Lexico - grammar 1. The ________ are against her winning a fourth consecutive gold medal. A. chances B. bets C. prospects D. odds 2. References can have a considerable _______ on employment prospects. A. cause B. decision C. weight D. bearing 3. Her performance in the last scene was quite ________. A. describable B. remarkable C. notable D. noticeable 4. You should be _________ ashamed of yourself for what you have done. A. thoroughly B. hopelessly C. entirely D. earnestly 5. Hardship and hard work are very much part and ________ of student life. A. package B. section C. province D. parcel 6. You’ll be glad to know that Yuki’s work is showing a ___________ improvement. A. mediocre B. minimal C. prominent D. pronounced 7. Far be it from me to _________ down the law, but I think we need to pull our socks up. A. put B. lay C. write D. set 8. The prospects of picking up any survivors are now __________. A. thin B. narrow C. slim D. restricted 9. I think that Tolstoy should be ________ reading for anyone interested in literature. A. necessary B. compelled C. required D. legal 10. Hopes are _______ of finding the missing boat. A. darkening B. going C. fading D. draining 11. Harry doesn’t……. to great fame and fortune, he just wants to make a decent living. A. crave B. hanker C. yearn D. aspire 12. A lot of people are ………..to the damage that is being done to the environment. A. ignorant B. uninitiated C. blind D. unacquainted 13. She showed little ……………of the problems we were facing. A. affinity B. appreciation C. regard D. sensitivity 14. After a few weeks in the job, he ……..himself to be a valuable employee. A. established B. vindicated C. verified D. proved 15. This is the ………timetable for the conference. It may change later A. conditional B. indefinite C. provisional D. indeterminate 16. They worked for six ………hours without a break. A. constant B. incessant C. solid D. perpetual 17. I wrote to them a fortnight ago but ……….I haven’t had a reply A. as yet B. these days C. so long D. just now 18. I couldn’t stop myself from ………..with boredom during the lecture. A. sighing B. gasping C. panting D. blowing 19. Sam has always taken the ………..that there is more to life than money. A. outlook B. view C. belief D. opinion 20. She didn’t show even a ………of emotion when the court found her guilty. A. gleam B. wink C. flicker D. flash. 21. He had to ________ a new syllabus as the old one was out-dated. A. make up B. do up C. take up D. get up 22. After several hours on the road they became ________ to the fact that they would never reach the hotel by nightfall. A. dejected B. resigned C. depressed D. disillusioned 23. He was in his late fifties, with staring eyes and a ________ hairline. A. straggling B. receding C. bushy D. curly 24. The examiners often ________ extremely difficult questions for the literature exam. A. set B. invent C. write D. create 25. All we see is the ________ of the iceberg; six - seventh of it are underwater. A. top B. apex C. summit D. tip 26. They said they had the European rights for the product but it was a lie. They were acting under false ________. A. pretences B. eel C. egg D. wool 27. He's a really annoying person. He's always getting ________ my nose. A. in B. on C. through D. up 28. At the first ________ of twelve everybody stopped for lunch. A. strike B. stroke C. moment D. minute 29. They fooled me totally. They pulled the ________ over my eyes. A. snake B. eel C. egg D. wool 30. Too many undergraduates think it is easy to ________ a job once they leave university. Unfortunately, jobs for graduates are getting scare. Finding a suitable one is another problem. A. obtain B. attain C. collect D. apply 31. It is expected that all members will ________ to the rules of the club. A. comply B. concede C. conform D. compromise 32. Karen was terribly nervous before the interview but she managed to pull herself ________ and act confidently. A. through B. over C. together D. off 33. We ________ up a friendship the very first time we met. A. struck B. launched C. cropped D. settled 34. I was kept awake for most of the night by the ________ of a mosquito in my ear. A. moan B. groan C. whine D. screech 35. The real test of your relationship will come when you start to see your boyfriend ________ and all. A. faults B. spots C. moles D. warts 36. The actor was so nervous that he could only remember small ________ of dialogue. A. shreds B. pieces C. patches D. snatches 37. He ________ a yawn as the actor began yet another long speech. A. squashed B. suffocated C. submerged D. stifled 38. The only way to clean this box is to ________ it in soap and warm water. A. polish B. wash C. brush D. wipe 39. He has a very ________ temper and often says things he regrets later. A. quick B. angry C. warm D. fast 40. The air in the house felt cold and ________ after weeks of bad weather. A. wet B. damp C. moist D. watery 41. The ____ of two houses prove such a financial burden that they were forced to sell one A. upshot B. upkeep C. uproar D. upsurge 42. Of course, she can lift that. She is as ____ as a horse A. tough B. strong C. heavy D. big 43. ____ to the invention of the steam engine, most forms of transport were horse-drawn A. Akin B. In addition C. With reference D. Prior 44. Her hands were swollen and wrinkled, but she still had her nails ____ A. manufactured B. manicured C. managed D. maintained 45. More and more people are having satellite dishes ____ on their roofs A. introduced B. installed C. inserted D. implanted 46. In his student days, he was as poor as a church ____ A. beggar B. miser C. mouse D. pauper 