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.
Motivation
Welcome (1) ... the world of student success. If you're ready to succeed in school, you're (2) ... the right place. If you're ready to learn to read better, read faster, study (3) ... efficiently, and stay focused, keep reading --- you're on the right path. But, what (4) ... you have tried to reach these goals before, but couldn't seem to maintain your motivation long (5) ... to accomplish them? What do you do about that? There is an answer.
And you may be surprised to learn where you'll find it. The secret of motivation is (6) ... your ears. That's right; it's your brain. Surprisingly, your brain is far more capable (7) ... you might think. (8) ... it weighs just three pounds, it consumes twenty five percent of your body's energy. It's storage capacity seems almost unlimited. It has about 100 billion cells that can be communicate with each other, making the potential connections for learning far into the trillions.
[start-answers-block type=1 columns=3 textTransform=none]
[answer="to"]
[answer="in"] [answer="more"] ! [answer="if"][answer="enough"][answer="between"][answer="than"]
[answer="although#though"]
[end-answers-block]
answer keys
GAP 1 (TO) ... Welcome to the world of student success. If you're ready to succeed in school, you're in the right place ...
WELCOME + TO => EXCLAMATION
WELCOME TO => used as a greeting to tell somebody that you are pleased that they are there.
Common Errors:
Good evening everybody. Welcome in Poland! X
Good evening everybody. Welcome to Poland! V We always say WELCOME TO!
GAP 2 (IN) ... succeed in school, you're in the right place. If you're ready to learn to read better, read faster, study ...
IN + THE RIGH PLACE => IDIOM
BE IN THE RIGHT PLACE => be lucky to be somewhere.
Common Errors:
She got a good deal on a bike because she was on the right place. X
She got a good deal on a bike because she was in the right place. V
GAP 3 (MORE) ... better, read faster, study more efficiently, and stay focused, keep reading --- you're on the right ...
MORE + ADVERB => COMPARATIVE
MORE => used before an adjective or adverb to form the comparative.
Common Errors:
Computers make our life much more easier. X We do not use MORE with the ER form of an adverb or adjective!
Computers make our life much easier. V
GAP 4 (IF) ... the right path. But, what if you have tried to reach these goals before, but couldn't seem to maintain your ...
WHAT IF => FIXED PHRASE
WHAT IF => what would happen if.
Common Errors:
What when John forgets to bring it? X
What if John forgets to bring it? V
GAP 5 (ENOUGH) ... maintain your motivation long enough to accomplish them? What do you do about that? ...
LONG + ENOUGH => ADJECTIVE + ENOUGH + TO + INFINITIVE
ENOUGH => to the necessary degree.
Common Errors:
She didn't move enough quickly. X
She didn't move quickly enough. V ENOUGH goes after ADVERBS and ADJECTIVES!
GAP 6 (BETWEEN) ... The secret of motivation is between your ears. That's right; it's your brain. Surprisingly, your brain is far ...
BETWEEN + YOUR EARS => IDIOM
BETWEEN YOUR EARS => your brain; to make use of your brain.
Other Fixed Phrases and Idioms:
BE ALL EARS => to be waiting with interest to hear what somebody has to say.
PLAY SOMETHING BY EAR => to play music that you have heard without having to read written music.
BE WET BEHIND THE EARS => very young and without much experience of life.
GAP 7 (THAN) ... your brain is far more capable than you might think. Although it weighs just three pounds, it consumes ...
MORE + ADJECTIVE + THAN => COMPARISON
THAN => (CONJUNCTION) used to introduce the second part of a comparison.
Common Errors:
I'm older from her. X
I'm older than her. V We use THAN when we compare two things!
GAP 8 (ALTHOUGH/THOUGH) ... might think. Although it weighs just three pounds, it consumes twenty five percent ...
ALTHOUGH + SUBJECT + VERB
ALTHOUGH | THOUGH => (CONJUNCTION) expresses the idea of contrast.
ALTHOUGH | THOUGH + SUBJECT + VERB
Common Errors:
Although the rain, we had the picnic. X ALTHOUGH cannot be followed by a noun!
Although it was raining, we had the picnic. V ALTHOUGH must be followed by a subject and a verb!