PREPOSITIONS TEST 1

1.Plants absorb carbon to create carbohydrate ---- 7.Organisms compete ---- existence and only survive to pass
photosynthesis, while other processes, such as the death of on their genes to the next generation if they are well-adapted
organisms, both ---- land and in the sea, return carbon to the ---- a particular environment.
ground. A) about / with
A)under / at B) for / in
B)from / to C) through / on
C)through / on D) of / to
D)for / off E) along / at
E)with / by 8.Much research suggests that ---- its core, Alzheimer’s
2.In many nomadic societies, herd animals like cattle and disease may be a metabolic disorder, an irregularity in
sheep provide almost the entire basis ---- sustaining people; fuel use ---- the brain, a process that loses efficiency with
for instance, the animals are slaughtered for food, and age.
clothing is woven ---- the fibres of their hair. A) in / from
A) with / over B) to / with
B) about / in C) on / for
C) at / through D) at / by
D) to / on E) under / against
E) for / from 9.Food is portrayed in a judgemental way ---- the media, and
3. New Zealand’s Department of Conservation has reported some popular diets use expensive ingredients that are not
that the caterpillar feeds ---- a wide range of host plants and kind ---- the environment.
will completely defoliate a plant, and it can travel more than A) over / for
100 metres to find another. B) as / across
A) towards C) from / at
B) about D) in / to
C) in E) with / on
D) at 10. In 1869, work on the construction of the Brooklyn Bridge
E) on began. The project was plagued ---- problems, though, and it

4.According to dietary data analysed by Public Health would take 14 years to complete.

England, children in England consume an average of 11 grams A) on

of sugar at breakfast, largely come ---- drinks, cereals, and B) with

spreads, which equates ---- eating three sugar cubes. C) about

A) about / in D) in

B) from / to E) of
11.Recently, the genome of an archaic human female ---- a
C) along / for
group called the Denisovans, who lived about 41,000 years
D) after / with
ago, has been sequenced ---- a new method of DNA research.
E) at / around
A) for / by
5.Lions kill fewer than 100 people each year and sharks kill
B) from / with
only ten people per year, yet the World Health Organisation
C) in / onto
estimates that ---- 725,000 people are killed indirectly ----
D) among / beyond
mosquitoes and the diseases they transmit.
E) towards / over
A) upon / with
B) around / by 12.Kefir is a fermented drink similar ---- yoghurt and is valued
C) under / in ---- its beneficial effects on microbes in our gut.
D) from / at A) in / as
E) for / off B) with / about

6.The Tokyo-Yokohama is the largest urban concentration C) around / of

area in the world, and 70 per cent of Japan’s population live - D) to / for ANWER KEY

--- the Pacific coast stretching ---- Tokyo and Kyushu. E) from / by 1.C 7.B
2.E 8.D
A) at / beyond B) under / through 3.E 9.D
C) in / towards D) on / among 4.B 10.B
5.B 11.B
E) along / between
6.E 12.D
 PREPOSITIONS TEST 2
1.---- World War II, many of the factories that had been 7. Scientific evidence shows that the amount of activity ----
devoted to military production ---- the fighting were our brain when we dream is identical ---- the amount when
converted back to their original, civilian uses. we are awake. in / to on / for at / with across / of for / over
A) At / with A) in / to
B) Following / during B) on / for
C) Along / over C) at / with
D) Through / within D) across / of
E) Across / for E) for / over
2.Any mental exercise helps cognition ---- building, 8.Bird flu has some virologists worried because mortality
lengthening, or strengthening the pathways that carry may be high ---- the few who have been infected, mainly -
information ---- neurons. --- direct contact with birds.
A) in / upon A) by / on
B) at / with B) at / through
C) off / from C) for / about
D) towards / beneath D) to / in
E) by / between E) among / from
3. Research has shown that children ---- secure attachments
9.The development of the media opened up new
to parents develop more positive relationships with teachers
opportunities ---- the manipulation and domination of
and friends ---- their family.
people ---- both governments and business owners. against /
A) with / beyond
over about / under
B) in / about
A) for / by
C) of / towards
B) with / on
D) under / over
C) at / to
E) on / across
D) against / over
4.Research involving animals is controversial, but when E) about / under
conducted ---- ethical guidelines, it yields significant benefits 10. Amazingly adapted to life ---- water, fish are found ----
---- humans. the world’s oceans, from warm tropical seas to icy polar
A) in / from waters.
B) over / to A) under / on
C) through / by B) in / throughout
D) within / for C) from / across
E) at / about D) at / along
5. In schools, cheating can be defined as any means________ E) for / of
which a students breaks rules in order to gain an unfair 11.There is rarely any doubt that the unconscious reasons ---
advantage________classmates in an exam. - practicing a custom or sharing a belief are remote ---- the
A) in/about reasons given to justify them.
B) by/over A) of / against
C) at/over B) for / from
D) on/through C) in / through
E) from/with D) to / with
6.London is built ---- the River Thames and is ---- the centre E) beyond / at
of the UK road and rail networks. 12.Every day brings a new story ---- the positive effects or
A) by / for dangers of what is ---- our plates.
B) to / about A) through / at
ANWER KEY
C) through / of B) off / into
1.B 7.A
D) from / within C) about / on
E) on / at 2.E 8.E
D) without / around
3.A 9.A
E) from / by
4.D 10.B
5.B 11.B
6.E 12.C