FCE Reading & Use of English Test 7

Explanations

Part 1

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1 conscious fits best because it means aware of something, which suits the idea of checking your phone without realising.

sensitive suggests emotional awareness, not fitting.

cautious means careful, but doesn’t match without realising.

sensible means reasonable, it does not match here.

2 typically is the best choice because it means normally or usually, matching the general sense of how phone checks happen.

virtually means almost, which changes the meaning.

widely means by many people, not about time.

suitably means appropriately, not relevant here.

3 consists is correct because the phrase consists of is a fixed expression meaning is made of/contains.

composes, involves, includes are not followed by of, making them wrong grammatically or in collocation.

4 entire is right because it means whole in this context (the entire day).

complete often modifies objects and does not collocate naturally with day.

total again doesn't collocate with day.

normal doesn’t fit the meaning at all.

5 associated fits because it is the only one followed by with.

attached needs to be followed by to.

assumed means supposed, which doesn’t make sense in this context.

accompanied needs by, which is a different meaning.

6 update is correct because get a quick update on is a common, natural expression.

revision, review, upgrade don’t collocate properly with on, or don’t make sense.

7 distract fits perfectly because it means take someone’s attention away from something.

disturb means interrupt but is more about making noise or annoyance.

disrupt means interrupt a system or process, not attention.

distribute does not fit here as it means to give out.

8 obtain is correct because you obtain information. Only obtain matches get information.

capture suggests physical taking/photographic.

import is about bringing something into a country.

seize is forceful taking, not suitable here.

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Part 2

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9 on Earth is the correct fixed expression meaning on the surface of our planet. No other preposition fits this collocation.

10 as. As a result is the natural phrase meaning because or due to. Other choices like because a result or for a result don’t form the correct idiomatic phrase.

11 them Many of them were born outside Australia. Here, them refers back to people and fits naturally. These/those could also work but are less personal. The context requires a pronoun referring to the previously mentioned group.

12 to This has led to Perth becoming… uses the phrasal verb lead to meaning cause.
Other prepositions don’t fit the structure lead to + -ing.

13 spite Here, the phrase in spite of means despite to show contrast and is followed by the fact that. After in spite of and despite, we use a noun, gerund or pronoun.

14 in In particular means especially, and is the standard expression. The other options don’t form this common phrase.

15 all From all over the world means from everywhere. Other determiners like some/all parts don’t fit the set expression all over.

16 account On account of its outdoor lifestyle means because of, or due to. This matches the meaning perfectly. We can also use due to/owing to/on account of before a noun. They all mean because of.​

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Part 3

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17 products Verb to noun (plural) transformation. It refers to multiple items companies aim at schoolchildren so a plural form is needed.

18 increasingly Adjective to adverb transformation. We need a word that describes how companies advertise in schools; an adverb is required.

19 consumers Verb to noun (plural) transformation. Children as the consumers of the future suggests that a plural form is needed because of children and the definite article the before the gap hints that a noun would fit the gap.

20 loyalty Adjective to noun transformation. Noun needed after possessive adjective their.

21 manufacturers Verb to noun (plural) transformation. Plural noun follows many referring to firms supplying schools.

22 profitable Noun to adjective transformation. It describes machines being highly profitable; adjective required before noun implied and following the adverb highly.

23 disagreement Verb to noun with negative prefix transformation. Negative noun needed as suggested by the contrast connector however.

24 unhealthy Adjective to adjective with negative prefix transformation. Negative adjective required as suggested by the contrast connector but.

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Part 4

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25 any trees were left/still standing Very few is restated as hardly any. The use of any fits naturally after hardly to mean almost none. The choice between left and still standing is acceptable as both emphasize the few trees remaining after the storm.

26 how high that building In reported speech, the interrogative how is maintained to ask for the measurement. That remains unchanged as it is the demonstrative adjective identifying the building. The word order follows the structure required by an indirect question.

27 much difference between A comparison is made using not much difference, which is a standard phrase. The word between is essential to link the two items being compared.

28 say (that) he was sorry The verb say is used in the sense of offering an apology. The optional that is included for clarity but can be omitted. The verb pattern refused to say directly communicates his refusal, matching the meaning of the original sentence.

29 find (so) attractive about The verb find is used to express the attraction, and the preposition about is necessary with attractive to indicate the aspect in which the city appeals to them. The inclusion of so is optional, reflecting emphasis in the original statement.

30 to succeed in winning The structure to succeed in doing something is the standard way to express that a desired outcome is achieved. Here, the infinitive form to succeed in winning appropriately conveys the idea of managing to win the contract.

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Part 5

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31 C has been admitted to hospital
 

Alex receives a panicky 2 a.m. phone call and a tense cab ride to the hospital; this makes it clear Bernie has been taken to hospital. A & B (trouble or rumours) are not mentioned, and D (rumours) isn’t implied.

32 D to sum up the situation
 

Bernie says It all boils down to this… meaning in summary, this is the main point about his story. A, B and C are incorrect interpretations of the idiom.

33 C he said she had to cover the story in Prague
 

Gerome, Alex’s boss, insisted she go in Bernie’s place, meaning he wanted Alex to cover the conference. A, B, and D refer to instructions not in the text.

34 A She was an unemployed graduate looking for work
 

It states Alex finished her degree and was jobless and penniless at age 28, so she turned to journalism. B, C, and D are not supported: there’s no mention of salary motives, Bernie’s influence, or lifelong ambition.

35 D The contrast with how Bernie usually was
 

Seeing Bernie lying there unconscious, so still and frail, was a shock to Alex. This contrast with his usual vitality is what upsets her. A, B, and C aren’t mentioned.

