Advanced Practice Tests - Nguyen Thi Hoang Lan – MA- 0974446292

PRACTICE TEST 92
In this part, you will hear a monologue. You then have to complete 9 sentences with information heard
on the recording. You can listen to the audio twice.
1. Biomimicry imitates nature’s structures, processes and _____________________ to create new ideas.
2. Velcro was developed after its inventor observed the sticking qualities of one particular
plant’s _____________________ .
3. Wood has the beneficial feature of being able to _____________________
4. The synthetic ‘wood’ created for the post office will not _____________________ according to
surrounding environmental conditions.
5. The Namibian Fog Basking beetle uses its ability to _____________________ in order to live in harsh
conditions.
6. A _____________________ on the beetle’s shell repels water and aids the formation of large
droplets.
7. The Sahara Forest project utilised this concept in the design of a _____________________ .
8. The ‘Able Project’ uses _____________________ from the composting process as an input to the fish
farm.
9. The extinction of one species of _____________________ has prevented scientists from finding a
cure for excess stomach acid.

Part 1. You are going to hear a talk. As you listen, fill in the missing information. For questions 1-
15, write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS in the spaces provided. Write your answers in the
corresponding numbered boxes provided.
HISTORY THROUGH THE EYES OF THE POTATO
At some point in your life, you've probably eaten a potato. Delicious, for sure, but the fact is potatoes
have played a much more significant role in our history than just that of (1)___________________we
have come to know and love today. Without the potato, our modern civilization might not exist at all.
(2)___________________ago in South America, high atop the Andes, ancient Peruvians were the first to
(3)___________________. Containing high levels of proteins and carbohydrates, as well as essential fats,
vitamins and minerals, potatoes were the perfect food source to fuel a large Incan working class as they
built and farmed their (4)___________________, mined the Rocky Mountains, and created the
sophisticated civilization of the great Incan Empire. But considering how vital they were to the Incan
people, when (5)______returning from the Andes first brought potatoes to Europe, the spuds were duds.
Europeans simply didn't want to eat what they considered dull and (6)___________________from a
strange new land, too closely related to the deadly nightshade plant belladonna for comfort. So instead of
consuming them, they used potatoes as (7)___________________. More than 200 years would pass
before the potato caught on as a major food source throughout Europe, though even then, it was
(8)___________________eaten by the lower classes. However, beginning around 1750, and thanks at
least in part to the wide availability of inexpensive and nutritious potatoes, (9)___________________with
greater food security no longer found themselves at the mercy of the regularly occurring grain famines of
1
 Advanced Practice Tests - Nguyen Thi Hoang Lan – MA- 0974446292
the time, and so their populations steadily grew. As a result, the British, Dutch and German Empires rose
on the backs of the growing groups of farmers, laborers, and soldiers, thus lifting the West to its place of
(10)___________________. However, not all European countries sprouted empires. After the Irish
adopted the potato, their population dramatically increased, as did their dependence on the tuber as a
major food staple. But then disaster struck. From (11)___________________, potato blight disease
ravaged the majority of Ireland's potato crop, leading to the Irish Potato Famine, one of
(12)___________________ in world history. Over a million Irish citizens (13)___________________, and
2 million more left their homes behind. But of course, this wasn't the end for the potato. The crop
eventually recovered, and Europe's population, especially the working classes, continued to increase.
Aided by the influx of (14)___________________, Europe now had a large, sustainable, and well-fed
population who were capable of manning the emerging factories that would bring about our modern world
via the Industrial Revolution. So it's almost impossible to imagine a world without the potato. Would the
Industrial Revolution ever have happened? Would World War II have been lost by the Allies without this
easy-to-grow crop that fed the Allied troops? Would it even have started? When you think about it like this,
many (15)___________________in world history can all be at least partially attributed to the simple spud
from the Peruvian hilltops.
USE OF ENGLISH (20 pts)
Choose the word or phrase (A, B, C, or D) that best completes the sentence.
1. I have never read _____________ before.
A. such good article B. so good article C. so good an article D. such good an
article
2. Almost everyone voiced their approval of his proposal that a special scheme _____________ to tackle
unemployment.
A. is adopted B. be adopted C. will be adopt D. has to adopt
3. My uncle was a great believer in regular exercise. He always _____________.
A. said us to work out regularly B. told us work out regularly
C. said to work out regularly D. told to work out regularly
4. _____________ each group would work on a different part of the project.
A. It was agreed that B. To be agreeing that
C. Agreeing that D. Having been agreed that
5. He stormed out of the hall, _____________ down several chairs as he went.
A. knocked B. knocks C. knocking D. to knock
6. They tried to _____________ on their children the importance of a good education.
A. highlight B. instil C. impress D. underline
7. Ever since her first home-baked cake, baking has _____________ her.
A. grown on B. taken to C. got into D. likened to
8. She looked at the two versions of the same book; then she decided on _____________.
A. the more expensive one out of the two B. the one that is more expensive than the two
C. the more expensive of the two D. the less expensive than the two
9. Not until the last week of the course _____________ the format of the final test.
A. did the teacher mention B. that the teacher mentioned
C. the teacher mentioned D. when did the teacher mention
10. The heated debate continued for nearly an hour, _____________ the chairperson intervened to
suggest a compromise.
A. in which case B. by which point C. during which time D. at which point
11. After his repeated violations of school policy, the administration decided to _____________ the
student from the institution.
A. expel B. excel C. reject D. push
12. With their business thriving in its current location, the owners chose to renew the _____________ for

