Check Your Vocabulary

 Fill in the gaps with the given words.

affectation

amiss

deplete

fastidiously

funnel

imbue

pate

slab

stringent

stub

untoward

winch

1. Minds of the most _____ kind, including Nobel Prize - winner Francis crick, who deduced the twisted - ladder structure of DNA, famed Roman educator and rhetorian Quitilian, and even Sigmund Freud had all tried their hand at deciphering sleep's enigmatic code, all in vain.

2 I don't think he's seen anything ______.

3. A lantern holding a candle, lit at the beginning of our shift and now closer to a _____, burns on the wall

4.  I can't get his initial moment of _____ out of my mind.

5. but his document - or at least, the seal affixed to it- was _____ by Proconsul Manius, impossible to fake.

6. So I simply have to hope that his nerves, and his attempt to hide them, are not from anything _____.

7. I go to have lunch when I feel my energy level starts _____.

8. You can _____ him up.

9. Hispius rubs the dark surface of his shaven _____.

10. I start edging around the white _____, deeper into cell forty-one.

11. I've been unaffected by the Sappers, so far, but still I move with care, _____ avoiding brushing against anything.

all of your drive, your focus, your mental and physical evergy, is ______ away by these pale stone beds, to be received by some distant, particularly favoured Septimus.

Answer Key:

1. stringent; 2. amiss; 3. stub;4. affectation; 5. imbue; 6.untoward; 7.deplete; 8. winch; 9.pate; 10. slab;11.fastidiously;12. funnelled

Vocabulary Practice

 Complete the sentences with the words below.

allegation

concede

condone

feint

futile

glower

nitwit

pry

reek

shoo

siphon

snippy

stipulate

vault

1. Strange but he didn't want to _____.

2. She _____ him away with a wave.

3. I'm sorry I got _____.

4. Your wife went public and made some ______.

5. I've _____ a lot of things.

6. You always _____ of drugs and alcohol and whatever else you're taking.

7. You want to frustrate me, _____.

8. You ______ men for money.

9. The World Health Organization and the National Sleep Foundation both _______ an average of eight hours of sleep per night for adults.

10. Worse, should you attempt to diet but don't get enough sleep while doing so,  it is ______, since most of the weight you lose will come from lean body mass, not fat.

11. A ______, I realise immediately.

12. Hrolf ______ at the board, then me, then at the board again.

13. "Lost concentration," he mutters, disgusted as he ______ the game.

14. All of the mighty problem-solving methods in science have been unable to unlock the stubborn ______ of sleep.

Answer key:

1. pry; 2. shooed; 3. snippy; 4. allegation; 5. condoned; 6. reek;7.nitwit;8. siphoned;9. stipulate;10. futile; 11. feint;12.glower;13. concede; 14. vault

Reading practice TOEFL

 Fill in the missing letters in the paragraph

Healthy eating habits contribute significantly to long-term physical and mental well-being. Balanced die_ _ provide essen _ _ _ _ nutrients th_ _ support ene_ _ _ levels, immu_ _ function, a_ _ overall he _ _ _ _. Excessive consu_ _ _ _ _ _ of proce_ _ _ _ foods, su_ _ _, and unhealthy fats can lead to chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart conditions. Awareness of nutrition helps individuals make informed food choices. Developing consistent healthy eating routines reduces health risks and improves quality of life. Proper nutrition also supports concentration, mood stability, and productivity in daily activities.

Read a Campus Cafeteria Notice

Due to a temporary shortage of staff, the cafeteria will provide a limited menu this week. Popular items like pasta bowls and custom sandwiches will still be available, but several specialty dishes will not be offered. We apologize for any inconvenience, and we expect to return to the full menu next Monday once additional staff members complete their training.

What is the cafeteria administration expecting to happen next week?

(A) More specialty meals will be added gradually.

(B) Food prices will increase.

(C) The cafeteria will return to its usual menu.

(D) The cafeteria will close for maintenance.

Read an Online Shipping Update

Your package has left the distribution center and is currently making its way to the destination. According to the latest estimate, it should arrive sometime between Tuesday and Thursday. You can monitor its progress using the tracking link below. While most deliveries arrive on schedule, severe weather conditions or transportation disruptions may occasionally cause delays. If you expect to be unavailable during the delivery period, you may choose to have the package to a nearby pickup location instead.

What does the notice suggest about the package?

(A) It has not yet been processed.

(B) It is currently being transported.

(C) It has already been delivered.

(D) It is being returned to the sender.

Answer Key:

1 ts

2 tial

3 at

4 rgy

5 ne

6 nd

7 alth

8 mption

9 ssed

10 gar

11 B

12 C