15 Multiple-Choice Cloze Practice Questions with Answers | Cambridge C1 Advanced
Multiple-Choice Cloze is Part 1 of the Reading and Use of English paper in Cambridge C1 Advanced (CAE). You read a short text with eight gaps. For each gap you choose the best word or phrase from four options (A, B, C or D). It tests your vocabulary, including collocations, phrasal verbs, and fixed phrases. This post gives you 15 Cambridge C1 Advanced Multiple-Choice Cloze practice questions with answers. Every answer comes with a short note that explains the correct choice. Try each text first, then open the answers to check your work.
Question 1
The Deliberate Pace of Slow Photography
Read the text below and decide which answer (A, B, C or D) best fits each gap.
Modern cameras make it easy to fire (1) ______ dozens of images in a few seconds. Slow photography responds by placing greater (2) ______ on preparation than volume. Practitioners may go to considerable (3) ______ to study changing light, choose a position and decide what they want a frame to communicate before releasing the shutter.
Because fewer exposures are made, each one carries more (4) ______. A failed frame cannot simply be buried among hundreds of near-duplicates. This apparent restriction can work to the photographer's (5) ______, encouraging decisions to be made consciously rather than postponed until editing.
The approach does not require old equipment, and there is no (6) ______ why a digital camera cannot be used slowly. Some photographers switch between technologies as the occasion (7) ______, selecting a large-format camera for one project and a phone for another. Slow photography therefore has (8) ______ to do with nostalgia than with attention. Its defining feature is the willingness to pause, observe and accept that not every promising scene needs to become an image.
1. A) out B) off C) away D) up
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B (off). ‘Fire off’ images means take them rapidly in succession. The other particles do not form the required phrasal verb.
2. A) pressure B) force C) strain D) emphasis
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D (emphasis). ‘Place emphasis on’ means give particular importance to something. The other nouns do not fit this exact collocation with ‘place’.
3. A) extents B) ranges C) lengths D) distances
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C (lengths). ‘Go to considerable lengths’ means make a great effort. The other measurement nouns do not complete the idiom.
4. A) weight B) load C) burden D) mass
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A (weight). An individual decision that matters more ‘carries more weight’. The other physical nouns do not form this figurative collocation.
5. A) favour B) advantage C) gain D) profit
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B (advantage). Something beneficial can ‘work to someone's advantage’. The other nouns do not complete this fixed phrase.
6. A) cause B) motive C) basis D) reason
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D (reason). ‘There is no reason why’ introduces the absence of any justification or barrier. The other nouns do not fit the clause pattern.
7. A) requests B) orders C) demands D) commands
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C (demands). ‘As the occasion demands’ means as circumstances require. The alternatives do not form this established expression here.
8. A) less B) few C) little D) reduced
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A (less). The comparative structure ‘less to do with X than with Y’ requires ‘less’. The other quantity words do not fit grammatically.
Question 2
Old Maps, New Questions
Read the text below and decide which answer (A, B, C or D) best fits each gap.
Historians increasingly draw (1) ______ old maps for evidence about how earlier communities understood a place. A map records roads and boundaries, but it also reveals what its maker chose to leave (2) ______. The neat lines on a survey may (3) ______ little resemblance to the routes that residents actually followed.
Such differences are often highly (4) ______. A missing footpath may indicate that officials considered it unimportant, while an oversized building may reflect the status of its owner. Researchers compare editions side by (5) ______ to see when labels appeared, shifted or vanished. They also cross-check maps (6) ______ diaries, photographs and administrative records before treating any feature as reliable.
Every map, however precise, is produced from a particular point of (7) ______. Digital tools can align historical sheets with current images, but technical accuracy does not remove that perspective. The most revealing approach may be to read a map against the (8) ______, asking which activities resist its tidy categories. Seen this way, omissions are not gaps to be ignored; they are evidence that can generate new questions.
1. A) at B) on C) over D) through
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B (on). ‘Draw on’ a source means use it for information or support. The other prepositions do not complete this phrasal verb.
2. A) out B) away C) off D) aside
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A (out). To ‘leave something out’ means omit it. The other particles give different meanings or do not complete the phrasal verb here.
