1.

Mixed tenses Put each verb in brackets into the correct tense
According to all the measurements climate change (1)
(happen), but science (2)

(appear) to be split on what to

do about it. Unfortunately, scientists (3)

(not agree) about

the causes of global warming. In a recent book, two scientists Fred Singer, a
climate physicist, and Dennis Avery, a biologist (4)
(argue) that the warming currently observed around the world is part of a 1,500 year
cycle in solar energy. Singer, an outspoken critic of the idea that humans (5)
(warm) the planet, and Avery (6)
(believe) that a well established 1,500 year cycle in the Earths climate can
explain most of the global warming that (7)

(take place) in

the last 100 years. We are currently on an upswing, getting warmer after the Little Ice
Age, but in a few hundred years (8)

(be) back on the

downswing and getting colder again. They (9)

(say) that

efforts to slow down the current warming by reducing emissions of greenhouse gases
are at best pointless, or at worst economically damaging. This, of course, is not what
the fourth assessment report of the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
(IPCC) (10)

(say) a few weeks ago. That report

from the from the UN climate science working group (11)

(conclude) that it (12)

(be) likely that rising

greenhouse gas concentrations (13)

(cause) most

recent warming and that, depending on our actions now to slow the growth of
emissions, warming by the year 2100 (14)
(probably be) between 1.5C and 6C. So, which scientists (15)
(tell) us the truth?

2. Underline the correct answers. In some cases only one is correct. In others,
both are correct.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

As I was introduced to Mr Osgood, I realised that I had met / met him before.
During the previous week, I had been / went to the library every day to study.
He denied that he took / had taken the money from the office.
Yesterday scientists announced that they had found / found a cure for Ebola.
It was clear that some students had plagiarised / plagiarised their essays.
Thomas explained that he had gone / went home early because he felt ill.

3. Write a verb from the box in the correct form in each gap.
appear
mean
wear

check
open

complete
press

disappear

race rain

get

remind

go
see

kidnap
start

look

take

make

travel

wait

work

It all (1)

as I was making my way home from work. We (2)

on a top secret computer programme, and everyone (3)
pretty nervous about finishing on time, so it was good to

get away from the office. It (4)

(5)

and it seemed like everyone

home at the same time, anxious to avoid getting

wet. I (6)

down in to the underground station and (7)

for the train when I (8)

her at the end of the platform. She (9)

a red

leather jacket that (10)

me of something Id

seen in a film, although I couldnt remember when. As I watched, she (11)

her handbag and (12)

out what

looked like a hand-held computer. She (13)

something

on the screen, then (14)

in my direction.

Suddenly my mobile phone (15)

a sound that (16)

I had a text message. Frowning, I (17)

a key and the message (18)

We (19)

your daughter. We know you (20)

the programme. Follow the woman in red. I looked

up just as she (21)

around the corner. I (22)

after her.

4. Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first
sentence, using the word given. Do not change the word given. Use between
three and eight words.
1. I started working at eight and I was still working at six in the evening, when you called.
been
When you called,

ten hours.

2. We often went to the seaside with our grandparents when we were children.
would
Our grandparents
when we were children.

to the seaside

3. Its about seven years now since Laura started to learn Russian.
learning
Laura

seven years.

4. Every night for the past week I have had the same dream.
having
I

for a week now.

5. Choose the most appropriate phrase to complete the sentence.

1. According to the latest forecast, the tunnel
a) will be finished next year

b) will have been finished next year

c) is finishing next year

2. Paulas flight is bound to be late although
a) it arrives at 18:00

b) it is due at 18:00

c) its arriving at 18:00

3. Its no use phoning Bob at the office, he

a) will be leaving

b) will have left

.
c) is leaving

4. Everyone says this year that Chelsea

a) are going to win the cup

b) are winning the cup

c) win the cup

5. I dont feel like going to the companys Christmas party this year so
a) I wont go

b) Im not going

c) I dont go

6. You can borrow this calculator, I

a) am not going to need it

.
b) wont have been needing it

c) am not needing it
7. Im sorry lunch isnt ready yet, but it
a) is going to be ready in a minute

.
b) will have been ready in a minute

c) will be ready in a minute

8. Can you send me the results as soon as you

a) hear anything

b) are hearing anything

?
c) will have heard anything

9. You can try asking the bank for help but

a) it wont do you any good

b) its not doing you any good

c) it wont be doing you any good

10. Dont worry about the mistake youve made, nobody
a) is noticing

b) will notice

c) will be noticing

6. Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first
sentence, using the word given. Do not change the word given.
1. I dont suppose youve heard the news.
wont
You

wont have heard

the news.

