Travelling abroad is getting easier and easier for young people nowadays. If you take the time to talk to travel (i) _____.and shop around, some really good deals can be found. Eurorail and interrail are two travel cards which allow people aged 20 or under, unlimited travel in Europe, mainly by train. It’s quite a good idea to plan your (ii) _____ before you set off. Most young travelers stay on campsites or in youth hostels, as they are quite cheap. Unbelievable bargains can be found by last-minute bookings for charter flights. Remember to (iii) _____.with your luggage two hours before take-off forinternational flights. But don’t take too much with you or you won’t be able to carry it to the bus or taxi that will take you to your hotel. It is advisable to carry traveler’s cheques rather than cash, and keep them in a money belt around your waist. Look after your passport and tickets carefully. If disaster (iv) ______ .and all your valuables are stolen, contact your nearest (v) _____   .There they’ll help you with all the paperwork and make sure you get home safely.

(iii)_____

Some years ago, when I was working as an astronomer at the Greenwich Observatory in London I received a letter from an elderly lady living nearby who said: “When I was a girl we could sec so I many stars, but they’re not there anymore. Have they faded?” Walking down the hill on which the observatory stands, I (i) _____ the truth of what she said. Beneath me were all the lights of London and above me was the orange glow they send up into the night sky. But I could (ii)  _____ see any stars. If light pollution – as this effect is known – continues to increase at its present rate, our grandchildren will only get the chance to see the stars if they visit an observatory like the one in Greenwich. Light pollution is almost (iii) _____ for granted in most cities, and it is fast spreading into rural areas too. (iv) _____ recent research, almost half of all Europeans and two-thirds of North Americans can no longer see the milky Way. And this type of pollution doesn’t only destroy our view of the night sky. It also wastes money and causes environmental pollution. For example, a single light bulb, (v) _____ all year, releases around a quarter of a tone of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, making global warming even worse.

(ii)_______

_______ I first met my girlfriend.

Years ago there were many social rules and etiquette procedures involving introductions. Some formal introductions between two people were (i) _______ by letter by third party. A person had to be very careful to weigh the importance of social class or status, age, and gender when deciding (ii) _______  person should be presented or introduced to the other person first. However, times have changed, and most of the social rules about introducing older people to younger ones, women to men, and those in higher positions to those in lower positions have changed, too. Many people now feel much more (iii) _______ about making introductions. In most situations, handshaking is (iv) _______ , but these days it is more often done than not-especially in formal social or business settings. It’s very common for one person (or both) to extend a hand when meeting someone. If you are in this situation, and you are offered a hand to shake, you should grasp it firmly and shake it briefly. People often tend to make some (v) _______ about someone according to their handshakes, so make sure yours is not too weak or limp, not too hard, and not too long-lasting. It should be firm and brief.

(iv)_______

In Britain, the average young person now spends more money on games each year than on going to the cinema or renting videos. But is this (i) _______ a bad thing? For years, newspaper reports have been saying that children who spend too much lime playing computer games become unsociable, bad- tempered, even violent as a result. But new researeh, (ii) _______ out in both Europe and the USA, suggests that the opposite may be true. Indeed, playing some of the more complicated games may help people of all ages to improve certain skills. Researehers claim that this is because the games make the brain work harder in certain ways, like (iii) _______ sounds and movements quickly and identifying what they are. The fact that people play the games repeatedly means that they get a lot of practice in these skills which are therefore likely to become highly developed. Social skills may benefit, too. Researehers in Chicago think that fans of first- person shooter games (iv) _______ . “Counterstrike” are better than non­ players when it comes to building trust and co-operation, and that this helps them to make good friendships and become strong members of their communities. So rather than (v) _______ up computer games, perhaps young people need to spend more lime on them?

(iv)______

Some years ago, when I was working as an astronomer at the Greenwich Observatory in London I received a letter from an elderly lady living nearby who said: “When I was a girl we could sec so I many stars, but they’re not there anymore. Have they faded?” Walking down the hill on which the observatory stands, I (i) _____ the truth of what she said. Beneath me were all the lights of London and above me was the orange glow they send up into the night sky. But I could (ii)  _____ see any stars. If light pollution – as this effect is known – continues to increase at its present rate, our grandchildren will only get the chance to see the stars if they visit an observatory like the one in Greenwich. Light pollution is almost (iii) _____ for granted in most cities, and it is fast spreading into rural areas too. (iv) _____ recent research, almost half of all Europeans and two-thirds of North Americans can no longer see the milky Way. And this type of pollution doesn’t only destroy our view of the night sky. It also wastes money and causes environmental pollution. For example, a single light bulb, (v) _____ all year, releases around a quarter of a tone of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, making global warming even worse.

