FCE Reading and Use of English – Practice Test 20 Page 1

FCE Reading and Use of English Part 1

For questions 1-8, read the text below and decide which answer (А, В, C or D) best fits each gap. There is an
example at the beginning (0).

The migration of the monarch butterflies

The migration of millions of North American monarch butterflies is one of the most stunning 0 natural phenomena
on Earth. In 1 _____ to other members of the same species elsewhere, the North American species migrates far in
winter, taking a journey that 2 _____ of 3000 miles. They 3 _____ off in Canada and the US, arrive in central
Mexico in November, and return in March. The sight of them together in fir trees in Mexico is an incredible 4 _____
to witness.

However, none of the butterflies actually make the entire round trip. The females lay eggs in Mexico and it's the new
generation that heads north. They travel to Texas where the process is repeated. The butterflies have a 5 _____ to
stop twice on their way back to Canada, meaning that it takes four generations to complete the trip.

Monarch butterflies are important because they pollinate plants. In 6 _____, they form a key part of the food chain.
They also 7 _____ danger from disease and a loss of habitat. However, at 8 _____ their forest in Mexico is protected.

0 A natural B native C wild D indigenous

1 A contrast B difference C variation D disagreement
2 A involves B consists C includes D counts
3 A start В depart C launch D leave
4 A stage В context C spot D scene
5 A habit В tendency C trend D custom
6 A addition В extension C comparison D conclusion
7 A undergo В face C suffer D take
8 A best B minimum C least D part

FCE Reading and Use of English Part 2

For questions 9-16, read the text below and think of the word which best fits each gap. Use only one word in each
gap. There is an example at the beginning (0).
Write your answers IN CAPITAL LETTERS on the separate answer sheet.
Example: (0) THE

A sculptor’s home
I’m currently sitting outside La Villa des Brilliants, once 0 THE home of well-known sculptor Auguste Rodin. Rodin
purchased this property on the outskirts of Paris in 1895. By 1900, he 9 _____ turned it into a home and a studio
where he worked until his death in 1917. As well as having around 50 assistants, Rodin 10 _____ regularly invite
friends, family and art lovers to visit his studio.

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The house has been a museum 11 _____ Rodin’s death. Photographs were used to renovate the house in the latter
part of the last century, so now we can see exactly what it was 12 _____ when Rodin lived there. What’s special
about coming here 13 _____ that we can see his most famous works of art, as well as 14 _____ a sense of his daily
life. Rodin is buried in the grounds of the house, under a statue of The Thinker, one of his most well-loved pieces.
Needless to 15 _____, this is a place where artists such as myself can pay respects to the man we look 16 _____ to.

FCE Reading and Use of English Part 3

For questions 17-24, read the text below. Use the word given in capitals at the end of some of the lines to form a
word that fits in the gap in the same line. There is an example at the beginning (0).
Write your answers IN CAPITAL LETTERS on the separate answer sheet.
Example: (0) RECIPIENT

Is regifting ever acceptable?

How would you feel if you spent time buying someone a gift and then found out that 0 RECEIVE
they went and gave it to someone else? Would you be happy that it had found a 0 17 POLITE
RECIPIENT who wanted it, or would you think it was incredibly 17 _____? The act of 18 POPULAR
regifting unwanted gifts is gaining in 18 _____. It keeps our homes tidy, saves waste 19 AFFORD
and makes gift giving more 19 _____. 20 SATISFY
However, there are unwritten rules we should follow when regifting items that we’re 21 APPEAL
20 _____ with. We should avoid passing anything on that was made especially for us, 22 IDENTIFY
even if we find it 21 _____. We should also take care not to forget the 22 _____ of the 23 SENSITIVE
gift giver and accidentally give the gift back to them. Giving anyone the opportunity to 24 RESPONSIBLE
discover their gift was unwanted is 23 _____ and allowing it to happen is 24 _____.

