PRUEBA 1

1. Which word best completes the collocation: “make a _____ decision”?. a. high. b. big. c. heavy. d. strong.

2. Choose the correct collocation: a. make a mistake. b. do a mistake. c. get a mistake. d. get a mistake.

3. Synonym of “increase”. drop. reduce. fall. expand.

Antonym of “scarce”: abundant. limited. rare. small.

The expression “get cold feet” means: feel cold. become nervous. walk fast. get sick.

“Get off my back” means: help me. carry me. leave me alone. follow me.

“Right on the nose” means: incorrect. exact. funny. strange.

“Cry my eyes out” means: sleep deeply. shout loudly. cry a lot. laugh a lot.

“Pull my leg” means: ignore me. push me. joke with me. hurt me.

"My hands are tied" means: I am busy. I am tired. I am helpless. I am angry.

“A green thumb” refers to: a student. a doctor. a gardener. a lazy person.

Choose the correct collocation: do a photo. make a photo. take a photo. get a photo.

Synonym of “rapid”: slow. late. calm. quick.

Antonym of “complex”: simple. advanced. complicated. difficult.

Which is a discourse marker?. blue. run. however. apple.

“However” is used to: give examples. conclude. contrast ideas. add information.

“Therefore” expresses: cause. result. contrast. opinión.

Choose the correct collocation: strong rain. large rain. big rain. heavy rain.

Synonym of “important”: small. trivial. essential. minor.

Antonym of “generous”: kind. selfish. helpful. polite.

“Break the ice” means: freeze water. destroy something. end a talk. start a conversation.

Choose the correct collocation: make homework. do homework. take homework. have homework.

Synonym of “difficult”: light. easy. small. hard.

Antonym of “accept”: allow. receive. reject. agree.

“On the other hand” is used to: explain. add ideas. contrast ideas. conclude.

“For example” is used to: conclude. illustrate. summarize. contrast.

Choose the correct collocation: speedy food. rapid food. quick food. fast food.

Synonym of “begin”: close. stop. end. start.

Antonym of “increase”: decrease. grow. rise. expand.

“As a result” shows: contrast. consequence. opinion. addition.

“In conclusion” is used to: introduce. summarize. compare. argue.

Choose the correct collocation: large coffee. big coffee. strong coffee. heavy coffee.

Synonym of “happy”: sad. tired. joyful. angry.

Antonym of “early”: fast. late. quick. soon.

“By the way” is used to: explain. conclude. change topic. compare.

Choose the correct collocation: make a decision. get a decision. do a decision. get a decision.

Synonym of “large”: tiny. small. short. big.

Antonym of “safe”: risky. quiet. secure. calm.

“In addition” is used to: add information. argue. contrast. conclude.

“Nevertheless” means: because. however. therefore. for example.

Choose the correct collocation: make friends. take friends. do friends. get friends.

Synonym of “angry”: tired. calm. mad. happy.

Antonym of “clean”: dirty. neat. clear. fresh.

“To sum up” means: compare. summarize. explain. start.

“Actually” is used to: conclude. explain examples. compare. correct or clarify.

Choose the correct collocation: big traffic. fast traffic. heavy traffic. strong traffic.

Synonym of “smart”: weak. slow. intelligent. lazy.

Antonym of “success”: progress. failure. victory. win.

“In fact” is used to: add emphasis. conclude. contrast. compare.

“Meanwhile” is used to: conclude. add examples. show time relation. contrast.

READING TEXT Starting a new job can be both exciting and challenging. Many employees begin with a positive attitude; however, as responsibilities increase, some may get cold feet and start doubting their abilities. This reaction is quite common, especially when people face unfamiliar tasks or high expectations. In professional and academic contexts, effective communication is essential. Using correct collocations such as “make progress,” “take responsibility,” and “meet expectations” helps individuals express their ideas clearly. Moreover, discourse markers like “however,” “therefore,” and “in addition” are useful for organizing ideas logically and improving coherence in writing. In informal situations, people often use colloquial expressions and idioms. For instance, when someone says, “Don’t pull my leg,” they mean they do not want to be tricked. Similarly, the phrase “get off my back” is used when a person wants others to stop bothering them. These expressions are widely used in everyday communication. On the other hand, formal language requires more precise vocabulary. Words such as “increase” instead of “go up” and “assist” instead of “help” are preferred in academic texts. Additionally, understanding synonyms and antonyms allows learners to expand their vocabulary. For example, “accurate” is a synonym of “precise,” while “inaccurate” is its antonym. Emotions are also expressed through idioms. Saying “I cried my eyes out” indicates deep sadness, while “my hands are tied” suggests that a person cannot change a situation. Furthermore, if something is described as “right on the nose,” it means it is exactly correct. Finally, a person with “a green thumb” is someone who is very good at gardening. QUESTIONS ABOUT THE READING Which word is more formal according to the text?. Help. Go up. Assist. Try.

What is the primary purpose of a body paragraph?. Summarize the essay. Introduce the topic. Develop and support the thesis. Present references.

Which part of an essay is designed to capture the reader’s attention?. Conclusión. Hook. Body paragraph. Thesis statement.

A student writes an essay with an introduction, three body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Which essay structure is being used?. Chronological Structure. Problem-Solution Structure. Introduction-Body-Conclusion Structure. Narrative Structure.

Which collocation is mentioned in the reading?. Do progress. Take progress. Make progress. Get progress.

What is a synonym of “accurate”?. Wrong. Wrong. Precise. Slow.

Why are idioms important according to the text?. They are difficult to learn. They are only used in writing. They replace grammar. They make communication more natural.

What does “get cold feet” mean in the text?. Take progress. Feel cold. Become nervous. Get progress.