CLOZE TEST 9

My mother is immensely fond of cooking delicious dishes. Cooking is rather –1– with her. She –2– great pleasure and satisfaction in –3– a generous hostess to –4–. Serving guests –5– a variety of food –6– her great pleasure. Once some friends of mine –7– to visit us and decided to stay with us –8–the night. We were –9– at their decision. My mother –10– engaged in preparing a sumptuous –11–. She was quite eager to show her –12– in cooking. We indulged in –13–. After some time, we danced –14– the tune of music. We –15– ourselves very much. When night fell, dinner was laid on the table.

1.          A) a love     B) an obsession        C) a passion     D) intoxication
2.         A) draws        B) derives      C) obtains      D) maximize
3.         A) being         B) becoming      C) acting        D) depending
4.         A) us      B) others       C) many         D) various
5.         A) to     B) with           C) along         D) whoever
6.         A) grants       B) shows        C) lends         D) borrows
7.         A) were         B) wished       C) happened      D) tolerated
8.         A) at      B) in       C) for     D) without
9.         A) exulted      B) happy        C) excited      D) depressed
10.       A) is      B) got     C) became      D) had become
11.        A) dish         B) party          C) dinner       D) culinary
12.       A) skill        B) art       C) ability        D) knowledge
13.       A) talks          B) discussions          C) gossips      D) conversations
14.       A) in       B) to      C) with           D) wished
15.       A) delighted      B) enjoyed     C) pleased      D) amused

Answer Key

Solution with explanation

1. Option ‘C’ (a passion). PASSION = a very strong liking for something; e.g. Gardening was her great passion. To use OBSESSION will be wrong here as its meaning is a little different. We use it for something or someone that we think about all the time.

2. Option ‘B’ (derives). If you derive something such as pleasure or benefit from a person or from something, you get it from them.; e.g.

Mr Pankaj is one of those happy people who derive pleasure from helping others.

5. Option ‘B’ (with). SERVE = to provide food or drinks; e.g.

Do they serve meals in the bar?

If an indirect object (object referring to people) is there with the verb SERVE we use WITH the object; e.g.

The waiter served me with water first.

6. Option ‘B’ (shows). Use of option ‘A’ (grants) will be incorrect. GRANT = to give or  allow someone something, usually in an official way; e.g.

a) They granted her an entry visa.
b) The new government is to grant a free pardon to all political prisoners.
c) Because of a previous conviction, the judge refused to grant bail.

7. Option ‘C’ (happened). HAPPEN TO DO SOMETHING = to do something by chance; e.g.

Yesterday I happened to meet an old friend in town.

9. Option ‘C’ (excited). EXCITED = feeling very happy and enthusiastic; e.g.

The kids  were so excited on Christmas Eve it was difficult for them to get to sleep.

11. Option ‘C’ (dinner). The last sentence of the passage tells that the correct word is DINNER here. SUMPTUOUS = impressive, expensive, and of high quality

12. Option ‘A’ (skill). SKILL = an ability to do an activity or job well, especially because you have practised it

13. Option ‘C’ (gossips). You cannot use TALKS (option ‘A’) as TALKS = formal meetings, especially between political leaders, to discuss a problem and to try to  reach  an agreement; e.g.

US officials are holding talks with EU leaders over trade.

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