Open cloze - CAE

OPEN CLOZE- CAE TEST 1
Fill in the gaps in the text with one word. More than one answer may be possible. The Demographic Transition
Overpopulation seems to be _____ (1) of the buzz words of the 21st century. People are
concerned that developed areas of the world will be _____ (2) run by refugees from less
developed nations. However, there is a model that throws this whole argument _____ (3) of
the window, “The Demographic Transition”. this four-stage model, created in 1929 by
American demographer Warren Thompson, explains _____ (4) birth and death rates stablize
as a nation becomes more developed and _____ (5), discarding the theory of the world
becoming _____ (6) over populated. In fact, it is widely believed that the world’s population
will never exceed 12 billion. The time for this process to complete can vary between nations,
with many European nations having _____ (7) completed the dempgraphic transition. Iran
and Malasia did is in record time whereas there are other nations still carrying _____ (8) the
process. What is clear is that all nations are in at least one stage and this transition is the
norm rather than an exception. So whatever your motive for wanting to avoid over
population, we can all relax on the issue as it seems to be a chimera. TEST 2
Fill in the gaps in the text with one word. More than one answer may be possible. THE THEORY OF RELATIVITY
Were there _____(1) a beakthrough in physics that would change the world, _____(2) the
suggestions would be this faimed discovery without a doubt. This theory changed the way
physisists proposed the concepts of time and space. Basically this theory, determined in 1905
by Albert Einstein, was ten years in the making and in reality, _____(3) not officially
published until 1905. It was a pioneering way of thinking that set _____(4) the pathway for
further discoveries that would _____(5) have been unreachable. Einstein’s theory of special
relativity suggested as a _____(6) of his theory that space and time were far more interwoven
than previously conceived. As a direct consequence of this theory, Einstein stated that on
account of the findings of this theory, an occurence in one time for one observer, might
actually take place at a different time for _____(7). So next time you happen to look up at the
stars, consider it a form of timetravel, looking back _____(8) the past and contemplating the infinity of the universe. TEST 3
Fill in the gaps in the text with one word. More than one answer may be possible. The Frequency Effect
The Frequency Effect is the name denoted _____ (1) a psychological phenomenon in _____
(2) a person seems to recognise something faster based on the frequency with which they are
in contact with this said thing. It is _____ (3) apparent in words and language learning as
high frequency words change the way the brain encodes information, thus, strengthening
module connections. Have you ever had the sensation that you seem to be hearing or viewing
a certain word more often than _____ (4) norm? This is an occurence that comes about
_____ (5) to the frequency effect. Our brain convinces us that we is figuratively being chased
by this information as every time we happen to hear it, we reinforce our _____ (6)
hypothesis. Another side effect of the frequency effect is the complete opposite; information
that has been consolidated _____ (7) our memory can be brushed over while reading or
listening as our brain no _____ (8) feels the need to focus attention on it. Though there have
been criticisms of this theory, it is still a highly regarded phenomenon in the teaching- learning process. TEST 4
Fill in the gaps in the text with one word. More than one answer may be possible.
What are the positive factors that come out due to mass migration?
Mass migration is happening nowadays amongst people from Arabic countries especially
from Syria. It is _____ (1) actual and controversial problem as people have different opinions
about it. Although it can have some problems _____ (2) sure, as I see it, it has a lot of
benefits to name, like for example a multicultural environment, which implies different
languages. It can _____ (3) carry an extension of customs, traditions, recipes, clothes, etc.
The main advantage I can see from all of this is the variety of languages that can be in the
same place. It would _____ (4) be hard for the people at the beginning, but in the long term,
for the following generations they would have a great knowledge of languages and that is a
clear benefit _____ (5) this process, as it is translated into a higher level of education which
is related to research and development of the country, so for the economy as _____ (6). Then,
at the same time that people are integrating into society, they will do the same with their
typical traditions and food. The culinary influence can lead _____ (7) an extended variety
and mixture of dishes, which is an obvious advantage too. To conclude, mass migration can
be a beneficial process for _____ (8) reasons, but as a general idea, it can make a society
richer in all senses and the people more open-minded. TEST 5
Fill in the gaps with one word. More than one option might be possible. Winning arguments
It is widely believed that when conflict is involved, there is never really a winner. One of the
parties will always come off being offended or it could all _____ (1) into an endless
disagreement. But when arguing with someone, especially when you know you are _____ (2)
about something, one should bear in mind a few key tactics. The first thing is that facts do
not convince, how many times have we _____ (3) the same mindless old-wives tales
repeated, “cold weather makes you ill” is one of my pet hates. There is an element of
persuasion known _____ (4) in-group bias that can be a key factor in gaining the upper hand
in an argument. This means that we generally only take into account a person's viewpoint if
we believe them to be similar to us. This is why it can be a good idea to try to relate _____
(5) your opponent, instead of pointing out your differences. The second thing is to keep your
temper and not lose control. Having a _____ (6) of self control and recurring to anger,
shouting or even violence will not help your standing in an argument. One must be patient
and logical in the face of adversity. Finally, try to stay on point and not _____ (7) your
adversary to change the topic suddenly, it is very easy to go off topic and realise that you are
arguing about something completely different from the original point. So, if you take these
points _____ (8) account, maybe next time no one will come out offended and an argument
can also become something almost enjoyable whenever it follows a logical path TEST 6
Fill in the gaps with one word. More than one option might be possible. A new way of dating
It is undoubtedly the case that in this day and age we spend so much time surfing the net.