3. A) carry B) hold C) bear D) keep
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C (bear). ‘Bear resemblance to’ is the established collocation for similarity. The other verbs do not combine with ‘resemblance’ in this way.
4. A) talking B) speaking C) saying D) telling
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D (telling). Evidence that reveals significant information is ‘telling’. The other speech-derived adjectives do not carry this meaning here.
5. A) edge B) side C) border D) line
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B (side). Things compared directly are viewed ‘side by side’. The other boundary nouns do not complete the phrase.
6. A) across B) beside C) against D) beyond
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C (against). To ‘cross-check something against’ another source is to verify it by comparison. The other prepositions do not fit this collocation.
7. A) view B) sight C) vision D) outlook
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A (view). ‘A point of view’ is a perspective. The other visual nouns do not complete this fixed expression.
8. A) fibre B) texture C) surface D) grain
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D (grain). To read ‘against the grain’ is to resist an expected or conventional interpretation. The other material nouns do not form the idiom.
Question 3
Reading Space Through Sound
Read the text below and decide which answer (A, B, C or D) best fits each gap.
Most pedestrians take the visual shape of a street for (1) ______. Yet space also produces sound, and reflected noise can provide a wealth (2) ______ information about nearby surfaces. Instructors who teach sound-based navigation begin in quiet rooms, where distractions can be kept to a (3) ______. Learners listen to how a repeated click changes beside a wall, an open doorway or a large object.
The skill is then put to the (4) ______ outdoors, where traffic and conversation make the signals harder to isolate. Progress tends to come by (5) ______, since confidence grows through repeated comparison rather than a single dramatic discovery.
Teachers emphasise that the technique is no (6) ______ for established mobility aids or careful judgement. Instead, it adds another (7) ______ to a traveller's bow, offering an extra source of information when conditions permit. Its value varies from person to person and from street to street. For that reason, it is best regarded as one tool at the user's (8) ______, not as a complete system that makes every unfamiliar environment immediately readable.
1. A) given B) assumed C) granted D) accepted
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C (granted). ‘Take something for granted’ means accept it without noticing or questioning it. The other participles do not form this idiom.
2. A) of B) for C) with D) from
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A (of). The quantity phrase is ‘a wealth of information’. None of the other prepositions completes it.
3. A) limit B) shortage C) reduction D) minimum
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D (minimum). Keeping distractions ‘to a minimum’ means reducing them as far as practical. The other nouns do not form this expression.
4. A) trial B) test C) check D) proof
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B (test). A skill applied in real conditions is ‘put to the test’. The other nouns do not complete the fixed phrase.
5. A) amounts B) proportions C) degrees D) levels
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C (degrees). ‘By degrees’ means gradually. The other plural nouns would require different wording.
6. A) substitute B) exchange C) parallel D) trade
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A (substitute). ‘No substitute for’ means something cannot replace another thing. The distractors do not fit this established noun-preposition phrase.
7. A) cord B) rope C) thread D) string
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D (string). ‘Another string to one's bow’ means an additional skill or resource. The other fibre nouns do not form the idiom.
8. A) provision B) disposal C) arrangement D) supply
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B (disposal). A tool available for use is ‘at someone's disposal’. The other nouns do not complete this fixed expression.
Question 4
Choosing Peer Mentors
Read the text below and decide which answer (A, B, C or D) best fits each gap.
Many universities invite experienced students to support newcomers. It is easy to assume that high marks automatically make someone a good mentor, but academic success is a poor (1) ______ of willingness to listen. Selection panels look for applicants who can hold (2) ______ from offering instant solutions and allow another person to describe the problem fully.
Training makes the limits of the role (3) ______ from the outset. A peer mentor is not a counsellor and should point a student in the (4) ______ of professional help when necessary. Programmes also need to make allowances (5) ______ differences in personality, timetable and preferred communication. A match that looks ideal on paper may feel awkward in practice.
For that reason, early pairings are often provisional. If no rapport develops, neither person is expected to (6) ______ it out indefinitely. Short reports to a coordinator can also help the university pick (7) ______ recurring difficulties affecting many first-year students. Done well, mentoring gives newcomers an informed companion without taking the (8) ______ of specialist staff.
1. A) estimate B) predictor C) forecast D) projection
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B (predictor). A ‘predictor of’ something is a factor that indicates its likely presence.
