LEXICAL CLOZE TESTS

1.

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ANSWER KEY
1.
1 D (crowded and busy both have the correct meaning, but
only the adjective packed is an extreme adjective and so can
fol low the adverb absolutely)
2 C (the words are superficially similar, but only terrible has
the correct meaning of very bad)
3 B (only especially has the correct meaning)
4 C (all the adjectives have a similar meaning, but they have
different collocations - interested in, keen on, fascinated by,
fond of; here, the preposition by shows that the answer must
be fascinated)
5 A (out forms part of the phrasal verb going out with)
6 A (love would be correct in terms of meaning, but it would be
followed by the preposition of; wish does not have a strong
enough meaning for the context; want is not usually used as
a singular noun)
7 D (disagree and deny have the wrong meaning; accuse has
the correct meaning, but cannot be followed by that)
8 B (causing distress is the correct collocation; making is
not correct because it does not collocate with distress;
resulting has a similar meaning, but must be followed by the
preposition in)
9 D (thin -SKinned is the correct answer because its meaning
matches the following adjective sensitive)
10 B (worth and charge are not usually followed by of; value can
be followed by of, but the meaning is wrong here, as it would
suggest something positive rather than negative)
11 B (complete!y is the only one of the four adverbs that can be
used with t he extreme adjective devastated)
12 D (the verbs have simllar meanings, but split is the only one
that joins with up to form a phrasal verb with the correct
meaning of end a relationship)
2.
1 A (deep collocates with ocean)
2 C (th e other nouns have similar meanings, but would all
require the art icle the)
3 C (after and since bo th require a noun or pronoun after
them; next does not have the correct meaning. as it suggests
one item in a sequence)
4 D (went is the only verb which combines with on to form a
phrasal verb with the correct meaning of continue)
5 D (achievements is the only word with the correct meaning)
6 A (beach collocates with sandy)
7 C (peculiar means strange, so is not appropriate; different
and distinct both imply a cont rast with other mountains.
which is not appropriate; particular is the only noun with the
correct meaning of individual)

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8 D (view has the correct meaning, because it is what you can
see from a high place)
9 C (take something seriously is an expression)
10 D (the words have similar meanings, but journey is the only
one t hat collocates with make)
11 B (duration is the on ly word with the correct meaning of the
amount of time that something lasts)
12 B (set a record is a collocation)
3.
1 C (the other words all refer to different aspects of time, but
the word time is the only word that can follow of all '" as part
of a collocation)
2 D (took by surprise is a collocation)
3 C (at once is a collocation, but the meaning - immediately -
is wrong; beginning and start need the article the - at the
beginning/start)
4 D (expect is the only verb that combines the correct meaning
with to; hope to is grammatically correct but does not offer
the same meaning)
5 A (action is the only noun that combines with scene to make
a compound noun)
6 C (think about is a phrasal verb)
7 C (traffic is the only word that combines with jam to form a
compound noun)
8 B (quality is the only noun that combines in the collocation of
life)
9 B (outskirts is the only word with the correct meaning - the
edge of a city)
lOA (realistic has the correct meaning - similar to real life;
true means 'happening in rea l life', which is not the correct
meaning here; reliable means 'a lways working well')
11 C (win is the only one of the verbs that can be used without
an object; beat and defeat both requ ire an object, and the
object is a person or team)
12B (keep on is a phrasal verb; stay on is also possible as a
collocatio n, but the meaning is wrong)
4.
1 C (accidentally is the only word with the correct meaning,
which is not doing something deliberately, and with a
bad effect)
2 A (popular is a normal adjective, and extremely is the only
adverb here which can be used with a normal adjective - the
others are all used with extreme adjectives)
3 C (the other nouns have similar meanings, but order is the
only one that can be used in the pattern in order to)
4 B (number can only be used with countable nouns; volume
and supply have different meanings)
·5 C (absolutely must be followed by an extreme adjective, and
essential is the only extreme adjective in the list)
6 C (highly is the only adverb that collocates with poisonous)

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7 A (incredibly is the only adverb which can be fo llowed by
another adverb)
8 A (irregular and rare have the wrong meanings; astonishing
is an extreme adjective, and so cannot follow very)
9 B (The space requires a linker of contrast; moreover and
therefore have the wrong meaning, and despite has the
correct meaning, but has to be followed by a noun)
10D (make is the only verb that can be used in the pattern
make + noun/pronoun + adjective)
11 C (only tasty and tasteless are used to describe food, and
only tasty has the correct positive meaning)
12D (as part of the phrasa l verb stick to)
5.
1 C (this is the on ly verb in the options that is fo llowed by a
direct object)
2 D (such as and just like both have the correct meaning of
similar to, but they are followed by a noun; as if is followed by
a clause)
3 C (all the prepositions are used to form phrasal verbs with
come, but come up with is the correct meaning)
4 B (the verbs all have similar meanings, but allow is the only
one that can occur in the pattern allow + object + infinitive)
5 A (the nouns all have similar meanings, but range is the only
one that collocates with wide)
6 A (all the verbs can be fol lowed by out to form phrasa l verbs,
but find out has the correct meaning)
7 C (all these nouns can form expressions with in, but in
existence has the correct meaning)
8 B (the nouns all have similar meanings, but keen is the only
one that IS followed by on)
9 B (actual is only used before a noun, so is not possible
grammatica lly; the other adjectives are possible
grammatically, but convincing has the correct meaning)
lOA (though and despite are also linkers of contrast, but only
however occurs at the beginning of a sentence, followed by a
comma; moreover is a linker of addition and so has the wrong
meaning)
11 D (the words have similar meanings, but only advantage
occurs in the expression take advantage oD
12B (a ll the phrasal verbs fit in the gap grammatically, but only
weighing up has the correct meaning)
6.
1B 2D 3B 4A 5B 6A
7 C 8 B 9 C 10D 11 C 12 D
7.
1 A (appear is the only verb with the correct meaning which
can be followed by an infinitive; look is usually fol lowed by an
adjecti ve; show and demonstrate require an object)
2 D (make is the only verb which collocates with choice)
3 B (the other adverbs express certainty; on ly really can be
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used in a question to ask whether something is true)
4 C (magic is uncountable, so cannot fo llow a; disguise and fake
have the wrong meaning)
5 B (in the expression it's a matter of ... )
6 C (close is the only adjective that collocates with attention)
7 A (part of the ph rasal verb working out; solving has the
correct meaning, but cannot be followed by out; getting and
turning both form phrasal verbs with out, but not with the
correct meaning)
8 C (part of the expression in addition)
9 D (opinions and ideas don't collocate with make; offers and
suggestions both collocate with make, but only suggestions
has the correct meaning)
lOA (the correct word must be an adverb, because it follows the
verb does; good is an adjective, so is not possible; really is an
intensifying adverb, so must be followed by an adjective or a
verb; truly does not have the correct meaning; only right has
the correct meaning of correctly and can occur after a verb)
11 A (a ll the nouns can occur after expressing, but only concern
has the correct meaning of worry)
12C (only harm collocates with do; hurt has a simi lar meaning,
but is not used after do)

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