GUIDELINES FOR SECTION B (RATIONAL CLOZE)

SECTION B (RATIONAL CLOZE)

1. Test on the Usage of Grammar in Paper 1 under Section B (Rational
Cloze)
2. A Passage with 7 Blanks (Questions 9 15)
3. Fill each blank with one suitable grammar item.
4. 3 or 4 options (A, B and C or A, B, C and D) for each question. Choose
the best answer

Grammar items which are commonly tested in the examination are :

a. tenses
b. articles
c. subjectverb agreement
d. conjunctions
e. prepositions
f. adjectives
g. adverbs
h. pronouns

GUIDELINES
- Allocate only about 10 minutes for this section
- First, read through the whole passage to get the gist.
- While reading, look out for clues that may help you to identify the
answers that may be found in the passage.
- Next, look at the context of the blank, that is, the words that come
before and after the blank. These words may act as clues to identify
the correct answer.
- Check the tenses, subject-verb agreement, parts of speech and
vocabulary.
- Choose the best answer from the options A, B and C or A, B, C and D
for each blank. Eliminate those options that are clearly incorrect.
- Finally, read through the whole text again to make sure that your
answers are grammatically correct and that the passage itself makes
sense.

Some tips to remember :

1) do / does / did and to always followed by based form of verbs

2) Modal verbs

E.g. will / would, shall / should, can / could, may / might, ought to, etc.
always followed by based form of verbs

3) before, while, when or after normally followed by present

participles (verb + -ing)

4) a) a for singular countable nouns that begin with consonant sounds

b) 'an for singular countable nouns that begin with vowel sounds (a, e, i,
o, u) or (silent h)
GUIDELINES FOR SECTION B (RATIONAL CLOZE)

c) the is used for unique words or words that have already been
mentioned.

5) a) Plural forms they, we, them, us, theirs, etc

b) Singular forms he, she, it, his, hers, its, etc

6) Subject-verb agreement

a) singular subject takes singular verb

(i) add s, es, ies to verbs

(ii) use of has, is, does

b) plural subject takes plural verb (including I and You)

(i) takes plural verb no s to verbs

(ii) use of have, do, are, etc .

(iii) but for I use am, was

GUIDELINES FOR SECTION B (RATIONAL CLOZE)

MODEL QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 1

Questions 11 18 are based on the following text.

It was a dark ___________ (11) stormy night. We were riding back

_______________ (12) supplies from town. We had been travelling for about

an hour and it was getting very cold. I shivered and decided to button up

______________ (13) jacket. I looked across at Gary. His face was hidden by

his hat. Suddenly, Garys horse _____________ (14) a shadow. It sprang

sideways and rose on its hind legs. Gary _____________ (15) to the rocky

ground. _______________ (16), a flash of lightning split in the dark sky and

flashed the image of Gary as he lay crumpled and bleeding _______________

(17) the ground. I went to ______________ (18) aid but as I bent down close

to Gary, I could see that he was no longer breathing.

11 A) but B) and C) or D) also

12 A) from B) which C ) with D) that

13 A) my B) its C) I D) his
14 A) see B) seen C) has seen
15 A) fling B) flung C) was flung
16 A) At the moment B) However C) Besides that
17 A) in B) at C) on D) from
18 A) him B) he C) his D) himself
GUIDELINES FOR SECTION B (RATIONAL CLOZE)

Choose the best answer from the options A, B, C and D.

A Vocational Vacation
From farms in Australia to snowboard lodges in Canada, many young people are
enjoying working holidays.

Once many students finish high school or college, they have the uncanny desire to travel as
far away from home as possible . Visiting new places and seeing exotic locales around the
world ___1___ can be a great learning experience, but there is one big problem that these
young travelers face a lack of money. Most countries nowadays are ___2___ young
globetrotters by offering a six- to twelve-month working holiday for anyone between the ages
of 18 and 30. ___3___, they will be able to experience new cultures while making enough
money to survive .

In Australia, the working holiday program has been a phenomenal success. In its first year of
existence, 1975, 2,000 working visas were ___4___. By 2006, this number had increased to
113,000, which is estimated to have added US$1.3 billion to Australia's economy in that year.
Many of the positions ___5___ are in the hospitality industry or harvest work, but some
travelers are getting jobs in finance , health care, and education.

For Australians, Britons, and New Zealanders, a popular place to spend a working holiday is
Canada, ___6___ there are numerous ski and snowboard resorts . Jobs as lift operators ,
snowboard coaches , or as members of the resort staff are ___7___ simple. The biggest
benefit in Canada is that all workers get free lift passes while they are employed. A working
holiday is the perfect solution for those who want to see the world but need some help to
finance their once-in-a-lifetime trip.