2. A) back B) apart C) aside D) down
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A (back). ‘Hold back from’ means deliberately refrain from doing something.
3. A) clean B) transparent C) sharp D) clear
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D (clear). The natural construction is ‘make the limits clear’.
4. A) route B) course C) direction D) way
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C (direction). The fixed phrase is ‘point someone in the direction of’ help.
5. A) to B) of C) for D) with
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C (for). The collocation is ‘make allowances for’ differences.
6. A) hold B) keep C) stand D) stick
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D (stick). ‘Stick it out’ means continue in a difficult situation.
7. A) out at B) up on C) through to D) over with
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B (up on). ‘Pick up on’ means notice a recurring pattern.
8. A) place B) function C) work D) duties
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A (place). The expression is ‘take the place of’.
Question 5
Counting Visitors Without Cameras
Read the text below and decide which answer (A, B, C or D) best fits each gap.
Knowing how many people use a park or gallery helps managers plan staffing and maintenance, but conventional cameras can give (1) ______ to privacy concerns. Pressure mats and infrared beams offer an alternative: they register movement without keeping (2) ______ of anyone's identity. The resulting totals, however, are not as straightforward as they first appear.
Two people passing a narrow sensor side by side may be (3) ______ as one, while a child who repeatedly runs backwards and forwards may be recorded several times. Maintenance vehicles can also (4) ______ off a counter that was designed for pedestrians. Managers therefore avoid taking daily totals at face (5) ______.
Instead, automatic figures are compared with manual counts carried (6) ______ at selected intervals. Weather, opening hours and temporary closures must also be taken (7) ______ account before one period is compared with another. Even imperfect data can serve (8) ______ an early warning that use of a site is changing. Its strength lies in revealing broad patterns, not in pretending to provide a flawless record of every individual visit. Short-term fluctuations matter less than repeated changes observed across comparable days and seasons. This makes careful calibration and honest reporting essential.
1. A) growth B) rise C) increase D) arrival
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B (rise). To 'give rise to' concerns is to cause them. The other nouns do not complete this fixed expression.
2. A) track B) route C) trail D) course
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A (track). To 'keep track of' something is to maintain information about it. The other route nouns do not form this expression.
3. A) divided B) balanced C) separated D) counted
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D (counted). People included in a numerical total are 'counted'. The other verbs cannot describe two people being recorded as one.
4. A) mark B) send C) set D) bring
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C (set). To 'set off' a sensor is to activate it. The other verbs do not form the required phrasal verb with 'off'.
5. A) value B) price C) level D) worth
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A (value). To take a figure 'at face value' is to accept it without further checking. The other nouns do not complete the idiom.
6. A) over B) out C) up D) along
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B (out). Checks or counts that are performed are 'carried out'. The other particles do not give the required meaning.
7. A) under B) within C) into D) towards
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C (into). A relevant factor is 'taken into account'. The other prepositions do not complete this fixed phrase.
8. A) for B) like C) by D) as
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D (as). Something that functions in a particular role 'serves as' it. The other prepositions do not fit this verb-preposition collocation.
Question 6
Protecting the Banks of a Chalk Stream
Read the text below and decide which answer (A, B, C or D) best fits each gap.
A popular chalk stream attracts walkers, anglers and families, but concentrated use can give (1) ______ to bare soil along its banks. Once vegetation disappears, loose material is easily carried (2) ______ during high water. The resulting erosion can widen the channel and cover gravel needed by aquatic insects and spawning fish.
Closing the entire bank may be out of (3) ______ with reasonable public access. Many projects instead guide visitors towards a few robust entry points and spread (4) ______ pressure that would otherwise be concentrated in one place. Short boardwalks and firm steps can take the (5) ______ of repeated footfall while keeping vulnerable sections undisturbed.
These structures should not be at (6) ______ with their surroundings, and they require inspection after floods. Monitoring then shows whether vegetation is taking (7) ______ again beyond the protected routes. Photographs taken from fixed points make gradual recovery easier to judge than casual impressions gathered during occasional visits by different members of staff. Success depends (8) ______ directing use rather than pretending it can be eliminated. When access and habitat are planned together, visitors can reach the water without gradually destroying the qualities that drew them there.