47. The amount she earned was ____ on how much she sold A. related B. dependent C. secured D. connected 48. Nagging Susan because she smokes too much has no effect on her whatsoever- it is like water off ____ A. a duck’s head B. a dripping tap C. an umbrella D. a duck’s back 49. There is ____ to be a fortune on the sea-bed nearby A. rumored B. whispered C. told D. written 50. He is late for every conference without ____ A. suspicion B. fail C. doubt D. delay 51.Those who live on____tend to have a less sentimental view of nature than city dwellers. A. country B. soil C. earth D. land 52. What a mad thing to do! You could all have been killed! It was _____folly. A. merely B. only C. sheer D. wild 53. It was a complicated subtle text, and the translator was not sure he had captured all its_____of meaning. A. allusions B. tones C. shadows D. nuances 54. Of all the entries received, his was _____ out for special praise. A. isolated B. brought C. opted D. singled 55. Of course you’ll pass. You write well and you have an excellent _____of the subject. A. grip B. seizure C. embrace D. grasp 56. Chris was _____between buying a new house and going on a round -the-world cruise. A. pulled B. torn C. moving D. leaning 57. As we approached the house, I had a _____ that something terrible had happened. A. prediction B. forethought C. premonition D. anticipation 58. _____ virtue of his youth, he was free from charged. A. with B. In C. By D. For 59. Don’t quote me. What I am about to say is _____ the record. A. on B. off C. without D. above 60. In the _____ of security, personnel must wear their identity badges at all times. A. requirement B. interest C. demands D. assistance 61. Linda’s excuses for being late are beginning to _____ rather thin. A. get B. turn C. wear D. go 62. If I make a fool of myself in front of my friends, I’ll never _____ it down. A. let B. give C. settle D. live 63. Stephanie is at her desk from dawn till dusk and seems to _____ on working hard. A. flourish B. succeed C. thrive D. prosper 64. Jeremy’s friends were fond of him _____ because of his generosity. A. at least B. still less C. even less D. not least 65. The Press thought the football manager would be depressed by his dismissal but he just_____ A. ran it down B. called it off C. turned it down D. laughed it off 66. They wandered around in circles for an hour before finally admitting they were well and _____ lost. A. completely B. thoroughly C. truly D. utterly 67. The teacher obviously didn’t like me because she was always_____ on me. A. setting B. picking C. keeping D. getting 68. When my teacher gave me my homework back, she said I was on the right_____ A. course B. way C. direction D. track 69. The official inquiry into the accident ______ the captain of all responsibility. A. freed B. released C. cleared D. put 70. They’ve sold out of tickets for the football match tonight, so we’ll just have to make____of it and go to the cinema instead. A. a mess B. a meal C. the best D. a mountain 71. Wild rabbits used to be common here but now they are ________. A. deficient B. scarce C. insufficient D. wanting 72. Meg had a ________ escape when she was hang-gliding yesterday. A. slender B. close C. near D. narrow 73. I got very nervous during exam. When the examiner asked my name, my mind went completely _______. A. empty B. blank C. white D. void 74. In the last century, it was widely _______ that Indian fakirs were capable of superhuman feats. A. held B. grasped C. kept D. shaken 75. I can’t tell you the exact amount, but I can give you a ________ estimate. A. smooth B. tidy C. rough D. similar 76. Some people are _______ interested in animals than in other people. A. further B. far more C. much D. most 77. There is a rumor that the National Bank is going to _______ the company I work for. A. take over B. overtake C. take on D. take off 78. Marge walked away from the discussion. Otherwise, she _______ something she would regret later. A. will say B. said B. might say D. might have said 79. You are not supposed to park on the hard _______ except in an emergency. A. lane B. shoulder C. leg D. area 80. _______ the regular written work, you will be required to submit a long essay. A. Apart from B. Beside C. In addition D. Beyond 81. After the meeting, the staff went back to their ______ offices. A. prospective B. respective C. respected D. perspective 82. Just because we’ve had a good year, this does not mean that we cannot do better: we must not ______. A. have our heads in the clouds B. burry our heads in the sand C. count on blessings D. rest on your laurels 83. There are five ______ mistakes in this picture. Can you find them and win a prize? A. presumptuous B. intensive C. deliberate D. instrumental 84. Have we any contingency plans to ______ back on if this one fails? A. fall B. lean C. turn D. come 85. As with all our plans, money was the main ______ block. A. falling B. stumbling C. holding D. tripping 86. This man is so arrogant that he is completely ______ to all criticism. A. impervious B. unaware C. regardless D. unconscious 87. That’s exactly what I mean, Ben. You’ve ______! A. put your foot on it B. killed two birds with one stone C. put two and two together D. hit the nail on the head 88. I’m hoping that this work experience will stand me in good ______ in my future career. A. stead B. grounding C. precedent D. footing 89. Natural silk is obtained by unraveling the thin threads of the cocoons spun by the caterpillars of the silkworm moth. A. unwinding B. unleashing C. undulating D. undertaking 100. Melvyn’s elder sister has rather ______ views and totally disapproves of his lifestyle. A. belittling B. rebellious C. confident D. staid 101. Those campers are really ______. They have no idea how to set up a tent. A. white B. blue C. green D. black 102. Don’t call Pam just now. Something has gone wrong with the computer, she’s ______ because she can’t get the data she needs. A. in a stew B. out of a rut C. in the swim D. under the sink 103. When he accidentally hit his thumb with a hammer, he let out ______ which could be heard half-way down the street. A. swearing B. a cursor C. a squeak D. an expletive 104. These days many scientists are becoming interested in such phenomena as extra- ______ perception, which are inexplicable in rational terms. A. sensory B. sensible C. sensitive D. sensational 105. I don't agree with his policies but I'm going to ______ them for now. A. play along with B. play cat and mouse with C. play havoc with D. play down 106. The theft of my father's camera cast rather a ______ on the holiday. A. blight B. curse C. misfortune D. Misery 107. Well, I’m sorry, that’s all I can offer you. ______. A. Take it or forget it B. Get it or forget it C. Take it or leave it D. Leave it or take it 108. His English was roughly ______ with my Greek, so communication was rather difficult! A. level B. on a par C. equal D. in tune 109. Don’t bother Alice with the problem - she’s in the ______ of moving house. A. anguish B. throes C. agony D. pains 110. Although the Moon appears ______, it reflects on average only 7 percent of the light that falls on it. A. bright to the eye B. brightly to the eye C. bright in the eye D. brightly in the eye 111. Employees who have a ………………… are encouraged to discuss it with the management. A. hindrance B. grievance C. disadvantage D. disturbance 112. The police are ………………… certain who the culprit is. A. in some ways B. more or less C. here and there D. by and by 113. Women’s participation ………….. in the workforce was lower in the countries which had less-developed economies. A. scale B. speed C. velocity D. rate 114. Although the patient received intensive treatment, there was no ………………… improvement in her condition. A. decipherable B. legible C. discernible D. intelligible 115. I’ve been doing my best to reduce the backlog but I must admit that I’ve hardly put ………………… in the problem so far. A. a dent B. a foot C. a brave face D. damper 116. From time to time he …………………himself to a weekend in a five-star hotel. A. craves B. indulges C. treats D. benefits 117. Men still expect their jobs to take _________. A. superiority B. imposition C. priority D. seniority 118. According to a recent survey, most people are on good ………………… with their neighbors. A. terms B. relations C. relationships D. acquaintance 119. The police have been ordered not to ………………… if the students attack them. A. combat B. rebuff C. retaliate D. challenge 120. The police finally arrested the ……………… criminal A. famous B. renowned C. respectable D. notorious 121. He resented the fact that she always ________ false motives to him A. charged B. referred C. imputed D. credited 122. Seeing her mother shot by a terrorist left an ________ impression on the young child’s mind. A. instant B. indelible C. indefinite D. infinite 123. As it was his first offence, the magistrate passed a very ________ sentence. A. tolerant B. kind C. lenient D. severe 124. The charge of murder brought against Mr Good was ________. A. dismissed B. dispelled C. dispensed D. disapproved 125. In his speech the Prime Minister made a brief ________ to the state of the economy. A. illusion B. elusion C. delusion D. allusion 126. The police caught the thief ________. A. red-handed B. in the red C. true blue D. in black and white 127. The small boy’s mother told him it was impolite to ________ his food so greedily. A. nibble B. gobble C. digest D. stuff 128. Buyers and sellers were ________ over prices. A. hacking B. hugging C. heckling D. haggling 129. When the detectives finally trapped him, he had ________ to lying A. resource B. retort C. resort D. recourse 130. My late grandmother ________ me this silver teapot. A. bequested B. willed C. bequeathed D. inherited 131. Carbon emissions from airplanes and other pollutants ________ to global warming. A. attribute B. stem C. contribute D. spark 132. Some endurance events may be rescheduled if such high pollution levels ________ a health risk to most athletes. A. create B. present C. run D. face 133. Don’t be ________ by misleading advertisements. A. fooled around B. taken in C. put out D. seen through 134. Parents play a ________ role in a child’s upbringing in the formative years. They are really the driving force behind whatever the children do. A. supporting B. crucial C. starring D. title 135. With three days to ________ before the high school graduation examination, he had to digest such a lot of facts. A. go B. come C. remain D. spare 136. Television came into _________ and became a competitor with the motion pictures. A. practice B. enforcement C. use D. life 137. It’s a matter of life and death. As a consequence, we will give it serious ________. A. review B. thoughts C. opinions D. consideration 138. The government stopped the local companies from importing fake milk powder ________ of public health. A. in the interest B. to the best C. for the attention D. on the safe side 139. He promised me an Oxford dictionary and to my great joy, he ________ his word. A. stood by B. stuck at C. went back on D. held onto 140. The development of laser use is a major ________ in medicine. A. breakaway B. breakup C. break-in D. breakthrough
