1. The trouble with him is that if you push him too far, he's likely to shout at you and lose his ..........

cold

coldness

cool

ice

2. There's no hope for him now because he's lost his ......... and has gone completely crazy.

glasses

stones

jewels

marbles

3. At the very last minute she broke down in tears and lost her ..........

skill

nerve

sense

feeling

4. First he started shouting and then he began to throw things round the room and it was clear he had just lost his ..........

rag

cloth

cover

sheet

5. Despite his great age we realized that he'd not lost his ......... because he was still able to deliver a wonderful speech.

feel

contact

touch

feeling

6. Do you mind repeating that last bit again as I seem to have lost the ......... of your argument?

length

string

cord

thread

7. When it came to dividing the profits we lost ......... because we didn't get our fair share.

off

out

in

through

8. As she was walking across the tight rope at the circus she lost her ......... and fell to the ground.

control

direction

balance

sense

9. After a while I got fed up with the film and began to lose ......... in the story.

thought

following

thinking

interest

10. There's no harm in trying your luck there because after all you have ......... to lose.

less

nothing

a little

least

11. May I ask you whether you have had a chance to ......... my case?

convene

consider

contend

construct

12. Can I ......... it to you that the delay you have caused is not reasonable?

place

send

hold

put

13. Could I know why the business has ......... so long to conclude?

lasted

endured

taken

found

14. May I make another ......... to ask you to explain the situation more clearly?

assault

attempt

attraction

advice

15. I would be most interested to know why the committee has turned ......... my proposal.

down

off

over

out

16. We should be delighted to find out when the new scheme comes into ..........

affect

effect

infect

confect

17. How much is the new car ......... to cost me?

trying

doing

finding

going

18. When are you thinking of buying a ......... washing machine?

novel

new

recent

actual

19. What has ......... to your New Year resolution to stop smoking?

occurred

fallen

happened

occasioned

20. Why do you always ......... me when I try to ask a question?

interpose

intercede

interfere

interrupt