ANATOLIA COLLEGE

Language & Testing Office

_______________________________________________________________________________

EXAMINATION
FOR
THE MICHIGAN CERTIFICATE
OF
PROFICIENCY IN ENGLISH

Practice Preliminary Tests

(with KEY)
Volume 2
Prepared by

Rodney A Coules

PRELIMINARY TEST FOR THE ECPE

INSTRUCTIONS AND EXAMPLES
This set of five practice tests has been produced to help candidates to familiarize themselves with the
format of the preliminary test which was introduced for the first time on 30 November, 1996.
In the test there are 35 problems: 10 multiple choice cloze problems, 10 grammar problems, 10
vocabulary problems, and 5 questions about a reading passage. Candidates will have 30 minutes to answer
all 35 problems.
Below are examples of each of the different types of problems with the correct answer indicated with an
asterisk (*).
GRAMMAR: Choose the word or phrase which best completes the conversation.
What is that thing?
That ____ a spider.
a. to call
b. for calling
c. be called
*d. is called
CLOZE: Read the passage, then select the word that best fills the blank in both grammar and
meaning.
Long ago roads were only trails for people
and animals to walk on, but today roads
must be made for cars, trucks, and buses.
The most modern ____ is often called a
superhighway.

a. way
*b. road

c. travel
d. superhighway

VOCABULARY: Choose the word that most appropriately completes the sentence.
The first things we study in school are very _____.
a. sturdy
b. shifty
c. trusty
*d. elementary
READING : Read the passage, then answer the questions following it according to the information
given in the passage.
While I was getting ready to go to town one morning last week, my wife handed me a
little piece of red cloth and asked me if I would have time during the day to buy her
two yards of cloth like that.
The person telling the story is.

a. a married lady
b. an unmarried lady
*c. a married man
d. an unmarried man
ANATOLIA COLLEGE
LANGUAGE & TESTING OFFICE
P. O. BOX 21021, PYLEA
555 10 THESSALONIKI
Email: alto@ac.anatolia.edu.gr

Practice Test 1
GRAMMAR
1. Barbaras party was really enjoyable.
I wish I____________ as well.
a.
b.
c.
d.

6. ________the party was organized at the

Last moment, it was a great success.

had been inviting

had been invited
was invited
am invited

a. Despite
b. However
c. Since
d. Although

2. ____________to my advice, he would

be class president now.
a.
b.
c.
d.

7.

Paul had listened

Had Paul listened
If Paul listens
Unless Paul listened

a. Much of
b. The most of
c. Most of
d. Most

3. Im thinking of driving to Jans tonight.

Id rather __________in this weather.
a.
b.
c.
d.

8. What do you advise?

Why dont you________ at it?

you didnt drive

you not to drive
your not driving
you dont drive

a. get a doctor look

b. get a doctor to look
c. have a doctor to look
d. having a doctor look

4. The boss allowed David_________

early this afternoon.

9. Why are you so restless?

Its necessary ____my parents at once.

a. leave
b. leaving
c. to leave
d. to leaving

a. me to contact
b. for my contacting
c. that I contact
d. I contact with

5. Im afraid weve ________ a bit of

trouble with our plans for the party.
a.
b.
c.
d.

How are your students doing?

______them are making good progress.

10. The notice on the door leading to the

stage read, No ________.

run at
run across
run into
run along

a. admittance
b. admission
c. admitting
d. being admitted

CLOZE
At the very beginning of our lives, we hardly look
human at all. With a tail and gill clefts, the three week -old human fetus (11) easily be mistaken for an
amphibian or reptile embryo. By four weeks, (12), our
paths begin to diverge from that of our revolutionary
predecessors, with the formation of (13) first organ : the
heart. Now, surgeons are finding that for some people
(14) the end of their life, their ailing, painful hearts can
be helped by making (15) a touch less human and a bit
more reptilian.
The human heart muscle is nourished by arteries that
crisscross its exterior. (16) rich diets and sedentary living
clog those arteries, and balloon angioplasty to clear them
or surgical grafts to bypass them have become almost a
rite of passage from (17) age to seniority. Unfortunately,
some people cannot take that path. Their arteries are
(18)small to graft, or their vessels are already so heavily
patched that surgical plumbing can no longer help. Hence,
blood slows to a (19), the heart grows sicker from lack of
oxygen, and the (20) chest pains of angina cut short
exercise, movement and eventually life itself.

