R&UoE 2 -

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Task information

In Part 2 there is a text with eight gaps. There are no sets of words from which to choose.
Part 2 mainly tests ‘grammar words’ like articles (e.g. the, an), auxiliary verbs (e.g. will, has), pronouns (e.g. they, who), prepositions (e.g. on, during), linking expressions (e.g. despite), and verb forms (e.g. would do), as well as words in phrasal verbs (e.g. set off) and fixed phrases (e.g. in favour of ).
The answer will always be a single word. Remember that contractions (I'll, don't, etc.) count as two words.
Sometimes there may be more than one possible answer and, if this is the case, the mark scheme allows for it.
You must spell each word correctly - US and UK spellings are both accepted.

Relative pronouns

Questions in Part 2 sometimes focus on relative pronouns like which. Solve the following exercise to check the rules of relative clauses.

2. Replace the relative pronoun in the sentences that are wrong. Sometimes more than one answer is possible.

Do you remember Simon, whose used to teach us?
I think that the best time to come is in early August, which we have the celebrations.
They invited me to a pop concert where took place in Rio last month.
I’m writing in reply to the advertisement who asks for people to help in a summer camp.
I met some people there which became my good friends.
It was a period of my life that I had many problems.
It was not until I was seventeen what I started writing down all what happened to me every day.
Instead of going to a nursery, I went to a school which children learnt by playing.
There are some people who aim in life is to earn as much money as possible.
The Park Hotel, that I found in the guide, is now closed so I stayed at the Central.

Answers

1 whose → who

2 which → when

3 where → which/that

4 who → which/that

5 which → who/that

6 that → when

7 what → when/that

8 which → where

9 who → whose

10 that → which

3. Complete the text using relative pronouns.

Melanie Johnson, (1) ______ house is opposite mine, is my favourite neighbour. She’s a warm and friendly person (2) ______ always likes to help other people. In the afternoon, (3) ______ I come home, she often waves and smiles to me from her front garden, (4) ______ she spends a lot of time in spring and summer. It has some lovely flowers, (5) ______ she planted herself, and last week she gave some to my mother, (6) ______ birthday was on Friday. She’s always been generous like that. I remember years ago, (7) ______ I was about ten, she painted a picture for me (8) ______ was so lovely that I put it on my bedroom wall. It’s still there.

Answers

whose
who / that
when
where
which
whose
when
which / that

Linking expressions

4. Some questions in Part 2 test linking expressions like although or unless. Put the words and expressions in the box under the correct heading below.

5. In these sentences written by First candidates, choose the correct alternative in bold.

The boat trip along the river was cancelled because / because of the bad weather.
We will have to consider joining another club unless / besides you make the improvements.
I am enclosing a telephone card in case / if your mobile phone doesn’t work in Italy.
The visit should be longer so/so as to give people the chance to see the whole city.
The dates of the exam need to change in order / in order that all students can take it.
We had to move out of the city centre owing to / because the rise in prices.
Even though / Even so we are irritated by commercials, they can give us useful information.
We must replace the loudspeakers as long as / since the current ones aren’t satisfactory.
You can ask the teacher for help if / in case you need further guidance.
Although / In spite of the fact the accommodation is cheap, it is very comfortable.

Answers

1 because of

2 unless

3 in case

4 so as

5 in order that

6 owing to

7 Even though

8 since

9 if

10 In spite of

6. Complete the text with words from Exercise 4. Sometimes more than one answer is possible. Only for this exercise, you can use more than one word per gap.

It was getting late by the time Sam and Marco approached the summit, on (1) account of the terrible weather on their way up. In (2) ______ to high winds that nearly swept them right off the mountain, they faced freezing temperatures and heavy snowfalls. And (3) ______ neither of them had any thoughts of giving up. In (4) ______ of the awful conditions they were determined to keep climbing even (5) ______ every step was now a huge effort, (6) ______ to the fact they were so high up and the air was so thin. As (7) ______ as that, Marco was feeling quite ill, probably (8) ______ of the height and a lack of food. But they knew that (9) ______ reach the top they couldn’t stop for anything, even meals. They also knew that (10) ______ they got there this time, they would probably never have another chance to try. And Sam was sure that as (11) ______ as they could begin going down by three o’clock, they would make it safely back to base camp that night – (12) ______ they would both be very, very tired.

Answers

1 account 2 addition 3 yet/even so 4 spite 5 though 6 due/owing 7 well 8 because 9 to/in order to 10 unless 11 long 12 but/although/though/even though

Connectives and linking words online practice

7. Fill each gap with the necessary word (2 subjects, relative clauses).

I met a footballer from our national team, ______ I found very exciting as l'd never met anyone famous before.
Final-year students told the freshers about everything ______ would help them settle into Iife at the college.
______ the psychologist focuses on in his book is the way people from different countries behave in trains.
Do you know ______ mobile phone this is?
______ being an unexpectedly pleasant day, the students decided to read their books outdoors.
The professor was satisfied with the way in ______ the students had decided to deal with their project.
That's the car ______ owner I was just telling you about.
______ was suggested that the problem could be tackled in a number of different ways.