FCE Reading and Use of English Part 4

For questions 25-30, 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. You must use between three and six words, including the word given.
Example:
0 We couldn’t see any whales on our boat trip.
UNABLE
We WERE UNABLE TO SEE any whales on our boat trip.
25 Lily hasn’t taken karate lessons since she was 16.
WHEN
Lily _______________ she was 16.
26 The outcome of the meeting was unexpected.
TURN
The meeting didn’t _______________ we had expected.
27 The price of petrol went up again a moment ago.
JUST
The price of petrol _______________ again.

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28 I was on a skiing trip in the Alps when I met Tom.

WHILE
I met Tom _______________ skiing in the Alps.
29 You must subscribe to use the music site.
HAVE
You have _______________ use the music site.
30 I often chatted to an invisible friend when I was a child.
USED
I _______________ an invisible friend when I was a child.

FCE Reading and Use of English Part 5

You are going to read an article about a sporting event. For questions 31-36, choose the answer (A, B, C or D) which
you think fits best according to the text.

The ultimate challenge

The ultramarathon in the Amazon is one of the toughest footraces in the world. You run 230 kilometres over four
days through dense jungle, carrying your kit on your back, in temperatures up to 30 degrees. Why would anyone
want to do this? Of course, there’s a competitive element, and most runners have at least some desire to win. There’s
also the personal satisfaction of pushing your body to its limits. But these are secondary to the main motivation,
which is simply the pleasure of running. This is what really drives people to compete in these extreme events.
My running career had followed a fairly established path, graduating from a relaxed 5k in my local park to a half
marathon and, finally, what I saw at the time as my ultimate challenge, the New York Marathon. Except that when I
crossed the finish line, it didn’t feel like such a big achievement. I’d trained so well and got so fit that running 42
kilometres no longer felt like a big deal, and I felt I needed more. A friend suggested an ultramarathon, so I signed up
for one in the Amazon.
My training programme involved running in the heat and rain as well as building up my fitness. One challenge was
to get used to running with a backpack. I knew I would have to carry at least 2.5 litres of water every day, and that’s
a lot of weight! Luckily, the human body can adapt quickly. Covering more kilometres in a day wasn’t a huge
problem for me. But the tough thing about ultra-running is getting up day after day and persuading your tired, aching
body to perform again. This was what really tested me.
I arrived at the base camp on 31 May, three days before the start of the race. My journey there had been long, but
fairly straightforward, and I had got a reasonable amount of rest along the way. The tents provided for us were quite
big and fairly comfortable. The weather wasn’t brilliant, but the forecast was good, so it wasn’t a huge concern. I
spent a lot of time over those few days chatting to the other competitors, comparing notes about training and
experience. They were all very friendly and keen to offer help and support, which I hadn’t expected. Then it was
time for the race itself.
I knew I would have to deal with running over rough ground, with lots of ups and downs and sometimes in the dark.
I was also well prepared for the psychological highs and lows, the inner battle that all runners experience, with one
voice in your head telling you to just give up and go home, while the other urges you forward. What I hadn’t

