for
career success in today's business and academic environments.
So what can people do to add sparkle to their speaking skills and
overcome this understandable but unfounded fear of speaking in
public? The bad news is that presentation nerves are quite normal and
you will probably always suffer from them. The good news is that
interesting speakers are made and not born. You can learn the
techniques that will turn you into a calm and convincing speaker.
The first step is to persuade yourself you can do it. Just like an
actor waiting in the wings, or an athlete warming up for the big race,
you need to get yourself on a confidence high. Try focusing your
thoughts on moments of particular success during your life to date.
Remember that the physical symptoms of nerves are most obvious to
you. The audience won't see your knees knocking or your hands
trembling, so don't worry about it. Some of the worst presentations are
those where the speaker clearly hasn't devoted enough time to it
beforehand. Let's face it; a presentation that's slung together half an
hour before it's going to be delivered isn't going to impress anyone.
72

Does the thought of making a presentation to
a group of peers bring you out in a cold
sweat? If so, you're not alone. The mere idea
of having to 'stand and deliver' in front of
others is enough to strike dread into the heart
of the most experienced business person, let
alone students. Yet effective spoken
communication is an essential skill for career
success in today's business and academic environments.
1. In the first paragraph, what image of public speaking does the
writer create?
Some of the worst presentations are those where the speaker
clearly hasn't devoted enough time to it beforehand. Let's face it;
a presentation that's slung together half an hour before it's going
to be delivered isn't going to impress anyone.
2. Explain in your own words why the writer has chosen to use
the expression 'slung together' in line 17.
74
Image of fear /daunting /frightening /terrifying
To give an idea of insufficient & last minute preparation

SPEAKING in PUBLIC
75
3 SLIDES

Inexperienced public speakers generally rely too heavily on words,
so that they overlook other features which give a successful speaker impact.
Research has indicated that words account for only 7% of the
speaker's impact on the audience. A massive 55% of the speaker's impact
is visual, i.e. how he or she looks, facial expression, gestures, body
language, posture etc., while 38% of impact comes from the voice; does
the person sound trustworthy, is the voice varied and interesting to listen
to? This breakdown of the impact a speaker has may sound unlikely,
but imagine a situation: you have returned a faulty item to a shop, and the
shop assistant says, 'I'm sorry, I'll see what I can do.' If this is said in an
uninteresting voice as the assistant leans on the counter about to resume
a conversation with a colleague, you won't feel confident that very much
will happen. But an assistant who is standing up straight and looking
directly at you will create an entirely different impression with the same
words. Think of your favourite teacher from school. The person
who comes to mind is probably someone who was enthusiastic and
animated, someone with both vocal and visual impact. Try recalling phone
calls with people you've never met. Invariably, we make judgements about
people based on their voices and how they sound. They might say, 'he
seemed ill at ease' or 'she looked very confident' and often these opinions
are formed before the speaker has said one word.
76

Research has indicated that words account for only 7% of the
speaker's impact on the audience. A massive 55% of the speaker's
impact is visual, i.e. how he or she looks, facial expression, gestures,
body language, posture etc., while 38% of impact comes from the
voice; does the person sound trustworthy, is the voice varied and
interesting to listen to? This breakdown of the impact a speaker
has may sound unlikely, but imagine a situation: you have returned a
faulty item to a shop, and the shop assistant says, 'I'm sorry, I'll see
what I can do.' If this is said in an uninteresting voice as the assistant
leans on the counter about to resume a conversation with a colleague,
you won't feel confident that very much will happen.
3. What exactly does the phrase 'this breakdown' describe?
78
How research was
split into categories
The analysis of the
research

Think of your favourite teacher from school. The person who
comes to mind is probably someone who was enthusiastic and
animated, someone with both vocal and visual impact. Try recalling
phone calls with people you've never met. Invariably, we make
judgements about people based on their voices and how they
sound. They might say, 'he seemed ill at ease' or 'she looked very
confident' and often these opinions are formed before the speaker
has said one word.
4. Which 2 words in paragraph 4 echo the need for 'liveliness'
mentioned in the first text?
79
enthusiastic
animated

5. In a paragraph of 50-70 words summarise in
your own words as far as possible the reasons
given in both texts for why people perform
badly when speaking in public.
80

‘A', ’THE’, ’MUCH', ’MANY', ’FEWER', ’ALL', ’ENOUGH', ’EITHER’,
EITHER WAY etc..
81http://www.flo-joe.co.uk/cpe/students/strategy/openclze/prons.htm
LanguageexamshavedoneMUCHtoshapeteachingmethodology.
No FEWER than 10 people were hurt in the crash.