(11) a. must
b. should

c. could
d. need

(12) a. however
b. so

c. although
d. yet

(13) a. one
b. their

c. the
d. our

(14) a. coming
b. finding

c. nearing
d. seeking

(15) a. them
b. those

c. these
d. that

(16) a. And
b. So

c. But
d. Furthermore

(17) a. old
b. middle

c. half
d. medium

(18) a. very
b. rather

c. so
d. too

(19) a. drip
b. stream

c. trickle
d. leak

(20) a. digging
b. cutting

c. hurting
d. stabbing

VOCABULARY
21. The rivers of the Canadian wilderness
_____ in fish.
a.
b.
c.
d.

26. I _____ people who pretend to know

everything.

abound
alight
brood
clutter

a. ignite
b. detest
c. indulge
d. frustrate

22. Mr. Jacobs always begins his lesson

with _____ .
a.
b.
c.
d.

27. A number of _____ tribes inhabit the

southern plains of the country.

an emblem
an anecdote
a farce
a clamor

a. nomadic
b. potential
c. radiant
d. reluctant

23. After her long illness her face was

really _____ .
a.
b.
c.
d.

28. The hotel decided to distribute the

_____ food to a nearby orphanage.

wan
vicious
trivial
regal

a. salvo
b. cache
c. surplus
d. remnant

24. Her new home is _____ decorated

with Italian furniture.
a.
b.
c.
d.

29. The easiest way to spoil children is

to _____ them.

recently
lavishly
broadly
notoriously

a. mortify
b. foster
c. patronize
d. pamper

25. They went for a _____ stroll in the

park after dinner.
a.
b.
c.
d.

30. The recent killings reminded everyone

of the bitter _____ between the families.

fervently
quickly
leisurely
slowly

a. trauma
b. truce
c. havoc
d. feud

READING
The future of asbestos appears downright grim. After two decades of horrendous headlines, this
strange fiber probably represents the most feared contaminant on earth. It is almost certainly the
most expensive pollutant in terms of regulation and removal. This year alone, remediation efforts
will cost several billion dollars - a staggering outlay, even for an era of enthusiastic environmental
activity. Clearly, chaos has come to the world of asbestos. The magnitude of the crisis, however,
clouds a crucial irony: the problem with asbestos would never have grown so bad had we not
previously thought the material was remarkably good.
The asbestos label actually applies to a family of silicate minerals, containing silicon and
oxygen, that are notable for their fibrous structure. Seemingly, blessed with useful attributes, such
as softness, flexibility and resistance to fire, asbestos was once seen as the silk of a magic mineral
world. Over the centuries, people have woven asbestos cloaks, tablecloths, theater curtains and
flameproof suits for protection against fiery dangers. Asbestos insulation products not only saved
energy but also shielded workers from potential burns. Brake shoes and clutch facings improved
safety on race cars and school buses; efficient asbestos air filters were used in hospital ventilators,
cigarette tips and military gas masks. Indeed, a poignant paradox of the asbestos story stems from
its previous image as a guardian of human safety.
31. According to the passage, regulation and removal of asbestos as a pollutant is
a. impossible.
b. time-consuming.
c. ineffective.
d. costly.
32. The problem of asbestos as a pollutant has reached crisis proportions because
a. all its qualities were not fully realized in the past.
b. of its fibrous structure.
c. the world was slow to see how remarkably good it was.
d. experts felt that its bad characteristics were outnumbered by its good ones.
33. The article uses the word silk when referring to asbestos
a. to indicate its usefulness in the clothing industry.
b. to show how prized it once was.
c. to prove its mineral origin.
d. to emphasize its continuing utility.
34. Which of the following is not mentioned as a use of asbestos?
a. Filtration
b. Making of footwear.
c. Insulation.
d. Protection from fire.
35. What is paradoxical about the problem of asbestos pollution?
a. The fact that it is very flexible.
b. The fact that it has great resistance to fire.
c. The fact that it was once seen as a solution to many of societys problems.
d. The fact that it has always been treated with suspicion.

Practice Test 2

GRAMMAR
1. Whats Carol _____ as a student?
Shes better than average.
a.
b.
c.
d.

6. What would be a good present for Jim?

Hell like _______ you get him.

like
liking
liked
likes

a. whichever
b. however
c. whatever
d. whenever

2. Dawn was late again this morning.

I do wish she____ to be more punctual!
a.
b.
c.
d.

7. Where did he get all that money?

I hear hes just _____ a small fortune.

would try
had tried
was trying
will try

a. come upon
b. come up to
c. come across
d. come into

3. Does Sue have any chance of passing?

_____ more serious, she should do well.
a.
b.
c.
d.

8.

If she had been

Has she been
Were she to be
Had she been

a. you want him

b. you dont want him
c. your will want him
d. you have wanted him

4. The teacher ______ for speaking rudely

in class

a.
b.
c.
d.

Should I tell Dad what happened?

