CLOZE TESTS (135 questions)

Read the text and choose the correct alternative to fill in the blanks.

Cloze Test 1
At the age of 12, the Spanish musician Pablo Casals could play nearly 1. ______ instrument in the orchestra
after. The one he decided to study seriously was the cello. He was such a fine player 2. ______ by the time he
was 21 he was professor of the cello at a big music school in Barcelona. His method of playing 3. ______ by
cellists all over the world. Later he took up conducting, and showed himself to be as good a conductor as he
was a cellist. In 1939, 4. ______ the Spanish Civil War, he left Spain because he did not like the new ruler 5.
______ that country, Francisco Franco.

1. A. every B. all C. some D. most

2. A. even B. that C. the fact that D. which

3. A. copied B. was copied C. has been copied D. had been copied

4. A. when B. once C. after D. until

5. A. on B. out of C. of D. off

Cloze Test 2
It is said that the falling of an apple to the ground 1. ______ the great mathematician and scientist Sir Isaac
Newton to work out the laws of gravity. His knowledge of the laws of gravity enabled him 2. ______ how the
moon revolves around the earth, and the earth and 3. ______ planets around the sun. Newton studied light,
and discovered 4. ______ sunlight is a mixture of all the colors of the rainbow. He 5. ______ constructed the
first reflecting telescope.

1. A. was helped B. helped C. has helped D. was helping

2. A. to calculate B. to be calculated C. being calculated D. having calculated

3. A. others B. other C. another D. each other

4. A. what B. where C. that D. how

5. A. too B. either C. also D. neither

Cloze Test 3
Many large companies may be waiting anxiously for the Turkish government 1.______ a new loan deal with
the International Monetary Fund. 2.______ that is not the case for the small-and medium-sized enterprises of
the country. 3.______ many of Turkey’s leading companies 4.______ the government to reach a deal with the
International Monetary Fund, or IMF, as soon as possible, 5.______ of the country’s smaller companies are
cringing in the background.

1. A. reaching B. to be reached C. being reached D. to reach

2. A. Even though B. Moreover C. However D. On account of

3. A. However B. Although C. Due to D. In spite of

4. A. were pressuring B. are pressuring C. pressured D. was pressuring

5. A. a little B. a great deal C. some D. both

Cloze Test 4
London was the first city 1.______ a subway. Today, London has 10 lines that provide quick, cheap
transportation to 2.______ parts of the city and suburbs. This subway system is often called the tube or the
underground. Some of its subway lines are 3. ______ far that passengers go down on elevators. London’s first
underground passenger line opened in 1863, 4. ______ used steam locomotives. The first deep-level line
opened in 1890 and had electric locomotives. The first deep-level line opened in 1890 and had electric
locomotives. All subways since then 5. _______ electricity.

1. A. to having B. having C. to have D. to be having

2. A. all B. each C. every D. none

3. A. such B. as C. too D. so

4. A. when B. which C. that D. where

5. A. have been using B. used C. is using D. was using

Cloze Test 5
Throughout most of history , transportation was extremely slow and difficult. In prehistoric times, people
traveled mainly 1. ______ foot. They transported goods on their backs or heads or by 2. ______ them along
the ground. About 5000 B.C., people began to use animals to haul loads. By 3000 B.C., wagons and sailing
vessels 3. ______. The use of animals, wagons, and sailing vessels enabled people 4. ______ transport loads
farther and more easily than before. 5.______, the speed of transportation improved only slightly over the
centuries.

1. A. at B. of C. by D. on

2. A. being dragged B. to be dragged C. dragging D. to drag

3. A. have been B. had been C. had invented D. invented

invented invented
4. A. for B. to C. by D. on

5. A. Yet B. So C. Therefore D. Although

Cloze Test 6
Yoga is a term that has two meanings. It is 1. ______ a school of thought in the Hindu religion and a system
of mental and physical exercise 2. ______ by that school. Followers of the yoga school, who 3. _______ yogis
or yoginis, use yoga exercise to achieve their goal of isolation of the soul from the body and mind. Many
non-Hindus in Western countries practice some form of yoga exercise in hope of 4. ______ their health and
achieving peace of mind. The word yoga means discipline in Sanskrit, the classical language
5. ______ India.

