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 age of discovery

Why did European exploration begin to flourish in the 1400s? Two main  ... [reasons/excuses/cases/senses]  stand out. First, Europeans of this time had several motives for  ... [exploring/investigating/inspecting/researching]  the world. Second, advances in knowledge and technology helped make  ... [voyages/crossings/cruises/trips]  of discovery possible. Motives for Exploration For early explorers, one of the main motives for exploration was the desire to find new trade routes to Asia. By the 1400s, merchants and crusaders had  ... [brought/caught/run/given]  many goods to Europe from Africa, the Middle East, and Asia.

Demand  ... [for/on/to/in]  these goods increased the desire for trade. Europeans were especially  ... [interested/keen/attentive/attracted]  in spices from Asia. They had learned to use spices to help preserve food during winter and to cover  ... [up/over/down/off]  the taste of food that was no longer fresh. Trade with the East, however, was expensive and difficult. Muslims and Italians controlled the flow of trade. Muslim traders  ... [carried/conducted/removed/passed]  goods to the east coast of the Mediterranean Sea.

[answer-table]

 

 

 

 

 

 

ANSWERS

 

GAP 1 (REASONS) ... in the 1400s? Two main reasons stand out. First, Europeans of this time had several ...
REASON => NOUN
REASON => a fact, condition, or situation that makes it proper or appropriate to do something, feel something, etc.
Other Collocations:
GOOD REASON, APPARENT REASON, MAJOR REASON, SIMPLE REASON. 

 

GAP 2 (EXPLORING) ... had several motives for exploring the world. Second, advances in knowledge and technology helped ...
EXPLORE => VERB
EXPLORE => to search or travel through a place for the purpose of discovery:
Other Collocations:
EXPLORE THE POSSIBILITY, EXPLORE FOR OIL, EXPLORE THE LAND, EXPLORE OPTIONS/ALTERNATIVES. 

 

GAP 3 (VOYAGES) ... and technology helped make voyages of discovery possible. Motives for Exploration For ...
MAKE + A VOYAGE => COLLOCATION
MAKE A VOYAGE => to take a long journey usually by ship or boat .
Common Errors:
What was the first ship to do a voyage around the world? X 
What was the first ship to make a voyage around the world? V We use MAKE or TAKE with VOYAGE!

 

GAP 4 (BROUGHT) ... merchants and crusaders had brought many goods to Europe from Africa, the Middle East ...
BRING + TO => VERB + PREPOSITION
BRING STH TO SB => to carry something, or make someone come with you.
Common Errors:
Wherever I go, I bring my laptop with me. X 
Wherever I go, I take my laptop with me. V 

 

GAP 5 (FOR) ... East, and Asia. Demand for these goods increased the desire for trade. Europeans were especially ...
DEMAND + FOR => NOUN + PREPOSITION
DEMAND FOR => a need felt by the public for certain goods ect.
Common Errors:
There's no demand of books of this kind. X
There's no demand for books of this kind. V 

 

GAP 6 (INTERESTED) ... Europeans were especially interested in spices from Asia. They had learned ...
INTERESTED + IN => ADJECTIVE + PREPOSITION
INTERESTED IN => eager to know about something, curious.
Common Errors:
Are you interested on buying a new camera? X
Are you interested in buying a new camera? V 

 

GAP 7 (UP) ... during winter and to cover up the taste of food that was no longer fresh. Trade with the ...
COVER + UP => PHRASAL VERB
COVER UP => to put something over something else so that it cannot be seen.
Common Errors:
George's worried, but he covers up it by joking. X
George's worried, but he covers it up by joking. V 

 

GAP 8 (CARRIED) ... of trade. Muslim traders carried goods to the east coast of the Mediterranean Sea ...
CARRY => VERB
CARRY => to take from one place to another.
Common Errors:
An ambulance arrived and the woman was carried to hospital. X
An ambulance arrived and the woman was taken to hospital. V