SỞ GIÁO DỤC VÀ ĐÀO TẠO TỈNH ĐẮK LẮK
ĐƠN VỊ: TRƯỜNG THPT EAH’LEO
KỲ THI OLYMPIC 10-3 LẦN THỨ III, NĂM 2018
ĐỀ THI ĐỀ NGHỊ MÔN: TIẾNG ANH ; LỚP: 10 A. MULTIPLE CHOICE 1 I. PHONOLOGY
Choose the word whose underlined part is pronounced differently from the other three.(0,5 pts) 1. A.pardon B. hard C. parent D. Park 2. A.rose B. cover C. nose D. over 3. A. increase B. ink C. pink D. thank 4. A. beloved B. naked C. ploughed D. learned 5. A. danger B. landscape C. hand D. nature
Choose the word whose stress pattern is different from that of the other three.(0,5 pts) 6. A. popular B. position C. horrible D. positive 7. A. selfish B. correct C. purpose D. surface 8. A. permission B. computer C. million D. perfection 9. A. vigorous B. scandalous C. victorious D. dangerous 10.A. necessary B. infamous C. automobile D. technique II. WORD CHOICE Choose the best answer .(1 pt)
11. The Olympic Games are given world-_______ television coverage. A. wide B. over C. global D. through
12.Their ___________ has lasted for more than 20 years. A. friends B. friendship C. friend D. friendly
13. Their eventual choice of house was _____ by the time Peter would take to get to the office. A. related B. consequent C. determined D. dependent
14. The idea got a lot of ………….. from the children’s parents. A. opposition B. disagreement C. dislike D. denial
15. The picnic………….to be a terrible disaster. A. turned out B. turned up C. turned down D. turned round
16. This national park………….an area of 2,000 square kilometers. A. covers B. surrounds C. consists D. spreads
17. There is a fault at our television station. Please don’t ………..your set. A. change B. adjust C. repair D. switch
18. I would love to go on a long sea…………… . A. route B. journey C. voyage D. travel
19. We had ……………holiday in Spain. A. a two- week B. two weeks’ C. a two week’s D. A and B
20. Some of the villagers thought the old woman had the …………eye. A. magic B. evil C. black D. wicked
III. STRUCTURE AND GRAMMAR .(1 pt)
21. _________ saying was so important that I asked everyone to stop talking and listen
. A. What the woman was B. That the woman was C. The woman was D. When was the woman
22. She came in quietly ……………the baby. A. in order to not wake
B. so as not to wake C. to not wake D. to wake
23. I regret ……………. you that we can’t approve your application. A. inform B. to inform C. informing D. informed
24. If I had gone to the bank this morning, I …………money from you now. A. would not borrow B. would not have borrowed C. will not borrow D. will no have borrowed 2
25. It was only _____ he told me his surname that I realised that we had been to the same school . A. then B. until C. as soon as D. when
26. He got an excellent grade in his examination _____ he had not worked particularly hard . A. on account of B. because C. in spite of D. although
27. We sat at the table until all the food………….. A. were eaten B. was eating C. were eating D. was eaten
28 The children ___________ to the zoo.
A. were enjoyed taking B. were enjoyed taken C. enjoyed taking D. enjoyed being taken
29. Only when you grow up …………… the truth. A. you will know B. you know C. do you know D. will you know
30. The weather here can be compared with ……........... A. that in Laos B. one in Laos C. Laos D. those of Laos
IV/ PREPOSITIONS AND PHRASAI VERBS (1 pt)
31. The teacher suspected the student …………..cheating in examination. A. on B. about C. in D. of
32. I am so tired that I can’t take …………….what you are saying. A. up B. out C. in D. on
33. Without plants, most water would ………….as soon as it falls. A. run off B. run after C. run away D. run by
34. My father still hasn’t really recovered from the death of my mother. A. looked after B. taken after C. gone off D. got over
35.The bomb exploded with a loud bang which could be heard all over the town. A. went on B. went out C. went off D. went away
36. I am fed ________ hanging around here with nothing to do. A. up on B. out of C. up with D. by
37. Let's go over that report again before we submit it. A. dictate B. print C. read carefully D. type
38. How do you start the computer?
A. How does the computer turn on?
B. How do you turn on the computer?
C. How do you turn the computer on? D. Both B and C are correct
39.. I/ not accept/ offer/ turn down/
A. I couldn’t accept his offer to avoid turning down him.
B. I couldn’t accept his offer because he was turned down.
C. I couldn’t accept his offer, so I turned it down.
D. I couldn’t accept his offer whether I was turned down.
40. The diesel /'di:zəl/ engine was named ________ its inventor Rudolf Diesel. A. along B. to C. after D. with
IV. READING COMPREHENSION (10pts) Passage 1
MOBILE PHONES: Are they about to transform our lives?
