PRACTICE EXERCISES

(COLLOCATIONS )

Exercise 1:
1. The detective was asked to probe into the mysterious disappearance of the painting.
A. investigate B. procure c. recover D. relinquish
2. Toxic chemicals from factories are one of the serious factors that leads wildlife to the ________ of
extinction.
A. wall B. fence C. verge D. bridge
3. When old Mr. Barnaby died, several people ________ their claim to the substantial legacy that he left.
A. placed B. drew C. assumed D. laid
Lay claim to sth: tuyên bố quyền
4. The local press has been pouring ________ on the mayor for dissolving the council.
A. scorn B. blame C. disapproval D. hatred
5. The food was so delicious that I had a second ________
A. plate B. serving C. helping D. time
6. His work ________ new ground in the treatment of cancer. It is now giving many cancer victims hope of
complete recovery.
A. broke B. found C. dug D. uncovered
7. I'm not going to go ice skating! I'd only fall over and ________ a fool of myself.
A. create B. show C. do D. make
8. As orders are becoming more and more, we've been rushed off our feet all week.
A. very angry B. very busy C. very worried D. very happy
9. The minister came under fire for his rash decision to close the factory.
A. was dismissed B. was acclaimed C. was criticized D. was penalized
10. I find myself at a loss to understand Harold's behavior.
A. I lost contact with Harold, so I couldn't understand his behavior.
B. I have to lose a lot to understand Harold's behavior.
C. I understood Harold's behavior completely.
D. I find Harold's behavior quite incomprehensible.
11. When the police arrived the thieves took to flight leaving all the stolen things behind.
A. did away B. climbed on C. took away D. ran away
12. My friend is good at mimicking people. He ________ a great impression of Charlie Chaplin.
A. made B. did C. took D. gave
13. You can ask Matin anything about history. He actually has quite a good ________ for facts.
A. head B. understanding C. knowledge D. ability
14. It was such a sad film that we all were reduced ________ tears at the end.
A. with B. onto C. to D. into
15. I used to ________ reading comics, but now I've grown out of it.
A. take a fancy to B. keep an eye on C. get a kick out of D. kick up a fuss about
16. Little Deon: "This herb smells horrible, mommy!”
Mommy:" ________ it will do you a power of good."
A. Come what may B. By the by C. What is more D. Be that as it may
17. It's not fair to put all the blame on him. He's not the only one at fault.
A. He doesn't deserve to be blamed for everything as there were others involved.
B. He deserved to be punished, but the others don't.
C. It wouldn't be right to punish those who, like him, were not involved.
D. Only the one who were involved should be punished.
18. You should take out insurance ________ your house from any possible damage. Earthquakes sometimes
occur here.
A. in B„ on C. over D. of
19. However much effort he put into it, he will never make a go of the business.
A. He's a failure as an a businessman even though he's extremely hardworking.
B. No matter how hard he tries, he won't ever turn that business into a going concern.
C. The success of the business will depend upon the amount of hard work he puts into it.
D. Unless he is willing to make more of an effort, the business is never likely to be a success.
20. The government has launched a new road safety campaign in an attempt to reduce the number
of road accidents.
A. to try to B. to aim to c. to intend to D. to plan to
Exercise 2:
1. My cousin was nervous about being interviewed on television, but he ________ to the occasion
wonderfully.
A. raised B. rose c. fell D. faced
2. I never thought that I could win a prize.
A. It never dawned in me that I could win a prize.
B. I was never put off from winning a prize.
C. It never crossed my mind that I could win a prize.
D. I never had full advantage of winning a prize.
3. Mike has quickly established himself ________ the National Football League's most valued players.
A. to be one of B. as one of C. as D. to be
4. “Do you know who else is going to be running for governor?" " ________ that Mr. Jones is planning to.”
A. Word is it B. Word has it C. Word has D. The words are
5. He built up a successful business but it was all done ________ of his health.
A. at the price by the expense C. at all cost D. at the expense
6. I am gripped with a fever whenever a new year is coming.
A. I feel disappointed B. I am excited
C. I get upset D. I have got a temperature
7. My mother is the person who has a great hold ________ me.
A. on B. in C. at D. for
8. You should concentrate on what the interviewer is saying and ________ a real effort to answer all the
question.
A. make B. take C. have D. do
9. You need to make ________ about what course to take at university.
A. a decision B. a fortune C. a guess D. an impression
10. Poor management brought the company to ________ of collapse.
A. the ring B. the edge C. the brink D. the foot
11. I may look half asleep, but I can assure you I am ________ awake.
A. broad B. well C. full D. wide
12. The hotel was terrible, but the wonderful beach ________ our disappointment.
A. came down with B. made up for C. got through to D. faced up to
13. He is an authority on primitive religion.
A. He has official permission to practise primitive religion.
B. He is famous for his vast knowledge of primitive religion.
C. He has authority over the people who practise primitive religion.
D. He has a great influence on the people who practise primitive religion.
14. Population explosion seems to surpass the ability of the earth to ________ the demand for food.
A. make B. need C. have D. meet
15. We regret to tell you that the materials you ordered are ________
A. out of stock B. out of practice C. out of reach D. out of work
16. You should pat yourself on the back for having achieved such a high score in the graduation exam.
A. praise yourself B. criticize yourself C. check up your back D. wear a backpack
17. The search for a new vaccine took priority all other medical researches.
A. above B. over C. to D. on
18. My cousin shows a desire to put aside the status of the school child.
A. The status of the school child makes my cousin happy.
B. My cousin doesn't want to be a school child anymore.
C. My cousin is determined to put up with the other school children.
D. My cousin decides to play down the status of the school child.
19. ________ her inexperience, her failure to secure the contract was not surprising.
A. By virtue of B. With regard to c. In view of D. In recognition of

