III. Choose the word or phrase which best completes each sentence.

1. He thought that if he admitted he was afraid of swimming he would lose.............

with his friends.

A weight В nerve С face D regard

2. When the truth about the blackmail attempt finally.............. we were all astonished

to hear who the culprit was.

A evolved В emerged С arose D issued

3. The problem of finding a baby-sitter............. itself when my mother came to live

with us.

A arranged В composed С sorted D resolved

4. I took a course in shorthand and typing with a(n)............. to applying for a

secretarial job.

A intention В project С view D purpose

5. He's............. a bit with his history classes so I've arranged for him to have private

tuition.

A straining В struggling С fighting D dragging

6. You have managed to bungle every task I've given you so far. ............. I am

prepared to give you one last chance.

A Notwithstanding В Regardless С Furthermore D Nevertheless

7. He spoke a few............. words in French and was applauded loudly.

A stumbling В limping С fumbling D hobbling

8. He was a most effective speaker and his audience seemed to............. on his every

word.

A catch В hold С hang D cling

9. Numbers in the Latin evening class have............. rather badly. We may have to

close it.

A dwindled В deteriorated С reduced D lessened

10. I don't take............. to being disobeyed. That's a warning!

A well B kindly С gently D nicely

11. Police blamed a small hooligan............. in the crowd for the violence which

occurred.

A portion В constituent С element D division

12. He kept............. him on the shoulder with his finger whenever he wanted to make

a point.

A prodding В slapping С pelting D pinching

13. The most important............. that he was responsible for was the use of video in

teaching.

A novelty В innovation С reformation D introduction

14. I tried to explain why I had been delayed but he ............. my excuse as pathetic.

A ignored В disregarded С dismissed D refused

15. She's fallen rather............. with her schoolwork since she's been swimming

competitively.

A below В back С down D behind

16. I can't imagine why he's been missing classes and getting poor marks. He's normally so.............

A conscientious В attentive С laborious D observant

17. We caught a momentary............. of Prince Charles as his car drove past.

A glance В glimpse С peep D view

18. I've been trying to contact you for days but you seem to be very.............

A inaccessible В exclusive С evasive D elusive

19. You've done more of the work than I have recently so I'll give up my day off in order to ............. the balance.

A redress В compensate С offset D repair

20. The introduction of diesel engines sadly made the old steam trains...........

A archaic В extinct С derelict D obsolete

21. When I............. promised to put you up, I didn't expect you to stay for a month!

A wildly В rashly С recklessly D riskily

22. I'd give up my job............. if only I could find a better one.

A on the spur of the moment В at the drop of a hat

С on the dot D at one swoop

23. She had............. another rejection letter today. That makes thirty so far!

A still В but С again D yet

24. Our plans to start our own business seem............. to failure!

A doomed В fated С compelled D designed

25. My decision to leave university after a year is one I now............. regret.

A painfully В harshly С heavily D keenly