GUIDED CLOZE TESTS

Read the passage and choose the best answer

1.
Traffic jams are nothing new
In the age before the motor car, (1) ..... was travelling in London like? Photographs taken 100 years ago
(2)………… packed streets indicate that it was much the (3) ..... as it is now. It has been (4)….. that, even
with new anti-congestion systems in place, commuters who (5)………. the car to get to work travel at (6) ....
average speed of 17 kph from their homes to the suburbs to offices in the centre. It is (7)……. the same
speed that they (8) ..... have travelled at in a horse and carriage a century ago.
As towns and cities grow, (9) ..... does traffic, whether in the form of the horse and carriage or the modern
motor car. It would seem that, (10)…… there are people who need to go somewhere, they would rather be
carried than walk or pedal. The photographs show that, in terms of congestion and speed, traffic in London
hasn't changed over the past 100 years. London has had traffic jams ever (11)………it became a huge city.
It is (12)…….. the vehicles that have changed.
However, apart (13) ..... the congestion which affected London long (14) ..... the car came along, the age of
the horse produced relatively (15) .... unpleasantness. This age, for example, saw none of the exhaust
fumes which city dwellers have to live with today.
1. A. what B. how C. which D. when
2. A. showing B. showed C. illustrating D. on
3. A. similar B. same C. indifferent D. correspondence
4. A. determined B. assessed C. calculated D. analyzed
5. A. pick B. choose C. have D. own
6. A. an B. the C. a D. no article
7. A. nearly B. completely C. almost D. virtually
8. A. might B. will C. would D. could
9. A. so B. neither C. either D. as
10. A. whoever B. however C. whatever D. wherever
11. A. when B. since C. before D. as
12. A. just B. barely C. only D. simply
13. A. with B. away C. for D. from
14. A. after B. before C. afterward D. since
15. A. a bit B. a little C. few D. little
Answer:
1. 4. 7. 10. 13.
2 5. 8. 11. 14.
3. 6. 9. 12. 15.

2.
How higher education dies
Maybe higher education has reached its (1)….. Not the Harvards and Yales of the world, but the (2)……..
that make up the rest of the industry-the regional public schools who saw decades of growth and are now
facing major (3)…… cuts and the smaller, less-selective private colleges that have exorbitant sticker prices
while the number of students (4)…… in them declines.
Higher ed is often described as a bubble-and much like the housing market in 2008, the thought goes, it will
(5)……. burst. But what if it's less of a sudden pop and more of a long, slow slide, and we are already on
the way down? Bryan Alexander started (6)….. with the idea of "peak higher education" in 2013, inspired by
the (7)…… of "peak car," "peak oil," and other so-called "peaks." At the time, there were signs that the
industry was already struggling. The number of students enrolled in higher education had dropped by
(8)….. over 450,000 after years of (9)…. growth, the proportion of part-time faculty-more commonly referred
to as adjuncts - had steadily become a more significant part of the professorship, and there was a general
(10)…… about the skyrocketing costs of college and concerns over whether a degree was worth it.
(11)…… individually, he said, each sign was troubling enough. But when looked at together, they (12)……..
the outlines of a bleak future for higher education. Alexander, a self-described higher-education futurist and
a former English professor, (13)….. to the conclusion that after (14)…….. a half century of growth, higher
education might be as big as it could get. It would, he reasoned, (15)…. get smaller from there.
1. A. peak B. height C. limitations D. rank
2. A. foundations B. institutions C. settings D. establishments
3. A. financial B. finance C. money D. budget
4. A. enrolling B. participating C. joining D. entering
5. A. mostly B. ultimately C. initially D. eventually
6. A. coming B. grasping C. grappling D. grabbing
7. A. notion B. view C. belief D. idea
8. A. few B. little C. a little D. a few
9. A. affluent B. booming C. high D. thriving
10. A. skepticism B. suspicion C. doubt D. disbelief
11. A. Made B. Taken C. Taking D. Chosen
12. A. represented B. stood in for C. symbolized D. exemplified
13. A. reached B. got C. went D. came
14. A. closely B. nearly C. mostly D. almost
15. A. barely B. simply C. just D. only
Answer:
1. 4. 7. 10. 13.
2 5. 8. 11. 14.
3. 6. 9. 12. 15.