I wouldnt unless_____ to get upset.

9. The teacher gave the students

instructions ____ clear what had to be
done.

made to apologize Pete

made Pete apologize
made Pete to apologize
made Pete apologizing

a. made
b. making
c. makes
d. had made

5. Whats that odd smell?

10. The two boys smiled at _____ when they
Someone must ______with matches in here.
realized that they had met before.
a.
b.
c.
d.

playing
plays
has played
have been playing

a. another
b. each other
c. one the other
d. one and another
7

CLOZE
During the 20th century, humanity has almost quadrupled
its numbers. Although many factors have (11) this
unprecedented expansion, its continuation during the
past generation would not have been at all (12) without a
widespread - yet generally unappreciated - activity: the
synthesis of ammonia. The (13) availability of ammonia,
and other nitrogen-rich fertilizers derived (14) it, has
effectively done away with what for(15) had been a fundamental restriction on food production. On the average, the
worlds population now has enough to eat because of
numerous(16) in modern agricultural practices. But human
society has one key chemical industry to thank for that
abundance - the producers of nitrogen fertilizer.

(11) a. fostered
b. developed
(12) a. possible
b. capable

c. able
d. probable

(13) a. quick
b. simple

c. ready
d. rapid

(14) a. to
b. from

c. by
d. into

(15) a. eras
b. ages

c. epochs
d. terms

Why is nitrogen so important ? Compared with carbon,

hydrogen and oxygen, nitrogen is only a minor constituent (16)
of living (17). But whereas the three major elements can
move readily from their huge natural reservoirs through
the food and water people consume to (18) a part of their (17)
tissues, nitrogen remains largely locked in (19) atmosphere.
(20) a puny fraction of this resource exists in a form that
can be absorbed by growing plants, animals and, (18)
ultimately, human beings.

c. made
d. nurtured

a. advances
b. discoveries

c. progresses
d. inventions

a. material
b. fabric

c. substances
d. matter

a. make
b. substitute

c. construct
d. become

(19) a. an
b. the

c. some
d. one

(20) a. Merely
b. Simply

c. Only
d. Quite

VOCABULARY
21. The worried look on everyones face
told Jim that something was _____.
a.
b.
c.
d.

26. She can always be seen wearing the

_____ in fashion.

abrupt
amiss
grim
inimitable

a. ultimate
b. nutritious
c. narrative
d. mutual

22. The hunters laid several ____ hoping

to trap the fox.
a.
b.
c.
d.

27. Having learned from his past mistakes,

he acted more _____ this time.

snares
parcels
trickles
sagas

a. marginally
b. cautiously
c. literally
d. legitimately

23. Their mother asked them to stop their

constant _____ .
a.
b.
c.
d.

28. She polished the furniture so well that

it had a permanent _____ .

quibbling
revering
renovating
reinforcing

a. clarification
b. corruption
c. luster
d. consistency

24. The thirsty children longed for something

cool to _____ their thirst.
a.
b.
c.
d.

29. The teacher made a _____ selection

of students to help him in the experiment.

ratify
rant
quench
procure

a. dependent
b. fallible
c. figurative
d. random

25. The talks between the two sides in the

dispute reached a _____ .
a.
b.
c.
d.

30. Her hair was _____ by the flame of the

candle held by the child behind her.

postscript
plague
overture
stalemate

a. haggled
b. singed
c. hurtled
d. disrupted

READING
Accidents do not occur at random. People eighty-five years of age and older are twenty-two
times more likely to die accidentally than are children five to nine years old. The risk for native
Americans is four times that for Asian-Americans and twice that for white Americans or AfricanAmericans. Males suffer accidents at more than twice the rate of females, in part because they are
more prone to risky behavior. Alaskans are more than three times as likely as Rhode Islanders to die
in an accident. Texans are twenty-one times more likely than New Jerseyites to die in a natural
disaster. Among the one hundred most populous counties, Kern County, California (Bakersfield),
has an accident fatality rate three times greater than Summit County, Ohio (Akron).
Accidents happen more often to poor people. Those living in poverty receive inferior medical
care, are more apt to reside in houses with faulty heating and electrical systems, drive older cars
with fewer safety features, and are less likely to use safety belts. People in rural areas have more
accidents than city or suburban dwellers because farming is much riskier than working in a factory
or office and because emergency medical services are less readily available. These two factors -low
income and rural residence - may explain why the south has a higher accident rate than the north.
31. According to the passage,
a. all people face an equal risk of having an accident.
b. children aged five to nine face the greatest accident risk.
c. the risk of having an accident is greater among certain groups of people.
d. one in every 22 people aged 85 and over will die in an accident.
32. Which of the following groups of people in America face the least risk of having an accident ?
a. White Americans or African-Americans.
b. Native Americans.
c. Asian-Americans.
d. Males.
33. Which of the following is not given as a reason for a higher accident rate among the poor ?
a. Poor housing conditions.
b. Inadequate medical attention.
c. Use of cars which have been banned from circulation.
d. Use of cars which incorporate fewer safety features.
34. Which of the following does not apply to urban dwellers ?
a. Better access to emergency medical services.
b. Safer working conditions.
c. Exposure to fewer occupational hazards.
d. Frequent contact with people living in rural areas.
35. It may be implied from the passage that the southern states of America
a. are more densely populated that the northern ones.
b. offer opportunities for better paid employment.
c. have larger urban populations.
d. are more heavily populated in rural areas.

