Use of English - Multiple Choice
C1
Cambridge English C1 Exam
For questions 1-8, read the text below and decide which answer (A, B, C or D) best fits each gap. Click the gaps to type your answer.
Ageing Societies
Many developed countries are having to come to (0) TERMS with the consequences of ageing populations. As birth rates fall and life expectancy rises, the proportion of older people in society continues to (1) .......... . This demographic shift places increasing pressure on healthcare systems, pension schemes and social services, all of which were originally (2) .......... for a very different population structure. One of the main concerns is the shrinking workforce. With fewer young people entering employment, governments may struggle to (3) .......... economic growth while also funding support for retired citizens. In addition, families are often no longer able to (4) .......... after elderly relatives in the way they once did, largely because family members live further apart or work longer hours. However, an ageing population should not be seen only as a burden. Older people can continue to make a valuable (5) .......... to society through voluntary work, mentoring and community involvement. The real challenge lies in adapting public policy so that people remain healthy, active and financially secure well into old age. Unless governments act now, the problem may (6) .......... beyond the control of existing institutions. What is needed is a long-term strategy aimed (7) .......... balancing economic realities with social responsibility. Only then can societies hope to (8) .......... with this change in a fair and sustainable way.
About Use of English Multiple Choice — Cambridge English C1
This is a Cambridge English C1 Use of English Multiple Choice exercise. Read the text and decide which word — A, B, C or D — best fits each of the 8 gaps.
Multiple Choice questions test your vocabulary in context: collocations, phrasal verbs, linking words and words with similar but slightly different meanings. Practising C1 exercises like this builds the instinct to choose the right option quickly in the real exam.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many questions does this C1 Multiple Choice exercise have?
It has 8 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
- Read the title and the whole text quickly to understand its general meaning before you attempt the task.
- Check the words before and after the gap.
- Choose the best option.
- When you have finished, read the text again with the words inserted to check that it makes sense.