1. After borrowing two thousand pounds from you,
the very ___________she could do is offer to pay
back a little each month.
2. ___________as I hate to do this, we’ll have to
cancel the party if more people don’t respond.
3. She wants to travel the world eventually but above
___________her priority is to finish her degree
course.
4. John doesn’t have many friends, just a select
___________who tend to go along with everything
he says.
82
LEAST
MUCH
ALL
FEW

5. Valerie and Simon can’t decide whether to make
their home in France or Australia. ___________way it
will mean sacrifices for one of them.
6. In England, polo is a sport that is associated with
___________rich and powerful.
7. As a junior doctor there was ___________a time
when I had to seek a second opinion from my
superiors before I made a diagnosis.
8. The company has had
______________________of its employees taking
sick leave and it has decided to crack down on
absenteeism. 83
EITHER
THE
MANY
enough, many, all, several

Complete the sentences with the correct conjunction /linking word.
84http://www.flo-joe.co.uk/cpe/students/strategy/openclze/conj.htm

1.Thereviewsoftheplaywereglowingbutasa___________offactI
thoughtitwasterrible!
2.Mostpeoplearecarlovers.Even____carscauseenormousdamageto
theenvironment.
3._____________________________mostpeoplepasstheirProficiency
examfirsttimeroundanumberofcandidateswill,sadly,fail.
4.Thehotelwaspoor,thefoodterrible,andwehadtorrentialrainforthe
wholeweek.______short,theholidaywasadisaster.
5.Asfarasthepolicewere_______________theydecidednottopress
chargesagainstthethiefthistimeround.
6.___________thebankwasshutallweekendtheyweren’tableto
withdrawanycash.
7.Iwouldn’tapplyforthatjobifIwereyou.In_____casetheadvertsays
youhavetohaveacleandrivinglicenseandyouhaven’tevenpassedyour
testyet.
8Broadly____________youngpeopleareconcernedwithfindingagood
careeroncetheyhavegraduatedfromuniversity.
85
MATTER
SO
While, whereas, although
IN
CONCERNED
As, since
any
SPEAKING

A preposition may be the missing word, particularly from a
common phrase, such as 'come AS no surprise'. In a phrasal
verb you will find that either the verb or the preposition is
gapped.
86http://www.flo-joe.co.uk/cpe/students/strategy/openclze/preps.htm
Fill in the gaps in each sentence with a suitable particle or preposition.

1. My boss is biased ___________me, which explains
why I’ll never get promoted if I stay with this company.
2. Marco had severe misgivings ___________taking the
June exam as he felt he just wasn’t ready.
3. People who eat an unhealthy diet are susceptible
___________all kinds of illnesses and diseases.
4. My cousin talked ________length about his recent
holiday and bored everyone to death!
5. When Rose was unfaithful to Joshua she threw herself
___________his mercy and asked him to forgive her.
6. When I was younger I wanted to be an air pilot but I
soon went _______the idea when I realised I hated
flying.
7. The government’s plans to reduce crime came
_____for a lot of criticism from freedom groups.
8. Anna: This problem’s driving me crazy! Joe: Well, have
you tried standing ______from the situation and
evaluating it objectively? 87
AGAINST
ABOUT
TO
AT
UPON
OFF
IN
BACK

• This category includes verb/noun collocations, such as
’SHED LIGHT ON (a subject)' or ’COME INTO CLOSE
CONTACT (with someone)'.
88
Complete each of the following sentences with the word that
collocates with the words in bold.
www.flo-joe.co.uk/cpe/students/strategy/openclze/colloc.htm