Exercise 3:
1. The world work is developing very quickly. If you don't self-learn continuously, we will not ________
social movements.
A. put up with B. keep up with C. get on with D. deal with
2. He has been waiting for this letter for days, and at ________ it has come.
A. the end B. last C. the moment D. present
3. "Do you ________ your new roommate, or do you two argue?"
A. keep in touch with B. on good term with C. get along with D. get used to
4. Although he is my friend, I find it hard to ________ his selfishness.
A. put up with B. catch up with C. keep up with D. come down with
5. The press thought the sale manager would be depressed by his dismissal but he just ________
A. turned it down B. called it off C. spoke it out D. laughed it off
Laugh sth off: cười cho qua
6. My father sometimes ________ the washing up after dinner.
A. takes B. does C. washes D. makes
7. Sportsmen ________ their political differences on the sports field.
A. take place B. keep apart C. take part D. put aside
8. Why don’t they ________ their attention on scrutinizing the evidence instead of questioning the passers-
by?
A. attract B. focus C. draw D. devote
9. I find it difficult to make ________ as prices keep ________
A. end meet-rising B. ends-raising C. end meet-raising D. ends meet-rising
10. The child has no problem reciting the poem; he has ________ it to memory.
A. devoted B. added C. committed D. admitted
Commit to memory: học thuộc
11. The computer has had an enormous ________ on the way we work and enjoy life.
A. impression B. influence C. change D. alternation
12. You are not allowed to drive ________ the influence ________ alcohol.
A. under/of B. in/of C. under/by D. by/in
13. The ideas ________ to nothing because I couldn't afford to do it.
A. went B. came C. turned D. changed
14. They are conducting a wide ________ of surveys throughout Viet Nam.
A. collection B. range C. selection D. group
15. Make sure you ________ your assignment before you go to bed.
A. have B. do C. take D. make
16. There were a number of strong candidates for the post but Peter's experience ________ the scales in his
favor.
A. weighted B. tipped C. balanced D. overturned
Tip the scale in sb’s favour: tạo lợi thế cho ai
17. He accused me of standing ________ with my brother to deceive him.
A. on B. at C. in D. off
Stand in with: vào hùa, cấu kết
18. For a public campaign to succeed, it is important to make ________ of existing social organizations
as well as other relations.
A. fun B. advantage C. benefit D. use
19. It's not a pleasant feeling to discover you've been taken for a ________ by a close friend.
A. cheat B. trick C. ride D. lift
20. The scientists introduced new farming methods which resulted in ________ crops.
A. bump B. bumpy C. bumper D. large

Exercise 4: Mark the letter A, B, C, or D to indicate the correct answer to each of the following questions.
Question 1: Students are encouraged to develop critical thinking______accepting opinions without
questioning them.
A. in addition B. for instance C. instead of D. because of
Question 2: When his alarm went off, he shut it off and slept for______15 minutes.
A. another B. others C. the others D. other
Question 3: We received a call from the teacher______charge of the course.
A. at B. in C. on D. to
Question 4: Factories are not allowed to pump their industrial waste______the sea.
A. out B. into C. for D. onto
Question 5: I must go to the dentist and______.
A. get my teeth to take care of B. take care of my teeth
C. my teeth be taken care of D. get my teeth taken care of
Question 6: “What would you do in my place?” “Were______treated like that, I would complain to the
manager.”
A. I to had been B. I to be C. I have been D. to I be
Question 7: Hair color is______characteristics to use in identifying people.
A. one of the most obvious that art B. obviously one of the most
C. one of the most obvious D. most obvious one of
Question 8: Not until a monkey is several years old______to exhibit signs of independence from his mother.
A. does it begin B. beginning C. and begin D. it begins
Question 9: As a child, I had an imaginary friend______Polly.
A. call B. calling C. called D. calls
Question 10: Dick______moustache, but he doesn’t any more. He shaved it off because his wife didn’t like
it.
A. got used to have B. is used to have C. used to have D. used to having
Question 11: Neither the students nor their lecturer______English in the classroom.
A. use B. uses C. are using D. have used
Question 12: Jenny is an early riser and she doesn’t object______the trip before 7 a.m.
A. to starting B. against starting C. to have to start D. to start
Question 13: Be sure not to rely too heavily______your mother tongue when you are learning a foreign
language.
A. on B. in C. at D. out
Question 14: A few kind words at the right time______all the difference.
A. make B. give C. do D. take
Question 15: I really want to become a pilot when I______.
A. grow up B. talk about C. agree with D. get up
Question 16: If life______predictable it would cease to be life, and be without flavor.
A. is B. would be C. were D. had been
Question 17: Mr.Pike______for this company for more than thirty years, and he intends to stay here until
he______.
A. worked/retires B. works/is retiring C. has worked/retires D. is working/will retire
Question 18: Everybody had heard of Einstein,______ hardly anyone could understand his theory of
relativity.
A. and B. but C. so D. or
Question 19: Basically, adolescent development is the different stages we all go______.
A. through B. across C. along D. by
Question 20: Flood______from the heavy rain destroyed the crops in the region.
A. resulted B. to result C. results D. resulting
Question 21: As______out by I.J Good in 1965, designing smarter Al systems is itself a cognitive task
A. point B. pointing C. pointed D. to point
Question 22: She stopped______on TV after the scandal became known.
A. appearing B. to appear C. appeared D. appears
Question 23: We are aware that______, the situation will get worse.
A. unless dealing with carefully B. if dealt not carefully with
C. if not carefully dealt with D. if not carefully dealing with
Question 24: Never before______more foreign tourists to Viet Nam.
A. have there been B. there have been C. were there D. there were
Question 25: I can’t see us beating them at tennis this year. We are so out of______.
A. step B. fitness C. practice D. breath