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Skills for English C1 study materials
Skills for English C1 study resources

Skills for English C1 practice questions

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Question 1Reading

A C1 reading passage opens: 'The committee's report was not so much a condemnation of the policy as a lament for its lost ambitions.' Which statement best captures the writer's meaning?

  1. The report treats the policy and its ambitions as entirely separate matters.
  2. The report defends the policy by arguing that its ambitions were unrealistic.
  3. The report denounces the policy and dismisses its original aims as irrelevant.
  4. The report criticises the policy more for its abandoned hopes than for its substance. Correct answer.

Explanation

The construction 'not so much X as Y' shifts emphasis from X to Y, so the report's dominant tone is regret over squandered aims rather than outright attack. The comparison is a matter of degree and emphasis, not a complete separation of policy and ambition.

Question 2Reading

In a C1 article, the writer says: 'Far from settling the debate, the new evidence has simply moved it onto less familiar ground.' What does the writer imply about the new evidence?

  1. It has resolved the dispute by introducing fresh data.
  2. It has failed to end the dispute and has shifted its terms instead. Correct answer.
  3. It has confirmed the position that was previously dominant.
  4. It has made the dispute impossible to discuss intelligently.

Explanation

'Far from settling' signals that the expected resolution did not occur, and 'moved it onto less familiar ground' shows the argument continues on new terrain. The overall implication is continuation, not closure.

Question 3Reading

A review states: 'The novelist's prose is spare to the point of austerity; every adjective feels like a concession.' Which reading of the reviewer's attitude is most defensible?

  1. The reviewer finds the style inconsistent and poorly controlled.
  2. The reviewer finds the style needlessly ornate and cluttered.
  3. The reviewer finds the style admirably restrained and precise.
  4. The reviewer finds the style emotionally cold but acknowledges its discipline. Correct answer.

Explanation

Calling the prose 'spare to the point of austerity' with adjectives treated as 'concessions' conveys tight discipline alongside a sense of severity or coldness. The phrase registers admiration for control while noting emotional starkness.

Question 4Reading

A passage reads: 'Had the funding been released a year earlier, the trial might have produced usable results.' What does the writer suggest about the trial's outcome?

  1. The trial has not yet begun because funding is still pending.
  2. The trial's results were unusable, and earlier funding could have changed that. Correct answer.
  3. The trial did produce usable results despite the delay.
  4. The trial would have failed regardless of when funding arrived.

Explanation

The third conditional 'had... been released... might have produced' describes a counterfactual, implying the actual results were not usable and that timing was a contributing cause. It does not assert that results were achieved.

Question 5Reading

Which sentence uses the cohesive device correctly to signal a contrast between two clauses in a C1 academic paragraph?

  1. The sample was small; moreover, the findings were treated as definitive.
  2. The sample was small; nevertheless, the findings were treated as definitive. Correct answer.
  3. The sample was small; similarly, the findings were treated as definitive.
  4. The sample was small; therefore, the findings were treated as definitive.

Explanation

'Nevertheless' marks concession or contrast, which fits the tension between a small sample and definitive treatment of results. The other connectives express cause, addition or similarity, none of which matches the logical relation.

Question 6Reading

A text says: 'Critics who dismiss the theory as unfalsifiable have, for the most part, not troubled to test it.' What is the writer doing here?

  1. Agreeing that critics have good grounds for dismissal.
  2. Challenging the critics' credibility by questioning their effort. Correct answer.
  3. Conceding that the theory cannot be tested at all.
  4. Explaining the technical meaning of falsifiability.

Explanation

By noting that critics have 'not troubled to test it', the writer implies their dismissal rests on insufficient effort, undermining their authority. This is an implicit attack on the critics rather than a concession.

Question 7Reading

Which option best restates the meaning of: 'The proposal was welcomed in principle, but its funding remained, at best, aspirational.'

  1. People supported both the idea and the funding arrangements.
  2. People rejected the idea because the funding had already been secured.
  3. People supported the idea, though the money to pay for it was far from assured. Correct answer.
  4. People were indifferent to the idea and to how it would be funded.

Explanation

'Welcomed in principle' means the idea itself was approved, while 'at best, aspirational' indicates the funding was hoped for rather than guaranteed. The paraphrase must preserve both the approval and the financial uncertainty.

Question 8Reading

In a C1 argumentative text, the phrase 'It would be naive to suppose that regulators alone can solve the problem' functions mainly to:

  1. state a concession that the writer then builds on to widen responsibility. Correct answer.
  2. assert that regulators are entirely responsible for the problem.
  3. introduce a factual statistic about regulatory bodies.
  4. summarise the argument that has already been made.

Explanation

The construction concedes a tempting but simplistic view in order to reject it and open the way for a broader claim about shared responsibility. It is a rhetorical move that sets up the writer's position rather than concluding it.

Question 9Reading

A passage states: 'The museum's decision to return the artefacts was described by its director as a gesture of goodwill, though the timing, weeks before the audit, invited other readings.' What does the writer suggest?