1. (A) on leave 5. (A) available

(B) in person (B) vacant
(C) off record (C) inclusive
(D) by surprise (D) essential

2. (A) applying to 6. (A) that

(B) leading to (B) what
(C) occurring to (C) when
(D) catering to (D) where

3. (A) As yet 7. (A) relatively

(B) On the contrary (B) casually
(C) This way (C) frankly
(D) By all means (D) sincerely

4. (A) squeezed
(B) issued
(C) featured
(D) inspired
Answers : 1B 2D 3C 4B 5A 6D 7A
GUIDELINES FOR SECTION B (RATIONAL CLOZE)

Choose the best answer from the options A, B, C and D.

Herbs have become part and parcel of modern life. They are plants whose leaves, flowers
or seeds are used in medicine, to add taste to food, or for ___1___ pleasant smell. Some
cultures simply cannot do without such herbs ___2___ their food. In Thailand, lemon grass
and lime leaves are used in almost every dish. In Malaysia and Indonesia, local herbs are
___3___ raw.
The use of herbs in these countries ___4___ the taste of the food. As an example, mint
leaves are used to enhance the taste in 'laksa', a popular local noodle dish.
The highly aromatic curry leaf is ___5___ essential item in Indian and Malay curries. This
culinary herb is used for ___6___ curries. It is seldom eaten. Some people believe that the
consumption of curry leaves is good for one's health.
Many of these herbs have ___7___ their way into the diets of people because of their
nutritional and health values. There are many more waiting to be explored.

1. (A) they 5. (A) a

(B) their (B) an
(C) them (C) the
(D) theirs (D) --

2. (A) on 6. (A) flavoring

(B) at (B) flavored
(C) in (C) flavors
(D) by (D) flavor

3. (A) eat 7. (A) find

(B) ate (B) finds
(C) eaten (C) found
(D) eating (D) finding

4. (A) assists
(B) develops
(C) discovers
(D) enriches
Answers : 1B 2C 3C 4D 5B 6A 7C
GUIDELINES FOR SECTION B (RATIONAL CLOZE)

Choose the best answer from the options A, B, C and D.

I was only nine years old and off on a great adventure. I had just joined the scouts and was
going on a camping trip. This would be the first time I had ever ___1___ out in the open.

The day came for the trip ___2___ in no time, we were on our way to our camping site. We
arrived at our destination after about half ___3___ hour of cycling along a quiet country road.
The camping ground was a small clearing in the forest, about 300 meters ___4___ the main
road. So, it was very quiet there, except for the sounds of the insects. Occasionally, we would
hear the faint ___5___ of a vehicle passing on a distant road.

Our first task was to pitch our tents. ___6___, we all fell to the task. Soon, all our tents were
ready. Then, our Scout Master ___7___ us how to tie knots and make gadgets which would
be useful to us in the wild. These were all new experiences for me and I was really excited
when I saw that we could really make useful things out of branches and leaves.

1. (A) slept 5. (A) roar

(B) sleep (B) rumble
(C) sleeps (C) sputter
(D) sleeping (D) explosion

2. (A) but 6. (A) Obviously

(B) and (B) Suddenly
(C) with (C) Eagerly
(D) until (D) Lazily

3. (A) the 7. (A) began

(B) a (B) showed
(C) an (C) ordered
(D) -- (D) introduced

4. (A) between
(B) across
(C) beside
(D) from
Answers : 1A 2B 3C 4D 5B 6C 7B
GUIDELINES FOR SECTION B (RATIONAL CLOZE)

Choose the best answer from the options A, B, C and D.

I had been looking forward to the trip for weeks, as it would be my first visit to a forest
reserve. It was a nature study trip, organised by a local children's magazine. My elder brother
had been allowed to go on the trip and, after a great deal of ___1___, my parents allowed me
to go along too.

Finally, the day arrived. My mother drove ___2___ down to the bus station where we could
see lots of other children ___3___ with their parents. The bus engine was already running and
some of the children were ___4___ it. Quickly, we scrambled out of the car and joined the
other children. My brother told my mother that she should go home but she just parked her
car by the side of the road and waited for us to leave.

Then, at last we were ___5___! After a two-hour journey, we arrived at the forest reserve. All
I could see were lots of tall trees. One of the adults started pointing out the different ___6___
of trees to the children and some of the children wrote ___7___ their names. However, others
became bored and wandered off to look around on their own.