1. A. neither B. either C. both D. not only

2. A. developing B. developed C. to develop D. to be developed

3. A. calls B. call C. are called D. are calling

4. A. improving B. to improve C. being improved D. having improved

5. A. on B. from C. at D. of
Cloze Test 7
Day care is a service 1. ______ children or dependent adults are cared for while the person who normally
cares 2. ______ them cannot do so. In the United States and Canada, women have traditionally cared for their
children and for other dependent relatives. But in recent years, more and more women 3.______ working
outside the home. 4.______ families with only one parent has also increased. 5.______ these changes, many
families no longer have an adult at home during the day, and the demand for day care has risen.

1. A. when B. why C. that D. on which

2. A. of B. for C. off D. on

3. A. began B. have begun C. was begun D. have been begun

4. A. The number of B. A number of C. A great deal of D. So many

5. A. In spite of B. Because C. However D. Because of

Cloze Test 8
People of almost 1. ______ age can enjoy hobbies. A hobby offers a way to relax after periods of hard work.
Hobbies offer broadened areas of interest and ways 2.______ the time pleasantly. Hobbies can be important
in helping patients 3. ______ from physical or mental illness because they provide distractions from the
patients’ problems. For people 4.______ are ill or bedridden, hobbies offer fascinating ways to pass the time.
Hobbies can 5. ______ be an important form or occupational therapy.

1. A. all B. some C. most D. any

2. A. to pass B. passing C. to passing D. to be passed

3. A. to be recovered B. recovering C. recover D. being recovered

4. A. whose B. that C. which D. to which

5. A. also B. both C. either D. so

Cloze Test 9
No purely capitalist or completely centrally planned economy has ever existed. The economic system of
1._______ nations use some government control and some private choice. But economies that rely mostly
2._______ private decisions are usually described as capitalist. 3.______ economies include those of the
United States and Canada. The former Soviet Union and many nations of Eastern Europe once relied heavily
upon central planning. Those economies are sometimes called socialist or communist. Many 4. ______ nations
rely 5.______ upon capitalism than the United States does but more than the Soviet Union did.

1. A. all B. every C. each D. both

2. A. up B. at C. in D. on

3. A. As B. Like C. Such D. Such as

4. A. some B. other C. another D. others

5. A. less B. much C. that D. so

Cloze Test 10
Interest is the price paid to lenders for the use of their money. Interest is figured 1.______ a percentage of the
amount of money which 2._______. For example, a borrower who is charged 12 percent interest would pay
$12 a year in interest for every $100 of the loan. Interest is based 3._______ the idea 4._______ lenders are
entitled to a return on their investment. This pays them for giving up their right to use the money for a
period of time or to make a profit in 5.______ ways.

1. A. like B. such C. as D. so

2. A. borrowed B. borrowing C. was borrowing D. was borrowed

3. A. in B. at C. on D. of

4. A. that B. how C. whose D. where

5. A. another B. the other C. others D. other

Cloze Test 11
Petroleum is one of 1.______ valuable natural resources in the world. Some people call petroleum black gold,
2.______ it may be better described as the lifeblood of industrialized countries. Fuels 3.______ from
petroleum provide power 4.______ automobiles, airplanes, factories, farm equipment, trucks, trains, and ships.
Petroleum fuels also generate heat and electricity for many houses and business places. Altogether,
petroleum provides nearly 5.______ the energy used in the world.

1. A. most B. the more C. the most D. more than

2. A. but B. so C. and D. for

3. A. to make B. made C. making D. having made

4. A. with B. beside C. behind D. for

5. A. many B. both C. a few D. half

Cloze Test 12
In August 1990, Iraq invaded Kuwait. In early 1991, the United States and other countries 1.______ Iraq in
the Persian Gulf War. 2.______ the war, Iraq fired missiles at Israel. In October 1991, peace talks began
3.______ Israel, Syria, Lebanon and a joint Jordanian-Palestinian delegation. Israel’s Labor Party gained
control of the government in June 1992 parliamentary elections. In July, Labor Party leader Yitzhak Rabin
replaced Shamir 4.______ prime minister. Rabin agreed to limit construction of new Jewish settlements in the
occupied territories as a step 5.______ a peace agreement.

