Use of English - Open Cloze
C1
Cambridge English C1 Exam
For questions 1-8, read the text below and think of the word which best fits each gap. Use only one word in each gap. Click the gaps to type your answer.
Oprah Winfrey’s Rise
Oprah Winfrey is widely regarded (0) AS one of the most influential figures in modern media. Born in rural Mississippi, she overcame a difficult childhood and, (1) .......... many people expected, built a career that reshaped daytime television. After starting out in local radio and news, she moved (2) .......... hosting and quickly proved she could connect with audiences in a way few presenters can. Her talk show became famous not only for celebrity interviews, but also for tackling social issues and encouraging viewers to reflect (3) .......... their own lives. Over time, the programme turned into a cultural reference point, and her name became synonymous (4) .......... empathy and frank conversation. Success, however, did not come automatically. She had to learn how to manage public attention, decide (5) .......... projects to accept, and build a business structure that would last. She later launched her own network, and (6) .......... doing so, expanded her influence beyond a single show. Her achievements have been recognised through major awards, and she is often praised for philanthropy, particularly in education. Whatever one thinks of celebrity culture, it is hard to argue (7) .......... her impact has been limited. In fact, her story shows that media power can be used (8) .......... a broader purpose.
About Use of English Open Cloze — Cambridge English C1
In this Cambridge English C1 Use of English Open Cloze exercise you read a short text and think of the one word that best fits each of the 8 gaps.
Open Cloze tests grammar and common fixed expressions — articles, prepositions, pronouns, auxiliary verbs and linking words. Only one word goes in each gap, and it is usually a small grammatical word rather than vocabulary.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many gaps are in this C1 Open Cloze exercise?
There are 8 gaps, and you must write exactly one word in each.
What kind of words go in the gaps?
Usually grammatical words: prepositions, articles, pronouns, auxiliaries, relative pronouns and parts of fixed phrases.
What is the best strategy for Open Cloze?
Read the whole text first for meaning, then look closely at the words around each gap — the answer almost always depends on the immediate grammar.
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What to do
This part consists of a short text with a series of gaps. There are no words from which to choose the answers, candidates have to think of a word which fits the gap correctly.
Errors in punctuation are ignored, although spelling must be correct.
Contractions (e.g. don’t, we’ve, won’t) count as two words. However, can’t is a contraction of cannot, which is one word.
Sometimes, there is more than one correct answer. Cambridge will always account for this and all options will be accepted. However, you should not write more than one answer.
Don't spend time in a word you don't know. Wasting time on this activity might cost you points later in the exam because you won’t have enough time to do other tasks well.
Strategy
- Read the title and the whole text so that you understand what it is about.
- Read the whole sentence in which the gap occurs, to look for clues as to what kind of word you need.
- Check the words before and after each gap and look for grammatical collocations.
- Remember you must write only one word.
- You are never required to write a contraction. If you think the answer is a contraction, it must be wrong, so think again.
- Read the whole text through once you have completed it to make sure you have not missed any connectors, plurals or negatives.