1. A) growth B) rise C) arrival D) increase
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B (rise). To 'give rise to' a result is to cause it. The other nouns do not complete this fixed expression.
2. A) away B) above C) below D) between
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A (away). Material removed and transported by water is 'carried away'. The other particles do not give the required meaning.
3. A) reach B) order C) keeping D) season
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C (keeping). Something consistent with an aim is 'in keeping with' it. The other nouns do not complete this expression.
4. A) over B) through C) across D) out
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D (out). To 'spread out' pressure is to distribute it over a wider area. The other particles do not form the required phrasal verb before the object.
5. A) brunt B) edge C) side D) face
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A (brunt). Something receiving most of an impact 'takes the brunt of' it. The other nouns do not complete this idiom.
6. A) ends B) points C) terms D) odds
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D (odds). Things that appear incompatible are 'at odds with' one another. The other nouns do not complete the fixed expression.
7. A) notice B) account C) hold D) care
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C (hold). Something becoming established is 'taking hold'. The other nouns do not fit this phrasal expression.
8. A) from B) on C) by D) with
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B (on). An outcome that relies on an action 'depends on' it. The other prepositions do not complete this collocation.
Question 7
Why Maps Need Empty Space
Read the text below and decide which answer (A, B, C or D) best fits each gap.
Mapmakers are often judged by the amount of detail they include, yet what they leave out can matter just as much. If every road and label is given equal prominence, important routes may fail to (1) ______ out. Blank areas give symbols room to (2) ______ and help the reader recognise visual hierarchy without conscious effort.
Some minor details may be kept (3) ______ reserve for a larger-scale version. This restraint can run (4) ______ to a client's expectation that an accurate map must display everything known about a place. Omission is not necessarily concealment, however. A designer should be able to (5) ______ for every choice by explaining how it supports the map's stated purpose.
Scale also comes (6) ______ play when the same design is adapted for different formats. A label that is clear on a wall map may (7) ______ unreadable on a phone screen. Successful maps therefore bring the right information into (8) ______ at the right moment. Their blank spaces are not unfinished areas, but active parts of a system that guides attention and prevents detail from becoming noise. Selectivity also makes later updates easier because fewer elements compete for limited space.
1. A) come B) look C) stand D) turn
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C (stand). Features that 'stand out' are visually prominent. The other verbs do not form the required phrasal verb with 'out'.
2. A) shelter B) pause C) wait D) breathe
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D (breathe). Giving design elements room to 'breathe' means leaving adequate space around them. The other verbs do not express this design principle.
3. A) in B) at C) for D) under
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A (in). Something held back for later use is kept 'in reserve'. The other prepositions do not complete the fixed phrase.
4. A) along B) counter C) parallel D) close
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B (counter). To 'run counter to' an expectation is to conflict with it. The other words do not complete this expression.
5. A) arrange B) respond C) explain D) account
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D (account). To 'account for' a choice is to explain or justify it. The other verbs do not fit before 'for' with this precise meaning.
6. A) under B) across C) into D) through
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C (into). A factor 'comes into play' when it begins to affect a situation. The other prepositions do not complete the idiom.
7. A) hold B) prove C) keep D) set
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B (prove). Something that 'proves unreadable' turns out to be unreadable. The other verbs do not fit this linking-verb construction here.
8. A) focus B) view C) sight D) notice
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A (focus). Information brought 'into focus' becomes clear and prominent. The other nouns do not complete this fixed expression.
Question 8
Why Violin Bows Need New Hair
Read the text below and decide which answer (A, B, C or D) best fits each gap.
The hair stretched across a violin bow may look permanent, but regular playing gradually wears its surface smooth. Once it loses its (1) ______ on the string, producing a clear response becomes harder. Players sometimes try to make (2) ______ for the decline by tightening the bow further, but excessive tension places the wooden stick (3) ______ strain.
Bow technician Iona Selk first clears (4) ______ the old hair and examines the small wedges that hold it in position. New horsehair is sorted so that the bundle is even (5) ______ length and thickness. Selk rejects strands that fall (6) ______ of the required quality, since a few weak or twisted hairs can affect how evenly the finished ribbon lies.
