Unit 6: Vocabulary and Reading Comprehension - Practice Quiz

1 What does the idiom break the ice mean?

2 If something happens once in a blue moon, how often does it happen?

3 Which word correctly completes the collocation: _____ a decision?

4 Which phrase is a common English collocation?

5 Which formulaic expression is commonly used when meeting someone for the first time?

6 Which expression is most appropriate for politely asking someone to repeat something?

7 Read the sentence: The path was narrow, so only one person could walk along it at a time. What does narrow mean here?

8 Read the sentence: Mina was exhausted after running the race, so she sat down to rest. What does exhausted mean?

9 What is the main purpose of skimming a text?

10 Which technique should you use to find a specific phone number in a directory?

11 Read the passage: Regular exercise strengthens the body, improves mood, and helps people sleep better. Even a short daily walk can be beneficial. What is the main idea?

12 Read the passage: Public libraries offer books, internet access, study spaces, and community programs. They are useful resources for people of all ages. What is the main idea?

13 Read the sentence: Leo entered the room carrying a wet umbrella and wearing a raincoat. What can you infer?

14 Read the sentence: Sara looked at the empty plate and asked for another slice of cake. What can you infer?

15 Read the sentence: The museum opens at 9:00 a.m. and closes at 5:00 p.m. When does the museum open?

16 Read the sentence: Nora traveled to Delhi by train on Friday. How did Nora travel?

17 A poster says, Please recycle paper and plastic to help protect the environment. What is the author's main purpose?

18 Read the sentence: We are delighted to announce that our school team has won the championship! What is the author's tone?

19 Read the sentence: The science club meets every Wednesday in Room 12. Where does the club meet?

20 Read the sentence: Amir packed a map, a flashlight, and a bottle of water for the hike. Which item did Amir pack?

21 In the sentence "After several failed attempts, Maya decided to go back to the drawing board," what does "go back to the drawing board" mean?

22 If a colleague says, "I am feeling under the weather today," what is the colleague most likely communicating?

23 Which word best completes the collocation: "The committee needs to _____ a decision before Friday."?

24 Which sentence uses a natural English collocation?

25 Which formulaic expression is most appropriate for politely interrupting a speaker during a formal meeting?

26 A customer has complained about a delayed order. Which response is the most suitable formulaic expression?

27 Read the sentence: "The new policy was met with resistance from employees who feared it would increase their workload." What does "resistance" mean in this context?

28 Read the sentence: "The speaker offered a balanced assessment, acknowledging both the benefits and the limitations of the proposal." What does "balanced" mean here?

29 You need to decide quickly whether an article discusses remote work policies. Which reading strategy is most efficient initially?

30 You are looking for the date of a conference in a long webpage. Which technique should you use?

31 Read the paragraph: "Many companies now use flexible schedules. Employees may begin and finish at different times, while managers focus on results rather than hours at a desk. This approach can improve work-life balance, although it requires clear communication." What is the main idea?

32 Which statement best expresses the main idea of this passage? "Public libraries have expanded beyond lending books. Many provide internet access, job-search assistance, language classes, and community events. As a result, they continue to serve important social and educational roles."

33 Read the sentence: "Although Daniel had prepared detailed notes, he glanced at the clock repeatedly and spoke faster as the presentation continued." What can be inferred?

34 Read the passage: "The restaurant was nearly empty when we arrived, but the staff immediately placed a sign on the door and began preparing extra tables. Ten minutes later, a large group entered." What can be inferred?

35 Read the passage: "The training course lasts six weeks and meets every Tuesday and Thursday evening. Participants complete two projects and receive a certificate after passing the final assessment." Which statement is directly supported by the passage?

36 Read the notice: "The museum will close at 4 p.m. on Saturday for a private event. It will reopen at its regular time on Sunday. Online tickets purchased for Saturday may be transferred to another date." What is a stated fact?

37 An article describes how to reduce household energy use and provides specific steps such as adjusting thermostats and sealing windows. What is the author's main purpose?

38 Read the sentence: "The proposal may appear attractive at first, but its costs and uncertain results deserve careful examination." What best describes the author's tone?

39 Read the passage: "Leena joined the debate club in September. At first, she avoided speaking because she lacked confidence. After practicing weekly and receiving feedback, she volunteered to lead a discussion in December." Which detail should be recalled to explain Leena's improvement?

