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Open cloze – The world’s first cities

HSG / Chuyên Anh, Learning activities, Tuyển sinh 10

close-upb2, cloze, english, learningactivities, upper-intermediate

💡 Adapted from Close-up (B2) Student’s Book.

Supply each blank with one suitable word to make a meaningful passage.

Archaeological research (1)

Explanation

Correct Answer: has

The gap needs a singular auxiliary verb to complete the present perfect tense (has shown) with the uncountable subject noun Archaeological research.

shown that the Sumerians established the world’s first cities in Mesopotamia, the region between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers in the Middle East.

They learnt to control the flooding of the two rivers and (2)

Explanation

Correct Answer: were

The gap needs the past plural form of the be verb (were) before the adjectival phrase able to, corresponding with the plural subject pronoun They.

able to grow crops such as barley, wheat and sesame, and many different kinds of fruit and vegetables. As a (3)

Explanation

Correct Answer: result

The linking phrase As a result indicates a cause-effect relationship: Because they learnt to control the flooding of the two rivers and were able to grow crops, they had a constant food supply.

, they had a constant food supply. Thus, people could settle (4)

Explanation

Correct Answer: down

We need to complete the phrasal verb settle down, which means to establish a permanent or long-term home in one geographic area.

in one place and, eventually, settlements that (5)

Explanation

Correct Answer: had

The gap requires the past perfect auxiliary verb had (had been) to indicate a historical state of being little villages that occurred before they grew into self-governing city-states.

been little villages grew into self-governing city-states.

At the centre of each city-state (6)

Explanation

Correct Answer: stood / was

We need a verb indicating location or existence within an inverted sentence structure: Preposition of place + Verb + Subject. Both stood or was fit the singular subject a religious temple.

a religious temple surrounded (7)

Explanation

Correct Answer: by

The preposition is used following the passive participle adjective surrounded to indicate the structural objects that surrounded the temple (surrounded by law courts).

law courts and public buildings. The homes of the most important people, such as priests and merchants, were closest to the centre; then came the homes of government officials, shopkeepers, and craftsmen, and, finally, the homes of the lower classes (8)

Explanation

Correct Answer: such

We need to complete the phrase such as, which is used to present examples.

as farmers, unskilled workers, and fishermen.

The city-state also included the fertile farming land outside the city wall. Each city-state was (9)

Explanation

Correct Answer: under

We need to the expression under pressure, used to express that each city-state is experiencing a state of stress, threat, or heavy burden.

pressure to protect its farming land from invaders, who were usually neighbouring city-states. The citizens had to defend themselves and protect their cities. Without (10)

Explanation

Correct Answer: a / any

We need to complete the idiomatic expression without a doubt or without any doubt, used to state that something is completely certain.

doubt, this led to the establishment of the first organised armies.

Open cloze – The world’s first cities

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