Similar meanings 1: nouns

Being familiar with words and expressions which have a similar (or the same) meaning to each other will give you a big advantage in the TOEIC®, especially in the Reading Comprehension section. The exercises on the next 6 pages give you practice with some of the most common and useful examples of these.
Exercise 1: Look at sentences 1 – 15. These can either be completed with a word from box A or a word with a similar meaning from box B. Identify both the words that could be used. In many cases, you will need to add an -s to one or both of the words when you put them into the sentence.

1. We have a very busy / today, so I suggest we start as soon as possible.
2. The company provides free / for its staff.
3. We need to maintain / on the factory floor at all times, otherwise there are increased risks of an accident occurring.
4. Thank you for your kind / : I couldn't have done it without you.
5. There has been a sharp / in the number of people attending the staff development sessions.
6. The latest computer program has several / which need to be sorted out before it can be put onto the market.
7. There has been a lot of / to the new compulsory overtime plan.
8. There is no / to show that standards of living have improved.
9. Repeated orders are eligible for a 10% / on wholesale prices.
10. The hotel is popular with business people because of its / to the central business district.
11. I can't see you this afternoon because I have a / an / with the Board of Directors.
12. A lot of our / say that they are unhappy with the speed of our service.
13. When the company begins operations, it hopes to provide / for 300 people.
14. There are several / to working from home: you save on travel costs, for one thing.
15. If you want the job, a working knowledge of German is one of the main / .