CLOZE REVISION 2
Circle A, B, C or D that best fits each blank in the following passages
Cheetah: not your average big cat
That the cheetah is the fastest of the big cats is beyond dispute and common (0) ___ with it having reportedly been
clocked at speeds in excess of 70mph. However, whilst it has impressive acceleration over short distances, it could not
(1) ___ sustain such speeds for any significant length of time. Therefore, when hunting, it relies largely on the (2) ___ of
surprise to use its speed to good advantage. Otherwise, in a prolonged hunt, it will (3) ___ wanting in the stamina
department and generally have to abandon the chase.
Still on the (4) ___ of running, incredibly, a sprinting cheetah is actually completely airborne more than fifty percent of the
time, indeed, at full (5) ___, its single stride length is an impressive seven metres.
Cheetahs are peculiar amongst big cats, though, because, aside from their breath-taking speed, their performance in
other areas actually leaves a lot to be (6) ___. For instance, their nocturnal vision is little better than our own.
Uncharacteristically for a big cat, too, females are (7) ___ to be loners, whilst it is males that are more likely to (8) ___
frequently in groups up to five. The collective noun for a group of male cheetahs is a coalition.
0. A knowledge
1. A conceivably
2. A segment
3. A show
4. A course
5. A rate
6. A desired
7. A convinced
8. A conjoin
B fact
B perceivably
B feature
B prove
B field
B throttle
B required
B swayed
B congest
C data
C comprehensively
C portion
C confirm
C subject
C rush
C craved
C prompted
C congregate
D news
D predictably
D element
D disclose
D content
D scurry
D fancied
D inclined
D disperse
Shark myth busted
Sharks undeniably have a very bad (0) ___ thanks to sensationalised tortes in film-and the media: stories which cause
them to be identified as dangerous, indiscriminate killers, prepared to hunt anything in sight. However, the reality could
not be further removed from this (1) ___. Indeed, far from being the fearsome man eaters they are frequently (2) ___ as
the reverse is more often true and sharks are generally victims of humanity. For instance, millions are killed annually for
(3) ___ in soup, leading to depleting shark numbers worldwide. So. whilst sharks are undeniably food for humans, the
reverse is seldom true. Sharks do not prey on people per se. and the overwhelming majority of shark attacks are a case
of mistaken (4) ___.
(Surfers, for instance, look (5) ___ similar in profile to seals from the depths of the ocean, where sharks lie in (6) ___
which explains why they are often considered most at risk.) Besides, the majority of shark species are incapable of
tackling prey the size of humans and instead feed on small fish, or invertebrates such as squid or clams. Indeed, the
impressive (7) ___ of shark species is reflected in the fact that there are also many filter feeders, which dine on
microscopic sea life, such as plankton. To put the figures in greater (8) ___, there are over one hundred million sharks
killed by humans every year whilst there are typically fewer than ten shark-related human fatalities.
0. A rap
1. A misperception
2. A evoked
3. A addition
4. A recognition
5. A narrowly
6. A wait
7. A perversity
8. A setting
B character
B disbelief
B depicted
B consumption
B character
B scarcely
B hide
B immensity
B scene
C rank
C disillusion
C related
C resumption
C identity
C remarkably
C cover
C adversity
C comparison
D stature
D misgiving
D associated
D absorption
D subject
D commonly
D secret
D diversity
D context
(Kind of) on the scent of cancer
Dogs can (0) ___ a range of impressive skills in their portfolio, from leading the blind to carrying out mountain rescues to
(1) ___ those with contraband goods at border control posts. Unquestionably, they have extremely (2) ___ senses
compared to us humans and. recently, scientists have been investigating the precise (3) ___ of their talents in relation
specifically to their sense of smell. In short, they wanted to find out if man’s best friend could (4) ___ out cancer. Indeed,
this notion has been around for a while. (5) ___ on the internet for the most part, where anecdotal evidence abounds in
the form of countless stories of family dogs persistently smelling certain areas of their owner’s body, areas later shown to
be cancerous. However, whilst the canine sense of smell is unquestionably (6) ___ thus far at least, there appears to be
little scientific (7) ___ for a canine cancer screening program. The problem is that whilst studies have shown that dogs
are right about cancer more often than could be explained by pure chance, their (8) ___ rates are not high enough to
make them reliable for screening purposes. Besides, there already exist numerous cancer tests that are far more
accurate and effective for this purpose.
Therefore, sadly, whilst man's best friend undoubtedly has some very impressive tricks in his repertoire, he will not be
turning up in cancer units any time soon other than to comfort his loved ones in their time of distress. This writer, for one.
though, thinks that purpose is sufficiently meritorious in and of itself.
0. A boast
1. A recommending
2. A broadened
B praise
B condescending
B lengthened
C brag
C. comprehending
C. aggravated
D. applaud
D apprehending
D heightened