10

Practice Test 3
GRAMMAR
1. What does he ______ for a living?
He restores antique furniture.
a.
b.
c.
d.

6. ____ you havent done your homework,

you cant go out to play.

doing
done
do
did

a. Despite
b. Since
c. For
d. Although

2. Im bored!
You should take up a hobby instead of____
a.
b.
c.
d.

7.

wasting your time to do nothing.

wasting your time doing nothing.
to waste your time doing nothing.
wasted time in doing nothing.

a. are dissatisfied
b. is dissatisfied
c. have dissatisfied
d. dissatisfied

3. Have you made any new friends?

Yes. Ive been invited over by the couple___
a.
b.
c.
d.

Wheres Sandra?
Shes supposed_____ the children.
a. to have looked after
b. to having looked after
c. she has looked
d. to be looking after

9.

the older
an oldest
the elder
the eldest

She got into trouble for not acting in

accordance _____ instructions.
a. to
b. with
c. the
d. in

5. What should I do?

If I ___ in your position, Id resign.
a.
b.
c.
d.

8.

lived above me.

living above me.
who they live above me.
who living above me.

4. Does Mark have any siblings?

Yes. Hes ____ of four children.
a.
b.
c.
d.

Im afraid that most of the students _____

with the course material.

10. Why has Dana asked to see the manager?

It was my advice _____ immediately.

being
had been
have been
were

a. that she saw him

b. her seeing him
c. that she see him
d. have her see him

11

CLOZE
Floridas Aucilla River is yielding evidence of the (11) a. before
adaptability of Paleoindians to their changing environb. since
ment at the end of the Pleistocene, 10,000 years (11).
For a decade, researchers from the Florida Museum of
(12) a. extracting
Natural History have been (12) the Page-Ladson site, and
b. excavating
this past fall (13) uncovered the ground surface of a
Paleoindian habitation (14) a depth of 15 feet.
(13) a. they
b. we
Radiocarbon dates place the beginning of the occupation at around 10,000 years ago. At the time, the
(14) a. in
b. to
site, (15) only five miles from the Gulf Coast near
Tallahassee, was nearly 100 miles (16), and Floridas
landscape closely resembled Africas savannahs. Within (15) a. now
100 years, however, rising water at the end of the last
b. then
glaciation flooded the site, sealing it with (17) that
contain shells of freshwater mollusks.
(16) a. interior
b. inland
(18) the flaked stone tools are side- and corner-notched
points, scrapers, adzes, and gouges made of locally (17) a. remains
available flint and chert. Also found were antlers (19) in
b. remnants
manufacturing stone tools. Local limestone was crafted
into spherical bola stones (20) would have been (18) a. Among
attached to leather cords and hurled at some small game
b. Amid
animals to entangle them.
(19) a. left
b. made
(20) a. and
b. who

12

c. exactly
d. ago
c. removing
d. exhaling
c. it
d. was
c. at
d. from
c. just
d. found
c. internal
d. inside
c. dregs
d. deposits
c. With
d. Together
c. resulted
d. used
c. that
d. but

VOCABULARY
21. It is feared that the missing child has
been _____ .
a.
b.
c.
d.

26. Dead leaves had blocked the gutter and

rainwater was _____ down onto the patio.

abducted
withered
verged
vacated

a. billowing
b. maneuvering
c. liberating
d. cascading

22. We got home just in time to escape the

_____ that flooded most of the town.
a.
b.
c.
d.

27. I cant find out anything about her; shes

_____ .

upheaval
deluge
terrain
strife

a. a pacifist
b. a taskmaster
c. a maze
d. an enigma

23. Instead of wasting your time, why dont

you look around for _____ employment?
a.
b.
c.
d.

28. Living conditions in the town became

_____ bad after the series of earthquakes.

serene
gainful
rotund
resourceful

a. illicitly
b. incomprehensibly
c. intolerably
d. ingeniously

24. The patient had to remain _____ for

several weeks.
a.
b.
c.
d.

