You are in free guest mode.
Timed Practice
Revision List
Attempt History
Progress Tracking
Create a free account to unlock these tools
LanguageCert Practice Reading: Part 1A: Word Replace
ID: #60251
Hard
Past Cultures and Space Travel
Instructions
Read the sentences below and decide which option (A, B, C or D) can best replace the word in bold so that the meaning of the sentence remains the same.
1
In attempting to understand modern culture, we must begin by learning about the beliefs and habits of past civilisations.
2
A major step forward in the science of rocket design could enable humans to go deeper into space than ever before.
3
There’s a concern that if too much tree planting takes place, then the amount of land available for farming will be reduced.
4
Despite the clumsiness of the prose, Morton’s book on the genesis of glaciers is a welcome addition to the field.
5
History as an academic field operates in a way not dissimilar to science, in that it
seeks to establish objective facts.
6
A report has been published with the aim of allaying public concern over the safety of the proposed oil exploration project.
Result:
Explanation
{<br> "questions": [<br> {<br> "question": 1,<br> "correct_answer": "D",<br> "why_correct": "The word <b>past</b> tells us times or things from before now, and <b>earlier</b> expresses the same idea of coming before.",<br> "incorrect_options": {<br> "A": "<b>final</b> means last or at the very end, which is not the same as belonging to before now.",<br> "B": "<b>ended</b> means finished or stopped, but past civilisations are described by when they lived, not that they stopped.",<br> "C": "<b>gone</b> means no longer here or disappeared, which is a different idea from being from an earlier time."<br> },<br> "key_vocabulary": [<br> "past = earlier = from before now",<br> "civilisations = organised societies"<br> ],<br> "tips": "Memory trick: 'past' events happened 'earlier' - both point back in time to before today."<br> },<br> {<br> "question": 2,<br> "correct_answer": "C",<br> "why_correct": "Think of <b>enable</b> as meaning to make something possible. <b>Allow</b> means the same here - to let it happen.",<br> "incorrect_options": {<br> "A": "<b>qualify</b> means to make suitable or to earn the right through training, not simply to make possible.",<br> "B": "<b>grant</b> means to give something officially, like giving money or a wish, not to make an action possible.",<br> "D": "<b>authorise</b> is close, but it means to give official permission, while enable just makes something possible with no permission needed."<br> },<br> "key_vocabulary": [<br> "enable = allow = make possible",<br> "rocket design = building rockets"<br> ],<br> "tips": "Memory trick: a key that 'enables' you to enter also 'allows' you to enter - both open the way."<br> },<br> {<br> "question": 3,<br> "correct_answer": "D",<br> "why_correct": "<b>Concern</b> means a worry that something bad might happen; <b>fear</b> carries the same meaning here, so either word fits.",<br> "incorrect_options": {<br> "A": "<b>stress</b> means pressure or strain on you, which is a different feeling from worrying that something bad may come.",<br> "B": "<b>fright</b> is close, but it means a sudden sharp scare, while a concern is a steady, ongoing worry.",<br> "C": "<b>shock</b> means a sudden upsetting surprise, not a worry about what might happen in future."<br> },<br> "key_vocabulary": [<br> "concern = fear = a worry",<br> "reduced = made smaller"<br> ],<br> "tips": "Memory trick: a 'concern' and a 'fear' both sit in your mind as a worry about what could go wrong."<br> },<br> {<br> "question": 4,<br> "correct_answer": "B",<br> "why_correct": "Here, <b>Despite</b> means 'in spite of' and comes before a noun, and since <b>Notwithstanding</b> works the same way and means the same thing, it is correct.",<br> "incorrect_options": {<br> "A": "<b>Nevertheless</b> means 'even so', but it joins two sentences and cannot sit before a noun like 'the clumsiness'.",<br> "C": "<b>Regardless</b> means 'no matter what', but it needs 'of' after it - 'regardless of the clumsiness' - so alone it does not fit.",<br> "D": "<b>Irrespective</b> also means 'no matter what', but like regardless it needs 'of', so it does not fit the grammar here."<br> },<br> "key_vocabulary": [<br> "despite = notwithstanding = in spite of",<br> "prose = ordinary written language"<br> ],<br> "tips": "Memory trick: 'despite' and 'notwithstanding' both go straight before a noun to mean 'in spite of'."<br> },<br> {<br> "question": 5,<br> "correct_answer": "A",<br> "why_correct": "The sentence uses <b>seeks</b> to mean 'tries to' reach a goal, and <b>attempts</b> has the same meaning.",<br> "incorrect_options": {<br> "B": "<b>searches</b> means to look for something and needs 'for' - 'seeks to establish' means tries to, so searches does not fit.",<br> "C": "<b>engages</b> means to take part in or involve, not to try to do something.",<br> "D": "<b>assumes</b> means to take for granted or suppose, which is very different from making an effort."<br> },<br> "key_vocabulary": [<br> "seeks = attempts = tries to",<br> "objective facts = true facts, not opinions"<br> ],<br> "tips": "Memory trick: when history 'seeks' the truth, it 'attempts' to find it - both mean trying hard."<br> },<br> {<br> "question": 6,<br> "correct_answer": "C",<br> "why_correct": "In this sentence, <b>allaying</b> means calming or reducing people's worry, and <b>lessening</b> means exactly that - making it less.",<br> "incorrect_options": {<br> "A": "<b>deducting</b> means taking away an amount, like subtracting money, not calming a worry.",<br> "B": "<b>dwindling</b> means shrinking on its own, but you cannot 'dwindle' concern - it does not act on something else.",<br> "D": "<b>dropping</b> means letting something fall or reducing it suddenly, which does not match gently easing worry."<br> },<br> "key_vocabulary": [<br> "allaying = lessening = making less",<br> "public concern = the worry of ordinary people"<br> ],<br> "tips": "Memory trick: to 'allay' fear is to 'lessen' it - both make the worry smaller and calmer."<br> }<br> ]<br>}
AI explanationShows the answer. Tap to open.
