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Multiple Choice - (C1) Advanced Certificate of English

For Questions 1-8, read the text below and decide which answer (A, B, C or D) best fits each gap. There is an example at the beginning (0).

Stressful Christmas shopping

The holiday season is one of the most stressful times of the year, especially when it (0) COMES to shopping. Shoppers are faced with long queues at stores, last minute shopping trips and midnight gift wrapping. If you want to enjoy the holidays and experience (1) ............ stress this year, here are a few simple holiday shopping tips. The first step to successful gift shopping is to (2) ............ a list of who you need to buy presents for. You also need to know what type of gift you would like to give each person, as this will help you save both time and money. The next step is to (3) ............ where you want to do your shopping. If you are going to a shopping centre, make sure you have already decided which shops you want to visit. This will help cut down on the time you have to spend on your shopping trip as well as keeping you from wandering around window shopping. If possible, try to do your shopping on weekdays, or if you have to do it on the weekends, go early in the morning to (4) ............ the crowds. Another tip is to stock up on (5) ............ items, such as wrapping paper, ribbon, tape, cards and tags, before the season rush begins, as the selection is usually better and the shops are not as crowded. It's also a good idea to buy some spare presents, for example candles or chocolates, and pre-wrap them, as this can save you from embarrassing moments and last-minute trips to the shops for people you have forgotten. Finally, make sure that you save all your sales receipts in an envelope, just in case something needs to be returned or (6) ............. Also make sure that you check each shop's policy on returning items as this will help you, or the people you are buying for, to avoid getting stuck with an unsuitable or unwanted gift. If all of this sounds like too much hard work, then, thanks to modern technology, many of us have the option of (7) ............ all our shopping on the Internet, without ever having to leave home. Many shopping sites will even wrap your gifts, include a personalized card and ship them directly to your relatives and friends. No matter how you do your shopping, it's important not to lose sight of the (8) ............ that you are buying gifts to show your love and affection for friends and family. At times, like these it is easy to forget that it's the thought that counts, not the gift.

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