(i)_______--

The Thames Barrier is a major part of the flood defence scheme for protecting London (i) _______ rising water levels. The defenses also include raised river embankments and additional flood gates at strategic points, including the Barking Barrier. The unique structure that is the Barrier spans the 520- melre wide Woolwich reach and consists of 10 separate movable gates, each pivoting and supporting between concrete structures which house the operating machinery. When raising, the four main gates (ii) _______stand as high as a five-storey building and as wide as the opening of Tower Bridge. Each weighs 3700 tones. During the first twelve years of (iii) _______, the Barrier has been closed twenty nine times to protect London. You can (iv) _______ the Barrier from the comfortable Cafeteria, picnic on the riverside embankment. Enjoy beautiful views from the riverside walk. Visit the shop which stocks a large selection of souvenirs, books and Barrier information. There is a children’s play area suitable for 4- to 12- year olds, located adjacent to the riverside walk. A visit to the spectacular Thames Barrier is a (v) _______experience

(v)______

From next year, every student in their final year at our school will study for a compulsory Diploma of Practical Achievement.

This will be in addition to the (i) _____ examinations. Up to now, the course has been optional, but from now on every student must (ii) _____ it. The aim is to (iii) _____ students with “life skills”, which the Diploma divides into eight categories. These cover a range of things relevant to life beyond school, from sending an e-mail to giving presentations to an audience. Under the heading “survival”, (iv) _____, students can learn car maintenance, first aid and cooking. We have discovered that many students cannot do simple things such as mend a puncture or boil an egg. At the other extreme, the Diploma includes such things as how to design a webpage and how to (v) _____ if someone has a heart attack. It has been called a “Diploma in Common Sense”.

(v)______

Smart shoes that adjust their size throughout the day could soon be available. A prototype of such a shoe has already been produced and a commercial (i) _____ may be in production within a few years. The shoe contains sensors that constantly check the amount of (ii) _____ left in it. If the fool has become too large, a tiny valve opens and the shoe expands slightly. The entire control system is about 5mm square and is located inside the shoe. This radical shoe (iii) _____ a need because the volume of the average foot can change by as much as 8% during the course of the day. The system is able to learn about the wearer’s feet and build up a picture of the size of his or her feet throughout the day. It will allow the shoes to change in size by up to 8% so that they always fit (iv) _____. They are obviously more comfortable and less likely to cause blisters. From an athlete’s point of view, they can help improve performance a little, and that is why the first use for the system will find a place in other household items, from beds that automatically change to fit the person sleeping in them, to power tools that (v) _____themselves to the user’s hand for better grip. There is no reason why the system couldn’t be adapted for use in hundreds of consumer possessions.

(i)_____

Choose the correct answer to complete the sentence. "I try _____ lots of fruit in order to stay healthy."

Today large sums of money go into the search for treatments for a whole range of diseases. Three hundred years ago, when European explorers returned from distant lands with unfamiliar substances they’d found there, the problem was how to (i) _____ the illnesses for which these new imports could possibly be a cure. When the brown chocolate bean was first (ii) _____  into Britain from Mexico, it was thought to have medicinal qualities. Sir Hans Sloane was the man who is said to have (iii) _____  with the idea of mixing the powdered bean with milk. Sloane was an important figure in eighteenth-century London, a landowner whose name lives on in some of the city’s most fashionable streets and squares. Less appreciated is his contribution to the beginning of a national addiction; the (iv) _____ Briton gets through eight kilograms of chocolate a year, a level of consumption exceeded only by the Swiss. Today, when almost every pleasure is regarded as addictive, the name ‘chocoholics” is given to people who can’t get enough of the stuff. (v) _____ of its fat and sugar content, chocolate is usually an enemy of slender elegance.

(iV)_______

Today we are accustomed to seeing news as it presents, whether it is a fire in a nearby community, a speech by a president or an actual (i) _____ between two armies ten thousand miles away. It is important for students to grasp that. This experience has been possible only within the (ii)     _____  fifty years. Until well into the twentieth century it took days or weeks before newspapers could report on invasions or great natural disasters. We live, therefore, in a remarkable period when we not only (iii) _____ instant news on the radio but can watch dramatic events just as they are taking place thousands of miles away. Television news can be (iv) _____  as part of the entertainment provided by the broadcasting industry. We don’t only sec newsreaders providing detailed accounts of events but we have a great (v) _____ live footage. News items are generally short, rarely more than three minutes, and features are included that are attractive to local audiences, even though they are unimportant in terms of world, or national news.

(iii)________

Many adults in America and increasing numbers elsewhere take part in mentoring schemes. A mentor is an adult who provides support and friendship to a young person. There are (i) _____ different ways of mentoring: passing on skills, sharing experiences, offering guidance. Sometimes the most helpful thing is just to listen. Mentoring is open to anybody – no particular (ii) _____ experience is required, just a desire to make a difference to the life of a young person who needs help. This may seem a difficult thing at first, but many people find they have a real (iii) _____ for it.

