1. Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the following words from the text.
1) When the rain came down the crowds started to _____.
2) They _____ a microphone in front of me and fired questions at me.
3) The sound of the rain _____ against the windows was deafening.
4) You’ll _____ that ruler if you bend it too far.
5) Her body had been _____ beyond recognition in the car accident.
6) She sat in the dentist’s waiting room, nervously _____ her nails.
7) The wind had blown the rain in and _____ the carpet.
8) You have to put your worries down, take what comes and _____ ahead one step at a time in difficulty.
9) Someone _____ into my car while it was parked outside my house.
10) In cases of severe mental _____, constant supervision is recommended.
11) The _____ of these tumors makes them difficult to treat.
12) She _____ a piece of cloth in two.
2. Choose the word that does not belong to the same category.
1) A. fin B. belly C. claw D. dorsal
2) A. cloud B. circus C. breeze D. cumulus
3) A. scavenger B. stingray C. shark D. marlin
4) A. jaw B. edge C. lip D. teeth
5) A. tiller B. oar C. sail D. skiff
6) A. taut B. noble C. handsome D. intelligent
7) A. mutilate B. paralyze C. spur D. sever
8) A. swallow B. scent C. chew D. taste
9) A. hook B. harpoon C. loop D. spear
10) A. astern B. astray C. ashore D. asleep
3. Find the appropriate prepositions or adverbs that collocate with the neighboring words.
1) Sheep are good for the land when they feed _____ grasses.
2) _____ self defense, he had inflicted wounds of which the spy died later.
3) He posed himself to ward _____ the attack.
4) It was hard for the old man to live _____ his small pension.
5) An instrument made an old master can now be copied in every detail — except_____ sound.
6) The surgeon cut _____ the tumor with expert skill.