2
 Advanced Practice Tests - Nguyen Thi Hoang Lan – MA- 0974446292
another five years.
A. rate B. passport C. lease D. endorsement
13. On the _____________, the merger appeared to benefit both companies, but deeper analysis
revealed underlying challenges.
A. edge B. surface C. sidelines D. limit
14. The company has _____________ its headquarters to a more economically advantageous region to
cut costs and attract talent.
A. withdrew B. commuted C. persevered D. relocated
15. With the final seconds ticking down and the score tied, the championship title was on the
_____________ as John took the shot.
A. edge B. line C. ceiling D. sack
16. Without a strong _____________ to succeed, many talented individuals find themselves struggling to
achieve their full potential.
A. drive B. sense C. character D. state
17. Our innovative scheme has proved cost-effective, and the management board are eager to
_____________ in on the act.
A. get B. go C. hand D. foot
18. The environmental report struck a warning _____________ about the rapid deforestation in the area,
urging immediate action to prevent irreversible damage to the ecosystem.
A. sound B. tone C. note D. beat
19. The local government decided to strictly_____________ the new traffic laws to reduce the city’s
alarming number of accidents.
A. compel B. enforce C. exert D. insist
20. Many young readers _____________ with the protagonist in the novel, seeing their own struggles and
aspirations reflected in his journey towards self-discovery.
A. relate B. reflect C. identify D. match

WORD FORMS (40 pts)

A. Use the correct form of the word given to fill in each blank. (20 pts)
1. The new banking software streamlined the processing of financial _____________ so as to make them
faster and more secure. (ACT)
2. The product was _____________ launched since we hadn’t completed the quality assurance tests.
(MATURITY)
3. The new security system is designed to be _____________, ensuring that unauthorised access is
virtually impossible. (FOOL)
4. The film was a(n) _____________ success that earned millions at the box office and received critical
acclaim. (RUN)
5. To encourage recycling, the city installed _____________ for paper, plastic, and glass in all public
areas. (RECEIVE)
6. Customs officials seized a shipment of _____________ goods hidden among the cargo, highlighting the
ongoing battle against illegal trade. (BAN)
7. The decision to invest heavily in outdated technology was _____________ and led to significant
financial loss. (GUIDE)
8. The _____________ of the old mansion is quite expensive as it requires constant repairs and
renovations. (KEEP)
9. Archaeologists hope to _____________ significant artifacts from the ancient site that could shed light
on early human civilisations. (EARTH)
10. The proposal to reduce working hours without adjusting pay was a(n) _____________ for the
negotiation team. (START)

