Test 1 / 30

Read the text and choose the correct answer. Click on a gap and a choice of words will appear.

Music

Music in some form has existed since the dawn of mankind. With primitive people, it may have consisted only of chanting and beating drums. In those very early times, music was used as a means of communication and in various religious and ceremonial activities.

Today we have at our disposal centuries of music from the past, as well as new styles of music. Modern technology also allows us to listen to music anywhere; concerts, for example, are available on videos, cassettes, and compact discs. There are several reasons why music has played a significant role in people’s lives and thus remained a dominant art form. The rhythm of music moves us, quite literally, to tap our toes, clap our hands, and sway our bodies to its beat.

Music is also the language of emotions and seeks to convey meaning and feeling. Soft, quiet music can relieve our stress resulting in serenity, while more robust music can incite enthusiasm, such as that witnessed at political rallies and athletic events. Music can also evoke memories and feelings from the past.

Test 2 / 30

Read the text and choose the correct answer. Click on a gap and a choice of words will appear.

Diamonds

Diamonds have inspired dreams of wealth and power throughout history. Until modern times, most diamonds were insignias of royalty and were beyond the reach of the common person, who could only elicit visions of the astounding beauty and wealth brought forth by diamonds.

It’s no wonder that other gems and precious metals have historically taken a back seat to diamonds. Some diamonds are so valuable that a person can literally carry a king’s ransom in a pocket. A similar value in gold would mean one would have to have access to a forklift, as some of the most valuable diamonds in the world have been appraised for many thousands of times that of a similar weigh in gold!

Diamond deposits are not easily found. Diamonds occur in some of the rarest rock types on the surface of the earth, and when found, they are disseminated in trace amounts even in the richest deposits. The principal host rock, kimberlite, forms very small deposits. Being a relatively soft rock, kimberlite commonly erodes faster than the surrounding country rock and often is covered by thin layers of soil and regolith derived from adjacent rock outcrops.