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Use of English

Level C1

Part 2 - Open Cloze

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For questions 1-8, read the text below and think of the word which best fits each gap.

Social Comparison

Social comparison is a process (0) BY which people evaluate themselves in relation to others. While it can sometimes motivate individuals to improve, it may also lead (1) .......... feelings of inadequacy, particularly when the comparison is based (2) .......... unrealistic images or carefully edited online profiles. Research suggests that people who constantly measure themselves against others are more likely to dwell (3) .......... their perceived failures and less likely to appreciate what they have achieved. This tendency becomes especially harmful when self-worth depends (4) .......... external approval. In such cases, even minor setbacks can be interpreted (5) .......... proof of personal failure. Social media has intensified this pattern, as users are exposed to highly selective snapshots of other people's lives, many of (6) .......... seem far more successful or fulfilling than reality. As a result, individuals may feel isolated, as though everyone else is coping better (7) .......... they are. Experts therefore advise people to reflect on the standards (8) .......... which they judge themselves and to question whether those standards are fair, realistic, or even relevant.

What to do

This part consists of a short text with a series of gaps. There are no words from which to choose the answers, candidates have to think of a word which fits the gap correctly.

Errors in punctuation are ignored, although spelling must be correct.

Contractions (e.g. don’t, we’ve, won’t) count as two words. However, can’t is a contraction of cannot, which is one word.

Sometimes, there is more than one correct answer. Cambridge will always account for this and all options will be accepted. However, you should not write more than one answer.

Don't spend time in a word you don't know. Wasting time on this activity might cost you points later in the exam because you won’t have enough time to do other tasks well.

Strategy

  1. Read the title and the whole text so that you understand what it is about.
  2. Read the whole sentence in which the gap occurs, to look for clues as to what kind of word you need.
  3. Check the words before and after each gap and look for grammatical collocations.
  4. Remember you must write only one word.
  5. You are never required to write a contraction. If you think the answer is a contraction, it must be wrong, so think again.
  6. Read the whole text through once you have completed it to make sure you have not missed any connectors, plurals or negatives.

Instructions

For questions 1-8, read the text below and think of the word which best fits each gap.

Exercise Details

Author

Nishana Sathanikethan

@nishana-sathanikethan

User Prompt

"Create an exercise about the psychological effects of social comparison"

Tone: Standard
Level: C1

Created on:

May 27, 2026

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