1.Victoriahasaworking_____________ofChinese,whichshe
needsforherjobasaninternationalcorporatelawyer.
2.Thedefendanttoldthejudgethatsheacceptedfull
______________forheractionsandthatshewouldpleadguilty.
3.AfterWilliamrealisedhismistakehewasforcedto
___________hisprideandapologise.
4.IthoughtI_______mypositionabsolutelyclear.Eitherhe
goesorIdo!
5.Tanyacameawayfromtheinterviewwiththeoverriding
___________________thatshewouldn’tgetthejob.
6.Althoughmymother’sinherseventiessheisstillveryyoungat
___________.
7.Whentheshopassistantrefusedthecustomerarefund,he
wasmetwithatorrentof___________
8.Thedrowningboywaspulledoutoftheriverand
___________thekissoflifebyamedic. 89
KNOWLEDGE
RESPONSIBILITY
SWALLOW
MADE
impression,feeling
HEART
ABUSE
GIVEN

• Complete each of the following sentences with the
correct form of the word in CAPITALS using hyphens
where necessary.
90www.flo-joe.co.uk/cpe/students/strategy/wform/vnoun.htm adapted

1. The man sat in the doctor’s waiting room, nervously
(MOIST)___________ his lips every so often, whilst he waited to be
called.
2. The company installed a water cooler in the main office, which
would (PURE) ____________the drinking water.
3. A number of directives have been passed recently with the aim of
(HARMONY) ____________work practices across different
countries.
4. The girl’s parents suspected she was taking drugs because her eye
pupils were so (LARGE) ____________.
5. A number of world-renowned (HISTORY)
____________ addressed the conference.
6. The results of the medical tests showed that the patient had
several (NORMAL) ____________of the brain that required urgent
treatment.
7. I was so embarrassed when I dropped the
(ARM) ____________of boxes I’d been carrying right in the middle
of the road.
8. The computer system requires several
(MAINTAIN) ____________checks a month.
91

These exercises look at adjectives and adverbs
with a negative /opposite meaning:
Complete the sentences with the correct form of the word in
CAPITALS using hyphens where necessary.
92www.flo-joe.co.uk/cpe/students/strategy/wform/adadv.htm

1.Theoldmanfelt(BITTER)______________by the
dreadfullivingconditions hehadexperienced when
hewasgrowing up.
2.Manyyoungpeopletrainingymsinorderto
achieveatoned(MUSCLE)____________physique.
3.Jackie’s daughterisarather(TROUBLE)
_______________child -she’sfullofmischief and
badly-behaved.
4.Thelivingroomlooked coldand
(INVITE)______________when thefirewasn’tlit.
93
EMBITTERED
MUSCULAR
TROUBLESOME
UNINVITING

5.Theromanticnovelstartedwithayoungwoman
staring(DREAM)__________ intothefire.Whata
cliché!
6.Johnmuttered(CONTENT)________________
underhisbreathaboutthevolumeofworkhe’d
beengivenbuthedidn’tdarecomplaintotheboss.
7.AsIclimbedaboardtheplaneIwas(COMFORT)
________________ remindedoftheprevioustime
whenmyplanealmostcrashed.
8.Thenewspaper reportedthatanoldwomanhad
been(SHAME)____________ treated whileshewas
inhospital. 94
DREAMILY
DISCONTENTEDLY
UNCOMFORTABLY
SHAMEFULLY

Exercises with rarer prefixes such as
'extra-', 'co-' and 'ill-'
Complete each of the sentences with the correct form of the
word in CAPITALS using hyphens where necessary.
95www.flo-joe.co.uk/cpe/students/strategy/wform/lcommon.htm

1.Aftermanyyearsasasolo researcher,Marion
decidedto(author)_________ hernextarticlewitha
colleague inthesamefield.
2.Theschool thatPetergoes tohasanumberof
(curriculum)_____________ activities thattakeplace
attheendoftheschool day.
3.Unless youdoalotofrevisionbeforeyourexams
you’reboundtofeel(prepare)______________
4.Manychildren’stalesrelyonadominantcharacter
being(WIT)_________ byanapparentlyweaker one.
96
co-author
extra-curricular
underprepared,
unprepared, ill-prepared
outwitted

