Variant 1 You could have come first and won the race if you … faster

15. The report should be ready … two weeks.
A) before B) since C) in D) during
16. The whole place was cleaned until there was not … a speck of dust anywhere.
A) to see B) having been seen C) to be seen D) seen
17. I felt myself … up by the wind and thrown to the ground.
A) lifted B) lift C) lifting D) to lift
18. This wine doesn`t taste as … as my usual one.
A) better B) best C) well D) good
19. After he arrived at work he discovered that he … his files at home.
A) was leaving B) had left C) left D) have left
20. He stood up, walked across the room, and … the window.
A) had closed B) was closing C) closed D) close


China`s economy is so huge that it is easy to forget the country`s property market is still in its adolescence. Two decades ago, most city dwellers had to live in basic, old accommodation, provided by their state-owned employer. Since then, house building was developed greatly as has the notion of home ownership. However, the market has been experiencing sudden changes and prices are falling in many cities. This is having an impact on local governments which carry out four-fifties of the country`s spending but only receive half of taxes in income. To help make up the difference, they rely on buying land from farmers and selling it to property developers. But as developers struggle, land sales are decreasing and local governments raise money by taxing homes, but in China, this is a sensitive subject. People feel that they already pay too much to a state that provides too little.
21. As clearly stated in the passage, until recently, the majority of city dwellers in China …
A) lived in simple houses that they built themselves.
B) left home to work for the state when they were adolescents.
C) were provided housing by the government.
D) required permission from the state if they wanted to build a house.