Vocabulary Unit 1
Complete the sentence:
The bullies always seemed to pick _____ someone smaller or weaker than them.
A) in
B) on
C) at
B) on
"To pick on someone" means to repeatedly tease, bully, or harass someone, often in a way that is unfair or unkind.
She found the exam __________, as she had studied diligently all semester.
A) hard B) hardly
A) hard
The professor realized that the material was too complex for the students to grasp, so he decided to ________ his lecture to make it more understandable.
A) slow down
B) move up
C) dumb down
C) dumb down
Complete the sentence:
I'm totally stressed out now, but this time next week I _________ a mojito on a beach in Ibiza.
A) 'm having
B) 'll be having
C) 'll have had
B) 'll be having
➪ We use the future continuous to talk about actions that will be in progress at a certain time in the future.
➪ It's very common to use the future continuous with expressions such as this time tomorrow/this time next.../etc.
Choose the best option:
We've decided _______ the children's bedrooms.
A) redecorating
B) to redecorate
C) redecorate
B) to redecorate
Complete the sentence:
She was thrilled to ____ when she found out she got accepted into her dream university.
A) pieces
B) places
C) peases
A) pieces
"Thrilled to pieces" is an idiom that means extremely pleased, excited, or delighted about something.
The news of his success spread __________ throughout the small town.
A) wide B) widely
B) widely
It took a while for the old computer to _______, but once it finally did, she was able to start working on her project.
A) shut down
B) boot up
C) fire up
B) boot up
Complete the conversation:
A: "I _____ on the 2 p.m. train."
B: "Please, call me as soon as you _______."
A) 'm leaving / arrive
B) will have left / are going to arrive
C) will leave / will arrive
A) 'm leaving / arrive
➪ We can use the present continuous (I'm leaving) or future continuous (I'll be leaving) to talk about future arrangements.
➪ In the second gap, we use the present simple to talk about the future in future time clauses, i.e. after when, as soon as, once, etc.)
Choose the best option:
Mike and Janet had a big argument and stopped _____ to each other.
A) speaking
B) to speak
C) speak
A) speaking
The magician's final trick left the audience in ________.
A) admiration
B) astonishment
C) excitement
D) contentment
B) astonishment
Despite knowing she should stick to her diet, she was _______ tempted by the desserts on display at the bakery.
A) distinctly
B) desperately
C) sorely
C) sorely
The doctor advised him to cut ______ on his sugar intake to improve his overall health.
A) down
B) up
C) into
A) down
Complete the conversation:
A: "I'm looking for Dave. Have you seen _____him?"
B: "He's ill. He called ____ five minutes ago.
A) Did you see / has called
B) Have you seen / called
C) Do you see / was calling
B) Have you seen / called
➪ In the first gap, we use the present perfect to talk about recent events when we don’t say when they happened.
➪ In the second gap, we use the past simple to talk about past finished actions (usually with a past time expression, like ‘five minutes ago').
Complete the sentences with visiting, to visit or visit:
A) Don't forget _____ The Alhambra.
B) I don't forget _______ The Alhambra.
Don't forget to visit The Alhambra.
I don't forget visiting The Alhambra.
After waiting in line for hours, the fans felt a sense of __________ when they learned the concert had been canceled.
A) joy
B) disappointment
C) satisfaction
D) anticipation
B) disappointment
Put the following adjectives in order:
green / beautiful / antique / big / old
I love that ___________ car that always parked at the end of the street.
I love that beautiful old big green antique car that always parked at the end of the street.
[quality - age - size - color - proper adjective]
With her trip to France approaching, Sarah decided to ______ on her French language skills by attending a conversation class.
A) brush up
B) dumb down
C) cut down
A) brush up
Complete the sentence
By the time he was twenty, he _____ ten tournaments.
A) won
B) was wining
C) had won
C) had won
➪ We use the past perfect simple to talk about events that happened earlier in the past.
Complete the sentences with saying, say or say:
A) I regret _____ that you were a bad person.
B) I regret _____ that we are leaving tomorrow in the morning.
A) I regret saying that you were a bad person.
B) I regret to say that we are leaving tomorrow in the morning.
When the teacher announced a surprise test, some students began to __________ about it.
A) be thrilled to pieces
B) display excitement
C) be blown away
D) make such a fuss
D) make such a fuss
Which sentence uses the correct order of adjectives?
A) My brother rode a beautiful big black Friesian horse in the parade.
B) My brother rode a beautiful Friesian big black horse in the parade.
C) My brother rode a big, black, beautiful Friesian horse in the parade.
A) My brother rode a beautiful big black Friesian horse in the parade.
After taking numerous wrong turns, we eventually ________ at the abandoned mansion deep in the forest.
A) slowed down
B) wound up
C) broke down
B) wound up (finished/reached a place)
Complete the conversation:
We ______ for over an hour when John just called and said, "Sorry guys, I _____ a problem. I can't come." And he _______.
A) had been waiting / 've had / hung up
B) were waiting / had / had hung
C) waited / was having / was hanging up
A) had been waiting / 've had / hung up
➪ In the first gap, we use the past perfect continuous to talk about continuous actions that started earlier in the past.
➪ In the second gap, we use the present perfect simple to talk about recent events when we don’t say when they happened.
➪ In the third gap, we use the past simple to talk about past finished events. In a narrative we use the past simple to describe the main events in chronological order.
Complete the sentences with being, to be or be:
A) After studying law, she went on _____ a paralegal.
B) Even after I apologized, he went on ______ angry for another month.
A) After studying law, she went on to be a paralegal.
B) Even after I apologized, he went on being angry for another month.