Multiple-choice Cloze
She finally managed to ______ her fear of public speaking.
A) defeat
B) conquer
C) beat
D) win
B) CONQUER
Fixed collocation - "conquer a fear"
Hardly ______ he arrived when the meeting began.
HAD
→ After hardly, we use inversion + past perfect
His ______ of the situation was completely inaccurate.
(ASSESS)
ASSESSMENT
-We need a noun -> assessment
It’s possible that he missed the train.
(MAY)
He ______ the train.
may have missed
-Past possibility -> may have + past participle
The report raised ______ concerns about data security.
A) strong
B) heavy
C) serious
D) deep
C) serious
-Very common collocation: serious concerns
The company’s success can largely be ______ to its innovative marketing strategy.
A) credited
B) owed
C) attributed
D) assigned
C) ATTRIBUTED
The correct structure is “attribute something to a cause” (= say something is caused by something).
There is little point ______ arguing with him; he never changes his mind.
IN
-Fixed structure: “point in + -ing” = "It's useless to argue...")
The film was praised for its visual ______.
(STUN)
STUNNING
-Adjective modifying visuals
I regret not studying harder for the exam.
(WISH)
I ______ harder for the exam.
wish I had studied
-Past regret -> wish + past perfect
She took ______ responsibility for the failure of the project.
A) complete
B) full
C) entire
D) whole
B) full
-Fixed collocation: take full responsibility
He was completely ______ by the complexity of the legal system.
A) baffled
B) puzzled
C) confused
D) mixed
A) BAFFLED
-Baffled = strongly confused and unable to understand.
-The others are weaker or less natural at C2 level.
It was not until years later ______ she realized the truth.
THAT
This is a cleft sentence (emphatic structure)
-Structure:
It + be + focus + that + clause
So here:
She handled the crisis with remarkable ______.
(COMPOSE)
COMPOSURE
-Fixed noun meaning calmness under pressure
She started working here three years ago.
(BEEN)
She ______ here for three years.
has been working
-Action continuing until now -> present perfect continuous
______ the circumstances, we had no choice but to proceed.
A) Given
B) Considering
C) Taking into account
D) In light of
D) In light of
-Formal phrase; others possible but less precise/register-appropriate
The politician’s speech was carefully ______ to avoid offending any group.
A) framed
B) worded
C) said
D) spoken
B) WORDED
-Worded refers specifically to the choice of language.
-“Carefully worded” is a very common collocation.
No sooner had they finished dinner ______ the phone rang.
THAN
-Fixed pair: “no sooner… than…”
The decision was widely criticized for its ______.
(FAIR)
UNFAIRNESS
-Negative noun needed -> unfairness
“You should see a doctor,” he said.
(ADVISED)
He ______ a doctor.
advised me to see
-Structure: advise + object + to + verb
After years of tension, their relationship finally ______.
A) broke the ice
B) came to a head
C) hit the roof
D) spilled the beans
B) came to a head
-Idiomatic meaning: reached a critical point
Her argument doesn’t hold ______ when examined closely.
A) water
B) ground
C) base
D) level
A) WATER
-Idiom: “hold water” = be logically valid.
-None of the other options form a correct expression.
The new policy is aimed ______ reducing carbon emissions.
AT
-Fixed phrase: “aimed at + -ing”
His explanation was so ______ that nobody believed him.
(CONVINCE)
UNCONVINCING
-Adjective with negative meaning required
He only understood the importance of the decision after it was too late.
(DID)
Only after ______ the importance of the decision.
did he understand
-After “Only after…”, we use inversion
-Structure: Only after + clause + did + subject + verb
When he realized he had been tricked, he decided to ______ and walk away.
A) cut his losses
B) make ends meet
C) take the plunge
D) hold his breath
A) cut his losses
-Idiom that means: "to stop a bad situation early to avoid losing more time, money, or effort"