1. A. were defeated B. had defeated C. defeated D. was defeating

2. A. Once B. During C. While D. By the time

3. A. between B. either C. neither D. from

4. A. like B. such C. as D. for example

5. A. back B. behind C. toward D. near

Cloze Test 13

War is any struggle in which two large groups try to destroy or conquer 1.______. Since the dawn of history,
there 2.______ many kinds of wars. Families have fought against families, tribes against tribes, followers of
one religion against followers of 3.______ religion. In modern times, wars have been fought between nations
or groups of nations. Armies and navies once were almost the only factors in 4.______ the outcome of wars.
Today, civilians must join in the war effort 5.______ it is to succeed.

1. A. others B. another C. the others D. each other

2. A. were B. had been C. have been D. has been

3. A. another B. some other C. each other D. others

4. A. to decide B. deciding C. to be decided D. to have decided

5. A. due to B. if C. in case D. as if

Cloze Test 14

Frida Kahlo (1907-1954) is one of Mexico’s 1.______ famous female artists. She did not always aspire
2.______ an artist, however. Only after a serious bus accident when she was eighteen did she begin to teach
herself to paint. Now, she is internationally respected for her self-portraits, 3.______ used brilliant colors. One
of Kahlo’s earliest supporters was her husband, Diego Rivera (1886-1957), a trained artist whose dramatic
murals are said 4.______ fresco painting in Latin America. His rurals are also noted for their bold use of color,
but 5.______ his wife’s personal portraits, his work focuses on depicting broad themes in Mexican history.

1. A. much B. so C. most D. very

2. A. to be B. being C. having been D. be

3. A. what B. whose C. that D. which

4. A. being revived B. to have revived C. to be revived D. having revived

5. A. although B. since C. because D. unlike

Cloze Test 15
The land around their village in Lesotho is rocky and the soil is poor. Julia and her husband used to work
hard in the fields but they could not produce 1.______ food to feed their family or to buy the things they
needed. Julia’s husband 2.______ to look for work in South Africa. There was no work in Lesotho because
there were 3.______ factories and businesses. Many families in Lesotho are in the same situation. 4.______
a man has a lot of land or animals, he has no choice but to leave his wife and children and get a job away
from home.
Julia’s husband manages 5.______ home and see his family about once a year but the children are growing
up fast and they 6.______ recognize their father. Their mother has to 7.______ all the family decisions. She
is the one who keeps the children in order, makes sure they do not go hungry and comforts them 8.______
they are sick or unhappy. Julia’s parents help by looking after the youngest children and doing some of the
housework, but they are 9.______weak to work in the fields now. Julia has to plough, sow, weed and harvest
the land 10.______while she waits anxiously for the next envelope containing money from her husband.
1. A. much more B. too much C. plenty D. enough

2. A. force B. was forced C. forced D. to force

3. A. so few B. such a lot of C. such little D. so many

4. A. As if B. In case C. Unless D. Provided

5. A. to get B. getting C. to getting D. get

6. A. almost B. hardly C. nearly D. occasionally

7. A. do B. have C. let D. make

8. A. when B. how C. why D. what

9. A. very B. too C. quite D. extremely

10. A. her own B. lonely C. by her D. by herself

Cloze Test 16

Food contains proteins, carbohydrates, fats and vitamins and these are vital to life. Food must be fresh when
we eat it. 1.______ it is bad, it can make us ill. There are two main agents which turn food bad; fungi
(2.______ yeast and various moulds) and bacteria. These are micro-organisms which cannot make their own
food. 3.______ they live and grow on our food. Moulds, for example, usually grow on bread. Yeast can spoil
fresh food but it also has some very useful properties. 4.______ hundreds of years people 5.______ it in the
making of bread and wine.

1. A. Even if B. Unless C. If D. As if

2. A. as B. in addition C. too D. such as

3. A. Therefore B. Besides C. Even so D. Although

4. A. For B. Since C. Though D. During

5. A. used B. have been used C. have used D. were using

Cloze Test 17

There are 1. ______ different kind of electric fish which 2.______ in the various rivers and oceans of the
world. They can generate electricity up to seven hundred volts. The most powerful electric eel lives in South
America. Its special organs can generate a very powerful electric current, 3.______ is enough 4.______ twelve
light bulbs. The eel uses this electric charge to kill its prey-mainly fish and frogs- and to keep its enemies
5.______.

