C1 Advanced Exam Guide: Multiple Choice Cloze
Reading & Use of English Paper
Contents
Overview
Context: Part 1 of the Reading & Use of English paper includes a text with eight gaps where candidates select the appropriate word or phrase from four options for each gap.
Task: The task tests candidates' lexical knowledge and understanding of text context, including phrasal-level elements, collocations and set phrases. Candidates must also consider lexico-grammatical aspects, such as the correct form following a preposition or verb.
Objective: To evaluate the ability to select semantically and grammatically correct options within a text.
Scoring & Marks: The eight questions are eight five points, so one point for each. There are 78 points available for the whole Reading & Use of English paper.
How to Approach
- Vocabulary Depth: Emphasize the importance of understanding different meanings and nuances of similar words and their collocations.
- Careful Consideration: Advise careful evaluation of all options, focusing on their semantic and grammatical suitability in the given context.
- Text Analysis: Encourage a thorough reading and understanding of the text, to identify how each option fits within the overall context.
Example Question
3. There's a(n) ________ range of issues that we need to discuss as soon as possible.
a) far
b) ample
c) wide
d) high
Assessment Focus
This section emphasises mostly vocabulary but also some grammar, challenging candidates to apply a deep understanding of language to test comprehension.
Tips
- Expand vocabulary knowledge, focusing on collocations, set phrases, and the different meanings of similar words.
- Develop skills in discerning the subtle differences between options and choosing the most contextually appropriate one.
- Engage in vocabulary exercises that explore different shades of meaning, collocations, and complementation of words.
- Practise with mock tests that simulate exam conditions to hone decision-making skills under time constraints.
- In every exercise, think carefully about why certain answers are wrong, don't obsess only about the correct answers.
How It Looks
Student Suggestion
"I became more responsible for my own vocabulary record keeping and would write down words in an old address book I had. But you need to move beyond just writing a word and a translation like I used to have. Think about word roots and word families." - Alexei Petrov
Practice Exercises
We have a page on the site to practise: C1 Advanced: Multiple Choice Cloze Exercises