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bargained for was the physical effect of running with wet feet, due to the many streams we had to cross. My feet
were sore and bleeding by the end of day one. In the end, though, it was my legs that let me down. On the third day,
they simply couldn’t do any more and I had to stop.
Of course, failing at anything is not as good as winning, but, to my mind, having a go at one of the toughest
challenges in the world, even if it ends in failure, is hardly something to be ashamed of. I travelled home with no
medal, but by no means defeated. And when friends asked me, ‘Are you going to try an ultramarathon again?’ I had
no hesitation in saying ‘no’. I am not sorry that I took part, but have accepted that I have my limits and in future I
will be happy to stick to standard marathons!
31 According to the writer, people take part in ultramarathons mainly because
A they are determined to win.
B they find them enjoyable.
C they want to see how much their body can achieve.
D they want to prove that they can do it.
32 The underlined word ‘it’ in Paragraph 2 refers to
A the writer’s running career.
B a big achievement.
C completing the New York Marathon.
D training so well.
33 Which part of training for the ultramarathon did the writer find the most difficult?
A learning to run while carrying a heavy weight
B running much longer distances
C learning to run even when she was exhausted
D practising running in difficult weather conditions
34 How did the writer feel at the base camp, before the race?
A tired after a difficult journey
B surprised at the attitude of other runners
C disappointed about the accommodation
D worried about the weather conditions
35 The phrase ‘hadn’t bargained for’ (Paragraph 5) suggests that running with wet feet
A caused some unexpected problems.
B was not a particularly difficult challenge.
C had been part of the writer’s training.
D was not as unpleasant as the writer expected.
36 What feeling does the writer have now?
A determination to succeed in an ultramarathon one day
B pride at having taken part
C disappointment at having failed to complete the race
D regret at trying to do something too challenging

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FCE Reading and Use of English Part 6

You are going to read an article about special effects in movies. Six sentences have been removed from the article.
Choose from the sentences A-G the one which fits each gap (37-42). There is one extra sentence which you do not
need to use.

How did they do that?

It’s impossible, isn’t it? An actor fluently speaking nine languages in a new film? OK. Maybe ‘unlikely’ is the word.
And yes, surprise, surprise, he isn’t actually speaking those languages, it’s yet another clever technique developed for
video using Al. It makes us believe the impossible.
What is really impossible is trying to keep up with the latest technological advances that affect our viewing
experiences. Special effects have come a very long way since the ‘stop trick’ which was first used in 1895 when
filming Mary Queen of Scots. The director came up with the idea of stopping the cameras just before the execution
and substituting a dummy. (I’m sure the actor was relieved!) In those early days the effects were all created
physically, with make-up, different backgrounds, models and trick photography. 37 __. ‘How did they do that?’ they
asked. The question the film companies want us to keep asking.
Then digital got involved. Performance capture (performance what?) dazzled cinemagoers with films like The Polar
Express (2004), where magically, it seemed Tom Hanks’ expressions and movements were superimposed on an
animated character. 38 __. Performance capture is the combination of acting with computer animation and gives us
remarkably human characters in an animated world. Think of the animals and birds in The Lion King. Some think
that the creations are now almost too realistic to be called animations any longer.
In addition to this, high-tech fakery can allow real characters to do any actions they want. 39 __. What allows this
magic to happen is ‘green screen’. This is where actors perform in front of a vividly-bright green background which
can later be replaced digitally by almost anything from battle scenes to the interiors of exploding planets! The only
limitation is the director’s imagination.
And it is not only the technology that is changing and advancing. It is also the skills of the actors involved. Gone are
the days when film actors used costume, make-up and interaction with other actors to create a believable character.
40 __. Or for performance capture, an actor could be dressed in a skin-tight lycra suit with strange tiny balls stuck all
over it to record individual muscle movements. He will again be depending on his imagination, this time perhaps to
remember, for example, to touch the brim of an imaginary hat.
41 __. This uses ‘face manipulation’ technology to match lip movements with words so that we’re convinced that the
person is speaking. It is awesome in the real sense of the word and its potential for dubbing foreign language films is
enormous. Remember that awkward mismatching of lips and sounds? Soon to be long gone.
But what next? I’m writing this in the present tense, but I know full well that what I record as revolutionary and new
will soon become outdated. 42 __. Will we ever stop asking ‘How did they do that?’ Or maybe there will be an
unexpected plot twist and we’ll turn our backs on technology and return to the early days of film. What do you
think?
A. For example, they can fly, ride on performance captured monsters or interact with giants in any location
imaginable.
B. In other words, there will be newer and more incredible ways to make the impossible possible.