B. Put the words given in the correct blanks. You have to use their correct forms to make a
meaningful passage. There are two words that you cannot use. (20 pts)
desert expansion cultivate add erode intrusion
economy frequency compulsion exclude danger precede

While some poachers are driven by sheer cruelty and greed, it’s generally understood that most engage
in poaching out of (11) _____________ need. Similarly, in overpopulated countries, communities (12)

3
 Advanced Practice Tests - Nguyen Thi Hoang Lan – MA- 0974446292
_____________ into wilderness areas in search of living space and increasingly (13) _____________ on
the habitats of wild animals. This leads to more (14) _____________ encounters and conflicts with
natural predators, contributing to the decline in wildlife populations. Survival often takes (15)
_____________ over environmental concerns. Instinct and a sense of duty to protect their families drive
farmers and community leaders to hunt (16) _____________ animals that threaten their villages at night.
(17) _____________, many of these communities depend on agriculture and livestock for their income.
When predators threaten their animals, they feel (18) _____________ to eliminate the danger. The need
for grazing land for livestock and land for crop (19) _____________ also pushes communities to expand
agricultural areas, which means deforestation and soil degradation. This loss of trees and nutrients
exacerbates (20) _____________ where fertile land turns into desert. Altogether such destruction of
ecosystems severely endangers the survival of many wild species.

Part 2. Read the passage below, which contains 8 mistakes. Identify the mistakes and write the
corrections in the corresponding numbered boxes.

Line

1 Coffee, one of the world's most wide consumed beverages, was not always so ubiquitous
2 or popular. At times a carefully guarded secret, at other a banned drink, nature's pick-me up has
3 spread from its place of origin in Ethiopia to every corner of the world.
4 According to legend, coffee was discovered in the 9th century by an attentive Ethiopian
5 goatherd who noticed a frenzy overcoming his herd after they ate the ripe berry. From Ethiopia
6 coffee moved to Yemen, where it was cultivated for centuries before it arrived in Turkey in the
7 15th century. In Turkey the seeds roasted and then mashed and mixed with water, creating a
8 beverage similar to modern coffee. Introduced to Europe in the 17th century thanks to Italian
9 traders, coffee had sailed to India and Indonesia with Dutch merchants by the beginning of the
10 18th century. Coffee took its way to Brazil in 1727, hidden in a bouquet of flowers, and quickly
11 spread throughout the rest of Latin America, and by 1823 had spread to Hawaii. In 1893 coffee
12 returned home to Africa where it settled as a lucrative cash crop in Kenya and Tanzania. After
13 almost a millennia of traveling, coffee had circumnavigated the globe.
14 Today, Brazil is the largest producer of this important commodity, harvests more than 1
15 billion kilograms annually. Vietnam, which did not start growing coffee until 1914, is among the
16 largest producers. Two types of coffee are produced worldwide, Arabica and Robusta. Arabica,
17 which takes its name from its origins in the Arabian Peninsula, accounts for three-quarters of
18 world production and was once grown most exclusively in South America. Robusta, which has a
19 higher caffeine content, accounts for one quarter of world production and is found mainly in Africa,
20 Asia and Indonesia, where its hardiness can withstand an overall range of climates rather than
21 Arabica.
22

GUIDED CLOZE TEST (30 pts)

