Practice 1

Read the following passage and choose the best answer.

Dear Lay Yong,

Greetings from cold and damp Manchester, with an emphasis on both, cold and damp. As I’m ___(1)___ this, outside my
window is one of ___(2)___ days I hate: one of those days that refuses to make up its mind. Is it going to rain? Is it going to shine?
Days like these are what I call grey days. The kind of weather that ___(3)___ the life out of me and turns my brain into a puddle of
mush. Yesterday was a lot ___(4)___ as it rained and rained.
I miss Malaysia, especially on days like these. I miss the ___(5)___ of the sun and the fresh air, as humid as it was. I miss
___(6)___ on the beach while getting a tan. My holiday in Malaysia was certainly one of the best ones I’ve had so far. So much
__(7)___ that when it came time to return home, I actually didn’t want to.
Do write and tell me what you’ve been up to.
7 A. more Love, Susanna
B. less
1 A. write C. so 4 A. worst
B. wrote D. if B. worse
C. writes C. terrible
D. writing D. horrible

2 A. this 5 A. heat
B. that B. power
C. these C. energy
D. those D. warmth

3 A. saps 6 A. lying
B. soaks B. living
C. makes C. laying
D. transforms D. staying

Practice 2

Read the following passage and choose the best answer.

Was it my imagination or did I really see less cars on the notorious Federal Highway last Sunday night? Famed for its crawling jams at
all times, driving ___1___ this particular stretch of highway can be a nightmare at most times, but I actually had a ___2___ drive back
home after a family function. Well, it’s not that surprising there ____3____ fewer cars on the Federal Highway that night, and we’ll
probably see this great phenomenon many more nights to ___4____. The simple reason being, many vehicle owners are ____5____
away from driving unnecessarily as the amazing rise in fuel prices lately has hit most people’s __6___ really hard. I used to enjoy
driving great distances along country roads during the weekends. Now, I may have to resort to other less ___7___ pastimes. Maybe it’s
time I try reading or pottering around my garden for a change.

1 A. in 4 A. arrive 7 A. costly
B. at B. come B. boring
C. on C. see C. exciting
D. along D. go D. fantastic

2 A. smooth 5 A. going
B. plain B. taking
C. slow C. shying
D. bad D. making

3 A. is 6 A. bags
B. are B. petrol
C. was C. heads
D. were D. pockets
Practice 3
Read the following passage and choose the best answer.

On my last trip to Penang, I was trying to decide what local fare to indulge in. Penang is indeed the land of hawker food, but tired of
the usual over-popularised fare, it suddenly hit me – we’re on an island so why not look ___1___ some seafood? Friends in Penang
___2___ us of a seafood place in Batu Uban. It didn’t take long ____3____ we were seated in a brightly lit restaurant. Run by Idris
Hussin, Idris Ikan Bakar has some amazingly fresh fish and seafood to ___4___. Sea bass, snappers and pomfrets ____5___ for space
with prawns, crabs and cockles in the ice- ___6___ display case. Just pick your fish or crustacean of choice and specify how you want
it prepared. A few minutes later, it’ll be on your table. We picked out a pomfret ____7___ had it cooked sweet and sour. After
devouring tomyam, a clear and sour Thai soup, we were quite stuffed with all the delightful offerings.

1 A. at 5 A. fight
B. in B. fights
C. on C. fought
D. for D. fighting

2 A. tell 6 A. tub
B. told B. laden
C. tells C. frozen
D. telling D. freeze

3 A. after 7 A. so
B. over B. but
C. under C. and
D. before D. unless

4 A. sell
B. give
C. offer
D. make

Practice 4
Read the following passage and choose the best answer.

LeBlanc’s new Chic water-shoe is perfect for athletes looking for sure footing on boats, ___1__ rocks and other wet surfaces. Besides
that, Chic ___2___ a barely-there, nylon mesh that’s tough enough to take the bumps and knocks of slick river rocks without breaking
___3___. Paired with the fast-draining exterior fabric is a lightweight air mesh that helps pull moisture __4__ from the feet. The
durable high traction rubber outsoles with drainage grooves to facilitate water displacement, ___5___most slick surfaces and help
keep the wearer in touch with solid__6__. The Chic is the perfect shoe to pack when space is ___7__. It is extremely light and
breathable and will fit in the smallest of luggage space.

1 A. slippery 5 A. grip
B. smooth B. grips
C. moist C. gripped
D. dry D. gripping

2 A. sells 6 A. soil
B. offers B. step
C. features C. place
D. promotes D. ground

3 A. off 7 A. big
B. out B. plenty
C. open C. limited
D. down D. bountiful

4 A. to
B. at
C. in
D. away
Practice 5
Read the following passage and choose the best answer.

Being Visit Malaysia Year 2007 this year, the Minister of Tourism, Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan, has many __1__ ahead of him. The
minister declared his mission to __2__ tourist arrivals to 20.1 million for 2007, from the 2006 target of 17.5 million. As part of his
efforts, Tengku Adnan ___3___ his commitment to increase media familiarisation trips and bring more foreign tour operators to
Malaysia as well as to launch __4___ campaigns. The minister expressed his confidence in Malaysia’a multi-ethnic and multi-
religious nation, and encouraged ___5___ nation to capitalise ___6___ this social context. Tengku Adnan also added that advertising
in markets like China and Korea should be continually rebranded and tourism products diversified to keep the Malaysian experience
fresh and exciting. The Minister stated his hope that tour operators would not only promote their own towns but other interesting
tourist destinations spread ___7__ the country.

1 A. challenges 5 A. a
B. proposals B. an
C. trouble C. the
D. ideas D. that

2 A. reduce 6 A. in
B. expand B. at
C. escalate C. upon
D. increase D. away

3 A. reveal 7 A. over
B. reveals B. under
C. revealed C. across
D. revealing D. behind

4 A. advertise
B. advertising
C. advertisement
D. advertisements