A Professor of Aesthetics (1) for the secret of life, the 19th century Anglo-Irish poet, novelist and playwright Oscar Wilde found that the secret of life was in (2) art. In late 1881, after (3) his first book of poems, he began a lecture tour in (4) United States as a 'Professor of Aesthetics'. A well-known Wilde's jok joke states that (5) customs upon his entry to America, when asked (6) he had (7) to declare, he answered: 'Nothing but my genius'. The American tour, (8) the east to the west coast, helped Oscar Wilde to establish himself (9) an expert on 'matters of art and taste'. Wilde's sense (10) humour soon became legendary, and stories about him spread through all social circles. His most familiar plays (11) and successfully performed upon the London stages. Oscar Wilde (12) one of the most popular people in his country until he (13) and sentenced (14) two years of hard labour. The time (15) in jail was the beginning of the end for Wilde. He soon (16) bankrupt, his sons were taken from him, his house and belongings were auctioned off, and most friends of (17) left him. (18) , his wife took his children to Switzerland and changed their family name to 'Holland'. Oscar Wilde never returned to England, he died in Paris in November 1900, penniless in a cheap hotel room (19) the age of 46. Yet he (20) leave this world without the last dose of his characteristic wit, joking that 'either the wallpaper in his room must go, or he must'.
1. a) to look b) look c) looking d) was looking
2. a) a b) an c) the d) -
3. a) publish b) to publish c) being published d) publishing
4. a) a b) an c) the d) -
5. a) on b) at c) in d) for
6. a) if b) that c) what d) while
7. a) something b) anything c) nothing d) everything
8. a) since b) of c) from d) in
9. a) like b) as c) so d) so as
10. a) in b) on c) at d) of
11. a) wrote b) written c) are written d) were written
12. a) has been b) had been c) was d) were
13. a) has been arrested b) had been arrested c) was arrested d) arrested
14. a) to b) with c) of d) for
15. a) spending b) spent c) was spent d) was being spent
16. a) declared b) has declared c) had declared d) was declared
17. a) him b) his c) he d) himself 18. a) moreover b) nevertheless c) however d) actually
19. a) in b) on c) at d) of
20. a) needn't b) couldn't c) shouldn't d) mightn't

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