Most (0) foreigners who visit Britain are surprised to find that its inhabitants are more informal than they had imagined. It is (1) ………….common to use first names in most situations even without any personal (2) ………….. Handshaking is (3) ………….except for first meetings, or when people see each other again after a long (4) ………….. Also, surprising is the British attitude towards (5) ………….. Business meetings frequently start ten minutes late and, on social occasions, it is (6) ………….to arrive on time. If you receive a dinner (7) …………., you should arrive ten to twenty minutes after the stated time. In conversation, politeness is valued, so British people avoid strong (8) ………….of opinions. This sometimes gives the impression that they are (9) …………. but is in fact just their way of avoiding (10) ………….or confrontation. 0. foreign 1. increase 2. introduce 3. appropriate 4. absent 5. punctual 6. polite 7. invite 8. state 9. decide 10. argue

The (0) detection of an earthquake measuring five on the Richter scale caused panic but no (1) …………., although there was some (2) ………….damage to many older buildings. A (3) ………….issued by the Ministry of the Environment said that food (4) ………….centres have been established. Charitable (5) ………….are helping to provide shelter for the (6) ………….families affected by the earthquake. Further (7) ………….is being provided by aid organisations but (8) ………….financial (9) ………….are needed. Those wishing to make even the smallest (10) ………….should call 0171 4503456. 0. detect 1. injure 2. structure 3. state 4. distribute 5. organise 6. fortune 7. assist 8. add 9. donate 10. contribute

When I got home I knew (0) immediately that someone had broken into the flat in my (1) ………….. The signs that the locks had been forced were (2) ………….. Because I was (3) ………….that the burglars might still be there I rang the police first. Burglars can be (4) ………….when surprised and it would have been very (5) ………….to put myself into a potentially (6) ………….situation instead of making a phonecall. Two policemen arrived soon after. Their (7) …………. really impressed me. (8) ………….not a lot had been taken, but the flat was in a (9) ………….mess, with things all over the floor. The police were very (10) ………….and even helped me put things away. 0. immediate 1. absent 2. mistake 3. worry 4. violence 5. response 6. danger 7. efficient 8. fortune 9. terror 10. understand

With the (0) development of fast motorway systems in many countries, once remote parts of the countryside are (1) …………. becoming (2) ………….to people who live in towns and cities. In many parts of the world, rising (3) ………….incomes have resulted in mass (4) ………….of motor cars at a time when people have more leisure time to fill. This means that there is a lot of (5) ………….on the countryside to accept a growing number of visitors. In Britain, for example, the (6) ………….parks are used by more than one hundred million people annually. In (7) …………., similar numbers visit areas that do not enjoy the same level of (8) ………….. Some people regard this invasion of the countryside as (9) ………….and they have begun campaigning to try and save some aspects of (10) ………….rural culture. 0. develop 1. increase 2. access 3. person 4. owner 5. press 6. nation 7. add 8. protect 9. desire 10. tradition

In most parts of the world, the (0) economic basis of the television industry is the (1) ………….of advertising time. This is so important and (2) ………….that it funds all the technical and staff costs involved in the (3) ………….of programmes for a variety of audiences. This is no (4) ………….from that employed by newspapers and magazines when they sell advertising space on their pages, except that (5)………….have little choice but to watch the advertisements, with the added annoyance of (6) ………….during their favourite programmes. One (7) ………….is toe BBC which is state-funded and so does not show (8) ………….. This avoids the situation where children watching TV are (9) ………….influenced by persuasive advertising for junk food items which their parents may consider (10) …………. 0. economy 1. sell 2. profit 3. produce 4. differ 5. view 6. interrupt 7. except 8. commerce 9. easy 10. health

Castles were built to demonstrate the power of their (0) wealthy owners. By the end of the twelfth century, (1) ………….individuals felt the pressure to prove their own value by constructing these (2) ………….structures. It is (3) ………….that kings could afford such expensive projects because, in fact, most kings had rather limited (4) ………….means, more so than their subjects believed. The (5) ………….of a stone castle was an enormously expensive project and the expenses were increased (6) ………….when the (7) ………….materials had to be transported long distances. Skilled workers were essential and (8) ………….were often Brought in from all parts of the (9) ………….to work on a castle. The weekly wages for these workers usually enabled them to live very (10)…….. 0. wealth 1. power 2. impress 3. credible 4. economy 5. construct 6. consider 7. build 8. special 9. king 10. comfort

For the British, bargain hunting is something of an (0) addiction. At least that’s the (1) ………….of a survey into the nation's shopping habits. The increasing (2) ………….of alternative retail outlets, such as second-hand shops and car boot sales is (3) ………….of this and the main (4) ………….for shoppers is the chance to pick up a bargain. The (5) ………….start of the car boot season is the Spring Bank Holiday weekend when an (6) ………….ten thousand sales are held up and down the Country. There are, however, certain (7) ………….to this type of shopping. The chances of buying faulty or (8) ………….goods is much greater than in a conventional shop, for example. What’s more, (9) …………. may not have the full (10) ………….of the law when they are buying secondhand goods, and so may have no one to turn to if they are cheated. 0. addict 1. conclude 2. popular 3. evident 4. attract 5. tradition 6. estimate 7. advantage 8. steal 9. consume 10. protect

For the British, bargain hunting is something of an (0) addiction. At least that’s the (1) ………….of a survey into the nation's shopping habits. The increasing (2) ………….of alternative retail outlets, such as second-hand shops and car boot sales is (3) ………….of this and the main (4) ………….for shoppers is the chance to pick up a bargain. The (5) ………….start of the car boot season is the Spring Bank Holiday weekend when an (6) ………….ten thousand sales are held up and down the Country. There are, however, certain (7) ………….to this type of shopping. The chances of buying faulty or (8) ………….goods is much greater than in a conventional shop, for example. What’s more, (9) …………. may not have the full (10) ………….of the law when they are buying secondhand goods, and so may have no one to turn to if they are cheated. 0. addict 1. conclude 2. popular 3. evident 4. attract 5. tradition 6. estimate 7. advantage 8. steal 9. consume 10. protect

Kids love karting. Contrary to popular (0) belief, karting is no more (1) ………….than riding a bicycle. If anything, it’s a bit safer because karts have four wheels. If there are going to be any (2) …………., they are most (3) ………….to be in the form of aching hands and wrists. All karting centres provide the necessary (4) …………., helmets and gloves and it is a good idea for (5) ………….to wear long trousers and trainers. Unlike seaside and amusement park karting centres, where (6) ………….is used to decide who can participate, (7) ………….karting centres set a lower age limit and require an adult’s (8) ………….before allowing a child in. Because it is regarded as (9) …………., no more than five karts operate at any one time, so a long wait is often (10) ………….. 0. believe 1. danger 2. injure 3. like 4. over 5. teen 6. high 7. profession 8. sign 9. safe 10. avoid