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C. Gollum, in Lord of the Rings (2001) is another unforgettable creation – a faded, slimy creature that uses Andy
Serkis’ gestures and stares with the actor’s haunting eyes.
D. Frustratingly for many, today they may be alone in front of a green screen interacting with people or creatures in a
location that is all completely imaginary.
E. Audiences gasped as fires raged through office blocks or tsunamis towered over towns and people.
F. They are often badly produced and intelligent cinemagoers become bored very quickly.
G. So, we come back to the revolutionary technique that allows the actor to do the impossible and talk in nine
languages.

FCE Reading and Use of English Part 7

You are going to read an article about people’s attitude to summer. For questions 43-52, choose from the sections o f
the article (A-D). The sections may be chosen more than once.
Which person mentions ...
43. a desire for a complete change of environment? __
44. a belief that others should not be envious of her situation? __
45. having changed her attitude to a particular season? __
46. some people’s biological suitability to a certain climate? __
47. a desire for some peace and quiet during the summer? __
48. an appreciation that her attitude might change under different circumstances? __
49. resenting the predictability of the weather? __
50. the start of health problems in certain months? __
51. a preference for spending time outside at particular times of day? __
52. not sharing the same attitudes as other people in her country? __

The people’s favourite season?

Summer’s just around the corner so we thought we’d find out whether the hot summer sun lights up your life! Check
out some readers’ contributions.
A
You’d expect someone like me to have summer down as the best time of the year. After all, I have those long holiday
weeks to look forward to, with no more evenings spent marking homework until September. I know many of my
friends wish they had a break like I do, but they probably don’t see the drawbacks. My holidays are inevitably the
same as the children’s and as a result summer beaches are usually really crowded and any holiday abroad costs a
fortune because it’s peak season! Not only that but the hotels I can afford are the family ones and overrun with
children. I imagine I’d appreciate places like this if I were a parent. But I’m not! Don’t get me wrong – I love
children, but I share every working day with them and I’d just like to escape in the holidays. That’s my main beef
about summer. Not my favourite time of the year.
B
Where I live we don’t get seasons like most countries do. It’s pretty much summer all year round, apart from the
hurricane season when we get torrential rain and really destructive winds. The tourists love coming here because it’s
practically guaranteed sunshine, but to tell the truth, for me it is SO boring. Every day the temperature is the same –
no element of surprise at all – and that is hot, hot and maybe even hotter! If you’re out in the midday sun it just saps

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your energy, so I usually do my outdoor training early in the morning or late at night. I’ve competed in London and
that’s where I would love to live. You can get four seasons in one day! Imagine not wearing T-shirts and shorts all
year round, but investing in a proper wardrobe, with furry hats, boots, sweaters? Tourists think I’m crazy, but I’d
swap the burning sand for some chilly frost and snow any time!
C
I’m Russian and I know I should be used to the winter months, like most Russians, but I am definitely not! I
absolutely detest the cold. Not only do I hate putting on layer after layer of clothing, but I also can’t bear the almost
permanent feeling that I’m just about to come down with flu or something- which never actually happens. If I’d been
born in Siberia or somewhere near the Arctic, apparently my body would be better adapted for the cold weather of
long winters. Scientists say that people from that part of the world have a different physique – shorter bodies and
limbs so as to keep as much body heat as possible. I’m tall and skinny and feel the cold terribly. So, for me, summer
is when I come alive! There’s a buzz in the air and people have smiles on their faces and you don’t go to college and
come home again in the dark. Give me summer any time.
D
What’s not to like about summer? For me – actually quite a lot. I’m one of those people who suffer when the pollen
levels start to rise, sneezing throughout the summer months. What’s more, I have the sort of blood that mosquitoes
seem to love and if I’m out at dusk I get bitten to death! I haven’t had these allergies all my life, only in the last
couple of years, and it’s a real pain because I used to adore the long days and the picnics and trips to the seaside.
Now, it’s completely different. I have to take regular medicine, which makes me really sleepy by the way, and my
job, which involves cutting lawns and hedges, is a bit of a challenge. Although it feels wrong on so many levels, I
look forward to darker evenings and the changing colours of the leaves.

