Choose the one word or phrase  that best completes the sentence.
................ the storm. I would have been home before eight.
A. Instead of   
B.But for 
C.During      
D.Because of

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct word or phrase that best fits each of the numbered blanks from 1 to 5.
Drone racing is an exciting new sport, that has become popular faster than (1)______ other sport before it. Pilots steer small and lightweight, but high-powered drones along courses with obstacles.   They fly through gates and around flags at speeds of over a hundred miles an hour.
They control the drones using VR-like headgear. Every drone has a camera (2)______  to it so that spectators can also view flights either on a big screen or with special headgear.
The races take place either outdoors - in big stadiums, or indoors in old warehouses and sports arenas. (3)______  are short because the battery time of drones is limited.
(4)______  drone racing started only a few years ago there  are already international competitions that take place all over the world. In professional leagues, drone pilots  compete for thousands of dollars.  In March, the World Drone Prix was staged in Dubai. A 16-year old British teenager not only one the race but also received a prize money of 250 000 dollars.
Television and  other media have become aware of drone racing. ESPN, an Amercian sports channel,  will be broadcasting international drone races starting this August. Races are also recorded and uploaded to YouTube and other video platforms (5)______  they can be viewed over and over again.
(4)______
A.However  
B.Moreover  
C.Although   
D.Because

II. Choose the word in each line that has different stress pattern.
 
Question 8.A. poem                          B. champagne            C. label                        D. novel
 
A.poem                          
B.champagne             
C.label                        
D.novel

Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the word(s) CLOSEST in meaning to the underlined word(s) in each of the following questions.
Adding a garage will enhance the value of the house.
A.stabilize     
B.alter  
C.increase   
D.diminish

The man ................. our teacher is taking to is the headmaster of our school.
A.who 
B.which 
C.whom   
D.whose

The passage is most probably found in a ________ .
A.fiction story
B.book review
C.cartoon
D.a newspaper

Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the following questions from 1 to 14.
The equator is an ______ line that divides the earth into two.
A.imagination
B.imaginative
C.imaginary
D.imaginable

It is time the government helped the unemployment to find some jobs.
A. time
B.helped
C.unemployment
D.some

Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the word that differs from the other three in the position of primary stress in each of the following questions.

A.leftover      
B.conical   
C.sacrifice
D.supportive

Mike said , “We have bought these books today.”
A.Mike said they bought those books that day.
B.Mike said they had bought those books that day.
C.Mike said they have bought those books that day.
D.Mike said they had bought those books today.