Word Formation 2015 + RT

TIGHT, ENTHUSIAST, YEAR, PSYCHOLOGY Summer is in the air and it's only natural for people to feel good and (B1) [blank_start]enthusiastic[blank_end] about going on holiday. Everyone needs to relax and get away, so they try to use their (B2) [blank_start]yearly[blank_end] leave in the best possible way. Needless to say, getting away and escaping from your routine reduces stress. Any (B3) [blank_start]psychologists[blank_end] will tell you of the benefits a holiday offers. So, even if you have to (B4) [blank_start]tighten[blank_end] your belt in order to afford a holiday, do it. In the end, it's worth it!

POPULAR, RISK, POSSIBLE, INVENT The New Zealanders Dwayne van der Sluis and Andrew Akers must be the happiest people on Earth now that their (B1) [blank_start]invention[blank_end] and latest craze, zorbing, has become a success. Zorbing involves standing in a ball — or zorb — which consists of specially hardened plastic. The zorb is rolled down a hill, speeding at about 50 kilometres an hour. It may sound like quite a (B2) [blank_start]risky[blank_end] pastime, but the 70 centimetres of air between you and the ground make it (B3) [blank_start]impossible[blank_end] to get hurt. That's why zorbing didn't take long to gain in (B4) [blank_start]popularity[blank_end] .

ABLE, COMMUNE, CLEAR, AVOID The street party is a popular form of celebration in Britain. Whole streets come together to mark such important national occasions as a new millennium. (B1) [blank_start]Clearly[blank_end], it is impossible to hold a party in a busy street, so traffic is banned. This may annoy motorists but it is (B2) [blank_start]unavoidable[blank_end]. Street parties need the involvement of as many people as possible. They (B3) [blank_start]enable[blank_end] people who live in cities to unite as a (B4) [blank_start]community[blank_end] just as they would in a traditional small village or town.

SHORT, SLEEP COMPETE, EXTREME Last year I won a (B1) [blank_start]competition[blank_end] in a newspaper and the prize was a holiday for two in a well-known Mediterranean resort. It turned out to be an (B2) [blank_start]extremely[blank_end] unpleasant experience and one which my husband and I would not like to repeat. Our room overlooked the road, which was unfortunately being widened at that time, and the noise from the machinery was deafening. The road works went on 24 hours a day and as a result we suffered several (B3) [blank_start]sleepless[blank_end] nights. So we decided to (B4) [blank_start]shorten[blank_end] our stay and catch the first available flight home.

VARY FORGET, QUICK, RELIGION Kabuki is a traditional Japanese performing art that involves the telling of a story through song and dance. It was created in the early 1600s by a female dancer who performed in (B1) [blank_start]religious[blank_end] ceremonies and (B2) [blank_start]quickly[blank_end] gained popularity with Japan's lower social classes. The performers wear colourful costumes and thick makeup and sing and dance to the accompaniment of a (B3) [blank_start]variety[blank_end] of instruments. It's a truly (B4) [blank_start]unforgettable[blank_end] cultural experience!

SOLVE, MYSTERY, CONSIDER, SURE If you flew over the desert in Peru, you'd notice huge drawings in the sand below you. These (B1) [blank_start]mysterious[blank_end] pictures are over 2,000 years old but were only 'discovered' about 80 years ago. Scientists know that an ancient people called the Nazca created these impressive images in an attempt to (B2) [blank_start]ensure[blank_end] the survival of their people in a dry climate. They would have suffered (B3) [blank_start]considerably[blank_end] and it is now thought their (B4) [blank_start]solution[blank_end] was to create thee images in order to ask their mountain and water gods to send rain. The images had to be huge - so that they could be seen from the sky!

CONNECT, RELY, SEARCH, CREDIBLE In the past, students used encyclopedias and books from the library to (B1) [blank_start]research[blank_end] a topic. Nowadays, though, many think that the Internet is the best place to look. However, not everyone is of the same opinion. On the one hand, clearly not everything you read on the Internet is (B2) [blank_start]reliable[blank_end]. On the other hand, the Internet is very easily available to many people. Anyone with a computer and Internet (B3) [blank_start]connection[blank_end] can access it. What is more, there is an (B4) [blank_start]incredible[blank_end] amount of information on the web.

STRENGTH, POPULAR, WIDE, COMFORT Nowadays, many parents feel (B1) [blank_start]uncomfortable[blank_end] about the rapidly increasing (B2) [blank_start]popularity[blank_end] of computers, video games and games consoles. However, it is now (B3) [blank_start]widely[blank_end] believed among scientists that these new forms of technology can actually be better for young people's development than the traditional media such as television. Experts say that the use of chat rooms, messaging and email is far more personal than the often unsociable nature of television watching, and it often builds and (B4) [blank_start]strengthens[blank_end] friendship.

CARE, HOPE, NUMBER, FRIEND One of the most surprising developments in the treatment of patients in recent years has been the use of pets. In (B1) [blank_start]numerous[blank_end] cases, even those that are considered the most (B2) [blank_start]hopeless[blank_end], patients have shown greater determination to fight illness and get on the road to recovery with the aid of a pet. It has been found that young patients can easily build up a (B3) [blank_start]friendship[blank_end] with a dog, cat or rabbit, which makes them feel less miserable during their stay in hospital. Once a week volunteers take the pets to see the patients who learn how to handle them (B4) [blank_start]carefully[blank_end] and feed them.

PEACE, REST, DECIDE, COURAGE Many experts insist that colour can influence our moods and feelings. So, if you plan to redecorate, think carefully before making a (B1) [blank_start]decision[blank_end] about what paint to buy. The effect each colour has on you should be taken into consideration, as the wrong one could make you depressed or (B2) [blank_start]restless[blank_end] instead of relaxed and comfortable. A cool, (B3) [blank_start]peaceful[blank_end] blue is best for bedrooms as it (B4) [blank_start]encourages[blank_end] sleep. Green is ideal for living rooms, while red, the colour of energy and warmth, is best for dining rooms.