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.
Built for Sea and Land
Why don't penguins fly? The answer lies in the way penguins evolved, or changed slowly (1) ... thousands of years. Birds generally fly to find food, to avoid danger, and to reach safe places for building nests and raising their young. But as ancient penguins evolved, they filled niches, or special roles in their habitat, (2) ... none of these reasons applied. As seabirds, penguins find their food by swimming and diving, rather (3) ... flying. Their cold, isolated home in Antarctica and (4) ... distant places have few dangerous animals to avoid.
And most penguins nest near the seashore, so they don't need to fly to raise their young. As a result of these circumstances, penguins evolved (5) ... flightless birds. (6) ... penguins are frequent swimmers, it's (7) ... surprise that they evolved strong abilities in this area. Penguins have (8) ... adaptations, or special features that help animals live in their environment, for living in water, especially cold water.
[start-answers-block type=1 columns=3 textTransform=none]
[answer="over"]
[answer="where"] [answer="than"] ! [answer="other"][answer="into"][answer="because#since#as"][answer="no"]
[answer="several"]
[end-answers-block]
answer keys
GAP 1 (OVER) ... or changed slowly over thousands of years. Birds generally fly to find food, to avoid danger ...
OVER => PREPOSITION
OVER => during something.
Common Errors:
Klaus felt a bit uneasy over the interview. X OVER is used to talk about an event or activity that goes on for a length of time!
Klaus felt a bit uneasy during the interview. V DURING is used to talk about an event or activity having little duration!
She has made a lot of money during/over the past few years. V OVER/DURING is used to talk about an event or activity that goes on for a length of time!
GAP 2 (WHERE) ... roles in their habitat, where none of these reasons applied. As seabirds, penguins find their ...
WHERE => ADVERB
WHERE => used after words or phrases that refer to a place or situation to mean 'at, in or to which'.
Common Errors:
She wanted to go to Cambridge, where her aunt lived there. X
She wanted to go to Cambridge, where her aunt lived. V
GAP 3 (THAN) ... swimming and diving, rather than flying. Their cold, isolated home in Antarctica and ...
RATHER + THAN => IDIOM
RATHER THAN => instead of somebody/something.
Common Errors:
Jim decided to leave rather than to accept the new position. X
Jim decided to leave rather than accept the new position.. V RATHER THAN + BARE INFINITIVE
GAP 4 (OTHER) ... home in Antarctica and other distant places have few dangerous animals to avoid ...
OTHER + PLURAL NOUN
OTHER => used to refer to additional people or things of the same kind.
Common Errors:
Please give me other book. X
Please give me another book. V ANOTHER + SINGULAR NOUN!
Please give me other books. V OTHER + PLURAL NOUN!
GAP 5 (INTO) ... circumstances, penguins evolved into flightless birds. Since penguins are frequent swimmers, it's ...
EVOLVE + INTO => VERB + PREPOSITION
EVOLVE INTO => to develop by a process of evolution.
Common Errors:
The company has evolved for a big car manufacturer. X
The company has evolved into a big car manufacturer. V EVOLVE + INTO
GAP 6 (BECAUSE/SINCE/AS) ... flightless birds. Because penguins are frequent swimmers, it's no surprise that ...
BECAUSE + SUBJECT + VERB
BECAUSE => (CONJUNCTION), used when you are giving the reason for something.
BECAUSE + SUBJECT + VERB
Common Errors:
She couldn't go because her illness. X
She couldn't go because she was ill. V
GAP 7 (NO) ... frequent swimmers, it's no surprise that they evolved strong abilities in this area. Penguins have ...
IT'S + NO + SURPRISE => IDIOM
IT'S NO SURPRISE THAT => will not be surprising [for someone] to learn [something].
Common Errors:
It's no a surprise that marketers are very active on Facebook. X
It's no surprise that marketers are very active on LinkedIn. V We say IT'S NO SURPRISE THAT!
It's not a surprise that marketers are very active on LinkedIn. V We say IT'S NOT A SURPRISE THAT!
GAP 8 (SEVERAL) ... Penguins have several adaptations, or special features that help animals live in their ...
SEVERAL => DETERMINER
SEVERAL => more than two but not very many.
Common Errors:
Try to forget your school for several hours and relax. X SEVERAL means some but not many!
Try to forget your school for a few hours and relax. V A FEW is used when we talk about a very small number!