5. The service in the restaurant was so
(standard)__________that I refused to pay for
my meal.
6. Many charities are working to support the
needs of (privilege)____________ children in
poorer countries.
7. Our marketing strategy seems to be failing -
this demands a (think)______at our next board
meeting.
8. The security checks at the airport were so
stringent that staff were accused of (kill)
_______ . 97
substandard
underprivileged
overkill
rethink

These exercises test compound nouns & adjectives,
some of which may be hyphenated. Some compound
words are formed from verbs via phrasal verbs. E.g.
bring/bring up/upbringing:
Complete each of the following sentences with the correct
form of the word in CAPITALS using hyphens where
necessary.
98www.flo-joe.co.uk/cpe/students/strategy/wform/compound.htm

1. The changes to the government will have (RANGE)
___________ implications for ordinary people.
2. My friend has a job in the city selling stocks and
shares but I don’t envy his fast car or his
(POWER)____________ lifestyle.
3. I’m sorry to have to tell you this but your blouse is
completely (SEE)___________when you stand next to
the window!
4. When I was a student I didn’t have much money to
spend on clothes but I didn’t mind wearing other
people’s (CAST)________.
99
wide-ranging
high-powered
see-through
castoffs

5. My friends are organising a (get) ____________
next week to celebrate my birthday so I hope you’ll
be able to come to it.
6. The soldiers still suffered from a number of
traumatic (flash)_________ even though the war had
ended many years ago.
7. Some of the party members left to form a
(break) __________ political group with their own
policies and leader.
8. The cricket match was a complete
(wash) _________ because of the unexpected rain
and it has now been postponed until another day. 100
get-together
flashbacks
breakaway
washout

These exercises test your knowledge of
collocations where the missing word is a noun:
• Think of 1 word which can be used appropriately
in both sentences.
101
www.flo-joe.co.uk/cpe/students/strategy/gapped/nouns.htm

1. The doctor prescribed me some antibiotics for my
chest infection and told me to complete the ________if I
wanted to get better.
Tina has just enrolled on a 10-week ________ to learn
more about computing.
2. After their divorce the couple had to come to a/an
____________about the custody of their children.
The house can be viewed only by prior ____________.
3. Most arguments between parents and children are
seen as evidence of the generation _____
The CAE exam was designed to bridge the _____
between FCE and CPE.
4. The man on trial in court was cross-examined by the
_________ lawyer.
In the seminar everyone criticised my point of view
until the tutor came to my ________ and said she
thought I had a valid point.
102
COURSE
COURSE
arrangement
arrangement
GAP
GAP
DEFENCE
DEFENCE

5. In the last few years I’ve developed a/an _______for
Australian wines.
Ifyouhaveacoldyousometimesloseyoursenseof_______
aswellandeatingmealsbecomesverydreary.
6.Iknowyou’vestudiedhardsofar,butdon’tgetlulledintoa
falsesenseof___________justbeforeyourexam.
Job __________ is more important to Phil than earning
a high salary. He dreads being made redundant.
7. The _________ line is that if you don’t study every
week you won’t pass your exam.
I searched the house from top to _________but still
couldn’t find my engagement ring.
8. Ugh! I’m not drinking from that cup - it’s got a
_______ near the rim.
Mary needs to get up at the ______of dawn every
morning.
103
TASTE
TASTE
SECURITY
SECURITY
BOTTOM
BOTTOM
CRACK
CRACK

Thinkofwordtouseappropriately inbothsentences.
104www.flo-joe.co.uk/cpe/students/strategy/gapped/verbs.htm

1. When we arrived on our holiday the mountains were
________with snow and they looked beautiful.
The party on the last evening ________ a marvellous
week.
2. Marta always makes the effort to __________ each day
in order to stay fit and healthy.
The young people were encouraged to _________their
vote during the general election.
3. I should have gone to bed early last night. During this
morning’s test paper I wasn’t able to ________my
thoughts together at all.
The market researcher’s job was to _________data on
the buying habits of 18-25 year olds.
4. The police have __________down on teenagers
wandering the streets at night.
The intruder __________his hand over the woman’s
mouth to prevent her from screaming.
105
CAPPED
CAPPED
EXERCISE
EXERCISE
GATHER
GATHER
CLAMPED
CLAMPED

