X. Read the passage below and then choose the correct answer A, B, C or D.

SPRING FESTIVAL

From (1) ______ times people have celebrated the end of winter and the new life that spring brings. One of the most important Christian festivals is Easter, (2) ______ Christians remember the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Easter, however, is not the (3) ______ spring festival. In Sweden, people celebrate the end of the winter by making (4) ______ bonfires. Fire also plays an important part in the Hindu festival of Holi. In some villages children are (5) ______ round bonfires by their mothers to protect them (6) ______ danger in the coming year. Buddhists in Thailand soak (7) ______ in water when celebrating their New Year, which (8) ______ in the middle of April. In Antigua in Guatemala they carpet the streets with flowers. Chinese spring parades are (9) ______ colourful, but (10) ______ flowers they have large dragon puppets which dance in the streets. 

1. A. earliest B. latest C. previous D. old

2. A. which B. when C. because D. by then

3. A. single B. one C. only D. lonely

4. A. giant B. tremendous C. extreme D. huge

5. A. gone B. carried C. brought D. run

6. A. in B. out of C. against D. from

7. A. through B. one other C. each other D. mutually

8. A. falls B. appears C. happens D. occurs

9. A. the same B. as C. not less D. equally

10. A. instead of B. on behalf of C. in spite of D. place of

II. Read the text and choose the correct answer A, B, C or D for each of the gaps.

Spring festivals

From (1) _________ times people have celebrated the end of winter and the new life that spring brings. One of the most important Christian festivals is Easter, (2) ________Christians remember the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Easter, however, it is not the (3) ____________spring festival. In Sweden, people celebrate the end of the winter by (4) _____________huge bonefires. Fire also plays an important part in the Hindu festival of Holi. In some villages children are carried around bonefires (5) _________their mothers to protect them (6) _________danger in the coming year. Buddists in Thailand soak each (7) __________ water when cellaring their New Year, which falls in (8) _________middle of April. In Antigua in Guatemala they carpet the streets with flowers. Chinese spring parades (9) ________equally colourful, but instead of flowers they have large dragon puppets (10) __________ dance in the streets.

I. Choose the word or the phrase among A,B, C or D that best fits the blank space in the following passage.

          The country and the city have advantages and (1)____________. People in the country live in more beautiful surroundings. They enjoy (2) _______ and quietness, and can do their work at their own  space because  no one  is in a (3)___________. They live in larger, more comfortable houses,and their neighbors are more friendly, and ready to help them when  they need it. Their life, however, can be boring  and they may be isolated, which is a serious problem if they are ill or want to take children to school.

          The city has all the services that the country lacks, but it also has a lot of disadvantages. Cities are often polluted. They not (4)          have polluted air but also have noisy streets. Everyone is always in a hurry and this (5)              that people have no time to get to know each other and make friends.

1.A. joy              B. enjoyment             C. happiness               D. disadvantages

2.A.quiet            B. quietly                  C. peace                      D. peaceful

3.A.hurry           B. hurried                  C. hurriedly                D. hurrying

4.A. never          B. ever                       C. hardly                    D. only

5.A. aims            B. means                   C. asks                       D. said

V. Choose the word or phrase that best fits each blank in the following passage. Songkran, one of the biggest and most important festivals in Thailand, has been celebrated for centuries and is full of (1) holiday from 13-15 April, although celebrations can go on for (2) places. Songkran is a time for family gatherings. Its activities include visiting temples, presenting (3). perfumes, and the most important part is throwing water at others in the streets. Thai people believe that water will cleanse you of any bad luck from the past year, and bless you with (4) and happiness for the next year. Besides the biggest water fight, the true meaning of Songkran is a chance to clean their homes and their souls from sins and to prepare themselves for (5), to clean up their homes. and culture. It is officially observed as a three-day national - up to a week in some to monks, paying respect to elders, cleaning the Buddha images with water and luck. So, after coming back home, all the members of a family will help the housewife Today, Songkran has grown into a major event with buckets of water, water hoses, and super soakers used to celebrate. It (6) place not only in Thailand, but also in Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia.

Read the following passage and choose the best answer for each blank.

SPRING FESTIVALS

From (26) _______ times people have celebrated the end of winter and the new life that spring brings. One of the most important Christian festivals is Easter, (27) _______ Christians remember the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ Easter, however, is not the (28) _______ spring festival. In Sweden, people celebrate the end of the winter by making (29) _______ bonfires. Fire also plays an important part in the Hindu festival of Holi. In some villages children are (30) _______ round bonfires by their mothers to protect them(31) _______ danger in the coming year. Buddhists in Thailand soak (32) _______ in water when celebrating their New Year, which (33) _______ in the middle of April. In Antigua in Guatemala they carpet the streets with flowers. Chinese spring parades are (34) _______ colourful, but (35) _______ flowers they have large dragon puppets which dance in the streets.

