Facoltà di Lingue e Letterature Straniere

1st Year Lettorato Exam January 17th 2012

A – Grammar Choose the correct answer

1. When I ………. the room, Lucy ……….

a) entered/was crying b) was entering/was cried c) entered/has cried d) was entered/had cried

2. .………. the exam was extremely difficult, Marvin managed to pass it.
a) However b) Although c) Yet d) Despite

3. “What time do we have to leave?” “In about ten minutes – the film ………. in half an hour.
a) starting b) shall start c) starts d) will be started

4. William Shakespeare ………. Don Quixote.

a) hasn’t written b) wasn’t writing c) didn’t wrote d) didn’t write

5. Philip is quite upset .......... failing his driving test.

a) for b) about c) on d) of

6. According to scientists, animals live longer if they ………. too much.

a) are eating b) don’t eat c) are eaten d) aren’t eating

7. Although ………. Spanish is spoken by a greater number of people, ………. English language remains the international means of
communication.
a) the/the b) -/the c) -/- d) the/-

8. Many mountains in Europe ………. active volcanoes.

a) used be b) used to being c) used to be d) were used to being

9. “It’s cold in this room. I think I ………. the heating”.

a) am turning on b) going to turn on c) turn on d) will turn on

10. The sea ice in the Arctic, ………. polar bears use while hunting seals, is beginning to melt.
a) that b) which c) what d) –

11. Grandma hasn’t felt well for a few days, but she hopes ………. to visit us at the weekend.
a) she can b) is able c) to can d) to be able

12. Martina ………. Diana Ross. That’s why she ………. to take up singing professionally.
a) has always admired/has decided b) had always admired/was decided
c) always admires/decides d) is always admiring/is deciding

13. .………. mammals have hair.

a) Most b) The most of c) The most d) Most of

14. Dr Findlay had left his watch at home, so he didn’t know ………. when he reached his office.
a) what time was it b) what time it was c) what was the time d) what it was the time

15. At present, the population in many Western countries ……….

a) falls b) fall c) are falling d) is falling

16. What ………. if the Earth suddenly ………. turning round?

a) will happen/stopped b) would happen/stopped c) happens/stopped d) would happen/would stop

17. The world’s first television images ………. to scientists in Scotland in 1926.
a) were shown b) have been shown c) had shown d) were being shown

18. When I ………. to use my laptop, I realised that the battery ………. down.
a) was trying/ran b) tried/had run c) have tried/has run d) used to try/was running

19. They say that ………. love makes the world go round! But I think it’s ………. money.
a) the/the b) a/any c) -/ - d) some/a
20. If we ………. the global warming problem, average temperatures ………. to rise.
a) deal with/will continue b) don’t deal with/will continue
c) will deal with/will continue d) won’t deal with/won’t continue

21. “Sorry I’m late, Sue!” “Where have you been? I ………. for ages”.
a) have been waiting b) wait c) am waiting d) waited

22. A habitat is the place ………. an animal or plant species lives.

a) which b) that c) where d) on which

23. “I’ve spilt wine on my new shirt!” “Well, you ………. more careful!”
a) had to be b) should have been c) should to be d) must have been

24. You don’t need to worry; the train only leaves in an hour. You’ve got ………. of time.
a) enough b) a lots c) much d) plenty

25. If I ………. in your position, I ……….!

a) had been/would have resigned b) had been/would resign
c) would have been/would have resigned d) would be/had resigned

26. Two men are in custody and they ………. by the police.
a) are questioning b) have been questioning c) are being questioned d) are questioned

27. “Look at those big dark clouds. It ………. soon”.

a) will to rain b) is raining c) rains d) is going to rain

28. Jessica used to dislike using public transport, but now she finds the bus ………. stressful ………. the car.
a) less/than b) as/as c) less/of d) less/that

29. Simon couldn’t stop laughing ………. Bob’s joke.

a) for b) of c) to d) at

30. When the two climbers reached the top of the mountain, they ………. for six hours.
a) were climbing b) climbed c) had been climbing d) were climbed

B - Vocabulary Choose the most appropriate word to go in the blank.

