New

GRAMMAR Level 1
Open cloze
Examination training 1 INFORMATION

QUESTIONS What is an open cloze?

In an open cloze test you will have a text with some words missing. You must complete
the text by filling the spaces with appropriate words. The meaning and the grammar of
the words you put in must both be correct.
What does an open cloze test?
That depends on what kind of words are missing. If structural words (prepositions,
articles, conjunctions, etc.) are missing, it will test your control of grammar and
structure. Or words can be taken out to test your knowledge of phrases and collocations.
Or sometimes every tenth word can be taken out to make it a kind of general test.
How should I deal with an open cloze?
Here are some useful ideas to help you deal with open cloze tests. They are listed roughly
in the order in which you are likely to use them. You may not need to use all the ideas but
it is a good idea to be familiar with them.

READ THE INSTRUCTIONS

TECHNIQUES Read the instructions carefully. Find out how many words you can put in each space.
Generally you can only put one word in each space.

LOOK AT THE TITLE

If the text has a title, read it carefully. It will give you an idea what the text is about
and prepare you for what you are going to read.

READ THE TEXT CAREFULLY

Read the text carefully. Get a good idea of the meaning before you start to fill any
spaces. Understanding the whole text will be a great help when you start to fill the
spaces.

USE CLUES TO HELP YOU FILL THE SPACES

Read the text through again and fill the spaces. Look carefully at the words before and
after each space. They may help you decide what word to choose.

FILL ALL THE SPACES

If you don’t fill a space, you can’t get a mark. If you’re not sure, guess. You might get
the answer right.

CHECK YOUR ANSWERS

Make sure your answers are grammatically correct. Sometimes more than one word
might fit in a space. Choose the answer you think fits best. Check that you have the
right number of words in each space – if the test asks for only one word, make sure
you have only written one word.

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 New
GRAMMAR Level 1
Open cloze
Examination training 2 PRACTICE

Read the 1 Read the instructions to question 5. Then tick (✔) the correct box below.
instructions.
In each space you can put
 up to three words.  one or two words.  one word only.

Look at the title. 2 Look at the title of the text in question 5. Then tick (✔) the correct box below.
The article is probably about a nurse who
 is trying to get a new job.
 has got fit so that she can climb a mountain.
 has recently opened a gymnasium.

Read the text 3 Read the text carefully and answer the questions below. Don’t worry about the
carefully. spaces at this stage.
1 Where does Nicky Bennett-Rees work?
2 Why is she trying to get fit?
3 What will the money be used for?
4 How many people are going on the expedition?
5 How much money do they still need?

Use clues to help 4 Here are some hints to help you complete the first five answers in the text in
you fill the spaces. question 5. The hints will give you an idea of what sort of clues to look for.
1 There is only one word that can go here. ‘Three and … half; four and … half; five
and … half.’
2 What is the subject of this sentence? Where is it?
3 Whose diet is she talking about?
4 You need an expression of quantity here: ‘as … as ’. Remember fruit is uncountable.
5 This is part of a fixed expression: ‘to take part … something.’

Fill all the spaces. 5 Complete the text below by writing a word in each space. Use one word only in
each space.

NURSE NICKY FIT FOR THE TOP

There are different ways of training to climb Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest mountain.
Nurse Nicky Bennett-Rees has been (0) walking across London every day from her
flat to Great Ormond Street Hospital. Then, once her night shift nursing sick
children is over, she runs five and .................... (1) half miles back home. Every
weekend for the past two months .................... (2) has been jogging in the park and
playing her favourite sport, tennis. ‘I’ve even changed .................... (3) diet,’ she
explained. ‘Now it’s steak, eggs and as .................... (4) fresh fruit as I can eat.’
What’s it all for? Nicky is taking part .................... (5) a sponsored climb at the
beginning of September .................... (6) raise money for an extension to the
children’s ward at her hospital. She and nine others .................... (7) spend five days
climbing up and down Kilimanjaro’s 5,895 metres. This is a final attempt to raise
.................... (8) £250,000 they need to build accommodation .................... (9) the
families of children desperately ill in hospital. They have been trying to raise the
money for five years, and have .................... (10) far collected nearly £200,000.

‘Nurse Nicky nears her peak of fitness’ by Lynda Murdin, Evening Standard, 13 July 1984

Check your answers.

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 New
GRAMMAR Level 1
Open cloze
Examination training 3 KEY

1 In each space you can put one word only.

2 The article is probably about a nurse who has got fit so that she can climb a mountain.

3 1 at Great Ormond Street Hospital/in a hospital/with sick children

2 so that she can climb a mountain/Kilimanjaro
3 to build an extension to the children’s ward at the hospital
4 10 (She and nine others …)
5 (just over) £50,000

5 1 a
2 she/Nicky
3 my
4 much
5 in
6 to
7 will
8 the
9 for
10 so

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