We love them so much that some of us sleep with them under the pillow, yet we are increasingly
concerned that we cannot escape their electronic reach. We use them to convey our most intimate secrets, yet
we worry that they are a threat to our privacy. We rely on them more than the Internet to cope with modern
life, yet many of us don’t believe advertisements saying we need more advanced services.
Sweeping aside the doubts that many people feel about the benefits of new third generation phones and fears
over the health effects of phone masts, a recent report claims that the long-term effects of new mobile
technologies will be entirely positive so long as the public can be convinced to make use of them. Research
about users of mobile phones reveals that the mobile has already moved beyond being a mere practical
communications tool to become the backbone of modern social life, from love affairs to friendship to work. 3
The close relationship between user and phone is most pronounced among teenagers, the report says, who
regard their mobiles as an expression of their identity. This is partly because mobiles are seen as being
beyond the control of parents. But the researchers suggest that another reason may be that mobiles, especially
text messaging was seen as a way of overcoming shyness. The impact of phones, however, has been local
rather than global, supporting existing friendship and networks, rather than opening users to a new broader
community. Even the language of texting in one area can be incomprehensible to anybody from another areA.
Among the most important benefits of using mobiles phones, the report claims, will be a vastly improved
mobile infrastructure, providing gains throughout the economy, and the provision of a more sophisticated
location-based services for users. The report calls on government to put more effort into the delivery of
services by mobile phone, with suggestion including public transport and traffic information and doctors’ text
messages to remind patients of appointments. There are many possibilities. At a recent trade fair in Sweden, a
mobile navigation product was launcheD. When the user enters a destination, a route is automatically
downloaded to their mobile and presented by voiced, pictures and maps as they drive. In future, these devices
will also be able to plan around congestion and road works in real time. Third generation phones will also
allow for remote monitoring of patients by doctors. In Britain scientists are developing an asthma
management solution using mobiles to detect early signs of an attack.
Mobile phones can be used in education. A group of teachers in Britain use third generation phones to
provide fast internet service to children who live beyond the reach of terrestrial broadband services and can
have no access to online information. ‘As the new generation of mobile technologies takes off, the social
potential of the vastly increase,’ the report argues.
41. What does the writer suggest in the first paragraph about our attitudes to mobile phones?
A. We can’t live without them.
B. We are worried about using them so much.
C. We have contradictory feelings about them. D. We need them more than anything else to deal with modern life.
42. What does “them” in paragraph 2 refer to?
A. long-term effects B. new mobile technologies C. doubts D. benefits
43. What is the connection between social life and mobile phones?
A. Modern social life relies significantly on the use of mobile phones
B. Mobile phones make romantic communication easier.
C. Mobile phones encourage people to make friends.
D. Mobile phones enable people to communicate while moving around
44. Why do teenagers have such a close relationship with their mobile phones?
A. They use text messages more than any other group B. They are more
inclined to be late than older people
C. They feel independent when they use them
D. They tend to feel uncomfortable in many situations
45. Which of the following is NOT true?
A. Mobile phone is considered as a means for the youth to show their characters.
B. Mobile phones are playing a wide range of roles in people’s life.
C. People can overcome shyness by using texting to communicating things that make them uncomfortable.
D. There is no need to suspect the harmfulness of mobile phones.
46. In what sense has the impact of phones been “local” in paragraph 3?
A. People tend to communicate with people they already know.
B. Users generally phone people who live in the same neighborhood.
C. It depends on local dialects.
D. The phone networks use different systems.
47. How might mobile phones be used in the future?
A. To give the address of the nearest doctor’s surgery B. To show bus and train timetables C. To arrange deliveries D. To cure diseases
