B2 FIRST: USE OF ENGLISH PART 1

Part 1: multiple choice gaps fill (A-D) in PDF B2 USE OF ENGLISH PART 1

The key to this part of the exam is to study word patterns and collocations (HERE). You should read the text with the gaps and think, which type of word is missing? Then look at the options and select the best word. If there is an option with two words that mean exactly the same, you know that they will be incorrect because there is only one possible answer. It is important to understand prepositions (HERE) and phrasal verbs (HERE) to pass this part of the exam. You also need to focus on what type of word they are assessing. It can be based on grammar; there is usually only 1 of the 8 gaps. Grammar is assessed with connectives, relative pronouns, quantifiers etc. The vocabulary points (usually 7 of the 8) are based on word patterns, phrasal verbs, collocations or fixed expressions. They key is to look at clues around the gaps (PREPOSITIONS, articles etc.)

Fill in the gaps with the correct option (A-D):

Rugby Football

It is not all that _____ (1) known and it may come as a surprise, but rugby is not only a sport, but also a place. The town of Rugby is situated in the picturesque county of Warwickshire. The sport actually _____ (2) its name to this quaint little town as it was here that the sport is said to have been born. The story goes that while attending Rugby school, a young chap named William Webb Ellis decided that it might be a bit of fun to _____ (3) up a football and run with it. From her the game of rugby was started in 1845. 

The sport has gone _____ (4) strength to strength since that day and has, in fact, _____ (5) into two codes. The northern version is called rugby league whereas the original is rugby union. Whilst they remain similar in nature, and to the untrained _____ (6), may actually appear to be the same sport, they do have several differences that are held in great esteem by avid fans of the two sports. Unlike football, rugby players did not turn professional until 1995 and they have wage caps to stop the sport becoming too commercialized. Due to this fact, the sport does not _____ (7) in the same revenues as football and therefore has a much more limited fan base which basically _____ (8) of ex commonwealth countries and the odd other nation. Rugby is known to be aggressive in nature and is famously said to be “a hooligans game played by gentlemen, whereas football is a gentleman’s sport played by hooligans”.

1. A. generally B. widely C. greatly D. vastly
2. A. gives B. takes C. has D. owes
3. A. take B. give C. look D. pick
4. A. on B. with C. from D. to
5. A. split B. adapted C. become D. turned
6. A. mind B. eye C. brain D. opinion
7. A. attract B. catch C. move D. bring
8. A. consists B. entails C. collects D. gathers

You must understand that this part of the answer is difficult as it depends on context. In the majority of cases, more than one answer will seem to be correct, based on its meaning alone, but we insist, ONLY ONE ANSWER IS CORRECT. Make sure you have studies fixed phrases, word patterns and phrasal verbs.