The quantity selected depends (7) ______ the width of the bow and the player's requirements. The work must be carried (8) ______ without allowing the bundle to twist as it is secured at both ends. Rehairing cannot repair a warped or cracked stick, but it can restore the predictable contact that players need during long rehearsal periods. The finished bow should respond consistently across its width rather than forcing the musician to compensate for worn material.
1. A) balance B) shape C) grip D) colour
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C (grip). Something maintaining friction has a 'grip on' a surface. The other nouns do not describe the hair's contact with the string.
2. A) over B) up C) out D) off
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B (up). To 'make up for' a decline is to compensate for it. The other particles do not complete this phrasal expression.
3. A) by B) with C) below D) under
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D (under). Something experiencing damaging pressure is 'under strain'. The other prepositions do not form this collocation.
4. A) away B) forward C) through D) under
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A (away). To 'clear away' old material is to remove it completely. The other particles do not give the required meaning.
5. A) in B) at C) by D) with
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A (in). Things equal with respect to a measurement are even 'in length'. The other prepositions do not fit this adjective-preposition construction.
6. A) little B) brief C) small D) short
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D (short). Something failing to reach a standard 'falls short of' it. The other adjectives do not complete this expression.
7. A) from B) on C) by D) with
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B (on). A choice determined by a factor 'depends on' it. The other prepositions do not complete this collocation.
8. A) over B) around C) out D) along
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C (out). Work that is performed is 'carried out'. The other particles do not provide this meaning.
Question 9
Why Proofreaders Change the Page
Read the text below and decide which answer (A, B, C or D) best fits each gap.
By the time a text reaches a proofreader, its writer and editor may know it so well that their eyes supply what they expect to see. A proofreader must (1) ______ this familiarity. Changing the typeface or printing the document can bring hidden inconsistencies to (2) ______ because familiar sentences suddenly look less familiar.
Some proofreaders read one line at a time, covering the rest of the page so that they do not gloss (3) ______ weak punctuation simply because the meaning is clear. They also keep the publisher's style sheet close at (4) ______, checking such details as capital letters, dates and preferred spellings.
Proofreading is not limited to words. The reader must take the wider design into (5) ______. A heading may use the wrong level, a page number may be missing, or a caption may have (6) ______ adrift from its image during layout. When the intended treatment is uncertain, the proofreader raises a query rather than (7) ______ matters into their own hands. Restraint matters: an unnecessary correction can sometimes do more harm than (8) ______.
1. A) oppose B) reverse C) counteract D) contradict
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C (counteract). ‘Counteract’ means reduce the unwanted effect of familiarity.
2. A) sight B) view C) notice D) light
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D (light). The fixed expression is ‘bring something to light’.
3. A) by B) over C) through D) across
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B (over). ‘Gloss over’ means pass over a problem without sufficient attention.
4. A) hand B) reach C) touch D) grasp
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A (hand). The fixed phrase is ‘close at hand’.
5. A) account B) measure C) notice D) view
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A (account). The expression is ‘take something into account’.
6. A) set B) come C) broken D) moved
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B (come). ‘Come adrift’ means become detached from the correct position.
7. A) getting B) bringing C) putting D) taking
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D (taking). The idiom is ‘take matters into your own hands’.
8. A) value B) benefit C) good D) advantage
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C (good). The fixed contrast is ‘do more harm than good’.
Question 10
When Old Bricks Return to a Building
Read the text below and decide which answer (A, B, C or D) best fits each gap.
Bricks recovered during demolition can sometimes be used again, but not every load is suitable straight (1) ______. Before a wall is taken apart, it should be inspected (2) ______ signs of oil, salts or other contamination. Bricks from chimneys and industrial sites may require particular caution.
The original mortar also matters. Hard cement can cling (3) ______ firmly that removing it damages the face of the brick, whereas older lime mortar often comes (4) ______ more readily. Each cleaned brick still needs inspection. Fine cracks or a dull sound when tapped may point (5) ______ hidden weakness, especially after repeated freezing and thawing.
Reclaimed bricks can be at (6) ______ with modern standard dimensions. Rather than conceal every variation, designers may work differences (7) ______ a deliberate pattern, provided that the wall remains structurally sound. Sorting by size and condition before design begins makes later construction more predictable and efficient. Reuse must also be kept (8) ______ perspective: transporting a small quantity over a great distance may cancel much of the environmental benefit. The strongest case occurs when sound bricks can be recovered, tested and reused close to the place where they were first built.
