The Benefits System in GB

The _____ (1) way in which people get help is by direct payments of easy

government money. This help comes in various ways and _____ (2) by pay

the Department of the Social Security. Anyone below the retirement age

who _____ (3) for a certain minimum period of time can receive unemployment work

benefit _____ (4) colloquially as ‘the dole’. All retired people _____ (5) know, entitle

to the standard old‑age pension, provided that they _____ (6) pay

their insurance contributions for most of their working _____ (7). After life

a certain age, even people who still _____ (8) can receive their pension earn

though at a slightly reduced rate. The government pension, however,

_____ (9) very high. That’s why Personal Pension Plans not be

_____ (10) in July 1988 to extend pension choice and encourage people introduce

to build up a retirement fund.

2. Read the text. Use the word given at the end of each line to form a word that fits the space in the same line. If you’re interested in getting, then what you need is а training

programme. Although aimed at improving physical fit _____ (1), this programme fit

can also be _____ (2) in such а way that it helps in the _____ (3) design, develop

of particular athletic skills. There is а range of different _____ (4) to active

choose from and а growing amount of scientific (_____ 5) to explain know

the effects of each one. When you begin training, it is important gentle

to start _____ (6), raising the _____ (7) of the programme in а intense

gradual way. Although it is important to work sufficiently hard impress

to make an _____ (8) on your physical condition, the activities shouldn’t

be _____ (9). It is _____ (10), therefore, to ignore warning pain, wise

symptoms such as sharp or persistent pain in particular muscles.

3. Choose the most suitable word for each space. Modern technology has brought about enormous improvements in communications and yet many people are still very worried _____ (1) using the latest computer technology. I am often _____ (2) to meet colleagues who still don’t know what the ‘е’ in e‑mail stands for and they are too _____ (3) to ask. They assume you have to be skilled _____ (4) computers to send а message via е‑mail but in fact it is _____ (5) thing in the world. It is also _____ (6) to send an e‑mail message _____ (7) to send an ordinary letter or а ‘snail’ message which also takes _____ (8) longer. An e‑mail message is only _____ (9) more expensive than а local telephone call to send; on top of the call itself you also have to pay а fee to your ‘server’. If you send а letter by _____ (10) mail it will take а couple of days to get there whereas an e‑mail will not take _____ (11) than а few seconds. Once you become _____ (12) to using the system you will be _____ (13) at how much more _____ (14) it is than other means of communication. Of course, before you have access to е‑mail, you will need а fairly _____ (15) computer, which can be quite expensive.

1. a) for b) about c) at d) with as 2. a) surprising b) irritating c) surprised d) irritated

3. a) embarrassing b) embarrassed c) tired d) tiring

4. a) about b) into c) to d) in

5. a) simplest b) the more simple c) simpler d) the simplest

6. a) cheaper b) more cheaper c) the cheapest d) the cheaper

7. a) as b) than c) that d) from

8. a) much b) more c) as d) lot

9. a) little b) slightly c) less d) least

10. a) second‑hand b) low‑paid c) part‑time d) first‑class

11. a) more long b) longest c) as long d) longer

12. a) capable b) accustomed c) clever d) good

13. a) amazed b) puzzled c) experienced d) pleased

14. a) confident b) certain c) efficient d) skilful

15. a) strong b) great c) powerful d) large

Test 12 1. Read the text and put the words at the end of each line into the correct form.