MCQ 1
1. He ran……….………over his employees his employees when he thought they
weren’t working hard enough.
A. aspersions B. roughshod C. criticism D. complaints
2. When one airline reduces its price, the rest soon follow……………….
A. suit B. herd C. flock D. bent
3. I need your phone number on the……………I need more help from you.
A. uptake B. sidelines C. off-chance D. upside
4. I’ve run the whole………………of emotions from joy to sorrow during the course.
A. gamut B. spectrum C. line D. flicker
5. The parents’ position is often the……………….opposite of the child’s.
A. complete B. polar C. absolute D. continent
6. Stock prices pushed sharply higher this morning in…………….with a rise in the dol ar
A. league B. tandem C. line D. variance
7. I didn’t think she would have the……………..neck to do such a dangerous activity
A. bold B. bald C. bare D. brass
8. In my opinion, the new laws are just paper……………..without any method of enforcement
A. dragons B. sharks C. tigers D. lions
9. He is determined to………………..the truth about what happened.
A. ferret out B. leaf through C. hush away D. balance against
10. After the storm, the crew………………..at Lagos for repairs.
A. stepped aside B. sailed through C. swerved at D. put in
11. One day he…………………Peter’s diary and began reading it.
A. fell on B. set through C. ran into D. chanced upon
12. The published account of the accident was so clearly biased that none of us gave it
the slightest………………
A. credit B. propriety C. credence D. animadversion
13. As the spokesman of the company, I am responsible for…………………the policies
of the organization to the press.
