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  • Directions for individual questions:
    In the following passage, there are blanks, each of which has been numbered. These numbers are printed below and against each, some words are suggested as options. Identify the one that fits each blank appropriately

Without doubt there is one thing (1) to all of us-we have all played a game at some time in our lives. Most of us play to relax or have fun, but for many, playing a game or a sport is a way to (2) poverty behind. In fact, in many African countries, playing a sport professionally can (3) the lives of a person’s entire family.

For example, in the small town of Bekoji, in Ethiopia (4) than a hundred boys and girls can be seen running at dawn every day. Each of these youth is (5) and serious and their coach is (6) that one of them will be a world champion. This seems like an idle (7) but it is virtually a guarantee in this small community (8) mainly farmers. Many of the fastest male and female distance runners in the world hail from this small town. A small hand painted sign which greets visitors outside Bekoji(9) “Welcome to the Village of Athletes”. Children here start running at an early age,(10) great distances to fetch water and firewood or to reach school. At the Olympics, runners from this small town are likely to win more medals than those from developed countries. It will give their families a way out of poverty

Test Name: Cloze Test-7

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Question 1
Identify the word that fits blank 1.
A
Popular
B
Accepted
C
Common
D
Alike
E
Similar
Question 1 Explanation: 
Without doubt there is one thing common to all of us. Popular will be accompanied by the preposition among. Accepted will take the preposition ‘by’, alike and similar will also not fit the structure of the sentence. The only suitable choice one is left with is ‘common’.
Question 2
Identify the word that fits blank 2.
A
leave
B
Alleviate
C
Forgot
D
Prevent
E
Reduce
Question 2 Explanation: 
Playing a game or a sport is a way to leave poverty behind. Here, leave will be accompanied with a preposition ‘behind’. Alleviate doesn’t take any preposition. The rest of the options would not fit either.
Question 3
Identify the word that fits blank 3.
A
Shift
B
Changes
C
Arrange
D
Control
E
Transform
Question 3 Explanation: 
Playing a sport professionally can transform the lives of a person's entire family. ‘Can’ will be followed by a plural verb. Had it not been ‘changes’, the option change would have been correct. That’s the only close choice. ‘Transform’ is a perfect fit.
Question 4
Identify the word that fits blank 4.
A
Larger
B
Further
C
More
D
Greater
E
Over
Question 4 Explanation: 
In Ethiopia more than a hundred boys and girls can be seen running at dawn every day. Here ‘more’ denotes quantity. Larger denotes size of an object. Further denotes distance. Similarly, Greater and over are not appropriate choices either. ‘More’ will be the correct choice.
Question 5
Identify the word that fits blank 5.
A
Performed
B
Concentrated
C
Rival
D
Focused
E
Playful
Question 5 Explanation: 
Each of these youth is focused and serious. The blank will take a positive adjective, hence focused. Performed and concentrated don’t go with what the sentence conveys. Rival has negative connotation. Playful is opposite in meaning to serious, so it is wrong.
Question 6
Identify the word that fits blank 6.
A
Confident
B
Convince
C
Optimist
D
Intended
E
Privilege
Question 6 Explanation: 
Their coach is confident that one of them will be a world champion. The coach can be ‘confident’. The rest of the words will not fit in. Had the options been convinced or optimistic, it would still have been a closer choice. Intended and privilege will not fit according to what the sentence is conveying.
Question 7
Identify the word that fits blank 7.
A
Precaution
B
Boast
C
Suspicion
D
Risk
E
Worship
Question 7 Explanation: 
This seems like an idle boast but it is virtually a guarantee in this small community (71) mainly farmers. In the sentence stated prior to this one, the coach is confident about someone from the community will be a world champion. This sentence is in the same context. So, it cannot be an idle precaution, suspicion, risk or worship.
Question 8
Identify the word that fits blank 8.
A
for
B
Existing
C
That
D
Comprising
E
Consisting
Question 8 Explanation: 
It is virtually a guarantee in this small community comprising mainly farmers. For, existing and that make the sentence structurally imperfect. Consisting would have been an option if it had been followed by a preposition ‘of’. Comprising fits the sentence well.
Question 9
Identify the word that fits blank 9.
A
wish
B
Warn
C
Inform
D
Notices
E
Reads
Question 9 Explanation: 
A small hand painted sign which greets visitors outside Bekoji reads "Welcome to the Village of Athletes". The sign cannot wish and notice. The blank will take a singular verb. So, Warn and inform will be incorrect. Reads is the correct option.
Question 10
Identify the word that fits blank 10.
A
competing
B
Covering
C
Driving
D
Measuring
E
Following
Question 10 Explanation: 
Children here start running at an early age, covering great distances to fetch water. Distance can be covered and not competed or driven. Covering goes well with the context of the sentence.
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