The support of a mentor can play an important role in a child’s development and can often make up (iv) _____a lack of guidance in a young person’s life. It can also improve young people’s attitude towards society and build up their confidence in dealing with life’s challenges. For the mentor, it can be incredibly rewarding to know that they have had a significant (v) _____ on a child and helped to give them the best possible chance in life. Indeed, it is not only adults who are capable of taking on this role. There is now an increasing demand for teenagers to mentor younger children, for example by helping them with reading or other school work.

(iv)______

The Penny Black is the name of the world’s postage stamp. It was introduced by the U.K. in 1840 and is perhaps the most famous stamp ever issued. It has a (i) _____  of the young Queen Victoria and because of its colour, and its price of one penny, it is known as the “Penny Black”. Before 1840, postage rates for delivery of letters in the U.K. depended on the (ii) _____  the letter had to travel and the number of sheets of paper used. Furthermore, at that time it was not possible to pay for your letter before you sent it. The postage had to be paid by the receiver (iii) _____ than the sender of the letter. The Penny Black changed everything: al the rate of one penny, letters that did not weigh more than half an ounce could be sent to any destination in the U.K.Nowadays, Penny Black stamps are not all that rare although they are (iv) _____ regarded by stamp collectors. About 68 million of these stamps were issued between 1840 and 1841, and it is thought that about 1.5 million of these survive today. The price of the stamp today varies according to whether it has been used or not and its condition. A line used copy can be bought for around 77 pound or less, while unused examples are quite rare and sold for 2,000 pound or more. To honour the U.K. for having issued the world’s first postage stamp, the Universal Postal Union has made an exception regarding its rule that the name of the country must (v) _____ on a stamp. No British stamp to date has ever had the country name on it.

(i)______-

Our lesson _____ at 7.30 a.m every morning.

The traffic was held  .......   by fog.

People love to complain. Moaning to friends can be a source of relief from the stresses and strains of work, study or relationships. But when it comes to protesting to a retailer about faulty good and services, many of US find we don’t have nerve and choose to (i) _____ in silence. By the time we do eventually summon up the courage to make our point, we have generally already allowed the problem to get to us, and we are angry. In this stale, we can all too (ii) _____ become aggressive, gearing up for battle and turning what should be a rational discussion into a conflict. To complain effectively, you need to be specific about your problem and communicate it clearly using words which are objective and fair. (iii) _____ over the top with emotional language and unreasonable claims will get you nowhere.

Good negotiators tend to be calm and logical. They start by explaining situation and stating their requirements clearly, without threat. Most complains prompt a defensive (iv) _____ from the other person, but by being reasonable yourself, you stand more chance of achieving the positive (v) _____ you want.

(ii)_______

The Thames Barrier is a major part of the flood defence scheme for protecting London (i) _______ rising water levels. The defenses also include raised river embankments and additional flood gates at strategic points, including the Barking Barrier. The unique structure that is the Barrier spans the 520- melre wide Woolwich reach and consists of 10 separate movable gates, each pivoting and supporting between concrete structures which house the operating machinery. When raising, the four main gates (ii) _______stand as high as a five-storey building and as wide as the opening of Tower Bridge. Each weighs 3700 tones. During the first twelve years of (iii) _______, the Barrier has been closed twenty nine times to protect London. You can (iv) _______ the Barrier from the comfortable Cafeteria, picnic on the riverside embankment. Enjoy beautiful views from the riverside walk. Visit the shop which stocks a large selection of souvenirs, books and Barrier information. There is a children’s play area suitable for 4- to 12- year olds, located adjacent to the riverside walk. A visit to the spectacular Thames Barrier is a (v) _______experience

(iv)______.

Our neighbour has _________ cat and _________ dog.

I don’t know what to do. It’s _________ problem. 

The Penny Black is the name of the world’s postage stamp. It was introduced by the U.K. in 1840 and is perhaps the most famous stamp ever issued. It has a (i) _____  of the young Queen Victoria and because of its colour, and its price of one penny, it is known as the “Penny Black”. Before 1840, postage rates for delivery of letters in the U.K. depended on the (ii) _____  the letter had to travel and the number of sheets of paper used. Furthermore, at that time it was not possible to pay for your letter before you sent it. The postage had to be paid by the receiver (iii) _____ than the sender of the letter. The Penny Black changed everything: al the rate of one penny, letters that did not weigh more than half an ounce could be sent to any destination in the U.K.Nowadays, Penny Black stamps are not all that rare although they are (iv) _____ regarded by stamp collectors. About 68 million of these stamps were issued between 1840 and 1841, and it is thought that about 1.5 million of these survive today. The price of the stamp today varies according to whether it has been used or not and its condition. A line used copy can be bought for around 77 pound or less, while unused examples are quite rare and sold for 2,000 pound or more. To honour the U.K. for having issued the world’s first postage stamp, the Universal Postal Union has made an exception regarding its rule that the name of the country must (v) _____ on a stamp. No British stamp to date has ever had the country name on it.

(iii)______