Section I Use of English

Directions:

Read the following text. Choose the best word(s) for each numbered blank and mark A, B, C or D on the ANSWER SHEET. (10 points)

Harlan Coben believes that if you’re a writer, you’ll find the time; and that if you can’t find the time, then writing isn’t a priority and you’re not a writer. For him, writing is a 1 job–a job like any other. He has 2 it with plumbing, pointing out that a plumber doesn’t wake up and say that he can’t work with pipes today.

3 , like most writers these days, you’re holiday down a job to pay the bills, it’s not 4 to find the time to write. But it’s not impossible. It requires determination and single-mindedness. 5 that most bestselling authors began writing when they were doing other things to earn a living. And today, even writers who are fairly 6 often have to do other work to 7 their writing income.

As Harlan Coben has suggested, it’s a 8 of priorities. To make writing a priority, you’ll have to 9 some of your day-to-day activities and some things you really enjoy. Depending on your 10 and your lifestyle, that might mean spending less time watching television or listening to music, though some people can write 11 they listen to music. You might have to 12 the amount of exercise or sport you do. You’ll have to make social media an 13 activity rather than a daily, time-consuming 14 . There’ll probably have to be less socializing with your friends and less time with your family. It’s a 15 learning curve, and it won’t always make you popular.

There’s just one thing you should try to keep at least some time for, 16 your writing–and that’s reading. Any writer needs to read as much and as widely as they can; it’s the one 17 supporter–something you can’t do without.

Time is finite. The older you get, the 18 it seems to go. We need to use it as carefully and as 19 as we can. That means prioritising our activities so that we spend most time on the things we really want to do. If you’re a writer, that means 20 writing.

1. [A] difficult [B] normal [C] steady [D] pleasant

2. [A] combined [B] compared [C] confused [D] confronted

3. [A] If [B] Though [C] Once [D] Unless

4. [A] enough [B] strange [C] wrong [D] easy

5. [A] Accept [B] Explain [C] Remember [D] Suppose

6. [A] well-known [B] well-advised [C] well-informed [D] well-chosen

7. [A] donate [B] generate [C] supplement [D] calculate

8. [A] cause [B] purpose [C] question [D] condition

9. [A] highlight [B] sacrifice [C] continue [D] explore

10. [A] relations [B] interests [C] memories [D] skills

11. [A] until [B] because [C] while [D] before

12. [A] put up with [B] make up for [C] hang on to [D] cut down on

13. [A] intelligent [B] occasional [C] intensive [D] emotional

14. [A] habit [B] test [C] decision [D] plan

15. [A] tough [B] gentle [C] rapid [D] funny

16. [A] in place of [B] in charge of [C] in response to [D] in addition to

17. [A] indispensable [B] innovative [C] invisible [D] instant

18. [A] duller [B] harder [C] quieter [D] quicker

19. [A] peacefully [B] generously [C] productively [D] gratefully

20 [A] at most [B] in turn [C] on average [D] above all

1. [B] normal

2. [B] compared

3. [A] If

4. [D] easy

5. [C] Remember

6. [A] well-known

7. [C] supplement

8. [C] question

9. [B] sacrifice

10. [B] interests

11. [C] while

12. [D] cut down on

13. [B] occasional

14. [A] habit

15. [A] tough

16. [D] in addition to

17. [A] indispensable

18. [D] quicker

19. [C] productively

20. [D] above all