1. A. a great deal of B. a number of C. a little D. too much

2. A. lives B. live C. having lived D. living

3. A. that B. who C. whose D. which

4. A. to be lit B. to light C. lighting D. to have lit

5. A. away B. in C. on D. of
Cloze Test 18

Hearing specialists used to worry 1.______ loud noise 2.______ a cause of deafness only in industrial and
military situations. They knew that eight hours of daily exposure, year in and year out, 3.______ the noise of
the proverbial boiler factory would eventually result 4.______ permanent, or irreversible, hearing loss. People
who used drills were 5.______ susceptible.

1. A. with B. over C. about D. at

2. A. as B. like C. so D. more

3. A. in B. on C. at D. to

4. A. from B. in C. out D. beyond

5. A. hardly B. rarely C. almost D. particularly

Cloze Test 19
The number of shopping malls in Istanbul rose to 226. These shopping malls and newly built residential
projects with business centers led to a surplus of demand 1.______ rental properties. And with the global
economic crisis, the number of empty rental estates increased substantially. 2.______, the opportunity to rent
without key money 3.______ a possibility. On the most popular streets, owners still require key money, but
often they are offered at a 50 percent discount. But more time is needed 4.______ tenants for real estate
5.______ require key money compared to those that do not.

1. A. on B. within C. for D. out of

2. A. As a result B. Nonetheless C. Besides D. Even so

3. A. become B. have become C. had become D. has become

4. A. to be found B. to find C. finding D. to have found

5. A. whose B. who C. in which D. that

Cloze Test 20

If your child isn’t interested in team sports, you should attempt to get to the root of the issue 1.______ force
her to join a team. Kids may not want to participate in sports for many reasons – some of them physical,
2.______ emotional. Children who feel different 3.______ their peers may feel uncomfortable. And this may
lead 4.______ self-esteem and body image problems. Fear of public embarrassment can also make some
children reluctant 5.______ team sports.

1. A. rather than B. apart from C. instead of D. on account of

2. A. another B. other C. the other D. others

3. A. at B. in C. from D. for

4. A. to B. on C. through D. in

5. A. playing B. play C. on playing D. to play

Cloze Test 21

The composition of a virus is relatively simple and its size is extremely small. It can’t even properly 1.______
an organism because it’s unable to carry 2.______ life processes outside a living cell of an animal, plant or
bacteria. 3.______ bacteria and other microorganisms, viruses remain passive in body fluids. 4.______, great
numbers of viruses may not produce a disease because they 5.______ the body’s cell.

1. A. called B. call C. be called D. calling

2. A. off B. on C. out D. about

3. A. Beside B. Moreover C. Therefore D. Unlike

4. A. Thus B. By the time C. Whereas D. Since

5. A. hadn’t invaded B. didn’t invade C.won’t be invaded D. don’t invade

Cloze Test 22

How should one invest 1.______ money in these days of high inflation? If 2.______ in a bank, it will barely
keep its value, 3.______ high the interest rate is. Only a brave man, or a very rich one, dares to buy and sell
on the Stock Market. Also, it is no good putting it in a tin under the bed. Wise investment is the art of 4.______
money increase with the passing of time, and today it seems that one of the best ways to protect your savings
and even increase your wealth 5.______ to buy beautiful objects from the past.

1. A. a dozen of B. too much C.a great number of D. a great many

2. A. leaving B. having left C. left D. leave

3. A. no matter B. however C. so much D. how

4. A. making B. to make C. make D. to be made

5. A. are B. have been C. have D. is

Cloze Test 23

The arrival of the settlers from Europe, and especially of the railroads in 1860s, signaled the start of the great
bison slaughter. Professional hunters shot the animals primarily 1.______ their tongues and hides, leaving the
carcasses to rot. 2.______, others collected the bleached bones that whitened the plains and shipped them east
for use 3.______ fertilizers. Perhaps 2.5 million bison were killed annually between 1870 and 1875 by white
hunters, and in 1883 the last significant herd, 4.______ perhaps 10,000 bison, was massacred. 5.______ the
turn of the century only about 500 plains bison remained –finally under legal protection.

