Prepositions And Phrasal Verbs Advanced Level Test - Quiz (Online Exercise With Answers) 2

This second vocabulary test contains 25 multiple choice questions on the topics of prepositions and phrasal verbs of the English language. Both English learners and ESL teachers can use this online exercise as a revision to check the knowledge of prepositions and phrasal verbs.

Prepositions And Phrasal Verbs - Advanced Level Test 2

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Question 1

From now on, I will _____ all my time and energy to the solution of this particular problem because everybody is passionately interested in it.

A	attain
B	determine
C	adopt
D	benefit
E	devote

Question 1 Explanation:

Devote something to something means to give all of it (time, energy, money) to one purpose: She devoted her life to teaching. The preposition to after the gap is the clue. Attain (reach a goal) and adopt (take up an idea) don't take 'time and energy to'.

Question 2

Each computer produced is _____ before it's passed for sale in the manufacturing period. If any fault is noticed, that computer is put aside.

A	eliminated
B	destroyed
C	placated
D	examined
E	narrated

Question 2 Explanation:

To examine something is to look at it carefully to check its condition. The second sentence says faulty computers are put aside, so every computer is checked before sale. Eliminated and destroyed would mean no computer is ever sold.

Question 3

A dishwasher is an important labour-saving _____ for a busy household.

A	engine
B	draft
C	device
D	piece
E	instrument

Question 3 Explanation:

A device is a machine or tool made for a particular job, and labour-saving device is a fixed collocation: A washing machine is a labour-saving device. Instrument is used for precise tools (musical/surgical instrument), and engine is the part of a vehicle that makes it move.

Question 4

A / An _____ parent may spoil a child by creating an artificial atmosphere of leniency.

A	lethal
B	aggressive
C	mean
D	malignant
E	indulgent

Question 4 Explanation:

An indulgent parent lets a child have or do whatever they want, so the child is spoilt. The clues are spoil and leniency (being too soft about rules). Mean and aggressive describe the opposite, a harsh parent.

Question 5

We suffered many casualties during the unexpected _____ of the enemy troops.

A	onslaught
B	pact
C	ordeal
D	rumour
E	scope

Question 5 Explanation:

An onslaught is a sudden, fierce attack: the onslaught of the enemy troops. The words casualties (people killed or hurt) and unexpected support this meaning. Not ordeal: an ordeal is a very unpleasant experience that you suffer, not an attack carried out by the enemy.

Question 6

I spoke to her, but she was too _____ to hear what I said.

A	flexible
B	preoccupied
C	attentive
D	cautious
E	conscientious

Question 6 Explanation:

Preoccupied means thinking so much about something else that you don't notice what is happening around you: He was too preoccupied with his problems to listen. The pattern too + adjective + to shows she couldn't hear. Attentive means the opposite, listening carefully.

Question 7

Gemmy studied the report _____ because she knew she would have to answer the questions on it.

A	ultimately
B	simultaneously
C	thoroughly
D	finally
E	eventually

Question 7 Explanation:

Thoroughly means carefully and completely, paying attention to every detail. She had to answer questions on the report, so she read it in detail. Finally and eventually only say when she studied it, not how.

Question 8

The police thought that the evidence would give them the _____ to guess where the robbers were.

A	opportunity
B	interpretation
C	unawareness
D	delight
E	devotion

Question 8 Explanation:

Give someone the opportunity to do something means make it possible for them to do it. The evidence would make it possible for the police to work out where the robbers were. Interpretation is an explanation of meaning and doesn't fit give them the ___ to guess.

Question 9

Despite his being a teenager, he acts as _____ as an adult.

A	childishly
B	naively
C	irrationally
D	maturely
E	lately

Question 9 Explanation:

Maturely means in a sensible, grown-up way. Despite shows a contrast: although he is only a teenager, he behaves like an adult. Childishly and naively would not create a contrast with 'teenager'.

Question 10

The inspector _____ from the suspect's anxious behaviour that he was hiding something.

A	alleviated
B	concluded
C	economized
D	concealed
E	reflected

Question 10 Explanation:

Conclude something from something means to decide that something is true after looking at the evidence. The inspector used the suspect's nervous behaviour as evidence. Concealed means hid, which is what the suspect did, not the inspector.

Question 11

Do not attempt to increase your stature by _____ the efforts of your opponents.

A	decrying
B	deducing
C	cramming
D	boiling
E	bewitching

Question 11 Explanation:

To decry something is to criticise it strongly and say it is worthless: Critics decried the new law. The advice is not to make yourself look bigger (increase your stature) by belittling your opponents. Deducing means working something out from evidence.

Question 12

He was _____ in his determination to punish the wrongdoer and he never gave up this rigid manner.

