CAE Reading and Use of English Part 2 Test 8

For questions 9-16, read the text below and think of the word which best
fits each gap. Use only one word in each gap. There is an example at the
beginning (0).
Happiness is a state of mind

Research undertaken into (0) the pursuit of happiness has produced some

interesting ideas. Apparently, our level of happiness depends on (9)
_________ much we invest in it. The hypothesis is that happiness
resembles a skill and can therefore be learned — if people are willing to
put time and effort (10) ________ perfecting it. Meditation seems to be a
key factor and this (11) ________ be scientifically demonstrated. MRI
scans performed on people who meditated regularly showed raised levels
of positivity in the left-hand side of (12) ________ brains, the part
usually connected with happiness. At the same time, they managed to
keep the more negative right side (13) ________ check. Does this mean
only specialist meditators can be happy? Apparently (13) ________, as
even people who only meditated occasionally demonstrated greater
positivity. This could indicate that tweaking the (15) ________ we
channel out thoughts, modifying our perception of things around us,
can (16) ________ a big difference to our sense of well-being. If true,
isn’t it worth putting in some effort?

CAE Reading and Use of English Part 2 Test 9

For questions 9-16, read the text below and think of the word which best
fits each gap. Use only one word in each gap. There is an example at the
beginning (0).

Allergies

Put simply, an allergy is a disorder in which the body over-reacts to

harmless substances which in normal circumstances should not produce
any reaction at all. An allergy can occur in almost (0) any part of your
body, and can (9) _______ caused by just about anything. But mainly,
allergies become evident on parts of the body directly exposed (10)
_______ the outside world. Certain allergies occur only at certain times of
the year, while (11) _______ are there all the time. Those (12)
_______ occur all the year round and are probably caused by something
you come into contact (13) ______ every day of your life, some
seemingly harmless object such as your deodorant or the pillow you lie on
each night. Allergies can occur at any time during your life, (14)
_______ usually do so before your fortieth birthday. Sometimes the
symptoms are (15) ______ slight you do not even know you have an
allergy, and it may take years for an allergy to become noticeable.
Sometimes it comes and (16) _______ for no apparent reason and with
no regularity.
CAE Reading and Use of English Part 2 Test 10
For questions 9-16, read the text below and think of the word which best
fits each gap. Use only one word in each gap. There is an example at the
beginning (0).
A history of table tennis

Like many other sports, table tennis started out 0 as a mild social
diversion. It was popular in England in the second half of the nineteenth
century under its present name and various trade names like Whiff-Whaff
and Ping-Pong, 9 _______ sought to imitate the sound 10 _______ by
the ball striking the table. The game soon 11 _______ something of a
craze and there are many contemporary references to it and illustrations
of it 12 _______ played, usually in domestic surroundings.

13 _______ the early twentieth century, the sport had already acquired
some of its present-day complexities, 14 _______ it was still seen by
many as an after-dinner amusement 15 _______ than a sport. An
account published in 1903 found it necessary to warn players 16 _______
the wearing of evening dress, but went on to give detailed technical
advice about the pen-holder grip and tactics.

Over the next 60 years, table tennis developed into a worldwide sport,
played by up to 30 million competitive players.

CAE Reading and Use of English Part 2 Test 11

For questions 9-16, read the text below and think of the word which best
fits each gap. Use only one word in each gap. There is an example at the
beginning (0).
Doodling Is Good

The next time you are caught doodling, that is making unconscious or
unfocused drawings (0) when you should be listening, declare that you
are simply trying to boost your concentration.

Recent research suggests that, (9) _____ than something to be frowned

on, doodling should be actively encouraged because it improves our
ability to pay attention. A study which compared (10) _____ well people
remembered details of a dull speech found that people who doodled
throughout retained much more information than those trying to
concentrate on listening.

Doodling, however, is not the same as daydreaming. It is quite

common (11) _____ people to start daydreaming when they are stuck in
a boring lecture (12) _____ listening to a tedious discussion, and then to
pay little attention to what is (13) _____ on around them. But the
research suggests that doodling should not (14) _____ be considered an
unnecessary distraction. Not (15) _____ is doodling sufficient to stop
daydreaming without affecting our task performance, it may actually help
keep us (16) _____ track with a boring task.
CAE Reading and Use of English Part 2 Test 12
For questions 9-16, read the text below and think of the word which best
fits each gap. Use only one word in each gap. There is an example at the
beginning (0).
Are You Happy Where You Work?

Finding a job you love is the first step to being happy at work, but (0)
having the right workplace environment is equally important. Creativity,
hard work and bright ideas come (9) _____ positive, happy working
environments in (10) _____ people are allowed the freedom to think,
develop and express themselves. It’s important for everyone to have (11)
_____ own clearly-defined work space, even if the workplace adopts an
‘open plan’ style, as so many offices now (12) _____. Relaxation areas
where people meet to chat and discuss ideas during office hours are
regarded (13) _____ particularly beneficial.

