1. Match the sentences halves.
1 Nowadays there is a constant demand
2 Do you have any objections
3 Many people have a preference
4 It’s unlikely that the existence
5 It’s easy to develop an addiction
6 Does anyone think our dependence
7 The 1950s Space Age had a great effect
a to inviting Emma for dinner?
b on computers nowadays is dangerous?
c on people’s belief in aliens.
d for watching sci-fi rather than fantasy films.
e to video games if you play them too often.
f for better and faster technology.
g of life on other planets with ever be proved.
Answer
1 f 2 a 3 d 4 g 5 e 6 b 7 c
2. Complete the text with the words below.
belief difference evidence increase interest need obsession reason
A few years ago, a National Geographic Society poll revealed that 36% of Americans (about 190 million people) believe in aliens, while only 17% do not, and the remaining 47% are undecided. The figures may be surprising, but people have had an 1……………………… in aliens since the late 1940s. A 2……………………… in flying saucers, backed up by apparent 3……………………… of these alien spaceships in the form of grainy black and white photos, soon turned into an 4………………………, with people claiming to have actually made contact with beings from outer space. More recently, there has been an 5……………………… in this fascination with extraterrestrial life forms, thanks to detailed video footage ‘proof’ (created with high-quality 3-D computer software). It’s hard to explain the 6……………………… for this continued fascination; to many people, there seems to be little 7……………………… between thinking UFOs exist and believing in magic. Perhaps it’s just that we have always had the 8……………………… for a little mystery in our lives.
Answer
1 interest 2 belief 3 evidence 4 obsession
5 increase 6 reason 7 difference 8 need
VOCAB BOOST!
Use mind maps to organise groups of words that are connected. For example, you can group nouns around their different prepositions and quickly see which share the same preposition.
3. Read the Vocab boost! box. Then complete the mind maps with the correct prepositions.
Answer
1 in 2 for
4. Complete the sentences with the correct prepositions.
1 Is there really no possibility …………… you changing your mind?
2 This is probably a matter …………… the police.
3 There’s a big difference …………… price between taking the bus and getting a taxi.
4 Is your taste …………… clothes the same as your friends’?
5 There’s been a sharp rise …………… temperatures this month.
6 The police didn’t find any evidence …………… a break-in.
Answer
1 of 2 for 3 in 4 in 5 in 6 of
5. Use a dictionary and correct the mistakes with prepositions in the sentences. Tick the two sentences that do not contain any mistakes.
1 No one expected the band to rise in fame so quickly. ………………………….
2 My cousin’s gap year gave her a real taste for travel. ………………………….
3 Bill and his girlfriend have had a difference in opinion and aren’t speaking. ………………………….
4 You look very pale – is something the matter of you? ………………………….
5 Customers have recently been experiencing difficulty in using this website. ………………………….
6 There’s no point of getting upset about it. ………………………….
Answer
1 No one expected the band to rise to fame so quickly.
2 ✓
3 Bill and his girlfriend have had a difference of opinion and aren’t speaking.
4 You look very pale – is something the matter with you?
5 ✓
6 There’s no point in getting upset about it.
6. Complete the sentences with the correct preposition and your own ideas.
1 I’ve never understood the point …………………………………
2 Where I live, there’s been a rise …………………………………
3 Most of my friends have an interest …………………………………
4 I wish we could find a solution …………………………………
5 I hardly ever have trouble …………………………………
6 I’d love to prove the existence …………………………………
7 Nowadays, there’s very little demand …………………………………
Answer
your own answers
Extra exercises
1. Choose the correct prepositions (a-c).
1 People are worried about the increase ………… knife crime.
a of b in c on
2 Sugary drinks can have a devastating effect ………… a person’s health.
a in b to c on
3 Most of the students expressed a preference ………… postponing the exam for a week.
a for b with c to
4 My main objection ………… getting a part-time job is that I won’t have enough time to study.
a of b to c between
5 Rosie’s obsession ………… her favourite band takes her all over the country.
a for b in c with
6 Until now, nobody has been able to prove the existence ………… life on other planets.
a of b for c to
7 The difference ………… Asian and African elephants is that the former have smaller ears.
a in b with c between
8 There is an urgent need ………… effective measures to house the world’s refugees.
a for b with c in
Answer
1 b 2 c 3 a 4 b 5 c 6 a 7 c 8 a
2. Complete the text with the phrasal verbs below.
find out let on make out play on taken in zoom in
Liars often try to 1……………………… our ignorance and they put on an act in order to be believed. The best way to 2……………………… if a person is lying is to 3……………………… on their body language. They tend to 4……………………… that they’re being sincere by looking very deeply into your eyes. Don’t be 5……………………… by this and listen carefully to what they’re saying. They won’t admit their guilt directly, but subconsciously they will often 6……………………… that they’re lying by using too many negatives: ‘I swear that I didn’t use your tablet. Never. Not once.’
Answer
1 play on 2 find out 3 zoom in 4 make out
5 taken in 6 let on
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