A	flexible
B	easy-going
C	adamant
D	indifferent
E	insecure

Question 12 Explanation:

Adamant means firmly refusing to change your opinion or decision. The clues are never gave up and rigid manner. Flexible and easy-going mean the opposite, and indifferent means not caring.

Question 13

_____ researchers always pay attention to details when they carry out research.

A	Clever
B	Fearless
C	Uncertain
D	Conscientious
E	Intellectual

Question 13 Explanation:

Conscientious means careful and hard-working, wanting to do a job well and correctly. Paying attention to details describes exactly this quality. Clever and intellectual describe intelligence, not carefulness.

Question 14

I'm afraid that this border raid is the _____ to more serious attacks.

A	prelude
B	end
C	quality
D	recession
E	tact

Question 14 Explanation:

A prelude to something is an event that comes before a more important one and introduces it: The talks were a prelude to a peace deal. The raid is expected to come before more serious attacks. End would say the opposite.

Question 15

When his boss was shouting at him, Tim opened his mouth to speak _____ but got no further.

A	approximately
B	effectively
C	angrily
D	exactly
E	tolerantly

Question 15 Explanation:

Angrily describes how Tim wanted to speak: his boss was shouting at him, so he wanted to answer back in anger, but he didn't manage to say anything. Tolerantly (patiently accepting) doesn't fit someone who is being shouted at and wants to reply.

Question 16

I really don't understand why speaking in front of the public _____ me so much.

A	rises
B	charges
C	minimizes
D	bothers
E	neglects

Question 16 Explanation:

Bother means to worry or upset someone: Does the noise bother you? Public speaking makes the speaker nervous. Rises is intransitive and can't take an object like me.

Question 17

She began to take archaeology _____ only when she left college.

A	seriously
B	carefully
C	strictly
D	externally
E	evenly

Question 17 Explanation:

Take something seriously is a fixed phrase meaning to treat it as important and give it real attention. She became truly interested in archaeology only after college. Carefully and strictly don't combine with take in this sense.

Question 18

Since Mrs Dawson parked her car _____ yesterday, she was fined £10.

A	negatively
B	previously
C	consequently
D	illegally
E	imperatively

Question 18 Explanation:

Illegally means against the law. Since here means because: she was fined because she parked where it was not allowed. Previously adds nothing to yesterday and doesn't explain the fine.

Question 19

The book that I had been reading had a rather _____ end, unlike its great start.

A	decisive
B	gentle
C	disappointing
D	striking
E	smooth

Question 19 Explanation:

Disappointing means not as good as you hoped. Unlike its great start shows a contrast, so the end was bad. Striking means impressive and would not contrast with a great start.

Question 20

Just _____ my old telephone number and write down the new one, please.

A	take over
B	go for
C	look after
D	cross out
E	stand for

Question 20 Explanation:

Cross out means to draw a line through a word or number to show it is wrong: Cross out the mistakes. You remove the old number and write the new one. Look after means take care of, and stand for means represent.

Question 21

All of the people in our factory are fed up with the new manager as he is _____ making complaints.

A	superficially
B	possibly
C	identically
D	cautiously
E	invariably

Question 21 Explanation:

Invariably means always, every time. People are fed up because the manager complains constantly; the continuous form is … making also shows a repeated, annoying habit. Possibly would not explain why everyone is fed up.

Question 22

Because of an attack by a shark, the beach was declared to be a danger _____.

A	wrath
B	victory
C	wage
D	venture
E	zone

Question 22 Explanation:

A danger zone is an area where it is not safe to be. After the shark attack, the beach was officially called unsafe. The other words don't form a phrase with danger.

Question 23

The twins are often _____ with each other.

A	opposed
B	confused
C	dedicated
D	involved
E	related

Question 23 Explanation:

Be confused with someone means people think you are that other person by mistake. Twins look alike, so people often mix them up. Related is true of twins but is not used with with each other in this way.

Question 24

_____ as she was, she had no intention of waiting for 3 hours.

A	Trustworthy
B	Mean
C	Patient
D	Pessimistic
E	Stubborn

Question 24 Explanation:

The structure Adjective + as + subject + verb means although: Patient as she was = Although she was patient. Even a patient person would not wait three hours, so there is a contrast. Stubborn gives no contrast with refusing to wait.

Question 25

The _____ baby was found in a box on the hospital stairs.

A	abandoned
B	liar
C	frosted
D	eloquent
E	blurred

Question 25 Explanation:

Abandoned means left alone by someone who should look after it: an abandoned dog. A baby left in a box on the stairs was abandoned. Liar is a noun, and the other adjectives don't describe a baby.

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