We check our mobile phones over and over, either because we use them to work, or just
_____ (1) of the social networks. As a _____ (2) of this, it is not rare to meet new people
online in order to find a partner. It may sound a bit crazy, _____ (3) I can tell you it’s fun
enough! Internet dating is both entertaining and practical, especially for those who work
around the clock as you can chat from almost everywhere. Never before has it been so easy
to talk to_____ (4)! If you are eager to meet someone who you share experiences with, you
can find thousands of Apps that are suitable for this purpose. Also, most of _____ (5) offer
the possibility of matching you to people with similar personalities and interests. However,
not until you hang out with them do you know if you really feel attracted to them or not.
Apart from these disappointing dates, you should keep in mind the dangers of such Apps.
_____ (6) are online criminals who just want to steal money or cause damage and that’s
probably the main issue of meeting people online. I would highly recommend _____ (7)
sending personal information or pictures to anyone unless you make sure he’s reliable.
Getting together in a public/crowded place is a secure option as well, at _____ (8) at the
beginning. Speaking personally, I’m certain that Internet dating can be so exciting, as long as
you are aware of who is behind the screen. TEST 7
Fill in the gaps in the text with one word. More than one answer may be possible.
Why is learning English in Spain so important nowadays?
_____ (1) before have people been so keen on learning a second language. Being English the
most spoken one around the world it is without _____ (2) the language Spanish people chose
to learn these days. But is it really necessary for Spaniards to learn another language? It is
known that people are travelling more and more. Places which were difficult to visit in the
past are becoming accessible _____ (3) to the development of the Internet. Travellers are
therefore required to speak English in order to be safe and enjoy their travelling experience.
In _____ (4), it is becoming increasingly difficult to find a job without being able to speak a
second language. Companies based on different countries are constantly working together
and people are being asked to be capable of communicating not only in Spanish but in other
languages such as English too. It could be argued that there is no _____ (5) in learning a
third language being Spanish and English two of the most spoken languages around the
world. While some people may not be keen _____ (6) doing so, it is important to remember
that learning a new language allows us to value and understand different cultures. It is
therefore vital that governments encourage people to study _____ (7) languages by offering
grants and advertising the benefits of doing so. To sum up, learning more _____ (8) one
language, especially English is vital nowadays in order to be productive, travel abroad and expand one’s knowledge. TEST 8
Fill in the gaps in the text with one word. More than one answer may be possible. Studying Languages
To kick off _____ (1) topic, it is essential to take into account that learning a foreign
language is a wonderful and challenging experience. Throughout history people have been
interested in studying languages considering this almost vital for their existence. Obviously,
the process takes time and dedication, but only people _____ (2) put in the long hours of
learning one will benefit. It is beyond _____ (3) that nowadays speaking one or more
languages is necessary both for employment and communication. Those who speak only one
language are at a distinct disadvantage. It is said that English is the global language, used in
almost all the areas of life, not just in business as it is so often stated. Generally, business
people do _____ (4) bother to learn any other languages because if their partners cannot
speak English, interpreters can be used. Obviously, the lack of foreign language knowledge
puts these English speakers, who are not interested _____ (5) this aspect, at a disadvantage.
What must be mentioned _____ (6) that there are many reasons to study languages like:
travelling, communication, work, or knowing other cultures. The best thing to do it is to live
where that language is spoken or to start studying since childhood becoming bilingual. To
speed _____ (7) the learning process, people can read many books in the language that want
to learn, enrolling on different forums, watching films or listening to music in that language.
Last but not the least, advertising, travelling schemes or educational government programs
could help to encourage people to undergo the lengthy process of learning another language
_____ (8) capturing the public´s attention. People become more interested in languages and
aware their importance when they are informed. TEST 9
Fill in the gaps in the text with one word. More than one answer may be possible.
Which kind of amenities are needed most in your area?
With the writing of this essay, what I would like to achieve is to discuss the facilities that are
of _____ (1) utmost importance in our society and that may be needed most in my area.
