PRACTICE TEST 2 II.doc

FC Practice Test 2 II      Name:_______________                 score: _____%

Use of English

part 1

For questions 1-12, read the text below and decide which answer (A, B, C or D) best fits each gap. There is an example at the beginning (0). Mark your answers on the separate answer sheet.

Example:

0               A favoured                             B famous                             C popular               D liked

A true pioneer

Marco Polo is probably the most (0)…. traveller-explorer of the Far East. He was born in 1254 and was the son of an Italian merchant living in Venice, an important trade centre at that time. Marco was well educated and also very curious, (1)…. particular interest in different cultures. His father had already travelled to the Far East (2)…. times, and in 1271, when Marco was seventeen, he decided to take Marco with him on his journey to China along the Silk Road, a series of trade (3)…. through Asia.

They (4)…. out from Venice, travelled through Armenia, Persia, and Afghanistan, and along the Silk Road. After travelling for (5)…. three years, they finally arrived at their (6)…. ; the summer (7)…. of the emperor Kublai Khan at Shang-tu, close to modern-day Beijing. Marco Polo (8)…. in love with the city and became close to Kublai Khan, advising him on many (9)…. .

Marco Polo left a (10)…. account of his journey to China and his stay there. (11)…. the fact that he was not really a historian, he also wrote a long history of the Mongol people. Not everyone agrees that Marco Polo's stories are real. However, fiction or not, they have captivated readers (12)…. the centuries.

PART 2

For questions 13-24, read the text below and think of the word which best fits each gap. Use only one word in each gap. There is an example at the beginning (0).

Write your answers IN CAPITAL LETTERS in the answer boxes provided.

Example: 0 being

The West End

London's West End is renowned for (0)……………. the entertainment centre of the city. No matter what time of year it is, the West End is always filled (13)…………….. tourists and Londoners alike, all wanting to soak up the energetic atmosphere!

At the very heart of the West End lies the area now (14)………………… as 'Theatreland'. Its name reflects the fact that (15)………………….. is a high concentration of theatres in this area, playing host to (16)……………….. of the most famous stage productions in the world. It can often be impossible to get tickets for the (17)…………………… popular shows!

The West End is (18)……………….. home to some of the best shopping London (19)……………. to offer. In particular, the world famous 'Oxford Street' has hundreds of clothing shops and some of the city's biggest department stores. And then when you've had enough (20)…………………. shopping there are plenty of cafes, restaurants and nightclubs to choose (21)……………….. .

Finally, there are many cultural attractions to visit in (22)………………… part of London. There are numerous fascinating art galleries and museums as (23)………………… as famous monuments such as Nelson's Column. In fact, no matter (24)……………… your tastes are, London's West End has something for everyone!

PART 3

For questions 25-34, read the text below. Use the word given in capitals at the end of some of the lines to form a word that fits in the gap in the same line. There is an example at the beginning (0).

Write your answers IN CAPITAL LETTERS in the answer boxes provided.

Example: 0 beginning

Dubai

Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates, has been an important port city

since the (0)              of the 20th century. Its nickname is                            BEGIN

'City of Gold' as it is (25)              for its trade in gold.                            FAME

Dubai is an important business and (26)              centre as                            COMMERCE

well as a popular tourist (27)              . Most of the United                            LOCATE

Arab Emirates' banks and (28)              companies have                            INSURE

their headquarters there.

(29)              in Dubai centres around shopping. This comes              TOUR

in the form of large shopping centres selling (30)                                          DESIGN

labels and international goods. There are also the souks, or markets

which offer a more (31)              and                                                                      TRADITION

(32)              shopping experience for the tourist. Dubai has              ATMOSPHERE

a well-earned reputation as a shopper's paradise.

Unfortunately, (33)              usually comes second to        ...