40 Read the passage: "The community garden opened in 2021 with twelve plots. By 2023, it had expanded to thirty plots and added a small tool library. Volunteers meet on the first Saturday of each month." Which statement is accurate?

41 After the merger failed, the director said, "We may have lost this account, but we should not throw the baby out with the bathwater." What is she advising?

42 Which sentence uses the idiom "move the goalposts" most accurately?

43 Choose the option that completes all three sentences with the same verb.

1. The report may doubt on the original findings.
2. New evidence could light on the disappearance.
3. These figures ___ a shadow over the optimistic forecast.

44 Which revision corrects the collocational error in the sentence "The regulator imposed strong restrictions to prevent another crisis"?

45 During a formal panel discussion, which expression most appropriately introduces a partial disagreement while preserving a cooperative tone?

46 A researcher is concluding a presentation whose results remain provisional. Which formulaic expression signals a cautious conclusion most effectively?

47 Read the sentence: "The minister's apology was qualified: she accepted responsibility for the delay but denied that her office had concealed evidence." What does qualified most nearly mean here?

48 Read the sentence: "Although the proposal appeared radical, its central recommendation was remarkably conservative, preserving most existing procedures." Which meaning of conservative is activated by the context?

49 A 70-page policy report contains an executive summary, section headings, data tables, case studies, and appendices. You have three minutes to determine the report's overall position on remote work. Which strategy is most efficient?

50 You need to find whether a train timetable provides a direct service from Linton to Marbury after 21:30 on Sundays. Which procedure best combines scanning with verification?

51 Read the passage:

"Cities often respond to congestion by widening roads. The temporary increase in capacity can shorten journeys, but easier driving soon attracts additional traffic. Within a few years, delays frequently return to their former levels, while maintenance costs rise. Measures that reduce the need for private-car travel may therefore offer more durable relief."

What is the main idea?

52 Read the passage:

"Digital archives make rare documents accessible across continents, but access is not equivalent to understanding. Search rankings privilege some records, incomplete metadata obscures others, and images detached from their physical context can mislead. Digitization expands the archive's audience while making careful interpretation more necessary, not less."

Which statement best expresses the main idea?

53 Read the passage:

"Mara arrived ten minutes before the interview and found the reception area empty. When the receptionist appeared, he glanced at the wall clock, apologized, and said, 'The panel is finishing an earlier meeting.' Mara folded the printed copy of her presentation notes and placed it back in her bag."

What can most reasonably be inferred?

54 Read the passage:

"The museum replaced explanatory labels with shorter texts after visitors reported feeling overwhelmed. Average time spent in each gallery then fell, yet attendance at the museum's monthly lectures doubled."

Which inference is best supported?

55 Read the passage:

"The Northbridge trial enrolled 240 participants in April. Half received weekly coaching, while the remainder used a self-guided program. By September, 198 participants remained: 106 in the coaching group and 92 in the self-guided group. The trial measured retention, not long-term performance."

Which statement is explicitly supported?

56 Read the passage:

"The library opens at 08:00 on weekdays and 10:00 on weekends. The research room closes one hour before the main building each day. On Fridays, the building closes at 20:00; on Saturdays, it closes at 18:00. Materials requested after 16:30 are delivered the following opening day."

Which statement is factually correct?

57 Read the passage:

"The company calls the update a 'streamlined experience.' Users may use a different term when they discover that three free features now require a subscription. The interface is certainly cleaner; so, apparently, is the user's wallet."

What are the author's primary purpose and tone?

58 Read the passage:

"It would be premature to attribute the decline entirely to the new regulation. The trend began several months earlier, and comparable regions without the regulation experienced similar changes. Further data may clarify whether the policy accelerated an existing pattern."

Which description best identifies the author's purpose and tone?

59 Read the passage once, then answer from memory:

"On Tuesday, the outreach team visited Easton before traveling to Bellford. They postponed the planned survey in Easton because of heavy rain but completed twelve interviews there. In Bellford, they conducted the survey and scheduled interviews for Friday. The equipment was returned on Wednesday."

Which sequence accurately recalls the events?

60 Read the passage once, then select the most accurate summary from memory:

"The committee approved the pilot on condition that participation remain voluntary and that anonymized results be reviewed after six months. It rejected immediate expansion to all departments, although it allowed two additional branches to join if they funded their own training."

Which option preserves all key conditions?