  1. The director's explanation is the only plausible one.
  2. The artefacts were returned against the director's wishes.
  3. The timing makes the stated motive seem questionable. Correct answer.
  4. The audit was cancelled because of the return.

Explanation

The concessive 'though' clause, combined with 'invited other readings', signals scepticism about the stated goodwill motive. The proximity to the audit implies observers may suspect a more strategic reason.

Question 10Reading

Which sentence correctly uses a participle clause to show that one action happened before another in a C1 narrative?

  1. Reviewing the data, the team revised its conclusions.
  2. To review the data, the team revised its conclusions.
  3. Having reviewed the data, the team revised its conclusions. Correct answer.
  4. Reviewed the data, the team revised its conclusions.

Explanation

A perfect participle clause ('Having reviewed') establishes that the review was completed before the revision. This is the standard structure for expressing a prior action in formal writing.

Question 11Reading

A text describes a policy as having 'unintended consequences that its architects now scramble to contain'. The word 'architects' is used here to mean:

  1. officials who are now cleaning up after the policy.
  2. people who physically designed buildings for the policy.
  3. critics who opposed the policy from the start.
  4. the original designers or creators of the policy. Correct answer.

Explanation

In this figurative context, 'architects' refers to those who devised the policy, drawing on the metaphor of designing a structure. The surrounding phrase 'now scramble to contain' shows they are the originators dealing with fallout.

Question 12Reading

Read: 'The study's conclusions are bold; its methodology, however, is anything but.' What does the second clause indicate?

  1. The methodology has not yet been described.
  2. The methodology is weak or unimpressive. Correct answer.
  3. The methodology is more important than the conclusions.
  4. The methodology is as bold as the conclusions.

Explanation

'Anything but' is an emphatic negation, so 'anything but [bold]' means the methodology is decidedly not bold, implying weakness. The contrast with 'bold conclusions' makes the criticism pointed.

Question 13Reading

Which option best explains the function of the sentence 'This is not to say that regulation is unnecessary' within an argument?

  1. It qualifies the preceding claim to prevent it being read as an extreme position. Correct answer.
  2. It introduces the main thesis of the whole passage.
  3. It provides evidence supporting the previous sentence.
  4. It marks a complete change of topic in the text.

Explanation

The formula 'This is not to say that...' is a qualifier that guards against overgeneralisation, clarifying the limits of the preceding point. It refines rather than replaces the argument.

Question 14Reading

A review says a film 'never quite earns its final act, which arrives as a resolution we have not been prepared for'. What criticism is being made?

  1. The ending is too long and drawn out.
  2. The final act is the strongest part of the film.
  3. The film has no clear ending at all.
  4. The ending feels unearned because it lacks adequate setup. Correct answer.

Explanation

'Never quite earns' and 'not been prepared for' together indicate that the resolution feels unjustified given what came before. The fault lies in insufficient groundwork, not in length or absence.

Question 15Reading

In the sentence 'The reforms, however well intentioned, have left the poorest households worse off', what is the effect of the parenthetical phrase?

  1. It denies that the reforms had any intention behind them.
  2. It suggests the reforms were poorly designed from the outset.
  3. It claims the reforms benefited the poorest households.
  4. It concedes a positive motive while insisting on a negative outcome. Correct answer.

Explanation

The concessive parenthesis grants good intentions, which sharpens the contrast with the damaging result that follows. The writer accepts the motive but disputes the outcome.

Question 16Reading

A text observes: 'Where earlier generations saw wilderness as something to be conquered, the current consensus treats it as something to be managed.' The writer is mainly contrasting:

  1. two methods of farming marginal land.
  2. the views of scientists and the views of the public.
  3. the cost of conquering wilderness versus managing it.
  4. two historical attitudes toward the natural environment. Correct answer.

Explanation

The 'where... the current consensus' structure sets up a contrast between past and present attitudes to wilderness. The shift from 'conquered' to 'managed' is about outlook, not cost or farming.

Question 17Reading

Which sentence uses 'while' correctly to express concession in a C1 text?

  1. While the data are incomplete, please close the window.
  2. While the data are incomplete, they point clearly in one direction. Correct answer.
  3. While the data are incomplete, the data are incomplete.
  4. While the data are incomplete, the printer jammed again.

Explanation

Concessive 'while' introduces a clause that contrasts with the main clause, as when incomplete data nonetheless support a conclusion. The other sentences pair unrelated or tautological ideas, breaking the contrastive logic.

Question 18Reading

A passage notes: 'The author's fondness for digression, which some readers find charming, will try the patience of those who expect a linear argument.' The writer's own position is best described as:

  1. strongly opposed to the author's style throughout.
  2. even-handed, noting that the same feature divides readers. Correct answer.
  3. unreservedly enthusiastic about the digressions.
  4. uncertain about what the book is actually about.