5. Her baby was 15 days overdue so the doctors decided to give
her drugs to _________the birth.
My uncle has bad breath and awful teeth. Nothing will
________me to kiss him!
6. John is hoping that his friend will ________him to be the
best man at his wedding.
May I _______our next speaker to take the floor in this
debate.
7. I was going to tell him that I loved him but I was so nervous
it_______out all wrong!
When the exam results ______out I was so relieved to
have passed.
8. Whenever the friends meet up they always ___________and
kiss each other in a really affectionate way.
The government wants all teachers to __________new
technology, and incorporate email and the internet into
their classes.
106
INDUCE
INDUCE
INVITE
INVITE
CAME
CAME
EMBRACE
EMBRACE

Think of a word to use appropriately in both sentences.
107www.flo-joe.co.uk/cpe/students/strategy/gapped/adjs.htm adapted

1.Bothteamshaveanexcellentreputationsotheirchancesofwinning
thefootballtournamentarefairly________.
Themouseonyourcomputerwon’tfunctionproperlyunlessyou
operateitona/an_______surface.
2.Althoughithappenedayearago,thecaraccidentisstillvery_______in
thedriver’smindandhekeepshavingnightmaresaboutit.
Doctorssayweshouldeatmore______fruitandvegetablesinsteadof
frozenortinnedones.
3.Whenwearrivedattheconcerttheauditoriumwasalready_____and
wecouldn’tgetaseat.
No,pleasedon’tgivemeasecondhelping.I’mreally______.
4.Thesmokealarmissosensitivethatitwilldetecteventhe
___________________amountofsmoke.
Ihaven’tgotthe___________________ideawhatyou’regoingon
about!
108
even
even
fresh
fresh
full
full
faintest/slightest
faintest/slightest

5.Theareathroughthetreesnexttothestreamisareal__________
spotwhichattractslotsoftourists.
The__________oftheplanisthatwewillgetrichwithoutinvesting!
6.She’sneverbeenveryinterestedin__________possessions-she’s
alwaysbeencontentwithwhatevershehad.
Madonnahadahitrecordearlyoninhercareer,inwhichshesang
aboutthejoysoflivingina____________world.
7.David’sbeenunemployedformonthsnowbutheseemstobemaking
onlya/an_________efforttolookforwork.
Theorganisationhadaverypoorrecordonequalopportunities.Ithad
one_________Afro-Americanemployee.
8.PeoplekeepaskingDaniellewhenshe’sgoingtohaveababybutshe
justhasn’tgota____________instinct.
Myfather’smotherdiedalongtimeagobutmy____________
grandmotherisstillverymuchalive.
109
BEAUTY
BEAUTY
material
material
TOKEN
TOKEN
maternal
maternal

PRACTICE structures like 'as........as', 'the ........ the’
Complete the 2nd sentence so that it has a similar
meaning to the 1st sentence, using the word given.
Don’t change the word given. You must use between
3 & 8 words, including the word given.
110www.flo-joe.co.uk/cpe/students/strategy/gapped/adjs.htm

1. Until she passes her medical exams, she is as
qualified to be a doctor as I am.
Until she passes her medical exams, she
(more)____________qualified to be a doctor than I
am.
2. It has warmed up considerably compared to
yesterday.
It is (nearly) _______________________________
______________yesterday.
3. Mandy and her mother are as beautiful as each
other.
Mandyis(bit)_______________________hermother.111
NO MORE
notnearlyascoldas,notnearlyascoldasit
was
every bit as beautiful as

4. I don’t like either candidate but Michael Jones is
not quite as bad. I don’t like either candidate but
Michael Jones is the (lesser)________________.
5. Not as many people attend the gym now as when
it first opened. There are a
(lot)_______________________the gym now as
when it first opened.
6. Her son thinks he’s really clever but he isn’t.
Her son isn’t (half) _________________he thinks he
is.
112
LESSER OF 2 EVILS
lot fewer people attending
HALF AS CLEVER AS