29. The home team received an enthusiastic

welcome from the _____ crowd.

ravenous
intact
immobile
precise

a. gullible
b. partisan
c. fossil
d. extinct

25. I think that cities are _____ by the

hundreds of billboards you see everywhere.
a.
b.
c.
d.

30. The accident was terrible, and its a miracle

there wasnt a single _____ .

blighted
pacified
motivated
misrepresented

a. booty
b. dispatch
c. fatality
d. composure

13

READING
For the past several decades, scientists have been studying acid rain and how it affects the
environment. As the harmful consequences of acidic air pollutants became increasingly clear,
governments in North America and Europe began to regulate emissions of these compounds.
Countries in the European Union enacted a variety of laws to control the release of sulfur dioxide
and nitrogen oxides; the Clean Air Act imposed similar regulations in the U.S. Policy makers
expected these reductions to rejuvenate forests, lakes and streams in many regions. In some
respects, the issue seemed wrapped up.
But the problem of acid rain has not gone away. Why is the rain falling on parts of Europe and
North America still acidic, despite tighter controls on pollution ? And why do some natural
ecosystems - in particular, forests - show levels of damage from acid rain greater than scientists
originally predicted ?
Recent findings suggest that acid rain is a much more complex phenomenon than previously
thought. Results from several studies point to the unexpected but critical role of chemicals in the
atmosphere know as bases, which can counteract the effects of acid rain by neutralizing acid
pollutants. We have found that all the attention given to acidic compounds in the atmosphere has
obscured the fact that emissions of base have also decreased. A number of factors seem to be
diminishing the level of these atmospheric bases and, in the process, aggravating the ecological
effects of acid rain. Ironically, among these factors are some of the very steps that governments
have taken to improve air quality.
31. The previous findings of scientists made governments in North America and Europe
a. ban the use of acidic air pollutants.
b. begin to regulate the manufacture of acidic air pollutants.
c. investigate the harmful consequences of acidic air pollution.
d. begin controlling the levels of acidic air pollutants being released into the atmosphere.
32. The purpose of the legislation enacted by the European Union and the U.S. was
a. to amend the existing laws.
b. to ensure a cleaner atmosphere.
c. to release sulfur dioxide.
d. to control the variety of oxides and dioxides released.
33. A reduction in the level of acidic air pollutants was expected to do all of the following except
a. improve the quality of lake and river water.
b. prove policy makers wrong.
c. stem the destruction of forests.
d. bring the issue of acid rain to a successful end.
34. Recent findings
a. suggest that scientists have underestimated the seriousness of the problem.
b. have complicated matters even more.
c. have shown acid rain pollution to be more complex than any phenomenon ever studied.
d. have confirmed what scientists have suspected since the phenomenon was first studied.
35. What is exacerbating the current situation?
a. The levels of bases in the atmosphere have been steadily increasing.
b. The levels of bases in the atmosphere are too high to neutralize the acidic air pollutants.
c. Action to improve air quality has resulted in lower levels of bases in the atmosphere.
d. Emissions of bases have obscured the problem.
14

Practice Test 4

GRAMMAR
1. By the time we reached the station,
the train _____.
a.
b.
c.
d.

6.

would already leave

has already left
was going to leave
had already left

a. an expensive Italian silk tie

b. an Italian silk expensive tie
c. an expensive silk Italian tie
d. a silk expensive Italian tie

2. Dont you want to go out and play?

Id rather ______ .
a.
b.
c.
d.

7.

watch TV
watching TV
to be watching TV
watched TV
8.

As soon as best
The sooner the better
Sooner as you can
The best is the soonest

9. _____ , his dog greeted him at the front

gate.

He knows little
Does he know little
Little does he know
Little knows he

a. Arriving home from school

b. He arrived home from school and
c. Arrived home from school
d. When he arrived home from school

5. How much do I owe you?

I havent worked out _____.
a.
b.
c.
d.

Did you enjoy the film?

Never again ___to a science fiction film!
a. have I gone
b. I will go
c. will I go
d. I am going to go

4. ____ how many sacrifices his parents have

made for him.
a.
b.
c.
d.

He hadnt studied at all, ______

he managed to do well on the exam.
a. so
b. yet
c. for
d. and

3. When would you like me to come?

__________.
a.
b.
c.
d.

What did you get him for his birthday?

I gave him _____.