Despite there _____ (2) multiple choices, I have decided to debate two of them that from my
point of view are essential in my area. To begin with, I would like to talk _____ (3) car parks
because this is known to be a huge issue in my area. Owing to the fact that the city council
has removed parking spaces in place of new constructions, there are _____ (4) enough car
parks in my area nowadays. Given that many people live in my neighbourhood, I reckon that
the city council must take _____ (5) account this problem and offer a quick solution to the
citizens by supplying them with alternative car parking options such as special prices in
nearby parking areas, or _____ (6) new facilities in that district. Secondly, I would like to
discuss the necessity of a new history museum in my area. As _____ (7) as I am concerned, a
history museum can be a good resource for schools to help to educate the students. Given the
fact that there is a primary school in my neighbourhood, I reckon that the opening of a new
history museum could bring history closer to younger students, making them aware of the
rich culture that is there to be discovered. Offering them an alternative _____ (8) history
books and even being able to get them into history in general. To sum up, car parks are the
most essential facility in my area due to the fact that the residents need a space where they
can park their vehicles, but the issue of a museum is also in need of reflection. TEST 10
Fill in the gaps in the text with one word. More than one answer may be possible.
Communication is much easier today than it was for people 100 years ago. Don´t you agree?
Communication is the action of sharing some information among people and even _____ (1)
animals. From time to time, it has changed greatly. What this essay proposes is to describe
how communication has changed and if it is easier now _____ (2) it was years ago. Firstly,
technology has been crucial to communicate with people _____ (3) the world. For example,
travelling to other countries to visit relatives was expensive and a strenuous task, so using a
telephone, not only was a great technological innovation to be in touch _____ (4) your
friends and family, but also was a convenient tool. Telephones were the fastest way to speak
to someone and above all, it was quite expensive, so only a _____ (5) people were able to
make these kinds of calls and even purchase a telephone. _____ (6) present, when going to a
café or restaurant and checking out what those around you are up to, it is strange to see
people talking to each other. Why? Smartphones are the main focal point. The population is
not aware of the importance of communicating face to face, like people of the past _____ (7)
to do. Children are imitating their parents and later, they will not develop the necessary skills
in order to deal with challenging situations. Thus, communication is much easier nowadays,
however, there is no _____ (8) in having a lot of resources and uses them inappropriately. TEST 11
Fill in the gaps in the text with one word. More than one answer may be possible. Ecotourism
You may be asking yourself, what on earth is ecotourism? Ecotourism was first defined in
1990 as ¨responsible travel _____ (1) natural areas that conserves the environment in its
natural states and improves the well-being of the local people”. This is a far cry away _____
(2) the old slogans of the 1960´s that only focussed on financial gain. It can also be known as
green travel, responsible travel or sustainable travel. The main idea behind ecotourism or the
ethos if you prefer is, “travelling more sustainably makes the world _____ (3) better place”.
The idea behind this type of travel is simple to everyone, but the confusion comes in when
we look at practical ways of achieving _____ (4), we can refer to the best methods as “take
only pictures, leave only footprints¨ approach, in which the general idea is to leave places
without a trace of us ever having been there in the first place. Travel experts stress _____ (5)
over time you will realise that you don´t need to spend an arm and a leg to achieve this type
of travel, you can become an eco-friendly traveller on a shoestring as long as you follow a
few simple rules, such as: save water, save energy _____ (6) respect others including the
natural wildlife. Better than that, eco-tourism looks to inject much needed funds into the
local areas to stimulate financial growth and sustainable development of facilities.
Individually we can hardly make a difference, but collectively we can make great leaps
towards changing attitudes and _____ (7) a real impact that will be both long lasting and
feasible. This said, we need to start off at an individual level for any of this to be achieved.
_____ (8) is why we need to start the education process at a grass roots level and make sure
we build for a better and brighter future. TEST 12
Fill in the gaps in the text with one word. More than one answer may be possible. Stress; the silent killer
Health experts seem to _____ (1) an endless list of factors that can contribute to the decline
in a person's health, but one that seems to escape their mention is stress. We are led _____
(2) believe that to suffer from stress or pressure at work _____ (3) endless deadlines is a
normal part of everyday life, but is this really a necessary part of an established society?
Stress is probably the single biggest killer known to man in recent years and the figures back
it _____ (4) with an increased rate of suicides, heart attacks and also accidents at work.
Changing work habits and financial issues have contributed to an increase in stress _____ (5)
in this day and age. These long working hours and other detrimental aspects on health do not
mix well at all, and must _____ (6) be tackled by health professionals. Stress causes people
to take up unhealthy habits such as smoking, illegal stimulants or alcoholism. These choices
combined with bad eating habits and _____ (7) of sleep can have fatal consequences. The
only obvious solution would be to impose controls on private businesses or even invest in
some sore of educational media campaign to promote healthier lifestyles. The findings of
some recent studies are extremely concerning and obviously some type of government
intervention should be taken in _____ (8) to ensure a better and brighter future for the working population.