A. decrying B. evincing C. airing D. articulating
14. Young people have a tendency to be enthralled by the seemingly………………march of new technology.
A. indisputable B. inexorable C. inadmissible D. inadvertent
15. After the election, his first act as leader was to……………..the party of extremists
A. purge B. abolish C. eject D. repudiate KEY
1. B run roughshod over : to treat somebody badly and not worry about their feelings
2. A follow suit: to act or behave in the way that somebody else has just done
3. C on the off-chance: a remote chance, a slight possibility
4. A gamut: an entire range or series
5. B polar opposite: used to describe something that is the complete opposite of something else
6. B in tandem with: together or at the same time
7. D brass neck/nerve: a combination of confidence and a lack of respect
8. C paper tiger: a person, a country or a situation that seems to be powerful or dangerous but not really
9. A ferret out: to discover information about something 10. D put in: to enter a port
11. D chance upon: to find, meet something or somebody unexpectedly or by chance
12. C credence: belief in something as true
13. D articulate: to express or explain something clearly in words
14. B inexorable: that cannot be stopped or changed
15. A purge: to remove people from an organization MCQ 2
1. Because of carelessness, there was a……………….of red paint on my clothes
A. lick B. streak C. slack D. slick
2. The event……………..considerable interest and media coverage, attracting thousands of people
A. wreaked B. aroused C. arose D. provoked
3. What he said………….contradicted the evidence that we had been gathered for months
A. thoroughly B. extremely C. acutely D. flatly
4. With living costs rising sharply, we are forced to go on an economic………….
A. drive B. cruise C. journey D. binge
5. English and Math are………………different; we cannot merge the two subjects
A. acutely B. flatly C. fundamentally D. thoroughly
6. In order to regain that amount of money, the businessman wil have to……………the stock market
A. invest B. play C. integrate D.do
7. There was………………agreement on the issue of emission at the meeting among countries
A. sheer B. narrow C. mere D. broad
8. You need to………………..your computer before you begin to work
A. turn off B. trickle up C. boot up D. tuck in
9. After months of arguing, his marriage……………divorce
A. ended in B. ended up C. led to D. carried to
10. Before the teacher comes in, it is necessary that students……………….the board
A. ease off B. wipe off C. write off D. clear off
11. David’s real y down in his……………at the moment. He lost his job and can’t pay the rent anymore
A. heels B. lumps C. uppers D. straws
12. I love school reunions. They’re lovely chance to go down memory……………
A. lane B. tunnel C. path D. passage
13. Walkers should bring spare clothes due to the expected…………….weather
A. pugnacious B. pungent C. caustic D. inclement
14. She was………………happy when she found out that she won the first prize
A. profoundly B. deliriously C. joyfully D. considerably
15. Because of a lack of proper data, the chairman………………..the meeting until next Sunday
A. halted B. delayed C. adjourned D. retracted KEY
1. A a lick of paint: a small amount of paint
2. B arouse interest/suspicion/anger/curiosity
3. D flatly contradict: completely contradict
4. A go on an economic drive: be economical
5. C fundamentally different: completely different
6. B play the stock market: to invest in stocks or shares
7. D broad agreement: general agreement
8. C boot up: to start a computer
9. A ended in: to finish in a certain way
10. B wipe off: to clean (board, table,…)
11. C down on one’s uppers: to be very poor
12. A go down memory lane: to think nostalgically
13. D inclement weather: not pleasant, cold, wet,…
14. B deliriously happy: extremely happy
15. C adjourn: to stop an official process for a period of time MCQ 3
1. European law dictates that goods must be………….for purpose when sold.
A. suitable B. fit C. appropriate D. match
2. The bombing last night at the shopping mall was the latest in a……………….of terrorist attacks.
A. spate B. spark C. spade D. sparkle
3. In order not to be rude, wait until there is a……………..in the conversation, then we can leave.
A. halt B. impediment C. adjournment D. lull
4. We need to take immediate actions because the strike can…………..disaster for the country.
A. provoke B. wreak C. spell D. render
5. He can play almost any instrument but [laying guitar is his long…………….
A. tuxedo B. jacket C. suit D. tie
6. Because of the embargo, the country is definitely up the…………….without a paddle
A. creek B. river C. creak D. flow
7. Anna has a very interesting job but she’s paid…………….Her salary is very low
A. bananas B. mangoes C. peanuts D. pineapples
8. It’s not over til the fat lady……………., so stay tune til the final whistle goes.
A. strikes B. sings C. hits D. goes
9. Many athletes use steroids to……….themselves……………before the match.
A. build up B. set up C. do up D. push up
10. I don’t like this type of rough games. I think I’l ………this one………if you don’t mind
A. fend off B. cross out C. sit out D. wriggle out
11. The sniper……………..the enemy troops one by one til they were all dead.
A. did away with B. put out C. straightened out D. picked off
12. They agreed to lift the…………… imposed on our ports three years after the war.
A. embargo B. blockade C. tariffs D. curbs
13. As the chairman, she struggled to bring a………………of order to the meeting.
A. semblance B. atmosphere C. threadbare D. disposition
14. She shot him a(n)………………..look after he revealed what had actual y happened.
A. incredulous B. unbelievable C. preposterous D. congenial
15. The party has kept its……………..hold on power for more than twenty years
A. cordial B. ubiquitous C. perennial D. tenacious KEY
1. B fit for purpose: good enough to do the job it was designed to do
2. A spate: a large number of (unpleasant) events happening at about the same time
3. D a lul in something ( a talk, a fight,…): a pause
4. C spell disaster: cause something bad to something
5. C long suit: something that a person does well
6. A up the creek without a panel: in a difficult or a bad situation
7. C peanuts: a small amount of money
8. B it’s not over until the fat lady sings: used for saying a situation is not finished yet
9. A build yourself up: to prepare for a particular moment or event
10. C sit out: to not take part in something
11. D pick off: to aim and shoot somebody or something
12. B blockade: the action of surrounding somewhere in order to stop goods and people from coming in or out
13. A semblance: a situation in which something seems to exist though this may not, in fact, be the case
14. A incredulous: showing an inability to believe something
15. D tenacious: persistent, determined, exists for a long time MCQ 4
1. When riots…………….., politicians tend to take draconian measures which rarely works.
A. provoke B. trigger C. activate D. erupt
2. Public disorder in this area has threatened the social…………for many years.
A. fabrics B. threads C. strings D. standards
3. The book calls for a(n)…………..drive to address the issue, and make a plea for
governments to break the cycle of dependency.
A. novel B. fresh C. new D. complete
4. There was a(n)………………of sadness in her voice as she told us the news.
A. touch B. flicker C. glimmer D. flurry
5. It was a(n)………………getting my thesis finished on time but I made it.
A. big mole B. dark cloud C. hard slog D. big cheese
6. The plans for the new building have been put on…………..until next year
A. ice B. fire C. water D. flame
7. The punishment the heinous criminal received is just a……………..on the wrist, if you ask me!
A. slap B. punch C. kick D. tap
8. Because he had not done his homework, his teacher gave him a rap on the………………
A. shoulders B. knuckles C. wrists D. legs
9. Some courses can be bought immediately, off the………….as self-contained study packages.
A. peg B. chance C. head D. shelf
10. The money we owe you for un-used vacation time will……………………to next month's cheque.
A. carry over B. carry off C. carry on D. carry out
11. With that accent of his, he could easily.……………….a Frenchman I think.
A. put on B. pass for C. hush up D. come across
12. Even though this is a film about politics, the writer manages
to…………………….many references to football which I thought very strange.