1. (A) decision 5. (A) on

(B) co-operation (B) of
(C) assurance (C) off
(D) persuasion (D) out

2. (A) we 6. (A) species

(B) me (B) specimens
(C) us (C) varieties
(D) him (D) creations

3. (A) wait 7. (A) off

(B) waits (B) up
(C) waited (C) on
(D) waiting (D) down

4. (A) climbing
(B) boarding
(C) entering
(D) ascending
Answers : 1D 2C 3D 4B 5C 6A 7D
GUIDELINES FOR SECTION B (RATIONAL CLOZE)

Choose the best answer from the options A, B, C and D.

Most of the lights in the huge apartment block were still on. Lena could even make out the
shapes of people in some of the windows of the apartments ___1___ the park bench where
she sat, waiting for Helen to come home. Time passed and the night air became rather
___2___. The park was empty now and Lena was rather ___3___ about being alone. What if
someone attacked her ? Shivering with cold and ___4___, Lena felt like going home but she
knew that she would not be able to sleep until she had seen Helen and ___5___ to her. She
had to ask her about the diamond locket which she had seen at her throat that afternoon.
Every time a car pulled ___6___, she stared hard, trying to see if it was Helen's car. An hour
passed and then two. The lit up windows in the building began to darken, one by one. At two
o'clock in the morning, she finally ___7___ to give up. she was just getting up to go home
when she saw Helen's flashy sports car turn around the corner and slide into a parking bay.

1. (A) of 5. (A) speak

(B) off (B) speaking
(C) for (C) spoke
(D) from (D) spoken

2. (A) humid 6. (A) up

(B) chilly (B) on
(C) stuffy (C) of
(D) frigid (D) off

3. (A) furious 7. (A) decide

(B) conscious (B) decides
(C) curious (C) decided
(D) nervous (D) deciding

4. (A) anxiety
(B) anxious
(C) anxiously
(D) anxiousness
Answers : 1D 2B 3D 4A 5D 6A 7C
GUIDELINES FOR SECTION B (RATIONAL CLOZE)

Choose the best answer from the options A, B, C and D.

The Chinese follow the Lunar calendar and as such the Chinese New Year date varies from
year to year. However, it usually ___1___ between the third week of January and the middle
of February. This is the most important festival for the Chinese and lasts for 15 days. It begins
with a ___2___ dinner on New Year's Eve and, traditionally, every member of the family
___3___.

At this time, spirits are appeased and offerings of oranges and prayers are ___4___ to the
gods and ancestors. On New Year's Day, cookies and cakes are offered to guests. However,
with a multiracial society, times have changed and some Chinese have followed the Muslim
Hari Raya ___5___ and offer spicy Malay food as well.

The lion dance is one part of ___6___ New Year that should not be missed. the lion dance
troupe usually ___7___ of about ten people. The lion will dance with incredible agility to the
beating of the drums and cymbals.

1. (A) drops 5. (A) tradition

(B) calls (B) traditional
(C) falls (C) traditionally
(D) lies (D) traditionalism

2. (A) unity 6. (A) a

(B) united (B) an
(C) disunited (C) the
(D) reunion (D) --

3. (A) attends 7. (A) consist

(B) appears (B) consists
(C) detains (C) consisted
(D) agrees (D) consisting

4. (A) make
(B) makes
(C) made
(D) making

Answers : 1C 2D 3A 4C 5A 6C 7B
GUIDELINES FOR SECTION B (RATIONAL CLOZE)

Choose the best answer from the options A, B, C and D.

Butter is one of the oldest articles of diet known to man, and one of the most universally
used. Yet strangely enough, in ancient times, butter was not used as food in many parts of the
world !

The Hindus ___1___ butter as a sacrifice in their worship. The Greeks and Romans did not
eat butter, ___2___ used it as a remedy for injuries to the skin. They believed that the soot of
burned butter was good for sore eyes ! The Romans also used it as an ___3___ for the skin
and hair.

In Spain, as late as 300 years ago, butter was ___4___ in medicine shops only. When butter
was eaten in early times, it was only eaten by a few people and it was never eaten ___ 5___
fresh. It was stored in a melted condition for many years. In fact, there were some people who
specially valued butter that was held for more ___6___ a hundred years !

Today, of course, butter ___7___ a very important food. Butter is a fine energy food, and is
quickly and easily digested.