PRACTICE structures like 'as........as', 'the ........
the’ in this exercise:
Complete the 2nd sentence so that it has a similar
meaning to the 1st sentence, using the word given. Do
not change the word given. You must use between 3
and 8 words, including the word given.
113www.flo-joe.co.uk/cpe/students/strategy/trans/pverbs.htm

1. Diseases such as smallpox have still to be eradicated.
Diseases such as smallpox (stamped)_______________________yet.
2. John was nominated for the post of treasurer by two committee
members.
John has (forward)__________________ the post of treasurer by
two committee members.
3. If you receive any mail for me after I’ve gone would you be kind
enough to forward it to me
Please could you (send)_______________ that arrives for me after
I’ve gone.
4. The colour of that dress showed off her complexion.
Her complexion (enhance)________________ the colour of that
dress.
114
haven’t been stamped out
been put forward for
send on any mail
was enhanced by

5. As part of his new year’s resolution he has renounced
cigarettes and bad food.
He decided (up)________ cigarettes and bad food in the
new year.
6. They are building a new car park next to the shopping
centre.
A new car park (put)____________ next to the shopping
centre.
7. You should erase any mistakes on the exam script.
Any mistakes on the exam script may (out)
____________with a soft rubber.
8. The government suppressed all the details of the
financial scandal.
Details of the financial scandal (up) _______________the
government. 115
to give up
is being put up
be rubbed out
were covered up by

• This exercise highlights common patterns such as 'go
according to plan' or 'show signs of improvement'.
• 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.
116www.flo-joe.co.uk/cpe/students/strategy/trans/colloc.htm

1 “Why don’t you listen when I talk to you?” said my
wife.
My wife accused me of (paying)____________ when
she was talking.
2. Seeing as you broke the window you shouldn’t
have said someone else was responsible.
It was wrong of you to
(blame)____________someone else after you broke
the window.
117
not paying attention (to her)
put the blame on

3. I used to try winning arguments against Jonathan
but I eventually decided there was no point.
I have (conclusion)____________that it is pointless
trying to win an argument against Jonathan.
4. Doctors believe that people who smoke regularly
are more likely to die prematurely.
Doctors believe that a strong
(link)____________smoking and premature death.
118
came to / reached the conclusion
link has been established / made between

5. When I forgot to do the washing up my mother
became really angry with me.
My mother (lost)____________me because I forgot
to do the washing up.
6. The conflict between the two political parties will
carry on for a long time.
The conflict between the two political parties is
(means)____________over.
119
lost her temper with
by no means

7. I didn’t expect to enjoy the concert performance as
much as I did.
The concert performance (surpassed)____________
8. That the company is losing money is something
that must be accepted.
The company must (face)____________it is losing
money.
120
surpassed (my / all my) expectations
face (up to) the fact that

• FILL in the BLANKS with a PRONOUN
(Who, which, myself, whatever, whenever, such,
others, etc.)
121
http://www.flo-joe.co.uk/cpe/students/strategy/openclze/prons.htm

1. There were many participants at the dinner,
several of _____ were speakers.
2. The old house, _____ its condition, is likely to sell
quickly given the housing market.
3. The diner complained so vociferously that the
manageress _____ came out of the office to see what
the problem was.
122
WHO
WHATEVER
HERSELF

4. The party atmosphere suddenly dissipated, at
_____ point I made up my mind to leave.
5. The chairman outlined his vision for the future but
the chief executive argued that _____ a strategy
could be detrimental to the company’s future.
6. More and more people are turning to
vegetarianism which _____ say is much better for
your health.
123
WHICH
SUCH
THEY

7. My therapist said I could drop in _____ I wanted
to, regardless of whether I’d made an appointment or
not.
8. The main reasons for quitting my job were
overwork and a meagre salary. There are _____ I
could mention but they were the primary factors.
124
WHENEVER
OTHERS

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