Adding plants to the working environment can also (14) _____ offices to

life, since they increase oxygen levels, purify the air and can create a
calming and more productive environment. Finally, the lighting (15)
_____ be right, because it can have a huge effect on people’s moods. If
offices are too harshly lit, (16) _____ can result in anger and headaches
and lead to a lack of concentration.

CAE Reading and Use of English Part 2 Test 13

For questions 9-16, read the text below and think of the word which best
fits each gap. Use only one word in each gap. There is an example at the
beginning (0).
Emotion in books

Something appears to (0) have happened to the emotional content of

books published in the UK. Researchers from the University of Bristol
analysed the frequency with (9) _____ ‘mood’ words – those reflecting
anger, disgust, fear, joy, sadness and surprise – were used in as (10)
_____ as 5 million books between 1900 and 2000. (11)_____ to one of
the researchers, Dr Alberto Acerbi, ‘the average book published in 1900
has 14% more emotional content than the average book in 2000’. In (12)
_____ words, ‘a book with 1,000 emotional words in 1900 would have
877 in 2000’.

In (13) _____ to this decline in emotional content, the research team

found that some interesting differences between British books and those
published in the USA have developed since the 1960s. (14) _____ having
more emotional content than their British counterparts, American books
now contain more content-free words. These are words that carry (15)
_____ or no meaning on their (16) _____, such as ‘and’ or ‘but’, and
articles like ‘the’.
What is the significance of these changes? The researchers say that
further work is needed to deal with this question adequately.
CAE Reading and Use of English Part 2 Test 14
For questions 9-16, read the text below and think of the word which best
fits each gap. Use only one word in each gap. There is an example at the
beginning (0).

The ubiquitous shopping mall

It started, (0) as many modern trends have, in the United States, but it

has now spread to many parts of the world. Many towns and cities no (9)
_____ have a genuine centre, instead, a shopping mall somewhere on the
outskirts serves some of the functions of an urban centre. Here, shops
and banks are all crowded together, (10) _____ especially for those who
use a car, is very convenient. After (11) _____ parked in the basement
car park, people can do all their shopping inside the mall, and then load
up the car and drive home. (12) _____ is no need even to go outside, so
it doesn’t matter what the weather’s (13) _____.

So why should anyone possibly object (14) _____ the growing number of

shopping malls springing up in and around our cities? (15) _____ of the
main reasons is that when most shops are concentrated in malls, it leaves
city and town centres deserted and lifeless. Another is that malls all tend
to look very similar, (16) _____ the result that many towns and cities are
losing their individual characters.

CAE Reading and Use of English Part 2 Test 15

For questions 9-16, read the text below and think of the word which best
fits each gap. Use only one word in each gap. There is an example at the
beginning (0).

My First Paddle-Boarding Lesson

Here I am in a cold, windy city, (0) under a very grey sky. I ask

myself (9) _____ I’m standing on an oversized surfboard in the middle of
a river with nothing to help me (10) _____ a paddle. I’m about to have
my first lesson in paddle-boarding, which is a bit (11) _____ canoeing but
with only one paddle and, being upright, you can enjoy the views on
offer. The teacher reassures me it’s easy, which (12) _____ nothing to
reduce the pressure. I desperately try to keep (13) _____ balance and
concentrate on not falling in. I wonder if I’ve left it too late to back out
and head for solid ground, but before I can change my mind, I’m (14)
_____ the move, but not going where I want to. I hear my teacher
shouting ‘Paddle, paddle’; I try but, (15) _____ my best efforts, I don’t
make much progress. ‘You need to paddle on both sides,’ he says,
‘because (16) _____ you’ll go around in circles. Copy me.’ And finally, I’m
moving in the same direction as everyone else and it feels amazing.
 Answer Key

Test 8 happiness Test 12 happy

9 how 9 from/with
10 into 10 which
11 can 11 their
12 their 12 do
13 in 13 as
14 not 14 bring
15 way 15 must/should
16 make 16 it/this

Test 9 allergies Test 13 emotion

9 be 9 which
10 to 10 many
11 some/others 11 according
12 that 12 other
13 with 13 addition
14 most 14 besides
15 so 15 little
16 goes 16 own

Test 10 table tennis Test 14 shopping mall

9 which/that 9 longer
10 made 10 which
11 became 11 having
12 being 12 there
13 by 13 like
14 though/although 14 to
15 rather 15 one
16 against 16 which

Test 11 doodling Test 15 paddle boardin

9 rather 9 why
10 how 10 but/except/besides
111 for 11 like
12 or 12 does
13 going 13 my
14 longer 14 on
15 only 15 despite
16 on 16 otherwise