Adapted from Close-up (C2) Student’s Book.
For questions 1–10, read the text below and decide which answer (A, B, C or D) best fits each gap.
Humans live in interdependent societies where people
1.
together in groups for mutual aid and protection. We have always had a
2.
awareness that group survival means personal survival, that the individual benefits
3.
supporting the group, because the group reciprocates by supporting the individual.
Our primitive ancestors worked collectively to hunt for food and to fight off 4.
of dangerous animals. They were nomads who lived in
5.
and followed seasonally available wild plants and game for their subsistence. These hunter-gatherers
6.
when food resources became scarce or the environment less hospitable.
When they learnt how to farm they were finally able to 7.
away with their nomadic lifestyle. They formed small permanent settlements where they
8.
crops for their sustenance and kept
9.
of livestock. Over time, the settlements grew. Now, super cities with millions of inhabitants dot the planet, but many people feel a greater sense of isolation and a very real
10.
from their fellow human beings.
Explanation
Correct Answer: band
The phrasal verb band together specifically means to form a group for a common purpose.
The phrasal verb band together specifically means to form a group for a common purpose.
Why others don’t fit: Form or make would not use the preposition together in this way, although they collocate with group.
Explanation
Correct Answer: conscious
Conscious awareness is a collocation, referring to the state of actively recognizing your thoughts, sensations, emotions, and surroundings.
Conscious awareness is a collocation, referring to the state of actively recognizing your thoughts, sensations, emotions, and surroundings.
Why others don’t fit: Conscience is a noun (moral sense); mindful (a synonym of conscious) and sensible (able to make good judgements) don’t collocate correctly with awareness here.
Explanation
Correct Answer: by
Gerunds following a result are often preceded by by to indicate the method or means of achieving that benefit.
Gerunds following a result are often preceded by by to indicate the method or means of achieving that benefit.
Why others don’t fit: Other prepositions are not use to describe a method or means of doing something.
Our primitive ancestors worked collectively to hunt for food and to fight off 4.
Explanation
Correct Answer: packs
Packs is a collective noun for groups of predatory animals (like wolves or wild dogs).
Packs is a collective noun for groups of predatory animals (like wolves or wild dogs).
Why others don’t fit: Clans, throng and squads usually refer to humans.
Explanation
Correct Answer: tribes
This is a term for social groups in nomadic or hunter-gatherer societies.
This is a term for social groups in nomadic or hunter-gatherer societies.
Why others don’t fit: A faction refers to a small, organized, dissenting group within a larger one, especially in politics. Races refers to broad ethnic categorizations based on physical characteristics or shared ancestry. In a modern context, a union usually refers to a labor union (workers organizing for rights) or a formal political alliance (like the European Union).
Explanation
Correct Answer: migrated
Migrate describes the action of moving from one region to another according to the seasons or habitat.
Migrate describes the action of moving from one region to another according to the seasons or habitat.
Why others don’t fit: Emigrate means leaving a country permanently; evacuate implies quickly leaving a specific dangerous area; journey means to travel, especially a long distance.
When they learnt how to farm they were finally able to 7.
Explanation
Correct Answer: do
The phrasal verb do away with means to get rid of or abolish something (their nomadic lifestyle).
The phrasal verb do away with means to get rid of or abolish something (their nomadic lifestyle).
Why others don’t fit: Run away with means to leave home secretly (often to get married), or to win something clearly or easily. Get away with means to do something wrong or illegal and not get punished for it.
Explanation
Correct Answer: harvested
To harvest means to collect or gather a crop from the fields once it is ripe. It is the specific verb used for the end of the agricultural cycle.
To harvest means to collect or gather a crop from the fields once it is ripe. It is the specific verb used for the end of the agricultural cycle.
Why others don’t fit: Managed means to be in charge of or control something, which is too broad for plants. Nourished means to provide food/nutrients to help something grow. Yielded is what the plant does for the farmer (e.g., the field yielded 100 tons of wheat), not an action the farmer performs on the crop.
Explanation
Correct Answer: herds
Herd is a collective noun for a large group of domesticated animals, especially livestock like cows, goats, or pigs.
Herd is a collective noun for a large group of domesticated animals, especially livestock like cows, goats, or pigs.
Why others don’t fit: Hordes, crowds and masses refers to a large of humans.
Explanation
Correct Answer: disconnect
As a noun, a disconnect refers to a lack of connection or a difference. In this context, it describes the psychological gap between people in crowded cities.
As a noun, a disconnect refers to a lack of connection or a difference. In this context, it describes the psychological gap between people in crowded cities.
Why others don’t fit: Relation would imply that people do have a connection, which contradicts the sense of isolation mentioned earlier. Loneliness is a feeling one has, but you wouldn’t say a loneliness from fellow human beings. Division implies a formal split or disagreement rather than the emotion.