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Answer Keys
Part 1
1 A – contrast. If something is in contrast with something else, then it is very different from it. ‘In
disagreement’ is another legit collocation here, but as its form suggests, it does not agree with something, i.e.
it does not work well with it.
2 B – consists. Just like in the previous case, we have to choose a word that works well with the preposition
that comes after the gap. All three other options would normally be used without any preposition.
3 A – start. To start off is a phrasal verb that means to begin a journey. ‘Depart’ needs no preposition, ‘leave’
could be used with ‘for’ here, e.g. ‘He left for another country many years ago’.
4 D – scene. We are looking for a phrase here that expresses the idea of something we can see (witness). The
word ‘scene’ works the best. In some languages the word ‘stage’ might have a similar meaning, be careful not
to get fooled by this similarity.
5 B – tendency. If you have a tendency to do something, it means you do it often, you are likely to do it. We
say ‘to have a habit of doing something’, which is why we can’t use it here. The word ‘custom’ is more
appropriate for a cultural thing, and since we are talking about butterflies, it just doesn’t work too well here.
6 A – addition. The paragraph focuses on how these butterflies benefit nature, and the introductory phrase ‘in
addition’ helps us to name another benefit they have.
7 B – face. If you face something, especially something negative, such as danger or threat, it means that you
are likely to be affected by it. Other verbs here do not collocate with ‘danger’.
8 C – least. We use ‘at least’ here to introduce a positive aspect in an otherwise negative context of the
paragraph.

Part 2
9 had. We use Past Perfect to show that he first converted it into a studio and then, understandably, began to
work there. Even if you, like many other students of this level, feel overwhelmed by Past Perfect tense, there
is not much room for choice here.
10 would. Use ‘would’ to show a repeated action in the past that no longer happens. In that role it is very
similar to the more common structure ‘used to do something’.
11 since. Be careful not to answer ‘after’ – first, because we have a word ‘since’ that suggests the usage of
Perfect Tense. Secondly, with ‘after’ the idea of it still being a museum gets lost.
12 like. Here we talk about the resemblance of the current design of his house and that existed during the
sculptor’s lifetime.
13 is. We use the auxiliary ‘to be’ to introduce a so-called ‘cleft sentence’. It is used to shift the focus of the
sentence as well as to make it more impactful.

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14 get. To get a sense of something means to understand what something is like. While ‘have’ technically
works in this context, it does not indicate the idea of change, i.e. starting to understand what kind of daily life
the sculptor had.
15 say. An introductory phrase that is usually used with statements that might seem obvious or unnecessary.
16 up. If you look up to somebody, it means you have profound respect for them, you see them as an idol.

Part 3
17 impolite. In contrast with the first part of the sentence, we are looking for a negative adjective here. Then
the only thing remaining is to find the right negative prefix.
18 popularity. To gain in popularity means to become more widespread, to turn into a more popular option.
19 affordable. Do not be tricked into using the word ‘affording’ as there is no such adjective.
20 dissatisfied. The context sends a clear signal that a negative word is needed. Note that ‘dissatisfied’ is
more commonly seen in phrases like ‘dissatisfied with something’, whereas there is also ‘unsatisfied’ that is
more appropriate as a descriptive adjective, e.g. ‘unsatisfied people’.
21 unappealing. Yet another negative adjective, unappealing means not attractive or interesting to somebody.
22 identity. ‘Identity of the gift giver’ is just a fancy way of saying ‘the person you got the gift from’. Identity
in relation to people means the who the person is, e.g. ‘the identity of the criminal remains unknown’. This
means that they do not know who the criminal is, such as his name or background.
23 insensitive. If something or somebody is insensitive, it means that they do not take other people’s feelings
into account.
24 irresponsible. An irresponsible action is one that you choose not to be accountable for because you are not
aware of the consequences or simply do not care.