1. A. on B. about C. for D. under

2. A. By the time B. For now C. While D. Later

3. A. as B. into C. of D. out

4. A. numbered B. numbering C. to number D. being numbered

5. A. On B. At C. Across D. For
Cloze Test 24

In this modern age, communication is 1.______ it is almost instant. Sometimes the speed is 2.______ rapid
that it does not allow people time 3.______. For example, leaders of countries have only minutes, or 4.______
hours, to consider all the parts of a problem. They are expected to answer immediately. 5.______ they had
days and weeks to think before making a decision.

1. A. as fast as B. just fast as C. so fast that D. even faster

2. A. such B. so C. so much D. such that

3. A. thinking B. think C. with thinking D. to think

4. A. at most B. mostly C. at the latest D. so little

5. A. While B. Since that C. All the time D. Once

Cloze Test 25

‘Romeo and Juliet’ is one of Shakespeare’s most famous plays. Although it is not considered 1.______ one of
his greatest works it is certainly one of the most popular 2.______ the public. The play revolves around the
love affair between Romeo and Juliet. 3.______ escape an arranged marriage, Juliet takes a drug which makes
her appear dead. 4.______ he finds her body, Romeo mistakenly believes she has died and kills himself in a
fit of despair. When Juliet wakes up, she discovers Romeo’s corpse and, 5.______ to live without him,
commits suicide.

1. A. to be B. having been C. is D. was

2. A. through B. to C. in D. with

3. A. so that B. in an attempt to C. although D. despite

4. A. At that time B. Later C. In spite of D. When

5. A. cannot B. for not C. unable D. used not

Cloze Test 26

Cognitive approaches to therapy assume that emotional disorders are the result 1.______ irrational beliefs or
perceptions. The mind interprets an event 2.______ scary or calming, happy or sad. The emotionally
disordered person may perceive unfavorable events as personal failures. Cognitive psychotherapists try
3.______ the patient aware of the irrationality of this perception and to substitute it 4.______ more rational
evaluations of 5.______ events.

1. A. in B. from C. of D. off

2. A. as B. with C. in D. about

3. A. making B. make C. to be making D. to make

4. A. about B. as C. between D. with

5. A. so B. such C. less D. as to

ANSWER KEY
Cloze Test 1
1-A
2-B
3-B
4-C
5-D
Cloze Test 2
1-B
2-A
3-B
4-C
5-C
Cloze Test 3
1-D
2-C
3-B
4-B
5-C

Cloze Test 4
1-C
2-A
3-D
4-B
5-A
Cloze Test 5
1-D
2-C
3-B
4-B
5-A

Cloze Test 6
1-C
2-B
3-C
4-A
5-D

Cloze Test 7
1-C
2-B
3-B
4-A
5-D
Cloze Test 8
1-D
2-A
3-C
4-B
5-A
Cloze Test 9
1-A
2-D
3-C
4-B
5-A

Close Test 10
1-C
2-D
3-C
4-A
5-D
Cloze Test 11

1- C
2- A
3- B
4- D
5- D
Cloze Test 12
1-D
2-B
3-A
4-C
5-C
Cloze Test 13
1-D
2-C
3-A
4-B
5-B
Cloze Test 14
1-C
2-A
3-D
4-B
5-D

Cloze Test 15
1-D
2-B
3-A
4-C
5-A
6-B
7-D
8-A
9-B
10-D

Cloze Test 16
1-C
2-D
3-A
4-A
5-C

Cloze Test 17
1-B
2-B
3-D
4-B
5-A

Cloze Test 18
1-C
2-A
3-D
4-A
5-D

Cloze Test 19
1- C
2-A
3-D
4-B
5-D
Cloze Test 20
1- A
2-D
3-C
4-A
5-D
Cloze Test 21
1- C
2-B
3-D
4-A
5-D
Cloze Test 22
1- B
2-C
3-B
4-A
5-D
Cloze Test 23
1- C
2-D
3-A
4-B
5-B

Cloze Test 24
1- C
2-B
3-D
4-A
5-D
Cloze Test 25
1- A
2-D
3-B
4-D
5-C
Cloze Test 26
1- C
2-A
3-D
4-C
5-B