Read the passage and choose the best option (A, B, C or D) for each blank space.
The Amondawa, (1) _____________ live in a remote, forested area of the Brazilian state of Rondonia,
were first (2) _____________ by the outside world in 1986. Traditionally they have lived by small-scale
farming, hunting and fishing. Like many other Amazonian languages, (3) _____________ has a very
4
 Advanced Practice Tests - Nguyen Thi Hoang Lan – MA- 0974446292
restricted number vocabulary, with only four numbers, so the (4) _____________ of clock time and a
numerically based calendar is hardly surprising. For the Amondawa, time during the day is marked by
the sun’s (5) _____________ in the sky, and by activities such as rising, eating and working that
habitually take place at different times. With no words for month and year, longer intervals are named as
subdivisions of the dry and rainy seasons. The language has no abstract (6) _____________ for time,
and when asked to (7) _____________ the Portuguese word tempo, speakers use the word kuara, or
sun. (8) _____________ do the Amondawa celebrate birthdays. People pass through named life (9)
_____________, taking on a new personal name based on gender and clan with each transition. When
a new baby is born, for example, it will take the name of its older (10) _____________ and that child
will adopt a different name. Having no calendar or other number-based time- measurement system, the
Amondawa have no (11) _____________ concept of “abstract” time. Their time intervals are structured
around the rhythms of the natural and social world, rather than being segments of a calibrated timeline
independent of and superimposed upon these worlds. Amondawa time, to (12) _____________ it
another way, is identical to the events and routines of everyday life, rather than being, as it is for us, a
“technology of the mind” used for organising those events and routines. Amondawa time (13)
_____________ us as odd and remarkable. But taking a longer (14) _____________ of human culture,
traditional societies like the Amondawa can manage without the cognitive technologies of calendar and
clock. It seems that our experience of time (15) _____________ as much to cultural invention as to the
workings of the brain.
1. A. who B. that C. which D. they
2. A. communicated B. contacted C. interfered D. interacted
3. A. it B. theirs C. which D. that
4. A. lack B. rarity C. shortage D. non-
appearance
5. A. site B. location C. position D. place
6. A. technically B. expression C. term D.
reference
7. A. interpret B. paraphrase C. reword D. translate
8. A. So B. Either C. Never D. Neither
9. A. stages B. phrases C. periods D. steps
10. A. cousin B. relative C. sibling D. relation
11. A. relevant B. respective C. corresponding D. correlative
12. A. put B. express C. name D. make
13. A. balances B. impresses C. regards D. strikes
14. A. sight B. view C. look D. study
15. A. traces B. belongs C. comes D. owes

OPEN CLOZE TESTS. (60 pts)

Fill in each of the blanks in the following passages with ONE suitable word.
PASSAGE A (30 pts)
The absence of trees and plants in the extraterrestrial environments is one of the stark (1)
_____________ between Earth and other (2) _____________ bodies. However, scientists around the
world are developing methods to cultivate in space and on (3) _____________ planets, which could
revolutionize long-duration space exploration and habitation on the moon or Mars.
Growing plants in space isn’t just about aesthetics; it (4) _____________ practical purposes: food
source, psychological benefits, oxygen production and soil enrichment. (5) _____________, cultivating
plants in the harsh environments of space is hindered by extreme temperatures, harmful radiation, and
the absence of gravity. The unique conditions of space mean plants cannot (6) _____________ grown
outside protective habitats. The International Space Station (ISS) researchers are perfecting
technologies, like special lighting and root-wrapping sponges, to (7) _____________ the challenges
posed by microgravity: disoriented root growth and complicated watering.
The (8) _____________ on the moon and Mars is toxic and nutrient-poor, yet advances are being (9)
_____________. A team of astronauts have successfully cultivated chickpeas using lunar soil amended
with worms and fungi to balance nutrients and (10) _____________ toxins, with promising results (11)
_____________ hint at the potential for off-world agriculture.
These efforts are not merely scientific pursuits; they are crucial steps toward a future (12)
_____________ humans can sustain themselves on other planets. With the combined challenges of

5
 Advanced Practice Tests - Nguyen Thi Hoang Lan – MA- 0974446292
extraterrestrial soil composition, absence of gravity, and extreme space conditions, the research (13)
_____________ the way for future astronauts to possibly enjoy (14) _____________ produce,
contributing to both their physical and psychological well-being. As these methods improve, the hope is
that astronauts will be able to (15) _____________ less on carried supplies and more on renewable,
self-produced food sources, making the dream of living beyond Earth more tangible.

