Cloze Exercises for the Exams
The MELAB and ECPE tests have cloze exercises. You can find a free cloze test below.
After you have finished the cloze exercises, you should take the reading comprehension test and do the vocabulary and grammar exercises.
Close Exercise
Instructions: Read the cloze passage below and place the appropriate word in the gap from the choices provided below the passage.
Running for the office of the President of the United States is exceptionally arduous and should not be undertaken by the (1) hearted. The candidates must first compete in the local primary elections. During the primary campaign, the candidate endeavors to (2) the votes of his or her constituents. Any new candidates are the opponents (3) the incumbent, the President currently in office who is running for re-election. The candidates refrain from actions that might create animosity (4) them and the public.
Rather, they attempt to appease their constituency by using promotional gimmicks and ambiguous equivocation, as well as (5) decorous protocol. The public is indeed curious about, if not (6) of, the candidate’s professional life, in addition to his or her personal life, which will be under (7) scrutiny during the campaign. Since his or her private life becomes public domain, the candidate may (8) to disclose any controversial behavior in his or her past before the press digs it up. (9) history has shown us, even a prominent politician can be revealed as a phony. A politician exhibiting scandalous behavior might even be subjected (10) censure from his political colleagues.
1) a. faint b. meek c. mild d. weak
2) a. extract b. gain c. exist d. drop
3) a. with b. by c. for d. of
4) a. by b. beside c. between d. to
5) a. observance b. observing c. appeal d. appellation
6) a. adventurous b. dangerous c. querulous d. suspicious
7) a. near b. care c. close d. front
8) a. to fit b. see fit c. look fit d. be fit
9) a. Contrary b. Despite c. As d. Where
10) a. by b. under c. to d. with
The voters must also (11) the political platform of the candidate. The platform includes the core issues (12) the candidate promises to resolve during his or her term in office. Typical campaign promises include establishing (13) to reduce bureaucratic red tape. The candidate (14) the primary election will be nominated by his or her particular political party to run (15) the final election.
After toppling the competition, the endorsed candidate is expected to (16) a nomination address at the National Convention. The audience is usually rapt and responds (17) a standing ovation. The final election (18) takes place. The winner will be (19) in as the President of the United States during the formal inauguration ceremony. This occurs in ornate surroundings, replete (20) red carpets and the official U.S. seal.
11) a. consider b. differ c. include d. solve
12) a. now b. which c. who d. whose
13) a. antecedents b. ancestors c. precedents d. predators
14) a. winning b. championing c. victorious d. triumphant
15) a. to b. for c. around d. under
16) a. begin b. give c. mention d. relate
17) a. for b. to c. with d. at
18) a. however b. will c. may d. then
19) a. brought b. taken c. sworn d. turned
20) a. to b. for c. at d. with
Cloze Exercise – Answers
1) A
2) B
3) D
4) C
5) B
6) D
7) C
8) B
9) C
10) C
11) A
12) B
13) C
14) A
15) B
16) B
17) C
18) C
19) C
20) D
11) A
12) B
13) C
14) A
15) B
16) B
17) C
18) D
19) C
20) D
What are Cloze Exercises?
The cloze test is like a gap fill exercise.
You will see a reading passage with 20 missing words.
There will be multiple choice answers to the right of the passage or below the passage.
You will have to place words into the gaps from the answer choices provided.
You must be sure that the answer you choose is grammatically correct.
How to Complete Cloze Exercises
Before you try to place any words in the gaps, you should be sure to read the entire gapped passage.
By reading the cloze text in advance, you will understand the main idea of the passage.
Reading the passage will help you to check the various sentence structures contained in the passage.
Once you have read the cloze text, you will also better understand the way that the ideas in the passage are linked together.
You may have been learning English grammar for quite some time.
So, you should think carefully about the grammar rules of the English language as you do your work.
As you complete the gaps, carefully check sentence structure.
Cloze Exercises and Grammar
English language learners need to ask questions about English grammar as they complete the cloze, such as:
What is the grammatical subject of this sentence?
Does the sentence have a verb?
On the other hand, is the missing word going in the position of the main verb?
Is there an article (a, an or the) before the gap?
If so, does the gap require a noun?
Alternatively, should the gap take an adjective?
You may also want to try our free practice test: Practice Test – Free Sample
Our instant downloads will also give you cloze practice for the MELAB and ECPE.