Use of English PRO

Six Degrees of Connection

Many people enjoy the idea that the world is (0) SMALLER than it seems. This is the main point of the “six degrees” theory, which says that any two people can be connected through a short chain of friends. In other words, you might not know a famous actor personally, but you could know someone who knows someone who knows them. The theory became popular after a game where players tried to (1) .......... actors to a particular star by naming films and co-stars. Today, social media makes this even easier, because we can (2) .......... in touch with people from school, work, or holidays. However, the theory does not mean you can meet anyone (3) .......... you want. It only suggests that there may be a path of connections between you and them. Also, some connections are stronger than others: you might (4) .......... on a close friend, but you may only (5) .......... an old classmate once a year. Still, it is a fun way to think about how relationships (6) .......... our lives together.

About Use of English Multiple Choice — Cambridge English B1

This is a Cambridge English B1 Use of English Multiple Choice exercise. Read the text and decide which word — A, B, C or D — best fits each of the 6 gaps.

Multiple Choice questions test your vocabulary in context: collocations, phrasal verbs, linking words and words with similar but slightly different meanings. Practising B1 exercises like this builds the instinct to choose the right option quickly in the real exam.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many questions does this B1 Multiple Choice exercise have?

It has 6 gaps, and each gap gives you four options (A–D) to choose from.

What does Cambridge Use of English Multiple Choice test?

It focuses on vocabulary in context — collocations, phrasal verbs, fixed phrases and words that look similar but are not interchangeable.

How can I get better at Multiple Choice?

Read widely, learn words together with the words they combine with, and always read the whole sentence — including the words after the gap — before choosing your answer.

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What to do

In this part, you read a text with eight gaps and choose the best word from four options to fit each gap.

Nothing prepares you for this test better than reading.

Read a lot. Candidates who often read in English (for work, for fun) find this part of the test manageable, while those who never read tend to find it very hard.

If you are 100% sure that two of the 4 choices are completely identical, then neither can be the answer. There is always only one word that fits grammatically and has the right meaning.

Usually the correct option will be part of a fixed phrase or collocation, a phrasal verb, a connector or the only word that fits grammatically in the gap.

Strategy

  1. Read the title and the whole text quickly to understand its general meaning before you attempt the task.
  2. Check the words before and after the gap.
  3. Choose the best option.
  4. When you have finished, read the text again with the words inserted to check that it makes sense.