PASSAGE B (30 pts)

What’s the similarity between a story about children finding a house built of sweets and one about
someone waking up in a bath of ice having (16) _____________ a kidney removed in their sleep?
Academics argue that they are both (17) _____________ of folklores, simply separated by time.
Throughout (18) _____________, folklore has served complex social functions, and with the circulation
of urban myths today, it remains meaningful, even if the stories (19) _____________ have changed
dramatically. In academic terms, folklore means stories that are repeated by different individuals and that
(20) _____________ variations over time, often becoming exaggerated and sensationalised.
Most scholars attempt to decode the meanings of stories in one of (21) _____________ main ways:
firstly, there are those who focus (22) _____________ the structure and literary merits of stories; (23)
_____________, there’s the more cultural approach, which explores historical, social and economic
contexts; and finally, there’s the more (24) _____________ approach, which concentrates on the
reasons (25) _____________ people create and spread stories.
Many urban myths deal (26) _____________ topics such as crime, accidents and death and seem to
emerge from deep-rooted fears people have about the world and from the need to (27) _____________
lessons about these anxieties.
While urban legends aren’t necessarily true, the popular ones nevertheless have a ring of (28)
_____________ about them. Listeners then spread them for a whole range of different (29)
_____________: out of boredom, to voice personal worries, to get attention, to harm or simply to make
(30) _____________ talk.

READING COMPREHENSION (20 pts)

Choose the item (A, B, C or D) that best answers each question or completes the sentences about
the passage.
White created by light – on a TV screen, for example, or through a prism – does not have its own
specific wavelength. Rather, it is the sum of all the colours. Think of a rainbow: you can’t see the colours
of sunlight except when raindrops refract the light rays and reveal the whole spectrum. Because of this,
scientists do not generally count white as a colour.
However, in your day-to-day life, you can go to any DIY shop and see endless shades of white huddling
together in the paint section. So when it comes to pigment, rather than light, white is most definitely a
colour.
In prehistoric times, our ancestors used white chalk to create their art. Readily available, chalk is a kind of
limestone made of the mineral calcite, which can be crushed easily to create not just cave paintings, but
giant artworks, such as Uffington’s white horse or the Cerne Abbas giant.
In written records, the earliest mention of a white pigment that is not plain chalk comes from the Italian
artist Cennino Cennini in the 13th century. He used the term “Bianco di San Giovanni” to describe a
white lime pigment made of calcium carbonate and calcium hydroxide. Artists dried out lime, then
reduced it to a white powder that was immersed in water for eight days, with the water changed each
day. It was then made into small cakes that were left to dry in the sun.
The other way to make white was to use lead. The process was described by Pliny the Elder: pieces of
lead were put into clay pots that had a separate compartment filled with vinegar. These were piled on
shelves next to cow dung. Over a month or so, the fumes coming from the vinegar and the cow dung
caused the lead to corrode into lead carbonate, a beautiful white compound that was, unfortunately,
pretty toxic. Lead white was actually the only white used in European paintings until the 19th century,
when its manufacture was finally restricted. Now, in the EU, lead paint can now only be used for the
restoration of works of art and historical buildings.
For much of human history, white has been a symbol of purity. It was worn by priestesses in ancient
Egypt and Rome, while ancient temples were faced with white marble. The Pope has worn white since
1566, as a symbol of purity and sacrifice, and it is worn by pilgrims in Islam and the Shinto religion of
Japan.
We all think of white as having a place at weddings – the white dress worn by brides symbolises virginal

