Directions: For each blank in the following passage there are four words or phrases marked A, B, C and D. Fill in each blank with the word or phrase that best fits the context.
Who buy the presents? How much should we spend? Questions about money like these 1 during the holidays, and they can turn this wonderful season into the most 2 time of the year.
The 3 cause of holiday stress is money issues, according to a recent poll by the American Psychological Association (APA). The survey found that 61 percent of Americans 4 lack of money as the top cause of family tensions, holiday blues and depression.
“People believe that they can go out and buy gifts because it’s the holidays, 5they can’t afford to do so,” says Dorothy Cantor, a noted psychologist and former APA president. “Not only is it stressful to feel that you have to buy everyone an expensive gift, but you will also be stressed for the rest of the year trying to pay your 6. You can show love and caring by giving something that you know is meaningful and 7 that doesn’t have to cost a lot.”
While managing money issues during the holiday season can be a 8, financial experts agree that you can 9 pressure by planning ahead, exhibiting patience and managing expectations to make the holiday season enjoyable and worry-free.
For starters, make an agreement with family members to discuss holiday spending and finances before you make any 10. The goal here is to learn one another’s thoughts and feelings about priorities and wishes. Be realistic, decide together on a budget and only use cash, rather than using credit cards. Avoid getting 11 unreasonable expectations. It makes no 12 to buy gifts you can not afford and put additional financial and emotional stress on yourself and your family that will cause problems long after the holidays are over.
Other ways to 13 the burden of money-related holiday blues include an understanding that everyone faces money problems at one time or another. It’s important to keep your 14 situation in perspective, to learn from experience and then to proceed with your life.
And lastly, make focusing on financial solutions a part of your New Year’s resolution. It’s the perfect time to take a 15 approach by doing some soul-searching, forgiving yourself, letting go of the past and dealing with your financial problems in a businesslike manner each day.

1. 1.
   1. A.
      break up
   2. B.
      pop up
   3. C.
      put out
   4. D.
      wipe out
2. 2.
   1. A.
      ridiculous
   2. B.
      inconvenient
   3. C.
      stressful
   4. D.
      mysterious
3. 3.
   1. A.
      immediate
   2. B.
      social
   3. C.
      hidden
   4. D.
      leading
4. 4.
   1. A.
      listed
   2. B.
      felt
   3. C.
      resisted
   4. D.
      charged
5. 5.
   1. A.
      as if
   2. B.
      even if
   3. C.
      as long as
   4. D.
      if only
6. 6.
   1. A.
      price
   2. B.
      life
   3. C.
      rates
   4. D.
      bills
7. 7.
   1. A.
      resistant
   2. B.
      random
   3. C.
      personal
   4. D.
      profitable
8. 8.
   1. A.
      success
   2. B.
      reminder
   3. C.
      pleasure
   4. D.
      challenge
9. 9.
   1. A.
      polish
   2. B.
      postpone
   3. C.
      minimize
   4. D.
      preserve
10. 10.
    1. A.
       excuses
    2. B.
       purchases
    3. C.
       statements
    4. D.
       inquiries
11. 11.
    1. A.
       caught up in
    2. B.
       ended up with
    3. C.
       put up in
    4. D.
       made up for
12. 12.
    1. A.
       efforts
    2. B.
       revenge
    3. C.
       desire
    4. D.
       sense
13. 13.
    1. A.
       ease
    2. B.
       resign
    3. C.
       launch
    4. D.
       transfer
14. 14.
    1. A.
       inadequate
    2. B.
       financial
    3. C.
       internal
    4. D.
       private
15. 15.
    1. A.
       reverse
    2. B.
       tender
    3. C.
       grand
    4. D.
       positive

Directions: For each blank in the following passage there are four words or phrases marked A, B, C and D. Fill in each blank with the word or phrase that best fits the context.
Who buy the presents? How much should we spend? Questions about money like these ___50___ during the holidays, and they can turn this wonderful season into the most ___51___ time of the year.
The ___52___ cause of holiday stress is money issues, according to a recent poll by the American Psychological Association (APA). The survey found that 61 percent of Americans ___53___ lack of money as the top cause of family tensions, holiday blues and depression.
“People believe that they can go out and buy gifts because it’s the holidays, ___54___they can’t afford to do so,” says Dorothy Cantor, a noted psychologist and former APA president. “Not only is it stressful to feel that you have to buy everyone an expensive gift, but you will also be stressed for the rest of the year trying to pay your ___55___. You can show love and caring by giving something that you know is meaningful and ___56___ that doesn’t have to cost a lot.”
While managing money issues during the holiday season can be a ___57___, financial experts agree that you can ___58___ pressure by planning ahead, exhibiting patience and managing expectations to make the holiday season enjoyable and worry-free.
For starters, make an agreement with family members to discuss holiday spending and finances before you make any ___59___. The goal here is to learn one another’s thoughts and feelings about priorities and wishes. Be realistic, decide together on a budget and only use cash, rather than using credit cards. Avoid getting ___60___ unreasonable expectations. It makes no ___61___ to buy gifts you can not afford and put additional financial and emotional stress on yourself and your family that will cause problems long after the holidays are over.
Other ways to ___62___ the burden of money-related holiday blues include an understanding that everyone faces money problems at one time or another. It’s important to keep your ___63___ situation in perspective, to learn from experience and then to proceed with your life.
And lastly, make focusing on financial solutions a part of your New Year’s resolution. It’s the perfect time to take a __64___ approach by doing some soul-searching, forgiving yourself, letting go of the past and dealing with your financial problems in a businesslike manner each day.

