Ramsay walked carefully round the garden looking for any (1) that someone had approached the house from that (2) and then entered through a window.

He (3) about an hour, sometimes on his hands and (4), but he found nothing. The case was becoming more and more mysterious. There did not seem to be any clues at (5).

all/ direction/ knees/ sign/ spent

Passage 2

Although her back was to the door, she knew he had just entered the room. The hair on the back of her (1) rose and she felt (2) in the air. She (3) not look.

Maybe he had not even noticed her. Maybe he had no interest. As these (4) thoughts ran through her head, a deep and (5) voice broke in, saying: 'Miss Lynne, may I join you?' It was him - and he was talking to her.

dared/ dark/ electricity/ neck/ tuneful

Passage 3

The wizard suddenly (1) in the air, held his arms out straight in front of him and spoke the (2) of power: 'Da bol hungli.'

Flashes of blue light (3) from his fingers and hit the giant scorpion with stunning (4). The deadly tail of the monster with its drop of (5) poison snapped forward.

burst/ force/ rose/ vile/ words

Passage 4

He rode his horse as hard and as fast as he had ever done before. The even grasslands (1) away beneath them. They had to get to the fortress and warn the (2) that the Mongolian warlord had crossed the (3) and was even now advancing on them.

If the fortress could hold them (4) for just a week, there would be time for Lord Zhu's army to arrive and defend the rich valleys from the Mongol (5) and sword.

back/ commander/ desert/ fire/ sped

Passage 5

It was noon. There was not a person to be seen down the central (1) of the little town. The shutters on all the windows were (2), even the usually busy store and noisy (3) were quiet today.

Jake waited out of sight. Any minute now he would hear (4) and Black Sam would ride in, and if Jake didn't (5) his gun fast and kill Sam, Jake would no longer be sheriff, but a dead body in the dust.

closed/ draw/ horses/ saloon/ street

Passage 6

A greenish planet came into view. The captain ordered a physical (1). 'It's covered in water,' I reported. 'But is there (2) in that water?' asked the captain, as pictures of giant sharks (3) into our minds. 'I think we should set up our (4) on one of the moons and go step by step.'

We all agreed and soon we were hovering over the dry, (5) surface of the largest moon.

analysis/ anything/ base/ popped/ rocky

Passage 7

All of a sudden a barrage started to the left. Hundreds of (1) guns all started at once. Obviously, a major (2) was beginning.

'Do nothing,' (3) the general. 'We don't have enough (4) to waste any. We won't fire until after the barrage when they start sending men. I think they will go for our (5) to the south between the river and the wood. That is where we look weakest.'

ammunition/ attack/ defences/ heavy/ ordered

Passage 8

We boarded the train at a small country station. It took us a while to find seats. We (1) in and took a look at our fellow passengers.

They seemed to be for the most (2) local farmers and many were surrounded by bags and boxes of cabbages, onions, (3) and even chickens. The gentle countryside rolled by and we glimpsed farmhouses in green (4).

Our neighbour suddenly pulled a long a loaf of bread out of his bag and proceeded to offer us chunks. We gladly accepted and we were soon enjoying it with (5) of local cheese.

celery/ part/ pieces/ settled/ valleys

Passage 9

As my eyes got used to the darkness, I realised there was some light. A (1) to one side of the past had a faint greenish glow. It looked unhealthy, even (2), and I should have passed on, but instead I looked more (3) and as I did so the greenish light began to form (4) into a shape, a shape I soon recognised as that of a skull.

I felt I was looking down into the earth at one of the undead, and that it in return was (5) back upwards at me.

closely/ evil/ itself/ staring/ stone

Passage 10

Suddenly, she grabbed his shirt and pulled hard at the top (1). It came away from the material easily - it appeared to be some sort of electronic (2).

'So you have been recording our conversation, or (3) transmitting it to your friends' headquarters,' she said in a flat tone of voice.

'I don't know what you're talking about,' he said.

'I think you do. I think you know all about the (4) of information to the enemy,' she said.

'What are you going to do?' he asked.

'Nothing - but my assistant has (5) for you,' she said with a wintry smile.

button/ device/ even/ leak/ plans

Answers:

Passage 1

1. sign 2. direction 3. spent 4. knees 5. all

Passage 2

1. neck 2. electricity 3. dared 4. dark 5. tuneful

Passage 3

1. rose 2. words 3. burst 4. force 5. vile

Passage 4

1. sped 2. commander 3. desert 4. back 5. fire

Passage 5

1. street 2. closed 3. saloon 4. horses 5. draw

Passage 6:

1. analysis 2. anything 3. popped 4. base 5. rocky

Passage 7:

1. heavy 2. attack 3. ordered 4. ammunition 5. defences

Passage 8:

1. settled 2. part 3. celery 4. valleys 5. pieces

Passage 9:

1. stone 2. evil 3. closely 4. itself 5. staring

Passage 10:

1. button 2. device 3. even 4. leak 5. plans

Types of book:

1. b; 2. f; 3. c; 4. e; 5. a; 6. g; 7. j; 8. I; 9. d; 10. h