1. A) off B) out C) back D) away
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D (away). Something suitable immediately is suitable 'straight away'. The other particles do not complete this expression.
2. A) for B) by C) with D) over
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A (for). To inspect something 'for' signs of a problem is to look for them. The other prepositions do not fit this purpose.
3. A) very B) so C) too D) such
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B (so). The result clause beginning with 'that' requires the degree structure 'so firmly that'. The other degree words do not fit this construction.
4. A) over B) forth C) away D) down
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C (away). Material that separates readily 'comes away'. The other particles do not provide this meaning.
5. A) at B) for C) to D) on
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C (to). Evidence suggesting a cause 'points to' it. The other prepositions do not complete this verb-preposition collocation.
6. A) beyond B) under C) within D) odds
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D (odds). Things that do not fit comfortably together are 'at odds with' one another. The other words do not complete this expression.
7. A) into B) over C) up D) along
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A (into). To incorporate differences as part of a pattern is to 'work them into' it. The other particles do not convey integration.
8. A) at B) in C) with D) under
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B (in). A claim assessed at an appropriate scale is kept 'in perspective'. The other prepositions do not complete the phrase.
Question 11
Helping Young City Trees Face the Wind
Read the text below and decide which answer (A, B, C or D) best fits each gap.
Young city trees are often secured to stakes after planting, but leaving them tightly tied for too long can do more (1) ______ than good. A trunk that never moves has little (2) ______ to strengthen in response to wind. Arborists therefore try to strike (3) ______ balance between preventing damage and allowing controlled movement.
Flexible ties should give (4) ______ slightly during a gust rather than hold the trunk rigid. They must also be checked as the tree grows, since a neglected strap can cut into the bark. A loose tie can still prevent the root ball from rocking enough to tear new roots. Stakes can usually be taken (5) ______ once roots have established, although the precise timing depends on soil and exposure.
The surrounding location has to be factored (6) ______ any decision. Wind funnelled between tall buildings can place a sapling (7) ______ considerable strain, while a sheltered courtyard presents a different set of risks. Good practice is not to rule (8) ______ support altogether, but to use no more than the site requires. The aim is a tree capable of supporting itself, not one that remains permanently dependent on equipment installed at planting.
1. A) setback B) burden C) impact D) harm
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D (harm). 'Do more harm than good' is a fixed expression for causing a net negative effect. The other nouns do not complete the idiom.
2. A) opportunity B) approval C) entitlement D) authority
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A (opportunity). Having an 'opportunity to' strengthen means having conditions that allow it. The other nouns imply permission or formal power, which a tree cannot possess in this context.
3. A) one B) the C) a D) any
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C (a). The fixed collocation is 'strike a balance' between two needs. The other determiners do not fit the expression in this context.
4. A) room B) way C) space D) place
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B (way). Material that 'gives way' slightly yields under pressure. The other nouns do not complete this verb-noun expression before the adverb.
5. A) away B) apart C) aside D) along
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A (away). To take stakes 'away' is to remove them from the site. The other particles do not express removal here.
6. A) under B) towards C) into D) across
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C (into). To 'factor something into' a decision is to include it in the reasoning. The other prepositions do not complete the phrasal verb.
7. A) below B) beneath C) within D) under
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D (under). Something experiencing pressure is 'under strain'. The other prepositions do not form the established expression.
8. A) over B) out C) off D) away
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B (out). To 'rule out' an option is to exclude it. The other particles do not complete this phrasal verb.
Question 12
Making Room for Quiet at Work
Read the text below and decide which answer (A, B, C or D) best fits each gap.
Employees' complaints about noise are now being taken more (1) ______ by organisations that once assumed open-plan offices suited every task. Background conversation can take a heavy (2) ______ on concentration, particularly when work involves complex reading or careful calculation. One response is to provide small rooms where such work can be carried (3) ______ away from phones and informal meetings.
Acoustic panels and soft surfaces can also help keep general noise (4) ______. The goal is not to do (5) ______ with collaboration, which remains valuable for many projects, but to avoid forcing every activity into the same setting. A single layout is rarely a complete (6) ______ to the competing needs for exchange and privacy.