48. The navigation product launched in Sweden is helpful for drivers because ______.
A. it can suggest the best way to get to a place
B. it provides directions orally
C. it tells them which roads are congested
D. it shows them how to avoid road works
49. What is the general attitude of the report described here?
A. Manufacturers need to produce better equipment. 4
B. The government should take over the mobile phone networks.
C. There are problems with mobile phones that cannot be overcome.
D. Mobile phones can have a variety of very useful applications.
50. The word “pronounced” in paragraph 3 is closest in meaning to ______. A. obvious B. serious C. voiced D. overwhelmed Passage 2
During the late Middle Ages, oil paint took hold as the artistic medium of choice because it was
effective, flexible, and resilient relative to the wax-based, watercolor, fresco, or tempera paints prevalent at
the time. Although contemporary commercially prepared paints contain a mixture of pigments and linseed oil,
poppy oil paints are also available to connoisseurs. The original recipes developed in medieval European
monasteries relied on fast-drying bases derived from various organic oils predominantly valued for their
medicinal qualities. The pigments are insoluble, lightproof, and chemically inert powders ground in the base.
Occasionally, varnish can be added to increase the paste's ability to reflect light and to cover pictures with a
protective seal. The resulting stiff, resinous compounds are often packaged in flexible metal or plastic tubes.
Historically, yellow pigments have been added to the oil, and then the paste was layered over tin foil to
imitate the appearance of gold leaf.
Despite the numerous experiments to accelerate the drying process, oil paints dry comparatively slowly with
little color alteration. An important advantage of color stability is that tones and undertones are easy to blend,
match, transpose, and grade, and mistakes and smudges are simple to correct. Due to the creamy consistency
of most mixtures, artists can exploit their viscosity in thick applications, sprays, thin trickles, and
three-dimensional blobs. The purification by boiling and filtering and bleaching of oils can impart varied hues
to powdered pigments, while drying time can be reduced by adding metallic oxides.
Professional painters who mix their own medium usually have their own trademark methods of mixing
materials that art experts recognize as a part of an artist's creative work. The thickness of the paste also plays
an important role in defining the stages of painting a picture. After the basic design is sketched in pencil or
charcoal, the broad background or foreground areas of the canvas are covered with thin, diluted paint on top
of the primer. A thicker paint, often with added varnish, is subsequently used to refine and outline the
foundation. The width of the brush depends on the type of paint the artist chooses to use, and stiff bristles are
usually found in narrow brushes for making sharp lines, while softer brushes of animal hair can be employed in broad strokes.
51. What does the passage mainly discuss?
A. The evolution and history of oil paintings and media B. The technology and development of drying oils
C. The recipes and ingredients for producing oil paints D. The composition and
techniques for mixing oil paints
52. It can be inferred from the passage that oil paintings
A. supplanted the use of tempera and fresco
B. took hold of the artistic choices in the Middle Ages
C. promoted artistic talent since the early times
D. supported the usefulness of applying paints
53. In lines 4, the word "connoisseurs “ is closest in meaning to A. explorers B. experts C. exporters D. experimenters
54. According to the passage, medieval monks extracted oil A. from minerals
B. in conjunction with pigments C. from plants D. in combination with medicines
55. In line 6, the phrase "the base" is closest in meaning to A. paint B. oil C. chemicals D. pestle
56. The purpose of paragraph 2 is to illustrate
A. the laboriousness of making oil paints
B. the durability of oil colors
C. the complexity of oil purification
D. the superiority of oil paints
57. In line 13, the word "viscosity" is closest in meaning to A. stiffness B. elasticity C. stickiness D. eloquence
58. Which of the following is NOT mentioned as components of oil paints? A. accelerants B. retarders C. sealants D. glosses 5
59. In line 16, the word "trademark" is closest in meaning to A. signature B. selection C. significance D. secret
60. The author of the passage implies that an oil painting
A. requires professional painters to mix their own paint B. contains a layer of canvas and charcoal
C. thickens as the oil continues to dry in stages
D. requires multiple layers of brushwork
V. GUIDED CLOZE TEST (10pts)
Read the following passages and choose the options that best complete the blanks. Passage 1 ADVERTISING IN BRITAIN
What does it say about a nation that when a national newspaper recently set out to establish the best
television adverts of all time, as many as 10,000 people responded? The answer (61) ______ in the fact that
the British have developed a(n) (62) ______ admiration for a genre that has developed into an art (63) ______
in its own right. In 1955, when Gibbs SR toothpaste broadcast the first TV commercial, it was inconceivable
that adds would ever (64) ______ up being considered as sophisticated and innovative as the programs
surrounding them. Yet by 1978, the author Jonathan Price was able to declare: “Financially, commercials
represent the pinnacles of our popular culture’s artistic expression. More money and thought per second goes
into their making and more cash (65) ______ from their impact than is in the case for any movie, opera, stage
play, painting or videotape.”
