Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct word or phrase that best fits each of the numbered blanks

Royal Residences

Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle and the Palace of Holyroodhouse are the official (35)_______ of the Sovereign and, as such, serve as both home and office for The Queen, whose personal standard flies (36)________ Her Majesty is in residence.

These buildings are used extensively for State ceremonies and Official entertaining and are opened to the (37)________ as much as these commitments allow.

All are furnished with fine pictures and (38)________of art from the Royal Collection, which has been assembled over four centuries by successive sovereigns. Many of the State Apartments and rooms at the official residences have been in continuous use since their conception and many of the works of art are (39)________ in the rooms for which they were originally (40)________.

The official residences are in (41)________ use and the style and manner in which they are (42)_______ to visitors reflects their working status. Rooms are kept as close to their normal (43)________ as possible. Inevitably, opening times are subject to change at short notice depending on circumstances.

The Royal Collection, which is owned by The Queen as Sovereign in trust for her successors and the Nation, is administered by the Royal Collection Trust to which a proportion of admission and other income from visitors is directed.

The remainder of this income funds the majority of the cost of restoring Windsor Castle which was badly (44)________ by fire in November 1992.Question 37

I thought, _______, that the recession would soon be over