Vocabulary practice 1 1 The hotel room was ________________ furnished with only a bed, a wardrobe and an ancient armchair.       A  thinly   B sparsely   C  lightly   D sketchily 2 The main disadvantage to our house is that the only ______________ to the garden is through a bedroom.    A passage   B  doorway   C access   D communication 3 I've had my car examined three times now but no mechanic has been able to ________________ the problem.    A pinpoint   B focus   C specify   D highlight 4 Our hosts had prepared a ________________ meal with seven courses to celebrate our arrival.    A generous   B profuse   C lavish   D spendthrift 5 Having decided to rent a flat, we _________________ contacting all the accommodation agencies in the city.    A set to   B set off   C set out   D set about 6  Don't thank me for helping in the garden. It was _______________ pleasure to be working out of doors.    A plain   B mere   C simple   D sheer 7 She had ______________ mind which kept her alert and well-informed even in old age.    A an examining   B a demanding   C an enquiring   D a querying 8 The police decided to ________________ the department store after they had received a bomb warning.    A abandon   B evacuate   C evict   D expel 9 The company was declared bankrupt when it had ___________________ more debts than it could hope to    repay.    A inflicted   B incurred   C entailed   D evolved 10 Architectural pressure groups fought unsuccessfully to save a terrace of eighteenth century houses from ________________.      A disruption   B abolition   C demolition   D dismantling 11 Apart from the _________________ cough and cold, I've been remarkably healthy all my life.      A odd   B opportune   C irregular   D timely 12 I had to take out a bank loan when I started up in business and it took me two years to pay it __________.     A out   B up   C over   D off 13 The railway line has been closed for tehn years and the station buildings are now sadly _______________.      A deprept   B derelict   C decomposed    D discarded 14 The school authorities ________________ the child's unruly behaviour on his parents' lack of discipline.      A attribute   B accuse   C blame   D ascribe 15 After months of bitter arguing the couple had to accept that they were ___________________.      A incongruous  B incompatible   C dissident   D disaffected 16 We can't eat this bread. It's ________________      A mouldy   B rotten   C bad   D rancid 17 A special committee was set up to ________________ on the problem of football hooliganism.      A investigate   B inform   C research   D report 18 After the flash flood, all the drains were overflowing _______________ with storm water.      A from   B with    C by   D for 19 Soldiers were warned that anyone caught ________________ the shops in the deseted town would be severely punished.      A stealing   B raiding   C embezzling   D looting 20 The BBC has ________________ a young composer to write a piece of music for the Corporation's centenary.      A ordered   B consulted   C commissioned   D decided home