Answers

1 which

2 that

3 What

4 whose

5 It

6 which

7 whose

8 It

8. Correct the prepositions.

A number of customers complained for the after-sales service.
All the work will be done from volunteers.
Delegates experienced a number of problems related at the broadband connection
Alexandra was able to make good use of her knowledge in foreign languages.
Many people took part to the anniversary festivities.
I must congratulate you for your excellent work.
I hope my letter will be taken in consideration.
The inspector drew the management's attention in some problems in the workshop.
There is an urgent need of fresh water supplies in the region.
Have you seen the new advertisement of Lotus shampoo?

Answers

1 about

2 by

3 to

4 of

5 in

6 on

7 into

8 to

9 for

10 for

9. Complete the phrasal verbs.

[away, about, against, by, down, off (x2), on (x2), out, up (x3), in (x2)]

The company always takes ______ new staff for the summer period.
Negotiations broke ______ because of a disagreement about trading arrangements.
The lecturer talks so fast - I just can't keep ______ with her train of thought.
lt was so noisy in the room that I couldn't make ______ what Jill was saying.
The new management team plans to bring ______ a number of changes in the company.
No one expected that the new fashion would catch ______ as quickly as it has.
The robbers made ______ with a large amount of money.
Wanda asked the bank for a loan in order to set ______ a consultancy business.
However hard things may seem, it is important not to give ______ and stop trying.
Mark thinks there are problems in the contract and he is dead set ______ our signing it.
The noise in the Iibrary immediately put me ______ the idea of studying there.
Many people don't have much money, just enough to get ______.

Answers

1 on

2 down

3 up

4 out

5 about/in

6 on

7 off/away

8 up

9 up/in

10 against

11 off

12 by

FCE exam practice

Action plan

Look at the title and the example.
Without trying to fill in any answers, quickly read the text to see what it’s about.
For each gap, look at the context and decide what kind of word (e.g. relative pronoun) is needed.
Study the words on either side of the gap for more clues.
Think of words that might fit and try each one.
Write your answers in CAPITAL LETTERS.
When you have filled in all the gaps, read your text to check it makes sense.
Minutes to finish it: Limit-8⌚. Good-6⌚. Awesome!-4⌚. Perfection-3⌚.

Answers

9. though/when: ‘though’ completes the link ‘even though’, which contrasts the ideas in the two parts of the sentence. ‘When’ is also possible.

10. did: ‘did’ completes the expression ‘as did’, which here is used to avoid saying ‘and the Aztecs chewed gum’.

11. until/till: ‘until’ completes the time expression ‘it wasn’t until’. The informal ‘till’ is also possible.

12. when: here, ‘when’ is a relative pronoun that refers back to ‘1869’.

13. despite: it completes the link ‘despite the fact that’, which contrasts the ideas in the two parts of the sentence.

14. as: ‘regarded’ is often followed by the preposition ‘as’. Together they mean ‘considered’.

15. where: ‘where’ is a relative pronoun which here refers back to ‘the pavement’.

16. in: ‘in’ completes the expression ‘in favour of’, here meaning supporting or approving of.

CAE exam practice

Answers

9. Although: If you read to the end of the sentence, it becomes clear that a conjunction is needed for the sentence to hang together. It also becomes clear that a conjunction that gives an idea of contrast is what is required.

10. to: Just as you are able to do something, so you have an ability to do something.

11. so: The conjunction 'so that' introduces the purpose for doing something.

12. on: 'Depend' is followed by 'on', even though there may often be, as here, a phrase in parenthesis between the two words.

13. less: You have to think carefully about the meaning of this sentence in order to rule out other words that might fill this gap, such as, for example, 'more', 'no' or 'some'.

14. as: 'As a last resort' is a fixed expression.

15. or: If you see the word 'either', you can expect it to be followed at some point by 'or'.

16. fact: 'Fact' is used in a number of connecting expressions, e.g. 'despite the fact that ...', 'in spite of the fact that ...', 'regardless of the fact that ...'

CPE exam practice

CHINESE LANGUAGE

Although the term "spoken Chinese" has a more restricted range than the broad expression "Chinese," it too suffers from a lack of precision in (1) ______ of the wide varieties of speech that are usually subsumed (2) ______ this name. "Spoken Chinese" includes the speech that can be heard throughout the area stretching from Manchuria in the northeast to Guangdong in the southeast to Yunnan in the southwest to Gansu in the northwest. The varieties of speech in this huge area are legion—ranging from forms with minor differences to (3) ______ that are mutually unintelligible.

Indeed, even among people (4) ______ speech is considered to be the same there are individual differences that lead linguists (5) ______ assert that in fact no two persons speak exactly alike, since each person has his own idiolect which distinguishes him in certain points of detail (6) ______ everyone (7) ______. In a situation of such diversity there is obviously great danger that a statement true about one kind of spoken Chinese may be completely false (8) ______ respect to another variety. Generalizations about spoken Chinese can be exceedingly misleading when carelessly advanced without qualification.

Online practice

Takeaway questions (don't look back at your notes)

Which kind of words we are asked in this exercise, grammar or content?
Which topics you may be asked in this part?
How much time do we have to finish the Use of English exercises?

🔗

Answers

Grammar
Collocations, relative clauses, linkers (conjunctions).
8 min tops

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