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Part 4
25 stopped taking karate lesson when / gave up karate lesson when / last took karate lesson when. Note
that the verb pattern is “to stop doing something”, but “to give up something”. This is a rare case when you
have plenty of freedom with the phrasing. Remember that as long as you stay within the word limit and keep
the meaning of the original sentence the same, you are free to phrase your answer however you want.
26 turn out as / turn out how / turn out the way. To turn out means to have something as a result, e.g. “the
party turned out to be a great success”. Once again you are given plenty of choice in phrasing your answer.
27 has just gone up. The usage of Present Perfect is needed here to stress that the price increase happened at
this very moment. The word ‘just’ usually implies the usage of a Perfect tense.
28 while I was. A combination of a continuous tense for a longer action (“was skiing”) and a shorter action
that took place during the long one (“I met Tom”).
29 to have a subscription to. You might get confused by the two cases of ‘have’ here. One is a modal, with a
meaning “need to”, the other one is used in the more traditional sense. The meaning here is that you need to
have a subscription.
30 (often) used to chat to. We choose “used to” for repeated actions in the past that no longer take place.

Part 5
31 B. Last two sentences of Paragraph 1 make it clear that the real reason people choose to take part is
marathons is because they find it fun, they enjoy it. While all other reasons are mentioned, they are later said
to be ‘secondary’ – in other words, not as important.
32 C. The marathon itself didn’t feel like much when the author crossed the finish line. Questions like these
are easy to answer and difficult to explain – all it takes to get it right is to be aware of the immediate context.
33 C. Last two sentences of Paragraph 3 mention that the most demanding part of training was forcing
yourself to run everyday, despite being exhausted. Note that the answers mention all of the things listed in the
paragraph. In a situation like this, look for cue words or phrases like ‘most importantly’, ‘the main thing’ and
others with a meaning that stresses the importance of what is said. Additionally, mentioning the most
important aspect is a very common practice in FCE Reading tasks.
34 B. The author did not expect such warm reception by other marathon runners. Answer A is not good as the
author mentions to have had enough rest along the way. Answer C is wrong as the tents provided were big and
comfortable. Finally, the forecast was good, so we do not want to choose Answer D.
35 A. ‘To bargain for something’ means to choose it, to accept it willingly. Knowing this, we now understand
that the meaning has to be negative, so answers B, C and D can be eliminated.
36 B. The answer is in the first sentence of the last paragraph, but in a tricky way, by stating the opposite:
“[taking part] is nothing to be ashamed of”. Nothing about being disappointed is mentioned. The opposite of
Answer A is said – the author is convinced that they will not be taking part in that again.

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Part 6
37 E. We are given examples of the older versions of special effects in this sentence. Then, the question of
‘how did they do that’ refers to the tsunamis and the fires mentioned in sentence E. This one is a very
straightforward choice as all other options clash with the immediate context here.
38 C. The example of Gollum from LoTR complements the first one, Tom Hanks’ character. Both focus on
the new technology of projecting (superimposing) computer imagery onto a real actor. You might feel tempted
to use sentence A here because both it and the next sentence mention performance capture. However, the
plural ‘they’ from sentence A does not agree with the singular ‘animated character’ from the previous
sentence.
39 A. ‘… any action’ from the sentence before the gap is what helps us make the choice here. Flying and
riding animated monsters are all great examples of such actions. The word ‘fakery’ might push you to choose
the negative option of sentence F, but it does not make sense with the sentence after the gap talking about
positive aspects of computer graphics.
40 D. Perhaps the most difficult choice in this task, it is easier to guess the right sentence after you have made
more informed and educated picks in all other parts of this task. There are no clear contextual clues here. I
advise you to leave the most challenging cases like this for last and then narrowing down your choice, then
picking the most fitting one.
41 G. This time, the choice is almost too obvious. We get to choose an introductory sentence that should work
well to present a new topic – this time, it is the previously mentioned language aspect. This is then expanded
upon in the following sentences, talking about the possibilities of translating the movie and doing the
previously impossible lip synchronisation, so that the actors can appear to be talking in any language
imaginable.
42 B. A good sentence here to stress the idea of progress and how unbelievable future developments can be.