Today, with the (66) ______ of channels and websites, there is more onus than ever on the advertiser to
shock, amuse, enthrall and entertain in it 30-second slot. But are ads really (67) ______ of cultural appraisal,
in the same way programs are? And what makes an advertisement truly great? “Aesthetically, it’s something
that is watchable for 1,000 viewings and still (68) ______ fresh,” says Robert Opie, founder of the Museum
of Advertising and Packaging. “Often, this is to do (69) ______ perfect acting and with every single last
detail being correct. There are so many layers that you can watch it many times, like listening to a(n) (70) ______ of classical music. 61. A. stays B. falls C. lies D. goes 62. A. intense B. intensive C. tense D. intensified 63. A. means B. kind C. form D. type 64. A. come B. turn C. end D. do 65. A. cast B. drip C. leak D. flow 66. A. explosion B. advent C. burst D. downcast 67. A. aware B. worthy C. conscious D. indicative 68. A. maintain B. retain C. remain D. behold 69. A. for B. on C. with D. up 70. A. item B. piece C. part D. score Passage 2
One of the hazards that electronic media like the television, radio or computers (71) ______ these
days is the decline in book reading.
The concern (72) ______ mainly to the younger generations who are (73) ______ tempted by the glamour of
the silver screen and, consequently, don’t recognize the importance of acquiring first-hand information from books.
To encourage reading for pleasure and to propagate a wide (74) ______ of publications like encyclopedias,
reference books, manuals or fiction, (75) ______ solutions should be applied. Firstly, more emphasis ought to
be (76) ______ on the educational factor. Youngsters should be made to feel comfortable while reading either
for information or self-satisfaction in public places like airports, buses or on the beach. Secondly, libraries
must be subsidized more accurately in order to provide the potential reader with ample choice of publications
and to become more publicly active so as to put books at people’s disposal rather than keep them (77) ______
lock and key. Fund collecting actions organized by libraries might also raise the public awareness of the
advantages of becoming (78) ______ in a good book.
Finally, the mass media themselves might contribute (79) ______ by recommending of purchase or valuable
best-sellers and inspiring their viewers to enrich their knowledge and erudition, (80) ______ helping them to
develop the habit of spontaneous everyday reading. 71. A. pose B. make C. emerge D. forge 72. A. refers B. applies C. attaches D. adheres 6 73. A. strongly B. firmly C. greatly D. consistently 74. A. wealth B. group C. majority D. array 75. A. austere B. radical C. thorough D. strict 76. A. placed B. lain C. exerted D. imposed 77. A. in B. on C. under D. within 78. A. obsessed B. implicated C. preoccupied D. involved
79. A. considerably B. vastly C. largely D. respectively 80. A. so B. thus C. then D. as B. WRITTEN TEST I. CLOZE TEST (20pts)
Fill in each blank in the following passages with ONE suitable word to make meaningful passages. Cloze test 1
An air pollutant is (1) __________ as a compound added directly or indirectly by humans to the atmosphere
in such quantities as to affect humans, animals, vegetation, or materials adversely. Air pollution requires a
very (2) __________ definition that permits continuous change. When the first air pollution laws were
established in England in the fourteenth century, air pollutants were (3) __________ to compounds that could
be seen or smelled – a (4) __________ cry from the extensive list of harmful substances known today. As
technology has developed and knowledge of the health aspects of various chemicals has increased, the list of
air pollutants has (5) __________. In the future, (6) __________ water vapour might be considered an air
pollutant under certain conditions.
Many of the more important air pollutants, such as sulfur dioxides, carbon monoxide, and nitrogen oxides, are
found in (7) __________. As the Earth developed, the concentration of these pollutants was altered by
various chemical (8) __________; they became components in biogeochemical cycles. These (9) __________
as an air purification scheme by allowing the compounds to move from the air to the water or soil. (10)
__________ a global basis, nature’s output of these compounds dwarfs that resulting from human activities. Cloze test 2
“Technology” includes any machine, method or system which uses scientific knowledge (11) __________
practical purposes. Whether in the (12) __________ of a primitive hand-held tool or the (13) __________
computer, technology gives us greater control over the world around us and makes our lives easier and
happier. (14) __________ the ability to invent, discover and improve, we could still be living like cavemen,
and civilization as we know it would be (15) __________.
