FCE / USE OF ENGLISH / Multiple Choice Cloze

For questions 1- 8, read the text below and decide which answer (A, B, C or D) best fits each gap.

the country of prince hamlet

Denmark covers 43,094 square kilometres, which is about twice the size of Massachusetts. It is made  ... [up/off/after/out]  of the narrow Jutland Peninsula and over 100 islands. No place in Denmark is farther  ... [than/then/from/to]  52 kilometres from the sea. Jutland is joined to mainland Europe by a land border with Germany. The soil here is generally  ... [poor/modest/broke/lame]  and long ago was covered with moor, heath, and sand dunes.
Today the use of modern fertilizers enables  ... [extensive/spacious/broad/sizable]  farming in Jutland. The most typical features are low  ... [rolling/spinning/passing/rotating]  hills, lakes, and beaches. The Danish capital, Copenhagen, is situated on the island of Zealand. Denmark's climate is strongly  ... [influenced/guided/motivated/inspired]  by the sea. Being surrounded by water means Denmark receives a  ... [heavy/firm/wild/tough]  rainfall, averaging about 64 cm a year. Jutland is generally the wettest part of the country; this area can receive over 76 cm of annual precipitation. The lack of mountains has another strong influence  ... [on/with/by/for]  the weather.

[answer-table]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ANSWERS

 

GAP 1 (UP) ... Massachusetts. It is made up of the narrow Jutland Peninsula and over 100 islands ...
MAKE UP (OF) => PHRASAL VERB
MAKE UP (OF) => the things that make up something are its parts, or the things that form it.
Common Errors:
The potting compost is made up to moss peat, sharp sand, garden soil and fertiliser. X
The potting compost is made up of moss peat, sharp sand, garden soil and fertiliser. V 

 

GAP 2 (THAN) ... No place in Denmark is farther than 52 kilometres from the sea. Jutland ...
FARTHER + THAN => COMPARISON 
THAN => (CONJUNCTION), used when comparing two things, people, situations etc.
Common Errors:
Helen is shorter from Steven. X
Helen is shorter than Steven. V 

 

GAP 3 (POOR) ... land border with Germany. The soil here is generally poor and long ago was covered ...
POOR + SOIL => COLLOCATION
POOR SOIL => of low quality, lacking productivity; barren; sterile.
Other Collocations:
POOR COUNTRY, POOR PERFORMANCE, POOR QUALITY, POOR HEALTH. 

 

GAP 4 (EXTENSIVE) ... use of modern fertilizers enables extensive farming in Jutland. The most ...
EXTENSIVE + FARMING => COLLOCATION
EXTENSIVE FARMING => is an agricultural production system that uses small inputs of labour, fertilizers, and capital, relative to the land area being farmed.
Other Collocations:
EXTENSIVE INJURIES, EXTENSIVE COVERAGE, EXTENSIVE READING, EXTENSIVE RESEARCH. 

 

GAP 5 (ROLLING) ... The most typical features are low rolling hills, lakes, and beaches ...
ROLLING + HILLS => COLLOCATION
ROLLING HILLS => rising and falling in gentle slopes, as land.
Other Collocations:
ROLLING PROGRAMME, ROLLING PRAIRIES, ROLLING STONE.. 

 

GAP 6 (INFLUENCED) ... Denmark's climate is strongly influenced by the sea. Being surrounded by water ...
INFLUENCE + BY => VERB + PREPOSITION
BE INFLUENCED BY => to have an effect upon (actions, events, etc), affect.
Common Errors:
Arctic Monkeys say new album was influenced on David Bowie. X HAVE INFLUENCE ON but INFLUENCED BY!
Arctic Monkeys say new album was influenced by David Bowie. V

 

GAP 7 (HEAVY) ... water means Denmark receives a heavy rainfall, averaging about 64 cm a year ...
HEAVY + RAINFALL => COLLOCATION
HEAVY RAINFALL => a sudden downpour.
Other Collocations:
HEAVY TRAFFIC, HEAVY DRINKING, HEAVY LOSSES, HEAVY COLD. 

 

GAP 8 (ON) ... The lack of mountains has another strong influence on the weather. It means that winds ...
HAVE + INFLUENCE ON => FIXED PHRASE
HAVE INFLUENCE ON => the effect that a person or thing has on someone's decisions, opinions, or behavior or on the way something happens.
Other Idioms:
UNDER THE INFLUENCE => affected by alcohol. 
EXERT INFLUENCE ON => too much influence.