Question 31:

A. in

B. out of

C. against

D. from

IV. Choose the word or phrase among A, B, C or D that best fits the blank space in the following passage.

     English is the most important in the world today. A very large (21)______ of people understand and use English in many countries of the world.

   Indeed English is a very useful language. If we speak English we can go to any place or country we like. We shall not find it hard to (22) _______people understand what we want to say.

English also helps us to learn all kinds of subjects. Hundreds of books are published in English every day in many countries to teach people many useful things. The English language has, (23)_______, helped to spread ideas and knowledge to all the corners of the world. There is no subject that cannot be taught in English.

As English is used so much everywhere in the world, it has helped to make the countries in the world friendlier. The leaders of the world use English (24) _____one another. The English language has also helped to spread better understanding and friendship among countries of the world.

Lastly, a person who knows English is respected by people. It is for all these (25) ____that I want to learn English.

21. A. few                   B. deal                         C. amount                   D. number

22. A. get                    B. let                           C. persuade                 D. make

23. A. however           B. therefore                 C. athough                  D. otherwise

24. A. understand       B. understanding        C. to understand         D. understood

25. A. reasons             B. causes                     C. effects                    D. results

Read the following passage and choose the best answer for each blank.

SPRING FESTIVALS

From (26) _______ times people have celebrated the end of winter and the new life that spring brings. One of the most important Christian festivals is Easter, (27) _______ Christians remember the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ Easter, however, is not the (28) _______ spring festival. In Sweden, people celebrate the end of the winter by making (29) _______ bonfires. Fire also plays an important part in the Hindu festival of Holi. In some villages children are (30) _______ round bonfires by their mothers to protect them(31) _______ danger in the coming year. Buddhists in Thailand soak (32) _______ in water when celebrating their New Year, which (33) _______ in the middle of April. In Antigua in Guatemala they carpet the streets with flowers. Chinese spring parades are (34) _______ colourful, but (35) _______ flowers they have large dragon puppets which dance in the streets.

Question 32:

A. through

B. one other

C. each other

D. mutually

Read the following passage and choose the best answer for each blank.

SPRING FESTIVALS

From (26) _______ times people have celebrated the end of winter and the new life that spring brings. One of the most important Christian festivals is Easter, (27) _______ Christians remember the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ Easter, however, is not the (28) _______ spring festival. In Sweden, people celebrate the end of the winter by making (29) _______ bonfires. Fire also plays an important part in the Hindu festival of Holi. In some villages children are (30) _______ round bonfires by their mothers to protect them(31) _______ danger in the coming year. Buddhists in Thailand soak (32) _______ in water when celebrating their New Year, which (33) _______ in the middle of April. In Antigua in Guatemala they carpet the streets with flowers. Chinese spring parades are (34) _______ colourful, but (35) _______ flowers they have large dragon puppets which dance in the streets.

Question 26:

A. earliest 

B. latest

C. previous

D. old

Read the following passage and choose the best answer for each blank.

SPRING FESTIVALS

From (26) _______ times people have celebrated the end of winter and the new life that spring brings. One of the most important Christian festivals is Easter, (27) _______ Christians remember the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ Easter, however, is not the (28) _______ spring festival. In Sweden, people celebrate the end of the winter by making (29) _______ bonfires. Fire also plays an important part in the Hindu festival of Holi. In some villages children are (30) _______ round bonfires by their mothers to protect them(31) _______ danger in the coming year. Buddhists in Thailand soak (32) _______ in water when celebrating their New Year, which (33) _______ in the middle of April. In Antigua in Guatemala they carpet the streets with flowers. Chinese spring parades are (34) _______ colourful, but (35) _______ flowers they have large dragon puppets which dance in the streets.

Question 34:

A. the same

B. as

C. not less

D. equally

Read the following passage and choose the best answer for each blank.

SPRING FESTIVALS

From (26) _______ times people have celebrated the end of winter and the new life that spring brings. One of the most important Christian festivals is Easter, (27) _______ Christians remember the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ Easter, however, is not the (28) _______ spring festival. In Sweden, people celebrate the end of the winter by making (29) _______ bonfires. Fire also plays an important part in the Hindu festival of Holi. In some villages children are (30) _______ round bonfires by their mothers to protect them(31) _______ danger in the coming year. Buddhists in Thailand soak (32) _______ in water when celebrating their New Year, which (33) _______ in the middle of April. In Antigua in Guatemala they carpet the streets with flowers. Chinese spring parades are (34) _______ colourful, but (35) _______ flowers they have large dragon puppets which dance in the streets.

Question 35:

A. instead of

B. on behalf of

C. in spite of

D. in place of