Part 7
43 B. By change of environment, the speaker means moving to another country, and probably also looking for
a different kind of weather as well. Both fit their desire to move to London, where you can figuratively get all
four seasons within the same day.
44 A. It is easy to guess that the speaker is a teacher, and they normally get long summer breaks between
academic years. This is why people might envy them: “I know many of my friends wish they had a break like
I do…”
45 D. The speaker used to love summer, but recently they have developed an allergic reaction to pollen, so
summers are much less enjoyable for them now.
46 C. Here she mentions a particular scientific hypothesis: people living in harsh Siberian climate have
shorter legs and arms so that their bodies could retain heat easier.
47 A. As the speaker has to work with children, they express a desire to have a break from all of that during
summer. She also states that it can be difficult as their own holidays coincide with those of other families.

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48 A. She concedes that she would probably enjoy summer and all summer-related activities more if she had
been a parent. But she is not, so she finds it more difficult to appreciate fully.
49 B. Speaker B is unhappy that the weather never changes, she finds it too boring and predictable. She
complains about lack of surprises in that regard.
50 D. Allergy to pollen that appears in summer is the health problem mentioned in the task.
51 B. Because it is way too hot during the day, the speaker says that mornings and late evenings are more
preferable if she wants to be outside.
52 C. According to the speaker, most people from their country are used to the winter months. However, the
speaker herself resents winter and can’t get accustomed to the cold.

Vocabulary
The vocabulary below is meant to help you with the more difficult words. If the word isn’t on the list then you
are either supposed to know it at this level or it is too specific to be worth learning for the exam. Symbols in
brackets mean part of speech (see bottom of the list). Sentences in italics give examples of usage for some
more complex words and phrases.
And remember — you are not given a vocabulary list (or a dictionary) at your real exam.

Part 1
Stunning (adj) – shockingly beautiful, very attractive. Their live performance was a stunning show of
roaring rock music, smoke and lasers.
Species (n) – an animal of a particular kind. Note that both the plural and the singular form is the same for
this word, so it normally has to be guessed from context.
Pollinate (v) – to transfer pollen from one flower to another. Effectively, this is the basic form of plant
reproductive cycle.

Part 2
Property (n) – (here) something that you own, an asset.
Outskirts (n) – a part of a bigger city that is situated far away from the centre, usually on the very edge of the
habitated area. Life on the outskirts of London is much less glamorous than in the city centre.
Latter (adj) – (here) the second part. Normally used in combination with ‘former’ to refer to the first and
second things mentioned. You could either work as a postman or get a job at the factory – I would recommend
the latter.
Bury (v) – when a person dies, they are usually buried in a coffin.
Pay respects – to express your respect or gratitude to a dead person by visiting their burial site, laying flowers
there, and so on.

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FCE Reading and Use of English – Practice Test 20 Page 13

Part 3, 4
Tidy (adj) – clean, uncluttered, without any unnecessary things. My brother’s room is always so tidy that
sometimes I can’t help thinking that nobody lives there.
Unwritten rules – things that should be obvious and are not talked about because everybody knows them.
To pass on (phr v) – to give something after it has been given to you, either because you don’t want it, or
because you no longer need it for whatever reason. I would mostly wear old clothes that were passed on to me
by my older siblings.
Outcome (n) – the result. Even in the final quarter the outcome of the game was uncertain.
Petrol (n) – this is what they call gas in America.