1. (A) offered 5. (A) if

(B) differed (B) whether
(C) conferred (C) when
(D) preferred (D) which

2. (A) or 6. (A) then

(B) and (B) than
(C) but (C) that
(D) until (D) there

3. (A) element 7. (A) is

(B) ointment (B) are
(C) appliance (C) was
(D) ornament (D) were

4. (A) find
(B) finds
(C) found
(D) finding
Answers : 1A 2C 3B 4C 5C 6B 7A
GUIDELINES FOR SECTION B (RATIONAL CLOZE)

Choose the best answer from the options A, B, C and D.

As part of the program for the English Language Campaign, we decided to organize an
elocution contest. The first thing we had to do was to send out invitations to all the schools
that we thought might like to participate. We also arranged for judges and ___1___ to get a
member of the committee of the school Parent-Teacher Association to donate a ___2___.

Everything went as scheduled. Surprisingly, for a small town like ours, eight schools agreed
to send ___3___. We wrote back, giving them details of the time and place of the
competition, the points on which the contestants would be ___4___, and all the rules of the
competition.

It was, in fact, much harder work than we bargained ___5___. We had to contact the judges a
number of times as none of them could give us an answer till much nearer ___6___ date of
the competition. Then, one day before the competition, one judge telephoned to say he could
not serve as he had ___7___ chicken pox. Fortunately, our adviser managed to contact an old
school friend of hers who agreed to step in.

1. (A) pleaded 5. (A) in

(B) managed (B) on
(C) appeared (C) to
(D) succeeded (D) for

2. (A) trophy 6. (A) a

(B) present (B) an
(C) souvenir (C) the
(D) presentation (D) --

3. (A) participate 7. (A) incited

(B) participant (B) infected
(C) participants (C) conceived
(D) participation (D) contracted

4. (A) judging
(B) judged
(C) judges
(D) judge
Answers : 1B 2A 3C 4B 5D 6C 7D
GUIDELINES FOR SECTION B (RATIONAL CLOZE)

Choose the best answer from the options A, B, C and D.

I had just come on duty when I was told that an emergency call had come in. An indigenous
child needed an operation and had to be transported to the General Hospital ___1___ a hurry.
The doctor and nurse were on ___2___ way and would be arriving soon

I was just getting into the cockpit of my helicopter when I saw the doctor and nurse
approaching in a jeep. They ___3___ into the helicopter as I started the rotors running. We
arrived at our destination in less than an hour. From the air, we could see a small group of
people ___4___ for us at the settlement. The sick child was lying on a mat.

I set my helicopter down a little distance away from the people. As soon as we touched
___5___, the doctor and nurse got down. I kept my rotors ___6___ as they lifted the child on
to a stretcher and prepared him for the journey to the General Hospital.

The doctor, nurse and sick child came aboard. the child's mother climbed into the helicopter
too. ___7___, the child's relatives started piling some huge bags into the aircraft.

"I'm sorry. I can't take the luggage. The helicopter wont' lift off with all this weight," I
explained.

1. (A) on 5. (A) up
(B) of (B) on
(C) in (C) off
(D) out (D) down

2. (A) his 6. (A) playing

(B) my (B) roaring
(C) our (C) running
(D) their (D) walking

3. (A) crept 7. (A) Then

(B) dashed (B) After
(C) crashed (C) Later
(D) staggered (D) Lastly

4. (A) wait
(B) waits
(C) waited
(D) waiting
Answers : 1C 2D 3B 4D 5D 6C 7A
GUIDELINES FOR SECTION B (RATIONAL CLOZE)

Choose the best answer from the options A, B, C and D.

James looked pensive and regretful when he told us about how he had become handicapped.
He had been a young, ___1___ and normal boy. One day, while he was cycling in Falcon
Garden, a large lorry passed him. Suddenly, a chain from the lorry ___2___ his shoulder and
he was dragged for quite a distance. He was brought to a local hospital. His backbone had
been ___3___ and he started running a high temperature. The doctors tried to treat him but he
___4___ into a coma and finally became paralyzed.

Today, ___5___ being handicapped, he tries to earn a living on his own. James works for two
insurance companies, and earns at least $2,000 a month selling insurance. He does this
___6___ the phone at home.

Every day, James sits ___7___ the phone and makes calls or waits for them. When the phone
rings, it could just be a friend calling up to chat or, more likely, a business call.

1. (A) health 5. (A) due

(B) healthy (B) even
(C) healthier (C) despite
(D) healthily (D) because

2. (A) trapped 6. (A) by

(B) cracked (B) over
(C) caught (C) in
(D) stuck (D) across

3. (A) injure 7. (A) by

(B) injuries (B) on
(C) injury (C) at
(D) injured (D) up

4. (A) got
(B) slipped
(C) fainted
(D) dropped
Answers : 1B 2C 3D 4B 5C 6B 7A