Throughout history, technological progress has changed the way people live. Thousands of years ago, for
instance, people lived by hunting animals and (16) __________ wild plans. In order to find food, they had to
move from place to place. The gradual development of agricultural tools and (17) __________ methods
meant that people no longer had to wander in (18) __________ of food, but would settle in villages.
Although most technology benefits people, some inventions, such as weapons of war, have had harmful (19)
__________ on our lives. Others have been both beneficial and harmful. The car, for example, is a fast,
convenient means of transport, but has also (20) __________ greatly to the problem of air pollution. II. WORD FORMS (20pts)
PART 1: Give the correct form of words in brackets
1. As a result of this conflict, he lost both his home and his means of _............. (LIFE)
2. A new book claims to have proved that …………. moisturing creams really can help to make your skin look younger. (AGE)
3. His intellect and mental _.......... have never been in doubt. (AGILE)
4. He examined the parcel ……….._, as he had no idea what it would be. (SUSPECT)
5. Jackie suffered as a child from a very strict ………... (BRING)
6. Jane has succeeded in making herself ___.........to Mr. Parker. She does everything for him. (DISPENSE)
7. I was ………by Angelina’s loud and aggressive voice and so chose to remain silent throughout the discussion. (TIMID)
8. Fishing is said to be the most popular ……….. sport in the UK. (PARTICIPANT)
9. “Have you got any …………about the corporation?” ~ “Oh, no, I’m sure it will be successful.” (GIVE) 7
10. To the couple’s expectation, the birth of their ………..baby lighted up the house with laughter. (LONG)
PART 2: Supply each gap with the correct form of the word given in the box. DECORATE PROGRESS CONCEIVE SUCCEED APPEAR INCREASE DRAMA VACATE RESIDE COMPARE
The Winterthur Museum is a collection and a house. There are many museums devoted to the (11)
__________ arts and many house museums, but rarely in the United States is a great collection displayed in a
great country house. Passing through (12) __________ generations of a single family. Winterthur has been a
private estate for more than a century. Even after the extensive renovations made to it between 1929 and
1931, the house remained a family (13) __________. This fact is of importance to the atmosphere and effect
of the museum. The impression of a lived-in house is (14) __________ to the visitor; the rooms look as if
they were (15) __________ only a short while ago whether by the original owners of the furniture or the most
recent residents of the house can be a matter of personal interpretation. Winterthur remains, then, a house in
which a collection of furniture and architectural elements has been assembled. Like an English country house,
it is an organic structure, the house, as well as the collection and manner of displaying it to the visitor, has
(16) __________ changed over the years. The changes have coincided with developing concepts of the
American arts, (17) __________ knowledge on the part of collectors and students, as a (18) __________
toward the achievement of a historical effect in period-room displays. The rooms at Winterthur have followed
this current, yet still retained the character of a private house.
The (19) __________ of a period room as a display technique has developed gradually over the years in a
effort to present works of art in a context that would show them to greater effect and would give them more
meaning for the viewer. (20) __________ to the habitat group in a natural history museum, the period room
represents the decorative arts in a lively and interesting manner and provides an opportunity to assemble
objects related by style, date, or place of manufacture.
III. ERROR RECOGNITION (10 pts)
Identify 10 errors in the following passage and correct them Line 1
The traditional definition of literate is considered to be the ability to read and write, or the ability Line 2
to use language to read, write, listen, and speak. In modern contexts, the word refers to reading Line 3
and writing at level suitable for communication, or at a level that lets one understand and Line 4
communicate ideas in a literate society, so as to take part in that society. The United Nations Line 5
Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has drafted the following definition: Line 6
“Literacy is the ability to identify, understand, interpret, create, communicate and compute, using Line 7
printed and written materials associated with varying contexts. Literacy involves a continua of Line 8
learning to enable an individual to achieve his or her goals, to develop his, or her ability and Line 9
potential, and to participate full in the wider society.” Line 10
Many policy analysts consider literacy rates a crucial measure of a region human capital. This Line 11
claim is done on the foundations that literate people can be trained less expensively than illiterate Line 12
people, generally have a higher socio-economic state and enjoy better health and employment Line 13
prospects. Policy makers also argue that literacy increases job opportunities and access to higher Line 14
education. In Kerala, India, for example, female and child mortality rates declined in the 1960s, Line 15
when girls who were educated in the education reforms after 1948 began to raise families. Recent Line 16
researchers, however, argue that correlations such as, the one listed above may have more to do Line 17
without the effects of schooling rather than literacy in general. Regardless, the demand for Line 18
educational systems worldwide include a basic context around communication through test and
print, that is the foundation of most definitions of literacy.
