Section 1: Grammar, Vocabulary, and Usage
Choose the correct choice A, B, C, or D for Questions 1–20. These questions begin at an easier level and gradually become more challenging.
1. A group of tourists enters a museum just as a storm begins outside. The guide looks at the crowd and says, "There ______ far more visitors today than we expected."
A) was B) is C) are D) would be
2. After a long flight, a passenger calls her friend and says, “I’m ______ the airport now, but baggage claim took forever.”
A) at B) in C) on D) into
3. The manager walks past the accounting office late in the evening and tells his secretary, "Frank ______ on that report since early this morning. He really needs a break."
A) worked B) had been working C) was working D) has been working
4. Two friends are discussing rising rent. One says, "These days, even people with decent jobs sometimes struggle just to ______."
A) break the ice B) make ends meet C) call it a day D) hit the roof
5. At an awards ceremony, someone points to a young man and whispers, "He’s the student ______ research won the national prize."
A) who B) which C) whose D) whom
6. The teacher looks at the calendar and says, "We’ll have to ______ tomorrow’s quiz until next week because half the class is absent."
A) put off B) call off C) put out D) call out
7. My father is trying to decide whether there is enough time for a quick stop to get a coffee before my school starts and asks, "How ______ time do we actually have before your class starts?"
A) many B) much C) long D) many more
8. A customer leaves a store, checks the shopping bag, and then goes back inside and says, "Excuse me, I think you forgot to give me the ______."
A) reciept B) receit C) recepiet D) receipt
9. An old friend says, "I’ve known Jane ______ we were both working at that bookstore downtown."
A) since B) for C) during the time D) from the time
10. A man is trying coffee for the first time in years and says, "This is strange. I ______ hate the taste of coffee, but now I kind of like it."
A) am used to B) would C) used to D) use
11. After returning a novel to her neighbour, Nicole says, "I am sorry, and thanks again for understanding. I know I ______ it longer than I said I would."
A) lent B) kept C) borrow D) cost
12. A friend is asked whether he still stays up late at night watching TV. He smiles and says, "______ these days. I’m usually asleep by ten."
A) almost always B) pretty much C) hardly never D) hardly ever
13. A student walks out of a lecture and says, "I didn’t expect to enjoy it so much, but now I’m getting ______ the whole subject."
A) interested in B) interested on C) interesting to D) interested for
14. Two coworkers arrive at the station a few minutes late, and one of them calls his boss and says, “By the time we got to the platform, the train ______.”
A) has left B) have left C) had left D) left
15. At a job interview, the panel discusses two candidates. One interviewer says, "Neither of them ______ enough direct experience for this particular role."
A) have B) has C) didn't have D) hasn't
16. A tenant is talking about his building management and says, "I don’t mind paying a little more if the service becomes more ______ and the office staff respond quickly when something breaks."
A) relyable B) relaiable C) relible D) reliable
17. During a sightseeing trip, the guide says, "We’ll walk ______ the old stone bridge and stop for photos on the other side."
A) across B) onto C) through D) along with
18. My younger colleague is feeling nervous before a presentation. My senior manager kindly tells her, "My ______ is to slow down and pause between your main points."
A) advise B) advisor C) advice D) advising
19. A mother tells her son to speak more clearly ______ his grandmother can understand every word.
A) because of B) so that C) although D) unless
20. A university applicant is disappointed after checking her email. "They ______ my application," she says quietly. "I guess I’ll try again next year."
A) turned off B) turned over C) turned out D) turned down
Section 2: Reading Comprehension
Read the passage carefully and answer Questions 21–30. The answers are more indirect, so focus on meaning, implication, and paraphrasing rather than matching words.
Administrative systems are often judged by whether they produce a final result, but much less attention is paid to what users must do in order to reach that result. A process may be labelled efficient because forms are processed quickly once submitted, decisions are issued within the stated timeframe, or complaints remain relatively low. Yet those indicators can conceal a different reality: users may have spent hours interpreting unclear instructions, repeating steps after minor errors, or relying on unofficial help to navigate procedures that were supposedly straightforward. In such cases, the system has not eliminated effort; it has merely shifted that effort away from the institution and onto the public.
