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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.

Empathy and Leadership

In recent years, empathy has come to be seen (0) AS one of the most valuable qualities a leader can possess. In workplaces where pressure is high, employees are more likely to remain committed if they feel listened to and respected, rather (1) .......... treated as mere tools for achieving targets. A manager who can put themselves (2) .......... another person’s position is often better equipped to respond to problems before they grow. This is not simply a matter of being kind; it is also linked (3) .......... better decision-making. Leaders who understand the concerns of their teams are less likely to act (4) .......... ways that damage trust or morale. In addition, empathy helps create an environment in which staff feel safe enough to speak (5) .......... when difficulties arise. Without that openness, minor issues may develop (6) .......... serious conflicts. Of course, empathy alone is not enough: leaders must still set clear expectations and make difficult choices. Even so, those who combine authority (7) .......... understanding are generally more successful (8) .......... building strong and lasting teams.

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

Bejenaru Alexandru

@bejenaru-alexandru

User Prompt

"Create an exercise about the importance of empathy in leadership"

Tone: Standard
Level: C1

Created on:

May 15, 2026

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