CLOZE[15 MIN.]

Decide which of the choices given below would correctly complete the passage if inserted in the corresponding blanks. Mark the correct choice for each blank.

In the morning it starts to rain. It was the first rain of the new year and it (26)____, in an extremely violent manner, the beginning of the rainy season. The drops which fell were large, and they fell straight down, for (27)____ tropical rains never degenerate into slanting drizzle, the familiar (28)____ of a rainy day in so many other parts of the world. The rain fell heavily, it fell continuously and it saturated everything which lay (29)____ its way.

During the rain most people kept to their homes. But a few walked about, (30)____ to the wetness of their clothes and determined to (31)____ as usual. And, for those who wished to keep dry however much it cost them, there were always (32)____ taxis. They splashed by along the road, with the windscreen wipers revealing only (33)____ glimpses of the drivers peering faces. (34)____, when the rain had started, the drivers had had only the big puddles to miss, but later on, then the drains had overflowed and the whole road swam with water all dangerous pits and (35)____ had been hidden, and the faces peering through the windscreens peered even more anxiously than before. But often the faces inside the taxi ceased to (36)____ to look out at all, for water had splashed up to the electrical system, and the engine stopped just as surly and abruptly as it would have done, (37)____ the car actually (38)____ into out of the drains it had so (39)____ missed only a few moments (40)____.

(26) A. exhibited B. marked C. showed D. identified

(27) A. brutal B. intense C. wild D. fierce

(28) A. pattern B. style C. model D. norm

(29) A. on B. at C. in D. over

(30) A. resigning B. to resign C. resigned D. having resigned

(31) A. carry on B. keep on C. continue D. go on

(32) A./ B. the C. many D. some

(33) A. fragmentary B. sudden C. partial D. scattered

(34) A. Initially B. Originally C. Formerly D. Firstly

(35) A. destructions B. frustrations C. constructions D. obstructions

(36) A. disturb B. intend C. bother D. worry

(37) A. was B. were C. had D. has

(38) A. skidded B. swerved C. slipped D. glided

(39) A. closely B. nearly C. almost D. narrowly

(40) A. ahead B. before C. ago D. beforehand