Hello ExamSeekers,
Last week I was a bit busy, and I wasn’t able to put forth more content about the C2: Proficiency Exam – Reading and Use of English. I have posted an overview of it, so if you didn’t read it so far, please check the link here, and I have also written some tips on how to deal with Part 1 – Multiple-Choice Cloze.
Today, we are going to see a bit more about part 2.
Part 2 – Open Cloze
I have already talked about Multiple-Choice Cloze and Open Cloze exercises, but if you have found this text without having checked other texts before, I will give you the meaning again:
So, Multiple-Choice Cloze would be a type of Cloze Test with possible answers provided – as you could see in part 1 of the C2: Proficiency Exam – and an Open Cloze would be a type of Cloze Test without provided answers.
So, I’d say that this Open Cloze is a bit more demanding than the Multiple-Choice Cloze, once you would have to show awareness and control of grammar with some focus on vocabulary without many clues, differently from part 1 where you had words that could help you identify the missing piece.
This is the sample of part 2:
There are 8 gaps, and each correct word gives you a mark. As I said, “each correct word”! In this part of the test, you have to use only ONE word to complete the gap. If by any chance you feel that there must be two or more words missing in the same spot, try again, because this is clearly not the answer.
So let’s try to complete this excerpt:
For many people, mobile email is a habit they couldn’t give up even (0) …..….. they wanted to. And (9) ………. should they want to? (10) …..….. all, the ability to send and receive emails from a mobile device means they can stay in touch with colleagues, friends and family,
In (0), as you read, you can feel that there is a conditional missing. It wouldn’t be possible to fit a “wether” there, because you have the word “even” before the missing word, which would require the word “IF”, as you can see in the sample up above. (0) IF.
As you continue, there is (9), which is an interrogative sentence. As you can see, it’s not a yes/no question, but an open question, which will require a WH (what, where, when, why, how).
- What should they want to?
- Where should they want to?
- When should they want to?
- Why should they want to?
- How should they want to?
By elimination, I am safe to say that Why should they want to? is the best option here. So (9) WHY. Unfortunately, but expected (since we are taking here a C2 certificate), the following sentence doesn’t reply to the “why” question, because it is a rhetorical one. You can be sure of that by trying to fit the word “because” in (10). It doesn’t connect per se, so it’s not a reply to the question, but it makes a reference to the sentence before.
To fill in the (10) gap, you have to think of a word that would connect the idea of the mobile email being a habit and the ability to send and receive emails. And also, to communicate with the rhetorical questions in the middle. The best way to complete the sentence is a conclusion. Can you think about a word that would conclude the idea and connect to the following word “all”? Yes, it’s the word “after”. (10) After.
Well, I’ll give you some time to try and complete the rest of the text, ok?
It is not a laborious exercise. It seems complicated because you have no words to start from, you have to get words from your own head. And that’s why it’s crucial for you to read!!!
Read books, read articles, but read them in English so that you can familiarize yourself with the language, collocations, grammar, vocabulary… By doing that, this exercise will feel lighter.
Anyways, I hope I was able to help you and understand how part 2 works, but If you still have questions, please comment in the comment session below. Don’t forget to follow the blog at:
Have a great week,
Patricia Moura
PS: All samples are provided by Cambridge. And here are the answers:
9. why
10. After
11. between
12. time
13. on
14. more
15. as
16. place