A. teem down B. wriggle in C. work in D. act on
13. We have been……………….with offers of help since the flood at the beginning of the month.
A. inundated B. undaunted C. consumed D. predisposed
14. It is imperative that the employees be…………………sufficiently for their hard work.
A. defrayed B. remunerated C. protracted D. exorcised
15. His hasty, ………………action resulted in his being failed the final test last year.
A. preposterous B. spasmodic C. precipitous D. despicable KEY 1. D erupt riots
2. A social fabrics: social structure 3. B fresh drive: new effort
4. A a touch of sadness: touch suggests a small amount of something
5. C a hard slog: a period of hard work or effort
6. A on ice: not being dealt with now
7. A a slap on the wrist: a warning or mild punishment
8. B give somebody a rap on the knuckles: strong criticism for something
9. D off the shelf: that can be bought immediately, not specifically designed or ordered
10. A carry over: to continue to exist in a different situation
11. B pass for: to be accepted as somebody/something
12. C work in: to try to include something
13. A inundate somebody with something: to give or send somebody so many things
that they cannot deal with them all
14. B remunerate: to pay somebody for work that they have done
15. C precipitous: done very quickly, without enough thought or care MCQ 5
1. It will be an………………..struggle persuading the boss to make the changes you want.
A. downhill B. uphill C. downsize D. outsize
2. If you………….…..the contract, the company wil withdraw its participation immediately.
A. fail B. affect C. breach D. frame
3. Obviously, the…………………of communication between the people and politicians are not adequate.
A. channels B. flows C. bonds D. points
4. A…………….of lion was lurking for the zebra when the poachers arrived.
A. herd B. flock C. pride D. pod
5. We don’t have a secretary…………….., but we do have a student who comes in to do a bit of filing.
A. as such B. the least bit C. whatsoever D. little more
6. Don’t……….…….his head off for that minor mistake. Don’t make a mountain out of a molehill
A. cut B. take C. bite D. trim
7. He seems unfriendly at first but honestly his………………………is in the right place.
A. head B. mind C. arm D. heart
8. The problem is child’s play but he cannot do it because he is as thick as two…………..
A. red bricks B. short planks C. dry logs D. dark horses
9. As soon as the teacher caught her cheating in the test, she turned on the……………
A. waterworks B. tears C. outcry D. crying
10. Try and………………..the meeting as long as possible because we don't have the 1
A. draw on B. draw in C. draw out D. draw down
11. Kathy was two hours late and we had to………………….in the cold waiting for her.
A. act out B. scribble away C. stick out D. stand about
12. There were two pilots on the flight to Australia and they…………………….after
half the flight was completed.
A. changed over B. changed across C. changed out D. changed about
13. He saw a way to hurt her, to……………..her pride, and cut her to the very soul with shame.
A. subjugate B. propagate C. abase D. warp
14. She has recently been………………in the gossip columns of several newspapers.
A. maligned B. reprimanded C. reprieved D. proliferated
15. To this day, he remains………………..about her criminal past, which is why the
police pay special attention to him
A. repentant B. impertinent C. remorse D. impenitent KEY
1. B an uphill struggle: a task that requires a lot of effort
2. C breach: an act of breaking a law, rule, contract, ……………….
3. A the channels of communication: a system or method that is used for
communicating with other people 4. C a pride of lion 5. A as such
6. C bite somebody’s head off: to criticize, reprimand at somebody
7. D someone’s heart is in the right place: someone only has good intentions
8. B as thick as two short planks: stupid
9. A turn on the waterworks: break down in tears
10. C draw out: to cause something to last longer than is usual or necessary
11. D stand about: to spend time standing somewhere and doing very little
12. A change over: a change from one condition, situation, system,… to another
13. C abase: to lower in rank, embarrass someone
14. A malign: to say false or unpleasant things about someone
15. D impenitent: not sorry or ashamed of something bad you have done