Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to choose theword or phrase that best fits each of the numbered blanks from 34 to 38.

HIGH DAYS AND HOLIDAYS

In the UK holidays began as religious festival days or ‘holy days’. The idea of a holiday as a ‘nowork’ day seems to have first (34) ______ around five hundred years ago. In 1871 the Bank Holidays Act established certain days when, by law, banks closed. Bank Holidays soon became public holidays, but by (35) ______, not law. In fact, working people rarely took holidays. For (36) ______ people, paid holidays remained a luxury until the second half of the twentieth century. Instead, people enjoyed outings for the day to nearby places. The growth of the railways made it possible for working people and their families to go further a field on their day trips (37) ______ wealthy people had, for many years, taken holidays. As soon as outings became possible for more people, crowds of them travelled

to the seaside. Seaside towns started to boom. Piers were built out over the sea, funfairs opened and boat trips were offered by local fishermen. Many of the towns (38) ______ benefited from all these day trippers were near to large cities or were at the end of railway lines.

(Adapted from “Richmond FCE practice test- by Diana L. Fried Booth)