Correct Answer: C
Why this is correct: The word past tells us times or things from before now, and earlier expresses the same idea of coming before.
Tips: Memory trick: 'past' events happened 'earlier' - both point back in time to before today.
Why the other options are wrong:
- A: final means last or at the very end, which is not the same as belonging to before now.
- B: ended means finished or stopped, but past civilisations are described by when they lived, not that they stopped.
- D: gone means no longer here or disappeared, which is a different idea from being from an earlier time.
Key Vocabulary:
- past = earlier = from before now
- civilisations = organised societies
Correct Answer: C
Why this is correct: Think of enable as meaning to make something possible. Allow means the same here - to let it happen.
Tips: Memory trick: a key that 'enables' you to enter also 'allows' you to enter - both open the way.
Why the other options are wrong:
- B: qualify means to make suitable or to earn the right through training, not simply to make possible.
- A: grant means to give something officially, like giving money or a wish, not to make an action possible.
- D: authorise is close, but it means to give official permission, while enable just makes something possible with no permission needed.
Key Vocabulary:
- enable = allow = make possible
- rocket design = building rockets
Correct Answer: D
Why this is correct: Concern means a worry that something bad might happen; fear carries the same meaning here, so either word fits.
Tips: Memory trick: a 'concern' and a 'fear' both sit in your mind as a worry about what could go wrong.
Why the other options are wrong:
- C: stress means pressure or strain on you, which is a different feeling from worrying that something bad may come.
- A: fright is close, but it means a sudden sharp scare, while a concern is a steady, ongoing worry.
- B: shock means a sudden upsetting surprise, not a worry about what might happen in future.
Key Vocabulary:
- concern = fear = a worry
- reduced = made smaller
Correct Answer: B
Why this is correct: Here, Despite means 'in spite of' and comes before a noun, and since Notwithstanding works the same way and means the same thing, it is correct.
Tips: Memory trick: 'despite' and 'notwithstanding' both go straight before a noun to mean 'in spite of'.
Why the other options are wrong:
- D: Nevertheless means 'even so', but it joins two sentences and cannot sit before a noun like 'the clumsiness'.
- C: Regardless means 'no matter what', but it needs 'of' after it - 'regardless of the clumsiness' - so alone it does not fit.
- A: Irrespective also means 'no matter what', but like regardless it needs 'of', so it does not fit the grammar here.
Key Vocabulary:
- despite = notwithstanding = in spite of
- prose = ordinary written language
Correct Answer: A
Why this is correct: The sentence uses seeks to mean 'tries to' reach a goal, and attempts has the same meaning.
Tips: Memory trick: when history 'seeks' the truth, it 'attempts' to find it - both mean trying hard.
Why the other options are wrong:
- D: searches means to look for something and needs 'for' - 'seeks to establish' means tries to, so searches does not fit.
- B: engages means to take part in or involve, not to try to do something.
- C: assumes means to take for granted or suppose, which is very different from making an effort.
Key Vocabulary:
- seeks = attempts = tries to
- objective facts = true facts, not opinions
Correct Answer: C
Why this is correct: In this sentence, allaying means calming or reducing people's worry, and lessening means exactly that - making it less.
Tips: Memory trick: to 'allay' fear is to 'lessen' it - both make the worry smaller and calmer.
Why the other options are wrong:
- B: deducting means taking away an amount, like subtracting money, not calming a worry.
- A: dwindling means shrinking on its own, but you cannot 'dwindle' concern - it does not act on something else.
- D: dropping means letting something fall or reducing it suddenly, which does not match gently easing worry.
Key Vocabulary:
- allaying = lessening = making less
- public concern = the worry of ordinary people
The rest of this explanation is for members. Sign in free to read why the other options are wrong, key words and tips.
Sign in to read the full explanation
With a free account:
Retry and compare every attempt.
Saving...