36 B She was glad to be there again
 

The text states Alex loved the pastel feel of the city, the swans… and the winding cobbled streets, showing she was pleased to return. There’s no evidence for A, C or D.

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Part 6

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37 The comment wasn’t exactly reassuring, but his easy confidence was. As long as it was just jokes being cracked, maybe we’d be all right after all. Niklas, a maths teacher when having breaks from pursuing hobby, was not entirely joking about his attitude to ice. F The Swedes adopt a common-sense approach: they are cautious, they test as they go, and they use ears - as well as eyes - to check it. The fact that strong ice makes a deeper sound under one’s feet than thin ice does is a useful clue.

The previous sentence mentions Niklas’s attitude to ice, and then further explanation is given in Sentence F on how the Swedes perceive danger, how they take risks, and their approach to it.

38 Our group of beginners was feeling rather nervous as we stood at the edge of a vast frozen bay that first day. Niklas tried his best to persuade us to move forward but, like hesitating penguins on an iceberg, no-one wanted to take the first step. В Ten minutes later we laughed at our earlier caution as we slid across the smooth surface, our joy as limitless as our surroundings. ‘Look at your faces,’ shouted Niklas to the happily smiling group, racing along behind him.

This sentence describes the group's initial hesitation and subsequent enjoyment. The phrase we laughed at our earlier caution indicates that their initial nervousness was overcome, leading to a joyful experience on the ice. This fits perfectly after the description of the group's nervousness at the edge of the frozen bay.

39 Our expressions had been far less joyful the previous evening on being told that a five-hour drive would follow our flights into Sweden’s Arlanda airport. That hadn’t been the plan; but then, in the world of natural ice skating, no-one expects very much from plans. With its 100,000 lakes and continuous sub zero winter temperatures, Sweden has no shortage of ice. G This is not always suited to skating, however. For instance, too much overlying snow and you get a bumpy, uncomfortable ride; a sudden thaw and vast areas become unusable.

The preceding sentence discusses Sweden's abundance of lakes and sub-zero temperatures, which are ideal for ice skating. Sentence G introduces a contrast, indicating that not all conditions are suitable for skating, highlighting the variability in ice quality. This sets the stage for the subsequent discussion on the importance of finding perfect conditions for skating.

40 Perfect conditions must be sought out, and don’t last. A That was the reason for our unscheduled journey from one side of the country to the other. Niklas had received a message via social media about Stigfjorden, a shallow, island-studded bay around 50 kilometres north of Gothenburg on the west coast.
 

The previous sentence mentions the unpredictability of ice conditions, making it necessary to seek out perfect conditions. Sentence A explains that this quest for ideal ice conditions led to an unplanned journey across Sweden, providing context for the group's travel.

41 There we quickly discovered skating in the open air is a wonderfully leisurely activity. Push off with one skate and you can go 10 metres with ease. Two or three quick kicks at the surface and you accelerate like a top-class sprinter. E After our first session on the ice had ended, we were not surprised to be told that covering 250 kilometres in a single day is quite possible. We weren’t yet ready to skate that kind of distance, but we certainly had a wonderful sense of freedom.
 

This sentence highlights the ease and speed of skating on natural ice. The mention of covering 250 kilometres in a day emphasizes the efficiency and exhilaration of the activity, aligning with the earlier description of the group's experience on the ice.

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42 Our best day was at Vattern, one of Europe’s biggest lakes and also one of its clearest. In ideal conditions, this clarity creates a phenomenon known as ‘glass ice’. The rocky lake bottom stretched beneath us, three metres below a surface so perfect it was unseen. My tentative first steps left scratches; it felt like vandalising a classical sculpture. As my confidence grew, so did my speed. The sensation as I raced across the invisible ice was astonishing, somewhere between floating, falling and flying. Then there was a sharp noise from all around us. D At first I ignored it, but when thin cracks began to appear I thought it wise to return to solid ground. No one had to say it. We were skating on very thin ice.

The previous sentence describes the sensation of skating on glass ice, which is incredibly clear and smooth. Sentence D introduces a sudden change in the ice's condition, with the appearance of cracks, prompting the author to recognize the danger and return to solid ground. This creates a logical progression from the previous description to a cautionary conclusion.

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Part 7

43 C  mentions a football pitch in those days… near the harbour… but it’s gone now, which is a pity.

He clearly misses it from childhood.

44 E without them … unemployment among the young would be far worse,

This indicates tourism creates important local jobs.

45 D residents really should have protested about summer houses built for tourists

This expresses regret they did not oppose them.

46 C luxury yachts… have replaced the fishing boats… no sign of what used to be the main source of income

Meaning tourism destroyed fishing.

47 A When my parents were young this used to be an area of fields and woods, but now everything is covered in concrete... it’s the construction companies, property developers and estate agents who are to blame.

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The construction companies, property developers and estate agents are the tourist industry.

48 B It’s good for local people to meet visitors from other parts of the world, try new kinds of food and hear about different ways of living.

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The food and other ways of livings are about culture.

49 C people start doing things they would never think of doing… then the police have to be called.

This clearly criticises tourists’ behaviour.

50 A It can’t be denied that tourism has attracted investment, which has certainly raised living standards.

This indicates the town became wealthier.

51 E  the only ones making any real money … are big tour operators … none of whom are actually based in this country.

Therefore, the money is going to other countries.

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52 D  just a way of making people feel less guilty … by making a few insignificant changes,

This shows scepticism about its environmental benefits.

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