Use of English Exercises, Practice for Cambridge First Certificate

Complete with the correct word.

Los Angeles has planted 2,000 rubber trees (1)................................. the middle of one of (2)................................. main streets. These trees do not produce rubber. They are, in fact, made of rubber. Mr Joe Dynamo, a spokesman (3)................................. Los Angeles city council, explained the reasons. He said:

"These trees are representative of our virtual society. We have polystyrene grass (4)................................. our golf courses. We have non-milk powder to (5)................................. our coffee. We make copies (6)................................. plastic of old wooden furniture. We have fibreglass tombstones. (7)................................. shouldn't we have trees made of rubber?

"At 50 miles (8)................................. hour, no motorist will see any difference. And our maintenance costs will be lower. You give the trees an annual rinse (9)................................. detergent, and dust them off twice a year. We save a lot of money because transplanting, pruning, weeding and leaf-collection are all unnecessary. And we have a 60-year non-fade guarantee on each plant. This is rationalisation (10)................................. its best."