3.
Choosing Binoculars
For independent travellers, a good (1)………. of binoculars often represents an essential piece of kit.
(2)………. you're planning to do a great deal of bird-watching or other specialist activities, however, there's
no need to invest (3) ........ a full-size pair. Compact binoculars are fine when (4) ........ comes to general all-
purpose viewing in good light. (5) ........, they are certainly easier to carry (6)………...
Everyone has (7) ........ own idea of what makes a comfortable pair of binoculars. When you're considering
(8) ........ of the many brands and models on the market you should choose, don't (9)……. your decision on
price alone. A better idea is to pop (10)…..to your local photographic store and (11) ....... those that fall
within your price range a test run.
(12) ........ you might like the look of a particular pair, you may not find the handling and (13)…… position
comfortable. Finally, make sure the binoculars come with a (14)…… case and a comfortable neck strap.
These details can make all the difference when you're (15)…. in the field.
1. A. pair B. duo C. couple D. team
2. A. Since B. Unless C. If D. When
3. A. in B. into C. on D. for
4. A. they B. it C. that D. those
5. A. However B. Also C. What’s more D. Nevertheless
6. A. up B. in C. on D. around
7. A. their B. the C. our D. one’s
8. A. one B. most C. which D. what
9. A. rely B. blame C. make D. base
10. A. up B. down C. on D. off
11. A. give B. take C. make D. have
12. A. When B. Whilst C. If D. Unless
13. A. viewing B. view C. sight D. sightseeing
14. A. pure B. modest C. decent D. morale
15. A. outside B. around C. being D. out
Answer:
1. 4. 7. 10. 13.
2 5. 8. 11. 14.
3. 6. 9. 12. 15.

4.
Travelling through Norway
The final part of our journey started at Gudbrandsdalen, (1)……… by many to be the most beautiful
(2)……. the valleys in Norway. It was a wonderful landscape, the more so (3) .... being dotted with
centuries-old wooden farmhouses, (4)……… maintained in their original condition. At Ringebu the view
(5)…….. out and the first high peaks and glaciers (6)……view. This view continued to (7)……… the trip as
the train passed through the little village of Dovre, at the (8)…… of the mountains, which give this railway
(9) ..... name – the Dovre Line. The village (10)……. close to the pretty village of Dombas, where the track
divides. We were heading north, travelling through a pass and (11)…….into country which was now more
tundra-like, with only occasional birch trees and mountain huts. (12)…….. we saw a lone skier, and once
we (13) ........ into a man fishing through a hole drilled in the ice. That made us think of food and we made
our way to the restaurant car. We continued through the tundra, the snow sometimes broken by tracks of
elk or reindeer. Although we were not lucky enough to see any, we (14) .... see a pair of Arctic hares later
on. In no time all , we found we (15) ..... in Trondheim.
1. A. told B. said C. means D. called
2. A. among B. during C. of all D. of
3. A. was B. that C. of which D. for
4. A. scrupulously B. honorably C. dependably D. honestly
5. A. widened B. opened C. broadened D. came
6. A. came out B. came into C. turned into D. got out of
7. A. run B. display C. account for D. dominate
8. A. base B. foot C. bottom D. end
9. A. a B. an C. the D. its
10. A. stays B. lays C. lies D. position
11. A. descending B. went up C. returned D. came back
12. A. Regularly B. From time to time C. When D. Whilst
13. A. meet B. come C. run D. go
14. A. did B. may C. could D. might
15. A. arrived B. had arrived C. reached D. returned
Answer:
1. 4. 7. 10. 13.
2 5. 8. 11. 14.
3. 6. 9. 12. 15.

5.
BTS: South Korea passes law allowing K-pop stars to postpone military service
South Korea's parliament has (1)……. a bill allowing the biggest K-pop stars, such as BTS, to delay their
(2)…….military service until the age of 30. All able-bodied Korean men (3)….. between 18 and 28 are
required to serve in the country's (4)…… for about 20 months. But under the (5)……law, certain pop stars
can (6)…… their service if recommended by the (7)…….. minister. The move will come as an early birthday
present to BTS's oldest member, Jin, who is just days away (8)……..28.
(9)……. the revision on Tuesday, military service exemptions or deferrals had been given to
(10)………athletes and classical musicians. Under the revised Military Service Act, "a pop culture artist who
was (11)……….. by the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism to have greatly enhanced the (12)…… of
Korea both within the nation and throughout the world" is allowed to (13)……. service until the age of 30.
BTS has (14)……. the globe in recent years, with the boyband's popularity (15)……….overseas.
1. A. made B. introduced C. passed D. finished
 2. A. compulsory B. optionally C. essentially D. unavoidably
3. A. ranging B. aged C. aging D. being
4. A. forces B. services C. military D. navy
5. A. revised B. adjusted C. modified D. repeated
6. A. suspend B. put back C. reschedule D. defer
7. A. cultural B. culture C. multi-cultural D. civilization
8. A. in turning B. to turn C. from turning D. of becoming
9. A. Prior to B. Since C. After D. While
10. A. substantial B. high-profile C. notorious D. disreputable
11. A. recommended B. said C. required D. demanded
12. A. symbol B. signature C. sign D. image
13. A. give up B. eliminate C. postpone D. delay
14. A. swept B. spread C. broadened D. widened
15. A. increasing B. sharp C. gradually D. skyrocketing
Answer:
1. 4. 7. 10. 13.
2 5. 8. 11. 14.
3. 6. 9. 12. 15.