2. Ive been in this company for almost thirty years.

will
By the end of this year

for thirty years.

3. This book will take me two years to write.

have
In two years

this book.

4. Maria is pregnant.
have
Maria is

a baby.

5. Dont worry, David wont be late.

here
Dont worry, David

time.

6. Anne and Steves wedding is next weekend.

getting
Anne and Steve

next weekend.
4

Conditionals
7. Complete the sentences about the possible future of the world, using a
suitable form of the verb in brackets, depending on whether you think the
sentence describes something real / possible or unreal / impossible.
1. If the world (stop)

spinning, one side (always be)

in darkness.

2. If the polar ice cap (melt)

completely, sea levels

worldwide (rise)

by about 60 metres.

3. If we (recycle)

more household waste, there (be)

less damage to the environment.

4. If an astronaut (fall)

into a black hole in space,

what (happen)

5. If people (not stop)

using their cars so much, the

countrys roads (eventually grind)

to a standstill.

6. What (happen)
(run out)

when the worlds supply of oil

?

8. Rewrite the sentences, starting with the words given.

1. The only reason we won the contract was Sarahs presentation.
We wouldnt have

2. The eventual arrival of the ferry prevented a fight from breaking out amongst the
passengers.
If it hadnt been for

3. Officer Jackson prevented the robbers from escaping.

Had it

9. Complete the text by putting the verbs in brackets into the correct form,
gerund, infinitive or bare infinitive
Divorce
Legal and social changes in Britain have led to many more people choosing
............................ (get) divorced over the last three decades. The Divorce Reform Act
(1969) let people ......................... (get) divorced far more easily and, despite
promising ................ (stay) together for life, over 160,000 couples ended up
.............................. (get) divorced each year during the late 80s and early 90s,
compared to just over 27,000 in 1961. Towards the end of the twentieth century,
divorce rates tended ............................ (fall), then started ......................... (rise) again
over the first years of the twenty-first century.
When asked what motivated them ............................... (get) divorced, people usually
mention things like not .................................... (feel) that the relationship was
developing, or their partner making them ....................... (feel) inadequate. Whatever
causes people ................................... (separate), it is often the children who have to
learn ................................. (live) in a different family setting. They often resent
......................... (have) to change their lives because the adults involved can't
manage ......................... (resolve) their difficulties. Divorce has got easier legally, but
it hasn't got any easier emotionally.
10.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

Match the first half of each sentence with the correct ending.
He objected
A. to write a polite letter
Wed rather not
B. write a polite letter
Shes looking forward to
C. to writing a polite letter
I insist on
D. writing a polite letter
Kindly allow me
I think you need
Everyone should be able to
Youd better
Im afraid it means
She always used

11. Complete the gaps in the text with a word formed from the word given in
the margin. The first one has been done as an example.
TT
The image of science
The image that we have of science has (1) ... radical GO
changes in the last hundred years. An enormous (2)

TECHNOLOGY

explosion, together with a number of very real (3)

ANXIOUS

about the environment and all the moral and political ramifications of
economic growth have (4) . put science at

QUESTION

the centre of public debate.

The twentieth century began with a challenge to the (5) .. ASSUME
that human knowledge was approaching completion. It will come,
perhaps, as something of a surprise to all of us to realise that the
emergence of this highly (6) process came

DESTROY

both from within and outside science.

New scientific theories (7) reveal the

OVERWHELM

limitations of the old perspective. We had thought the world, understood

through the medium of rational (8) , was

BE

indeed the real world. Now we know that this was no more than a
simplification that just happened to work. Once we realise this, though,
we can move in a number of opposing directions. We can re-evaluate
all knowledge (9) . and decide that it is

PESSIMISM

eternally fragmentary and full of a vast number of (10) ,

PERFECTION

or we can be more positive and view these vast explosions of scientific

awareness as new challenges still to come and as celebrations of the
(11) . that the human imagination
has so far scaled.
t

HIGH