Use of English

Level B2

Part 1 - Multiple Choice

Exercises Feed

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For Questions 1-8, read the text below and decide which answer best fits each gap.

Work and Home

For many adults, trying to balance a career with family responsibilities can feel like a daily struggle. People are often expected to (0) DEAL with work deadlines while also finding enough time for their children, partners and household tasks. One common problem is that work can take (1) .......... more time than originally planned, leaving parents too tired to enjoy the evening at home. As a result, many people feel guilty and worry that they are letting either their employer or their family (2) .......... . Technology has made this situation even more complicated. Because emails and messages can arrive at any hour, employees may find it hard to switch (3) .......... completely after work. Some managers are understanding, but others still place heavy (4) .......... on staff to remain available in the evenings. In the long (5) .........., this can lead to stress and frustration. Experts often advise families to set clear boundaries and share duties fairly. They also point (6) .......... that small changes, such as planning meals in advance or turning off phones during dinner, can make a real difference. Although no solution is perfect, learning to rely (7) .......... others and to say no when necessary can help people cope better. In this way, they may finally achieve a better balance (8) .......... work and family life.

What to do

In this part, you read a text with eight gaps and choose the best word from four options to fit each gap.

Nothing prepares you for this test better than reading.

Read a lot. Candidates who often read in English (for work, for fun) find this part of the test manageable, while those who never read tend to find it very hard.

If you are 100% sure that two of the 4 choices are completely identical, then neither can be the answer. There is always only one word that fits grammatically and has the right meaning.

Usually the correct option will be part of a fixed phrase or collocation, a phrasal verb, a connector or the only word that fits grammatically in the gap.

Strategy

  1. Read the title and the whole text quickly to understand its general meaning before you attempt the task.
  2. Check the words before and after the gap.
  3. Choose the best option.
  4. When you have finished, read the text again with the words inserted to check that it makes sense.

Instructions

For Questions 1-8, read the text below and decide which answer best fits each gap.

Exercise Details

Author

James Ford

@james-ford

User Prompt

"Create an exercise about the challenges of balancing work and family life"

Tone: Standard
Level: B2

Created on:

Jun 19, 2026

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