Part 5
Tough, toughest (adj) – (here) physically demanding, very tiring. Working in the warehouse is pretty tough,
but at least the pay is good.
Dense (adj) – (here) thick with vegetation and difficult to get through because of that.
Established (adj) – tried previously, known for the fact that it works. Dentistry has always been an
established career path in our family.
A big deal (informal) – something important, that is worth paying attention to. It might not sound like a big
deal to anybody else, but getting that promotion really means something to me.
Sign up (phr v) – if you sign up for something, you join it or agree to do it. When the teacher asked if
anybody wanted to help with decorating, I signed right up.
Build something up – to gradually increase something. Building my client base up took years, but it was
really worth it in the end.
Persuade (v) – to make somebody change their mind, to convince. Rick persuaded me to go on a skiing trip
with them, and I never regretted coming.
Straightforward (adj) – easy to follow or understand, not complicated. There is no straightforward way to
success in this business, some things depend on luck or chance.

Part 6
Advances (n) – (here) progress, development. Advances in the mobile phone industry are hard to keep track
of even for the most keen tech geeks.
Substitute (v) – to change one thing with another one. You can easily substitute sugar in your diet with more
healthy alternatives.
Relieved (adj) – feeling relief, having a sense of easiness because something dangerous or unpleasant is not
threatening you anymore.
Dazzle (v) – (here) to impress with beautiful visuals. Visitors to this shop are dazzled by the impressive choice
of various fabrics from all over the world.

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FCE Reading and Use of English – Practice Test 20 Page 14

Superimpose (v) – to put one thing on top of the other, e.g. to combine two pictures in order to reach a certain
visual effect.
Fakery (n) – a collective word to talk about something that is not real, used negatively.
Brim (n) – the outer edge of something. The glass was full to the brim and the water was about to start
pouring over onto the table.
Mismatching (adj) – not fitting together well. The car had a lot of rust, and the body panels were
mismatching in fit and colour.
Outdated (adj) – no longer good or relevant because it is too old. Our classroom still has these outdated
computers that barely work.
Plot twist – a case when a situation or a story changes suddenly and unpredictably. Ridley Scott is famous for
plot twists in his movies.
Interact (v) – to communicate, to act affecting one another. You will be interacting with your teacher on a
daily basis, so you better stay on friendly terms.
Haunting (adj) – scary and making you feel uneasy. The haunting emptiness of the house was alarming.
Gasp (v) – to breathe in a loud way as a result of a shock or a surprise.

Part 7
Envious (adj) – feeling bad because somebody has something you want. Most girls in our class are envious
of Mary’s long, wavy hair.
Resent (v) – to feel angry and bitter at something, especially something you cannot change. I resented every
minute of that stupid meeting.
Predictability (n) – a situation when it is easy to know or guess what is going to happen next; used negatively
here.
Down (n) – (here) break from work, vacation.
Drawback (n) – a disadvantage, a negative aspect of something.
Inevitably (adv) – happening no matter what. No matter how good the weather forecast seemed ,we would
inevitably find ourselves under grey rainy sky during the trip.
Overrun (adj) – (here) full of. The shops are overrun with eager customers during this part of the day.
Beef (n) – a slang word for ‘complaint’ or ‘dislike’. I don’t really understand your beef with George – you
were getting along so well last year.
Torrential (adj) – (about rain) very intense. Torrential rainfall is very common in this tropical climate.
Sap (v) – to slowly make weaker. You could feel her monotonous speech sapping energy from everybody in
the audience.
Detest (v) – to dislike something intensely.
Come down with something – to become ill with something. Coming down with a cold is the last thing I
need in the middle of the exams.
Limbs (n, pl) – your arms and legs. People with longer limbs are believed to be good at sports.
Buzz (n) – (here) excitement. The buzz of this party really put everybody in the right mood.
Pollen (n) – coloured flower dust that is used in the process of plant reproduction.

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FCE Reading and Use of English – Practice Test 20 Page 15

Sneeze (v) – when you let air out of your noise rapidly because it was irritated by something or when you
have the flu.

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