10. He does voluntary work to help _____

every Saturday morning.

how much does it cost

what is the cost
how it costs
how much it costs

a. the blind
b. blinds
c. the blind people
d. the blinds

15

CLOZE
It is a common misconception that sails stretch into shape. (11) a. deed
In (11) , sail makers depend on the fabric stretching as (12)
b. fact
as possible. Only by (13) this assumption (14) they design
sails that will form a specific airfoil when filled with wind: (12) a. much
sails must curve and twist in (15) the right way for air to
b. little
flow around them and create optimum lift, just as it (16)
with an airplane wing.
(13) a. doing
b. arriving
Depending on the (17), different sail shapes prove most
effective. For moving upwind, flat sails are needed; for (14) a. ought
sailing away from the wind, fuller sails offer the most
b. should
power. (18) , flatter sails provide greater speed in heavy
winds, whereas larger, fuller sails(19) better in light air. To (15) a. just
satisfy these requirements, sail makers create individual
b. simply
sails for a prescribed (20) of conditions and uses.
(16) a. does
b. has

c. effect
d. order
c. largely
d. extensively
c. making
d. reaching
c. must
d. can
c. merely
d. only
c. creates
d. proves

(17) a. moods
c. states
b. circumstances d. situations

16

(18) a. Conversely
b. Unlikely

c. Similarly
d. Consequently

(19) a. engage
b. sail

c. react
d. perform

(20) a. scope
b. limit

c. range
d. scale

VOCABULARY
21. The police are worried about the
increasing ____ in the town center.
a.
b.
c.
d.

26. Members of the opposition party called for

the _____ of the new law on immigration.

accommodation
vandalism
inhibition
barrage

a. consequence
b. revocation
c. increase
d. audition

22. The revolutionary army managed to

_____ the government.
a.
b.
c.
d.

27. The two groups of hikers have planned to

_____ at the foot of the mountain.

topple
besiege
cede
dawdle

a. immerse
b. distort
c. rendezvous
d. manipulate

23. The fox moved _____ through the

undergrowth for prey.
a.
b.
c.
d.

28. Gangs of robbers usually _____ the streets

at night in search of victims.

boisterously
fluently
stealthily
impudently

a. relish
b. respond
c. transform
d. prowl

24. The _____ look on the new teachers

face frightened the pupils.
a.
b.
c.
d.

29. Dont make any _____ decisions. Give the

matter your careful consideration.

sheepish
adverse
elusive
sinister

a. premature
b. meteoric
c. preliminary
d. unerring

25. The police _____ the forest in search

of the missing children.
a.
b.
c.
d.

30. The dancers _____ movements delighted

the audience.

engulfed
foiled
scoured
investigated

a. nimble
b. pathetic
c. clumsy
d. intensive

17

READING
Conventional wisdom has it that red cars attract more speeding tickets. But what about cars that
change color ? Several new coatings may soon permit drivers to test their legal luck. Taking cues
from nature, chemists have been able to develop paints that derive their colors from interference
patterns. The brilliant colors of butterflies, for example, result from multiple layers of
extraordinarily thin fibers found in the insects wings. When light falls on the wings, the top layers
reflect the rays at a slightly different angle than the bottom layers do. The different reflected
wavelengths then interfere with one another, producing new wavelengths that appear as shimmering
colors.
The use of such coatings has been limited to small objects, until now. Several companies have
recently described their efforts to create car paint based on this principle. Researchers at Nissan and
the Tokyo Institute of Technology spun tiny strands of polyester that gave rise to interference
patterns - and the iridescent blue seen in certain butterflies. Mercedes - Benz is offering European
customers paint that changes color depending on ones viewing point: light reflects off layers of
liquid - crystal polymers at different angles, producing various colors. And Ford offers a limited-run
1996 Mustang with paint that can appear green, purple, gold or amber.
Not surprisingly, these unusual paint jobs remain a luxury option: Mercedes charges 10,000 dm
for the customized work. The vacuum technology that is needed to produce the paint is very
expensive, and the coatings themselves can be difficult to handle because the microstructures that
produce the colorful interference patterns can break, particularly in the application process. No
word yet on how well they tolerate fender benders.
31. It can be implied from the passage that most people believe
a. red cars are inclined to travel too fast.
b. red cars have no problem exceeding the speed limit.
c. red cars are much more attractive than other cars.
d. traffic police issue more fines for speeding to drivers of red cars.
32. What has prompted chemists to develop paints that derive colors from interference patterns ?
a. Their observations of examples from the natural world.
b. The demand of customers for a greater variety of colors.
c. The anxieties of drivers who receive fines for speeding.
d. The need for cars to have several coatings.
33. The shimmering colors observed on many butterflies
a. are produced by the surfaces of their wings
b. are derived from the symmetry of their wings.
c. are produced by the angular patterns on their wings.
d. interfere with the different reflected wavelengths.
34. Mercedes will do the customized work
a. for every customer of theirs.
b. for customers who opt for the special paint job.
c. for a small extra charge.
d. as a standard procedure from now on.
35. At present, which of the following is not a problem connected with research into the new
paints?
a. the sensitivity of the paint which has been developed.
b. The process used in applying the paint.
c. Transportation and handling costs.
d. The cost of the new paint manufacturing process.
18

Practice Test 5

GRAMMAR
1. The math we are studying at high
school _____.
a.
b.
c.
d.