Directions: For each blank in the following passage there are four words or phrases marked A, B, C and D. Fill in each blank with the word or phrase that best fits the context.

Who buy the presents? How much should we spend? Questions about money like these ___50___ during the holidays, and they can turn this wonderful season into the most ___51___ time of the year.

The ___52___ cause of holiday stress is money issues, according to a recent poll by the American Psychological Association (APA). The survey found that 61 percent of Americans ___53___ lack of money as the top cause of family tensions, holiday blues and depression.

“People believe that they can go out and buy gifts because it’s the holidays, ___54___they can’t afford to do so,” says Dorothy Cantor, a noted psychologist and former APA president. “Not only is it stressful to feel that you have to buy everyone an expensive gift, but you will also be stressed for the rest of the year trying to pay your ___55___. You can show love and caring by giving something that you know is meaningful and ___56___ that doesn’t have to cost a lot.”

While managing money issues during the holiday season can be a ___57___, financial experts agree that you can ___58___ pressure by planning ahead, exhibiting patience and managing expectations to make the holiday season enjoyable and worry-free.

For starters, make an agreement with family members to discuss holiday spending and finances before you make any ___59___. The goal here is to learn one another’s thoughts and feelings about priorities and wishes. Be realistic, decide together on a budget and only use cash, rather than using credit cards. Avoid getting ___60___ unreasonable expectations. It makes no ___61___ to buy gifts you can not afford and put additional financial and emotional stress on yourself and your family that will cause problems long after the holidays are over.

Other ways to ___62___ the burden of money-related holiday blues include an understanding that everyone faces money problems at one time or another. It’s important to keep your ___63___ situation in perspective, to learn from experience and then to proceed with your life.

And lastly, make focusing on financial solutions a part of your New Year’s resolution. It’s the perfect time to take a __64___ approach by doing some soul-searching, forgiving yourself, letting go of the past and dealing with your financial problems in a businesslike manner each day.

3.  

4.  

5.  

7.A. resistant       B. random           C. personal     D profitable

12.  

14.  

Directions: For each blank in the following passage there are four words or phrases marked A, B, C and D. Fill in each blank with the word or phrase that best fits the context.

Who buy the presents? How much should we spend? Questions about money like these ___50___ during the holidays, and they can turn this wonderful season into the most ___51___ time of the year.

The ___52___ cause of holiday stress is money issues, according to a recent poll by the American Psychological Association (APA). The survey found that 61 percent of Americans ___53___ lack of money as the top cause of family tensions, holiday blues and depression.

“People believe that they can go out and buy gifts because it’s the holidays, ___54___they can’t afford to do so,” says Dorothy Cantor, a noted psychologist and former APA president. “Not only is it stressful to feel that you have to buy everyone an expensive gift, but you will also be stressed for the rest of the year trying to pay your ___55___. You can show love and caring by giving something that you know is meaningful and ___56___ that doesn’t have to cost a lot.”

While managing money issues during the holiday season can be a ___57___, financial experts agree that you can ___58___ pressure by planning ahead, exhibiting patience and managing expectations to make the holiday season enjoyable and worry-free.

For starters, make an agreement with family members to discuss holiday spending and finances before you make any ___59___. The goal here is to learn one another’s thoughts and feelings about priorities and wishes. Be realistic, decide together on a budget and only use cash, rather than using credit cards. Avoid getting ___60___ unreasonable expectations. It makes no ___61___ to buy gifts you can not afford and put additional financial and emotional stress on yourself and your family that will cause problems long after the holidays are over.

Other ways to ___62___ the burden of money-related holiday blues include an understanding that everyone faces money problems at one time or another. It’s important to keep your ___63___ situation in perspective, to learn from experience and then to proceed with your life.

And lastly, make focusing on financial solutions a part of your New Year’s resolution. It’s the perfect time to take a __64___ approach by doing some soul-searching, forgiving yourself, letting go of the past and dealing with your financial problems in a businesslike manner each day.

A. break up        B. pop up           C. put out          D. wipe out

A. ridiculous      B. inconvenient C. stressful        D. mysterious

   A. immediate        B. social   C. hidden           D. leading

   A. listed           B. felt             C. resisted     D. charged

   A. as if            B. even if      C. as long as       D. if only

A. price           B. life             C. rates            D. bills

A. resistant       B. random           C. personal     D profitable

A. success     B. reminder         C. pleasure     D. challenge

A. polish          B. postpone         C. minimize     D. preserve

A. excuses     B. purchases        C. statements       D. inquiries

A. caught up in    B. ended up with C. put up in   D. made up for

   A. efforts      B. revenge          C. desire           D. sense

A. ease            B. resign           C. launch           D. transfer

   A. inadequate       B. financial    C. internal     D. private

A. reverse     B. tender               C. grand            D. positive