6
 Advanced Practice Tests - Nguyen Thi Hoang Lan – MA- 0974446292
innocence and new beginnings. Interestingly, white used to be reserved solely for royal weddings – non-
royals just wore their Sunday best – up until the 19th century, when Queen Victoria’s lace wedding dress
inspired a fashion for white.
White is also the colour most associated with cleanliness. Laundry powders promise to get your clothes
“whiter than white” – because white means clean. Refrigerators and dishes, toilets and sinks, bed linen
and towels are all traditionally white. White was the traditional colour of the coats worn by doctors,
nurses, scientists and laboratory technicians, and it’s often worn by chefs, bakers and butchers.
White is best for a fresh start. It’s a blank canvas, it’s a new page. Start with white and you’ll be all right
(unless you’re applying makeup, that is).
1. Why does the writer say that white is not scientifically a colour?
A. White is only created by TV screens. B. White has many shades.
C. White consists of all the colours. D. White is on a special wavelength.
2. According to the passage, sunlight _____________.
A. has no colour at all
B. has different wavelengths at different times of the day
C. reveals the whole spectrum of rainbow
D. is similar to white produced by light through a prism
3. What material does the writer say was used before recorded history?
A. Early humans used lime to create art. B. Chalk was used to create artwork.
C. People first used lead for cave paintings. D. Animal dung was essential to prehistoric art.
4. What does the writer imply is true about the first documented process of making white pigment?
A. White lime pigment was a combination of calcium and lime.
B. It was a totally immersive process.
C. It was poisonous and dangerous to manufacturers.
D. It was not a quick process to make a white pigment.
5. What does the writer refer to with the word “these” in paragraph 5?
A. artists B. clay pots
C. pieces of lead D. separate compartments
6. What does the writer say is true about modern uses of lead paint?
A. Its use is strictly controlled. B. It is used in the manufacture of paintings.
C. It is solely used in building renovations. D. It is widely used across Europe.
7. How does the writer summarize the cultural meaning of white?
A. He describes it as sacrificial colour used primarily in religious rites.
B. He states it should be used for royal weddings.
C. He illustrates that white represents the absence of evil, guilt, and contamination.
D. He says many professionals wear white to inspire confidence.
8. How many ways of making white pigments used for paintings are mentioned in the passage?
A. 2 B. 3 C. 4 D. 5
9. Lead white _____________.
A. is quite user- friendly
B. was used together with plain chalk in EU in the 1800s
C. is no longer in use now
D. was produced in more than a month
10. Which of the following is NOT associated with white?
A. cleanliness B. sacrifice C. new beginnings D. royalty

SENTENCE TRANSFORMATION (30 points)

Rewrite each sentence in such a way that it means almost the same as the one printed before it. Use
the word in brackets without making any change to it. Write NO MORE THAN TEN WORDS.
1. Keeping on acting against the boss’s will, Jane stands no chance of promotion. (UNLIKELY)

→ Unless Jane dances .............................................................................................................. promoted.

2. Why didn’t you complete the main part of the project by yourself? (BACK)

→ I’d sooner........................................................................................................................................ own.

7
 Advanced Practice Tests - Nguyen Thi Hoang Lan – MA- 0974446292
3. Contrary to rumours, he achieved very high marks in exams regardless of numerous difficulties. (FLYING)

→ Despite ......................................................................................................................... against all odds.

4. I’m in paid employment now because I took his advice and applied for jobs. (OTHERWISE)

→ On his ................................................................................................................................the dole now.

5. When you are not sure what to do, talk to your mentor. (WORD)

→ When in .................................................................................................................................................

6. He plans to get more qualifications so that he won’t have difficulty finding a job. (LEST)

→ He is ...................................................................................................................... pressed to find a job.

7. His song is catchy, but we find it a let-down. (COME)

→ Catchy .......................................................................................................................... our expectations.

8. Our library has to borrow his book collection for our book exhibition. (LOANED)

→ It is imperative ................................................................................................... for our book exhibition.

9. My failure to keep pace with the team’s schedule put me in trouble. (BEHIND)

→ Having .......................................................................................................................................... a hole.

10. Foolishly, they worked till very late at night simply because they were against their mom’s home rules.

(OIL)

→ They ought ..................................................................................... defiance of their mom’s home rules.

THE END