FCE / USE OF ENGLISH / open Cloze

For questions 1-8, read the text below and think of the word which fits each gap. Use only one word in each gap.
 

Nicolaus Copernicus

Nicolaus Copernicus (1473 - 1543) was born in Poland. He came from a wealthy family, and was (1) ... to attend the University of Cracow, where he studied Maths and astronomy. He (2) ... advised by his uncle, a bishop, to go into the church. (3) ... waiting for a vacancy, he went to Italy, where he studied law and medicine, as (4) ... as continuing his studies of astronomy. He returned to Cracow in 1503 and worked for his uncle, (5) ... as a church administrator, and as a doctor.
Meanwhile, he continued his private research, and eventually made public his revolutionary theory. (6) ... Galileo, a century later, he kept a low profile, and manage to avoid (7) ... destroyed by the church, though the few scientists (8) ... read his work knew how massive a change it was.

 

 

[start-answers-block type=1 columns=3 textTransform=none]

[answer="able"]

[answer="was"] [answer="while#when"] ! [answer="well"][answer="both"][answer="unlike"][answer="being"]

[answer="who#that"]

[end-answers-block]

 

 

 

 

 

 

answer keys
 

GAP 1 (ABLE) ... from a wealthy family, and was able to attend the University of Cracow, where he studied ...
ABLE + TO => ADJECTIVE
ABLE TO => to have the skill, strength, knowledge etc needed to do something. 
Common Errors:
Jim didn't want to eat at first but we could persuade him. X COULD => GENERAL ABILITY!
Jim didn't want to eat at first but we were able to persuade him. V BE ABLE TO => PARTICULAR SITUATION!

 

GAP 2 (WAS) ... studied Maths and astronomy. He was advised by his uncle, a bishop, to go into the church. ... 
AUXILIARY VERB + PAST PARTICIPLE => PASSIVE VOICE (PAST SIMPLE)
WAS => used with a past participle to form the passive. 
Common Errors:
I given a present the other day. X
I was given a present the other day. V 

 

GAP 3 (WHILE/WHEN) ... to go into the church. While waiting for a vacancy, he went to Italy, where he studied law ... 
WHILE => CONJUNCTION
WHILE => during the time that something is happening.
Common Errors:
I met her during I was staying in Ireland. X 
I met her during my stay in Ireland. V DURING + SUBJECT + NOUN
I met her while I was staying in Ireland. V WHILE + SUBJECT + VERB

 

GAP 4 (WELL) ... studied law and medicine, as well as continuing his studies of astronomy. He returned to Cracow in 1503 and ... 
AS + WELL + AS => IDIOM
AS WELL AS => in addition to somebody/something; too.
AS WELL AS + GERUND/NOUN 
Common Errors:
Tim paints as well as designs clothes. X
Tim paints as well as designing clothes. V AS WELL AS + GERUND

 

GAP 5 (BOTH) ... worked for his uncle, both as a church administrator, and as a doctor ...
BOTH ... AND ... => CORRELATIVE CONJUNCTION
BOTH ... AND ... => used before two words or phrases connected with and to stress that each is included. 
Common Errors:
Both Carol and Marion is attending the course. X
Both Carol and Marion are attending the course. V PLURAL VERB FORM!

 

GAP 6 (UNLIKE) ... his revolutionary theory. Unlike Galileo, a century later, he kept a low profile, and manage ... 
UNLIKE => PREPOSITION
UNLIKE => used to indicate how someone or something is different from other people or things.
UNLIKE + (PRONOUN) + NOUN
Common Errors:
Unlikely most people in the office, I don't come to work by car. X
Unlike most people in the office, I don't come to work by car. V

 

GAP 7 (BEING) ... profile, and manage to avoid being destroyed by the church, though the few scientists ... 
AVOID + BEING => VERB PATTERN
AVOID DOING SOMETHING => to keep away from somebody/something; to try not to do something. 
Common Errors:
She should avoid to mention her divorce. X
She should avoid mentioning her divorce. V AVOID + GERUND! 

 

GAP 8 (WHO/THAT) ... though the few scientists who read his work knew how massive a change it was ... 
WHO/THAT => RELATIVE PRONOUN
WHO/THAT => used to show which person or people you mean. 
Common Errors:
His mother, that was tired out, gave him a snack. X in non-defining clauses THAT cannot replace WHO!
The man that telephoned was a friend of yours. V in defining relative clauses we can use WHO or THAT! 
The man who telephoned was a friend of yours. V in defining relative clauses we can use WHO or THAT!