This transfer of burden is easy to miss because it rarely appears in formal assessments. People often adapt. They learn which wording is likely to trigger a rejection, which missing document will cause a delay, or which part of an online form is most likely to malfunction. Over time, experienced users begin to compensate almost automatically. What looks like smooth operation may therefore depend less on good design than on the quiet expertise of those who have learned, through repetition, how to avoid predictable obstacles. Their success then becomes misleading evidence that the procedure itself works well.
The problem is not merely inconvenience. When systems depend on hidden workarounds, they favour people with time, confidence, and access to informal guidance. Others may comply more slowly, abandon the process midway, or conclude—incorrectly—that they themselves are at fault for struggling with it. Institutions sometimes interpret this silence as proof that the system is sufficiently clear. In reality, the absence of open resistance may reflect resignation, not ease.
A more serious evaluation of efficiency would therefore ask not only whether an outcome was eventually reached, but how much avoidable friction was encountered along the way. Minor practical barriers matter, not because each one is dramatic in itself, but because their cumulative effect shapes who can participate comfortably, who proceeds reluctantly, and who gives up altogether.
21. Which contrast is most central to the writer’s argument?
A) the difference between political promises and technical limitations B) A policy may appear efficient in theory while producing hidden forms of inefficiency in practice. C) the gap between older users and younger users of public systems D) the tension between digital services and face-to-face interaction
22. Why does the writer view official instructions with some caution?
A) They are usually written in highly emotional language. B) They often create more confusion than informal advice by design. C) They tend to change too often to be trusted. D) They often ignore the effort required to work around poor design.
23. What broader idea is conveyed by the passage’s examples of repeated minor delays and extra steps?
A) small recurring burdens can shape behaviour more than dramatic one-time obstacles B) people exaggerate inconvenience when rules are unfamiliar C) major failures are easier to fix than small ones D) most inefficiency comes from a lack of technology
24. Why does the writer emphasize procedures that seem simple only "on paper"?
A) To suggest that documentation should include more legal detail. B) To argue that digital systems are always less user-friendly. C) It questions the assumption that formal simplicity always produces practical clarity. D) To show that ordinary users usually misunderstand official language.
25. Which criticism of institutions is most strongly implied?
A) they over-rely on experienced employees instead of newer staff B) institutions sometimes mistake the absence of open resistance for genuine ease of use C) they care more about legality than accessibility D) institutions reject feedback from the public too quickly
26. What is suggested about users who become highly skilled at navigating a flawed system?
A) users’ adjustments can conceal flaws that ought to have been addressed directly B) their expertise makes them partly responsible for poor design C) they are usually less affected by friction than new users D) their success proves the system is fair overall
27. Which statement best captures the writer’s view of apparently smooth systems?
A) They usually depend on more funding than institutions admit. B) They are most successful when informal help replaces official guidance. C) They only appear smooth when measured over a long period. D) when people quietly compensate for a flawed system, that system may seem more successful than it really is
28. Why does the writer mention help from neighbours, colleagues, or family?
A) to show that community life is more efficient than institutions B) to argue that unpaid support should be formally recognized C) they reveal what the official design expects users to contribute themselves D) to suggest that informal networks are usually more accurate than official ones
29. What principle seems to guide the writer’s judgment throughout the passage?
A) digital services should not replace in-person systems too quickly B) outcomes alone are not enough; the process of reaching them also matters C) people are generally more adaptable than institutions assume D) clarity matters less than speed in public procedures
30. Which option best states the main idea of the passage?
A) Practical friction should be treated as meaningful evidence, not as a minor inconvenience. B) Modern institutions rely too heavily on technological solutions. C) Users tend to complain about procedures more than necessary. D) Informal support networks are now essential to public life.
Section 3: Advanced Grammar, Vocabulary, and Usage
Choose the correct choice A, B, C, or D for Questions 31–50. This section is more demanding and moves from upper-intermediate to highly advanced English.
31. A committee member finally notices a major omission only after the final version of a report is distributed. The best sentence is: "Not until the final draft was circulated ______ notice the omission."