Choice is therefore central. When staff can select a setting in the (7) ______ of the task ahead, a busy shared table may be as useful as a silent booth. Productivity may hinge less on silence (8) ______ than on having some control over when interruptions occur. A well-designed office does not promise perfect quiet; it makes different kinds of attention possible.
1. A) deeply B) strongly C) highly D) seriously
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D (seriously). To ‘take a complaint seriously’ is to treat it as important. The other adverbs do not collocate with ‘taken’ in this meaning.
2. A) price B) toll C) charge D) fee
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B (toll). ‘Take a toll on’ means have a damaging effect. The other payment nouns do not form this figurative expression.
3. A) up B) over C) out D) away
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C (out). Work is ‘carried out’ when it is performed. The other particles give different meanings or do not fit the passive construction.
4. A) down B) off C) out D) away
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A (down). ‘Keep noise down’ means limit its volume. The other particles do not express controlled sound levels here.
5. A) out B) over C) off D) away
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D (away). ‘Do away with’ means abolish or remove something. The other particles do not complete this phrasal verb.
6. A) reply B) solution C) outcome D) settlement
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B (solution). A ‘solution to’ a problem is a way of resolving it. The other nouns do not fit both the meaning and the preposition ‘to’ here.
7. A) glow B) sight C) light D) brightness
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C (light). ‘In the light of’ means taking something into consideration. The distractors do not form this idiom.
8. A) itself B) single C) only D) own
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A (itself). ‘Silence itself’ means silence as such, contrasting it with control. The other forms do not fit this emphatic reflexive construction.
Question 13
Historic Paint Beneath the Surface
Read the text below and decide which answer (A, B, C or D) best fits each gap.
When conservators examine a historic interior, the visible wall colour may be only the latest in a long sequence. Under a microscope, a tiny sample can show (1) ______ as a stack of distinct layers, each associated with a different period. Specialists must take (2) ______ not to confuse accumulated dirt or a transparent varnish with a deliberate decorative finish.
The findings can call (3) ______ question assumptions based on old photographs, which rarely record colour reliably. Even so, one sample cannot be taken (4) ______ representative of an entire room. Paint may have faded differently near a window, while later repairs can disturb the sequence. Researchers therefore draw (5) ______ evidence from several locations before reaching a conclusion.
Where written records survive, physical evidence can be set (6) ______ invoices, architects' notes and descriptions by former occupants. It does not necessarily (7) ______ that the earliest colour should be restored. A later scheme may have greater historical significance or suit the surviving furnishings better. Analysis informs that decision without tying curators (8) ______ a single solution. Its purpose is to reveal the available choices and the evidence behind each one. That clarity benefits future curators and visitors.
1. A) up B) down C) out D) through
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A (up). To 'show up as' something is to appear in that form. The other particles do not complete this phrasal verb before 'as'.
2. A) notice B) care C) interest D) account
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B (care). 'Take care not to' means act cautiously to avoid a mistake. The other nouns do not fit this infinitive construction.
3. A) across B) under C) into D) within
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C (into). To 'call into question' is to make an assumption seem doubtful. The other prepositions do not complete the fixed expression.
4. A) for B) like C) by D) as
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D (as). Something regarded as typical is 'taken as representative'. The other prepositions do not fit this passive construction.
5. A) together B) along C) through D) around
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A (together). Researchers 'draw together' evidence when they combine material from several sources. The other particles do not convey that synthesis.
6. A) beside B) against C) near D) over
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B (against). To set evidence 'against' records is to compare the two. The other prepositions do not express this evaluative comparison.
7. A) imply B) succeed C) follow D) continue
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C (follow). 'It does not follow that' means a conclusion is not a necessary consequence. The other verbs do not fit this logical construction.
8. A) from B) with C) at D) to
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D (to). To 'tie someone to' a solution is to restrict them to it. The other prepositions do not complete this verb-preposition collocation.
Question 14
Giving Theatre Scenery Another Role
Read the text below and decide which answer (A, B, C or D) best fits each gap.
Stage sets are often dismantled after a short run, largely (1) ______ storage space is scarce. Some theatres now maintain detailed inventories so that useful doors, platforms and frames do not (2) ______ notice when a production closes. A doorway can be stripped (3) ______ its painted finish and adapted without giving (4) ______ its previous role.
