Use of English

A Typical Part One Task

For many candidates, the Multiple Choice Cloze is the section that most clearly reflects the lexical demands of an advanced English examination. Success depends not only on knowing individual words, but also on recognising fixed expressions, natural collocations and the subtle distinctions that (0) SET near-synonyms apart. In a typical task, each gap is surrounded by enough context to guide the reader, but not always enough to make the answer immediately (1) .......... . This means candidates must read with care and resist the temptation to choose an option simply because it looks familiar. A sensible approach is to read the whole text first in order to gain a general (2) .......... of its subject and tone. Only then should you examine each gap in detail, paying attention to grammar as well as meaning. In many cases, one or two options can be rejected quite quickly because they do not (3) .......... the sentence pattern. The remaining alternatives may all seem possible, so it becomes necessary to decide which one best (4) .......... with the surrounding words. Strong candidates are also aware that one wrong choice can affect their interpretation of what (5) .......... . It is therefore unwise to spend too long on a single gap. If the answer does not come to mind, it is often better to move (6) .......... and return later. Above all, effective exam technique lies not in guessing wildly, but in making informed choices and checking that each answer sounds fully natural in (7) .......... . With practice, learners can build the confidence needed to (8) .......... with this demanding task successfully.