A. CONSERVE B. AMUSE C. DISSOLVE D. RESIDENT READ THE FOLLOWING PA...

55. A. conserve B. amuse C. dissolve D. resident Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct word for each of the blanks from 56 to 65 Set in the red desert of central Australia is the mining town of Coober Pedy. At first sight, the town looks similar to many other such communities, but Coober Pedy is different. Sixty per cent of its population of some 4,000 people live underground. There are today about 800 underground houses as well as shops, hotels and even churches in the town and the (56) ___ hills. Once a site has been chosen, special tunnelling machines are (57) ______ in to create passages and rooms in the sandstone. Rock pillars are left to (58) _____ the roof, and doors and windows are cut into the front. Houses are of all shapes and (59) ____, the largest having twenty rooms, and some even have their own swimming poll. Living underground may sound strange but in fact it has a number of advantages. In summer, the teperature outside can reach an astonishing 47oC, and in winter the nights can be (60) __________ cold. However, inside the houses it remains a steady 25oC all year (61) __________. Many people sy that living underground makes them feel very secure. There is no problem with noise from the neighbours and the houses are not (62) __________. By the fierce dust storms that regularly (63) __________ through the area. And of course, if your family (64) __________ or lots of friends come to stay, you can (65) __________ dig another room.