A) everyone did B) did everyone C) everyone had D) had everyone
32. The minister of education gives a statement after a controversy, but reporters cannot tell whether he supports the proposal or is trying to distance himself from it. His language is best described as ______.
A) forthright B) equivocal C) redundant D) cohesive
33. A report is sent back for revision. A senior editor comments, "The recommendation, ______ many had expected to be accepted immediately, was returned for further work."
A) which B) what C) where D) whose
34. Two companies negotiate for months, but a late legal issue ruins the agreement just before signing. One executive says, "After everything we’ve done, the whole thing may ______."
A) wind down B) wind in C) wind up D) wind over
35. A researcher’s criticism is serious and supported by solid evidence. Her concerns are not speculative; they are clearly ______.
A) well founded B) wellfounded C) well-foundedly D) well-founded
36. A journalist comments on a new proposal and says: it did not actually solve the dispute, but it changed its form. The best sentence is:
A) Far from resolve the dispute, the proposal merely altered its terms. B) The proposal, far from resolving the dispute, merely altered its terms. C) The proposal, far from it resolved the dispute, altered merely its terms. D) Far from the proposal resolving the dispute, it merely altered.
37. A company director says the later backlash could have been avoided if the board had received the information earlier. The best sentence is: "Had ______, the board might have avoided the later backlash."
A) the board be informed earlier B) the board been informed earlier C) the board informed earlier D) been informed the board earlier
38. A team leader is not flashy, but she is precise, dependable, and careful even with small details. She is best described as ______.
A) capricious B) facetious C) volatile D) conscientious
39. A revised motion is passed despite earlier reservations from the chair. The best connector is: "______ the chairman’s earlier reservations, the motion passed with little resistance."
A) Therefore B) Thereafter C) notwithstanding D) Whereby
40. An auditor says the truth became clear only when the full figures were finally revealed. Another correct way to say this sentence is: "Only after external auditors became involved ______ in full."
A) the figures disclosed were B) were the figures disclosed C) did the figures disclose D) the figures had been disclosed
41. At a meeting, nobody openly states the criticism, but everyone understands it. In this context, the criticism is ______.
A) explicit B) erratic C) tangible D) implicit
42. A professor says she does not reject the article entirely, but she strongly objects to the way the evidence is framed. The expression closest to this is: the professor ______ the article.
A) takes issue with B) comes down with C) runs out of D) puts up with
43. A senior reviewer says the evidence is too incomplete to support such certainty. The closest sentence to this is:
A) The evidence was too fragmentary that it justified such a confident conclusion. B) The evidence was fragmentary enough to justified a confident conclusion. C) The evidence was too fragmentary to justify such a confident conclusion. D) The evidence, too fragmentary, justified such a confident conclusion.
44. An engineer has invented a device that functions independently without needing constant outside support. The best compound adjective to describe this device is ______.
A) self contained B) self-contained C) selfcontaining D) self contain
45. A woman accepts a job offer and almost immediately begins to doubt whether she made the right choice. A more formal way to say this is: "No sooner ______ than doubts began to appear."
A) she had accepted the offer B) had she accepted the offer C) than the offer had she accepted D) did she accepted the offer
46. A report shows a major gap between what was promised and what was delivered. The best replacement for that gap is ______.
A) discrepancy B) precedent C) restraint D) concession
47. A contract would probably have been approved if not for one late amendment. The best sentence is:
A) Had not been for the late amendment, the contract would likely have been approved. B) Had it not been for the late amendment, the contract would likely have been approved. C) Had it not for the late amendment, the contract would likely have approved. D) If had it not been for the late amendment, the contract would likely have been approved.
48. After months of planning, the project failed to happen at all. The best way to say this situation is: the project ______.
A) broke into B) fell through C) carried out D) brought about
49. A critic says the report was not exactly unfair, but its treatment of the issue was incomplete. The best sentence is:
A) The criticism was not unfair so much as it was incomplete. B) The criticism was not so much unfair than incomplete. C) The criticism was not so much unfair as incomplete. D) The criticism was not so much more unfair as incomplete.
50. A lawyer reads an argument and concludes that it cannot be defended logically or practically. Another way to say this is: the argument is ______.
A) untenable B) provisional C) coherent D) implicit