6.

is very advanced
have an advanced level
are very advanced
has very advanced

a. looking at it
b. to look at it
c. look at it
d. to have looked at it

2. Why do the police want to interview him?

He was the last person ______ the store.
a.
b.
c.
d.

7. I couldnt help _____ when I saw what

had happened.

having left
to leave
left
had left

a. to laugh
b. I laughed
c. laughing
d. my laughter

3. I hope I manage to do the job.

______, give me a call.
a.
b.
c.
d.

8.

Should you need help

Need you help
Should you have helped
If you would need help

9. Wheres Bob today?

He _____ to see the empty apartment.

him to apologizing
that he apologized
that he apologizes
that he apologize

a. must go
b. must have gone
c. must have been gone
d. must going

5. My brother, together with a couple of

his friends, _____ Mt. Olympus.
a.
b.
c.
d.

Why are you looking so down?

I wish ____ to Judys advice.
a. I had listened
b. I listened
c. I listening
d. my listening

4. Johns father demanded ______ in

writing to his teacher.
a.
b.
c.
d.

I see your mowers working again.

Yes. I had a technician ______.

10. That really tired me!

Lets ____ and go home.

are going to climb

has climbed
are climbing
have climbed

a. put off the day

b. make our day
c. have the day off
d. call it a day

19

CLOZE
New dates for Homo erectus fossils from Ngandong, Java, (11) a. they
suggest this hominid lived as recently as 53,000 to 27,000
b. which
years ago. The dates obtained by Carl Swisher of the
Berkeley Geochronology Center and colleagues, add to the (12) a. debate
debate between those (11) favor an out-of-Africa model and
b. one
those who adhere to a multiregional (12).The former believe
modern humans developed in Africa 150,000 to 100,000 (13) a. how
years ago, then dispersed into the Middle East and Europe,
b. which
(13) they replaced Neanderthals by 30,000 years ago, and
into Asia, where they replaced Homo erectus. The other (14) a. evolved
belief is that modern humans (14) from predecessors in
b. progressed
various regions. Multiregional proponent Milford Wolpoff
of the University of Michigan (15) ,for example, that modern (15) a. holds
Australians owe certain characteristics to Homo erectus
b. keeps
forebears. The models, (16) first presented, were thought
to be mutually exclusive.
(16) a. they
b. which
If confirmed, the new dates for Homo erectus (17) the
multiregional model in its original version and support the (17) a. contravene
replacement one. Some scholars, including Jean-Jacques
b. contradict
Hublin of the Musee de lHomme, Paris, support a milder
(18) of the replacement model in which different scenarios (18) a. edition
could have (19) in different regions. Some areas, such as
b. production
Western Europe, would have experienced a total or almost
total replacement. In (20) places, and possibly in the Far (19) a. effected
East, some level of gene flow could have occurred between
b. occurred
local archaic populations and modern humans.
(20) a. some
b. other

20

c. who
d. whom
c. type
d. area
c. when
d. where
c. created
d. advanced
c. retains
d. sustains
c. where
d. when
c. violate
d. infringe
c. version
d. sample
c. placed
d. located
c. these
d. such

VOCABULARY
21. They did not look forward to the _____
task of clearing up after the party.
a.
b.
c.
d.

26. There was _____ smell coming from

the basement.

wily
versatile
synthetic
arduous

a. a perverse
b. a ghastly
c. an opaque
d. a perilous

22. The pupil walked _____ up to the

teacher and struck his desk loudly.
a.
b.
c.
d.

27. The bad weather _____ the efforts of the

rescue workers.

sprightly
friendly
brazenly
relentlessly

a. waned
b. abridged
c. compelled
d. hampered

23. A _____ is a chemical compound which

speeds up a chemical reaction.
a.
b.
c.
d.

28. Actors often have to _____ when they

forget their lines.

rivulet
tone
catalyst
larceny

a. dissolve
b. efface
c. improvise
d. hoodwink

24. The frightening accounts of the guide

did not _____ the climbers.

a.
b.
c.
d.

29. The recent _____ of refugees from the

neighboring country is causing
problems.

adjourn
blaspheme
daunt
dwindle

a. import
b. redundancy
c. infusion
d. influx

25. Mr Jackson has been appointed _____

to the United Nations
a.
b.
c.
d.