IV. SENTENCE TRANSFORMATION (20pts)
Rewrite the sentences so that they mean almost the same as the ones before them
1. I was not willing to buy the product because it was too expensive. (OFF) The sheer it. 8
2. We never buy things in small quantities as we would make profit. With bulk.
3. We really loved to have a chance to visit the Colosseum but we couldn’t. (FOOT) We would sooner
4. The committee had a long discussion but they could not make up their mind. (REACH) Lengthy
5. He decided to become the boss of a small company instead of working for a multinational company. (FISH) In preference
6. It was not surprising when my parents were furious with my getting a tattoo. (ARMS) It came
7. You could be in trouble for not giving a breath sample to the police. (HOT) On refusal
8. We certainly will win if we exchange ideas with each other. (HEADS) We are bound
9. If anyone succeeds in solving the problem right away, it will probably be him. (SPOT) He stands
10. He is famous for his vast knowledge of primitive religion. (AUTHORITY) He
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Học sinh không được sử dụng tài liệu. Giám thị coi thi không giải thích gì thêm.
Họ và tên thí sinh:……………………………… ……….. Số báo danh:…………….... ANSWER KEY MULTIPLE CHOICE TEST 1 C 21 A 41 C 61 C 2 B 22 A 42 B 62 A 3 A 23 B 43 A 63 C 4 C 24 A 44 C 64 C 5 D 25 D 45 D 65 D 6 B 26 D 46 A 66 A 7 B 27 D 47 C 67 B 8 C 28 D 48 B 68 C 9 C 29 D 49 D 69 C 9 10 D 30 A 50 D 70 B 11 D 31 D 51 D 71 A 12 B 32 C 52 A 72 B 13 C 33 A 53 D 73 A 14 A 34 D 54 C 74 B 15 A 35 C 55 B 75 A 16 A 36 C 56 D 76 A 17 B 37 C 57 C 77 C 18 C 38 D 58 B 78 C 19 D 39 C 59 A 79 A 20 A 40 C 60 D 80 B WRITTEN TEST I. CLOZE TEST OPEN CLOZE 1 1. defined 6. even 2. flexible 7. nature 3. limited 8. reactions 4. far 9. serve / act 5. lengthened 10. On OPEN CLOZE 2 11. for 16. gathering 12. from 17. farming 13. latest 18. search 14. Without 19. effects 15. impossible 20. contributed II. WORD FORMATION PART 1: 1. livelihood 6. indispensable 2. anti-ageing 7. intimidated 3. agility 8. participatory 4. suspiciously 9. misgivings 5. upbringing 10. long-awaited / longed-for 10 PART 2 : 11. decorative 16. dramatically 12. successive 17. increased 13. residence 18. progression 14. apparent 19. concept 15. vacated 20. Comparable III. ERROR CORRECTION LINE ERROR CORRECTION LINE ERROR CORRECTION __1_ _10__ 1. literate literacy 6. done made __ _ _3__ At level at a level _11__ 2. 7. state status _ ______________ _ __7_ _15__ 3. continua continuum 8. without with _ _ include includes __8_ _16__ 4. full fully 9. _ _ ______________ ______________ _9__ 10 _17__ 5. region region’s that which _ . _
IV. SENTENCE TRANSFORMATION
1. The sheer cost / expense of the product put me off buying it.
2. With a view to making profit, we always purchase/buy things in bulk.
3. We would sooner have had a chance to set foot on/in the Colosseum.
4. Lengthy as/though their discussion was/might be, the committee couldn’t reach any/a decision.
5. In preference to working for a multinational company, he decided to become a big fish in a smal pond.
6. It came as no surprise that my parents were up in arms about my/me getting a tattoo.
7. On refusal to give a breath sample to the police, you could be in hot water.
8. We are bound to win if we put our heads together.
9. He stands a (good) chance of solving the problem on the spot.
10. He is an authority on primitive religion. 11