Reuse does not mean forcing every new design to resemble an old one. It asks designers to work (5) ______ what is available while remaining prepared to build a new element when necessary. The goal is not to settle for second (6) ______, but to treat existing pieces as raw material rather than finished scenery.
Safety checks must take (7) ______ over speed. Timber may have weakened, fixings may be missing and materials once considered acceptable may no longer be up (8) ______ current standards. Accurate records make those risks easier to identify. A shared catalogue also prevents workshops from buying materials that another production has already stored. When storage, inspection and creative planning are coordinated, scenery can move between productions without audiences recognising it, reducing waste while preserving the freedom to create a distinct visual world for each play.
1. A) although B) because C) unless D) whereas
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B (because). 'Because' introduces the reason that scenery is dismantled. The other conjunctions express contrast or condition rather than cause.
2. A) avoid B) refuse C) escape D) miss
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C (escape). Something that is overlooked 'escapes notice'. The other verbs do not form this collocation with 'notice'.
3. A) from B) away C) off D) of
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D (of). To remove a covering is to strip an object 'of' it. The other prepositions do not complete this verb-preposition construction.
4. A) away B) out C) up D) off
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A (away). To 'give away' a previous role is to reveal it. The other particles do not provide this meaning.
5. A) by B) with C) from D) over
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B (with). To 'work with' available material is to use it as the basis for a design. The other prepositions do not fit the context.
6. A) high B) good C) better D) best
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D (best). An inferior compromise is 'second best'. The other adjectives do not complete this fixed expression.
7. A) precedence B) authority C) emphasis D) importance
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A (precedence). Something that is more important 'takes precedence over' something else. The other nouns do not form this exact expression.
8. A) with B) for C) to D) by
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C (to). Something meeting a required level is 'up to' current standards. The other prepositions do not complete the phrase.
Question 15
The Craft of Book Indexing
Read the text below and decide which answer (A, B, C or D) best fits each gap.
Readers rarely notice a good index, but its absence quickly (1) ______ itself felt. Compiling one is far from a mechanical exercise. Before selecting entries, an indexer must get (2) ______ grips with the author's argument and understand how its parts relate to one another. References should point not merely to every occurrence of a word, but to passages where the subject is discussed at (3) ______.
Closely related terms may need to be brought (4) ______ one heading so that readers do not have to guess which wording the author preferred. Yet distinctions must be preserved when combining entries would (5) ______ the purpose of the index. The indexer therefore has to put themselves in the reader's (6) ______. Someone searching for a particular idea may have a different phrase in (7) ______ from the one used in the text.
Cross-references help resolve this problem by directing readers from likely search terms to the chosen heading. Used sparingly, they clarify the structure; used excessively, they send readers round in (8) ______. A successful index is thus a compact interpretation of a book, designed to make its contents accessible without oversimplifying them for many different kinds of reader.
1. A) renders B) asserts C) leaves D) makes
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D (makes). 'Make itself felt' means become noticeably apparent. The other verbs do not fit the structure before 'itself felt'.
2. A) at B) within C) to D) by
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C (to). 'Get to grips with' means begin to understand or deal with something. The other prepositions do not complete the idiom.
3. A) extent B) length C) distance D) range
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B (length). A topic discussed 'at length' is considered in detail. The other nouns do not form the fixed adverbial phrase after 'at'.
4. A) under B) across C) between D) beside
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A (under). Related entries are brought 'under' one heading. The other prepositions do not express classification beneath a shared heading.
5. A) reverse B) refuse C) deny D) defeat
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D (defeat). To 'defeat the purpose' is to prevent an action from achieving its intended aim. The other verbs do not form this collocation.
6. A) laces B) socks C) shoes D) heels
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C (shoes). To put oneself in another person's 'shoes' is to consider that person's perspective. The other clothing words do not complete the idiom.
7. A) thought B) mind C) head D) view
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B (mind). To have a phrase 'in mind' is to be thinking of it. The other nouns do not fit this fixed expression.
8. A) circles B) rings C) rounds D) loops
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A (circles). Being sent 'round in circles' means being directed without making progress. The other plural nouns do not complete the idiom.