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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.

The Competitive Mind

Competition can be a powerful force in human behaviour, shaping not only performance but also emotional well-being. In many contexts, people are encouraged to measure themselves (0) AGAINST others, believing that comparison will push them to improve. While this can sometimes be true, the psychological effects of competition are often more complex (1) .......... they first appear. Some individuals thrive in competitive environments because they see pressure (2) .......... a challenge rather than a threat. Others, however, become so focused on winning (3) .......... they begin to associate failure with personal worth. This can lead to anxiety, self-doubt and a reluctance to take risks, especially if success is valued more highly than effort. Research also suggests that people perform best when competition is balanced (4) .......... cooperation. In settings where individuals feel supported, they are more likely to recover quickly (5) .......... setbacks and maintain motivation over time. By contrast, constant rivalry may result (6) .......... stress, burnout and even resentment towards peers. For this reason, psychologists argue that competition should be framed carefully, so that it encourages growth rather (7) .......... fear. What matters most is not simply whether someone wins, but whether the experience helps them develop confidence and learn (8) .......... it.

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

Saber Google

@saber-ab9d36

User Prompt

"Create an exercise about the psychological effects of competition"

Tone: Standard
Level: C1

Created on:

May 4, 2026

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