30. I dont know how you can put up with

that _____ noise.

envoy
exodus
horde
metropolis

a. intrepid
b. laborious
c. invincible
d. incessant

21

READING
In the early part of this century, two explorers laid claim to the discovery of the North Pole. Dr.
Frederick A. Cook said he reached the top of the world in April 1908, a full year earlier than Robert
E. Peary, but the social and scientific establishment of the time backed Peary. Now, an exhaustively
researched book claims to finally settle the dispute: Neither Cook nor Peary made it to the Pole.
That is the conclusion of Cook & Peary: The Polar Controversy Resolved, written by Robert M.
Bryce, a research librarian at Montgomery College in Rockville, Maryland.
Although Pearys supporters have included heavyweights like the National Geographic Society,
several major books have discredited his claims. Pearys tidy diary, for instance, should instead
have been marked with walrus grease and the poor penmanship of a man writing in the dark and
numbing cold. The diary pages for the days Peary claimed to be at the North pole are blank. And his
testimony before Congress in 1911was marred by contradictions and inexplicable memory lapses.
Cooks claim, however, has not been so carefully investigated. Yet it too is fraudulent, says
Bryce. Like Peary, Cook reported traveling at an incredible speed - averaging more than 15 miles a
day over the rough ice pack of huge, drifting blocks. Cooks field notes show an ignorance of the
mathematical concepts used to calculate latitude. Most damning of all, Bryces research turned up a
forgotten photocopy of a notebook containing evidence that Cook cooked the books. Pages were
erased and renumbered, dates were written over, and Cooks original observations did not match his
published field notes. These discrepancies, writes Bryce, suggest that Cook was improving his
story as he went along.
31. What conclusion is reached by Bryce ?
a. Cook reached the North Pole first.
b. Peary reached the North Pole ahead of Cook.
c. The social and scientific establishment of the day were right in backing Peary.
d. Both Cooks and Pearys claims are fraudulent.
32. Pearys critics found fault with all of the following except
a. the quality of his handwriting.
b. the neatness of the diary he kept.
c. his having been able to write when his hands were numb.
d. the incompleteness of his diary.
33. When questioned before Congress in 1911,
a. Pearys account was considered plausible by all present.
b. Peary failed to convince his audience.
c. Pearys behaviour was memorable.
d. Pearys memory lapses helped him to support his story.
34. Which of the following did Cooks critics not find fault with ?
a. His forgetting to make photocopies of all his notes.
b. The distance he claimed to have covered daily.
c. His apparent lack of navigational skills.
d. The existence of suspect documentation.
35. Bryce suggests in his book that Cook
a. was cutting a long story short.
b. sparing his readers the details.
c. telling a tall story.
d. putting his readers in the picture.
22

ANSWER KEY
Practice Test 1
1. b
2. b
3. a
4. c
5. c
6. d
7. c
8. b
9. c
10.a
11.c
12.a
13.d
14.c
15.a
16.c
17.b
18.d
19.c
20.d
21.a
22.b
23.a
24.b
25.c
26.b
27.a
28.c
29.d
30.d
31.d
32.a
33.b
34.b
35.c

Practice Test 2
1. a
2. a
3. c
4. b
5. d
6. c
7. d
8. a
9. b
10.b
11.a
12.a
13.c
14.b
15.b
16.a
17.d
18.d
19.b
20.c
21.b
22.a
23.a
24.c
25.d
26.a
27.b
28.c
29.d
30.b
31.c
32.a
33.c
34.d
35.d

Practice Test 3
1. c
2. b
3. b
4. d
5. d
6. b
7. a
8. d
9. b
10.c
11.d
12.b
13.a
14.c
15.a
16.b
17.d
18.a
19.d
20.c
21.a
22.b
23.b
24.c
25.a
26.d
27.d
28.c
29.b
30.c
31.d
32.b
33.b
34.a
35.c

23

Practice Test 4
1. d
2. a
3. b
4. c
5. d
6. a
7. b
8. c
9. d
10.a
11.b
12.b
13.c
14.d
15.a
16.a
17.b
18.c
19.d
20.c
21.b
22.a
23.c
24.d
25.c
26.b
27.c
28.d
29.a
30.a
31.d
32.a
33.a
34.b
35.c

Practice Test 5
1. a
2. b
3. a
4. d
5. b
6. c
7. c
8. a
9. b
10.d
11.c
12.b
13.d
14.a
15.a
16.d
17.b
18.c
19.b
20.b
21.d
22.c
23.c
24.c
25.a
26.b
27.d
28.c
29.d
30.d
31.d
32.c
33.b
34.a
35.c