31. While I was browsing through a magazine, I ………. an interesting article on anthropology.
a) came across b) found out c) read up d) set off

32. The ………. by train from Turin to Paris used to take about eight hours. Now it’s much quicker.
a) journey b) excursion c) voyage d) travel

33. The “Hacienda” in Manchester is a renowned ………. for live music.

a) local b) venue c) night d) club night

34. You need to identify all the necessary ………. to solve a problem.
a) passes b) steps c) paces d) measurements

35. The ………. of the last meeting are available for those who were unable to attend.
a) acts b) verbal c) minutes d) diary

36. Jean-François Champollion, who helped decipher Egyptian hieroglyphics, was a ………. linguist.
a) self-teaching b) self-taught c) self-didactic d) self-didact

37. While walking in the Welsh hills, the rain was so heavy we had to ………. under some trees.
a) repair b) protect c) shelter d) conceal

38. The local youth club is putting on a concert to raise ………. for the famine victims in Africa.
a) finances b) funds c) moneys d) fundings

39. Would you prefer a beer or a/an ……….?

a) soft drink b) unalcoholic c) fizz drink d) anti-alcoholic drink

40. A bat spends most of its life hanging ………. from the roof.
a) up down b) upwards down c) up and down d) upside down
41. The new modern languages department has some excellent ……….
a) service b) functions c) structure d) facilities

42. The majority of European cities were not planned to ………. with today’s heavy traffic.
a) get by b) cope c) manage d) take

43. The forensic experts found the decisive ………. which solved the case.
a) evidence b) evidents c) proofs d) proves

44. In the future, robots will do many household ……….

a) works b) workings c) commissions d) chores

45. When I was five, my parents sent me to ………., so I only saw them during the holidays.
a) boarder school b) college c) nursery school d) boarding school

46. A desert is an area which receives little rain and loses a lot of ………. through evaporation.
a) moistness b) moisture c) moisturiser d) moist

47. Susan ………. three children on her own.

a) grew b) educated to c) brought up d) grew up

48. “I can’t come out with you any evening this week. It’s our last week of ………. for the college play”.
a) proofs b) rehearsals c) trials d) practicals

49. A good CV, highlighting relevant ………. and experience, will increase your chances of having an interview.
a) skills b) capability c) talents d) achieves

50. Compared to local or national calls, international calls are ………. at much higher rates.
a) cost b) prices c) charged d) paying

51. Roger is going to Leeds University, but he’s having problems finding ……….
a) house b) flat c) apartment d) accommodation

52. Recently, scientists working in Antarctica have discovered the ………. of two dinosaurs.
a) rest b) leftovers c) remains d) remainders

53. I’ve heard they’re going to build a huge nuclear ………. next to our town.
a) power station b) central c) power central d) central station

54. For many new students living away from their families, ………. can be a problem.
a) homesick b) nostalgia c) housesickness d) homesickness

55. Professor Sidekick always leaves copies of his ………. for students in the secretary’s office.
a) lessons notes b) conferences notes c) lecture notes d) seminary notes

56. My wife and I find online shopping ………. since we both work full-time.
a) commode b) accommodating c) convenience d) convenient

57. A lot of junk food has zero ………. value.

a) nurturing b) nutritional c) nutrition d) nutritioning

58. We can’t water the garden because of the ……….

a) dry b) water-lack c) drought d) shortage water

59. The ………. for the presentation of the project is next week.
a) deadline b) expiring date c) expiry day d) death line

60. Reuters is a well-known ………. Agency.

a) communication b) press c) stamp d) print
Key 1st year Lettorato 001 – January 2012

1. a 50. c
2. b 51. d
3. c 52. c
4. d 53. a
5. b 54. d
6. b 55. c
7. b 56. d
8. c 57. b
9. d 58. c
10. b 59. a
11. d 60. b
12. a
13. a
14. b
15. d
16. b
17. a
18. b
19. c
20. b
21. a
22. c
23. b
24. d
25. a
26. c
27. d
28. a
29. d
30. c
31. a
32. a
33. b
34. b
35. c
36. b
37. c
38. b
39. a
40. d
41. d
42. b
43. a
44. d
45. d
46. b
47. c
48. b
49. a
Numero Compito 001