Explanation

The writer presents two responses to the digressions without committing to either, which is a balanced stance. The 'some... those who' contrast signals even-handed reporting of divided opinion.

Question 19Reading

What does the word 'tenuous' most nearly mean in the sentence 'The link between the two findings remains tenuous'?

  1. Firmly established
  2. Deliberately concealed
  3. Widely celebrated
  4. Weak and easily challenged Correct answer.

Explanation

'Tenuous' describes something slight or insubstantial, so a tenuous link is a weak one that could easily be disputed. It carries no sense of secrecy or celebration.

Question 20Reading

A text says: 'The charity's appeals, however heartfelt, have fallen on deaf ears in government.' What does the idiom 'fallen on deaf ears' convey here?

  1. The appeals were ignored by those in power. Correct answer.
  2. The appeals were heard but misunderstood.
  3. The appeals were warmly received.
  4. The appeals were physically inaudible.

Explanation

'Fall on deaf ears' means to be ignored or go unheeded, which fits the claim that government has not responded. It is figurative, not a comment on audibility.

Question 21Reading

In an academic passage, 'the researchers' claims outstrip their evidence' means that the researchers:

  1. have gathered more evidence than they can analyse.
  2. have drawn conclusions stronger than their data can support. Correct answer.
  3. have refused to make any claims at all.
  4. have published their evidence before their claims.

Explanation

'Outstrip' means to go beyond, so claims that outstrip evidence exceed what the data justify. The phrase criticises overreach rather than abundance of data.

Question 22Reading

A paragraph begins: 'Admittedly, the scheme has cut waiting times. Yet its costs have spiralled, and its benefits are unevenly distributed.' What is the paragraph's overall stance?

  1. Neutral, simply listing facts without evaluation.
  2. Confused, presenting contradictory information.
  3. Broadly supportive, with minor reservations.
  4. Critical, granting one benefit before stressing serious drawbacks. Correct answer.

Explanation

The concession 'admittedly' grants a single benefit, but 'yet' pivots to costs and unequal distribution, making the stance predominantly critical. The structure is balanced but weighted against the scheme.

Question 23Reading

Which sentence uses 'given that' correctly to introduce a premise in a C1 argument?

  1. Given that funding is limited, the project must be scaled back. Correct answer.
  2. Given that funding is limited, the weather turned cold.
  3. Given that funding is limited, please sign the form below.
  4. Given that funding is limited, it is limited given the funding.

Explanation

'Given that' introduces an accepted premise from which a logical conclusion follows, as when limited funding leads to a scaled-back project. The other sentences pair the premise with unrelated or circular content.

Question 24Reading

A text remarks: 'The biography is meticulously researched, yet it somehow never brings its subject to life.' The reviewer's judgement is that the book is:

  1. neither researched nor engaging.
  2. both thoroughly researched and vividly written.
  3. poorly researched but vividly written.
  4. well researched but ultimately lifeless. Correct answer.

Explanation

The 'yet' clause contrasts thorough research with a failure to animate the subject, producing a mixed but finally critical verdict. The praise concerns research, the fault concerns vitality.

Question 25Reading

What is the function of the word 'arguably' in 'This is arguably the most important ruling of the decade'?

  1. It asserts the claim as an established fact.
  2. It denies the importance of the ruling.
  3. It hedges the claim, presenting it as open to debate. Correct answer.
  4. It introduces a quotation from a judge.

Explanation

'Arguably' signals that a claim can be defended but is not beyond dispute, softening the assertion. It is a hedging device common in evaluative academic prose.

Question 26Reading

A C1 reading passage contains the sentence: 'Far from settling the dispute, the tribunal's ruling has merely shifted it to a new arena.' What does the sentence imply about the ruling?

  1. It resolved the disagreement in a lasting way.
  2. It was ignored by both parties to the dispute.
  3. It intensified rather than resolved the disagreement. Correct answer.
  4. It addressed a matter unrelated to the dispute.

Explanation

The construction 'far from X, it has merely Y' signals that the outcome is the opposite of what X would suggest. Here the ruling is said to have relocated the dispute rather than ended it, so it aggravated the conflict. Recognising this contrastive frame is essential for inference questions at C1.

Question 27Reading

In a C1 academic text, the writer states: 'The data, such as they are, hardly warrant so sweeping a conclusion.' What is the writer's attitude towards the conclusion?

  1. Confident that the data confirm the claim
  2. Neutral about how the data were gathered
  3. Strongly sceptical of its evidential basis Correct answer.
  4. Cautiously supportive of its broad scope

Explanation

The parenthetical 'such as they are' is a dismissive aside questioning the quality of the data, and 'hardly warrant' denies that they justify the conclusion. Together these express scepticism about the evidence behind the claim. The phrase is evaluative, not neutral.

Question 28Reading

A passage reads: 'The novelist's later work is often dismissed as self-indulgent, a charge that says more about the critics' impatience than about the books themselves.' What does the writer suggest about the critics?

  1. Their judgement reflects their own haste rather than the novels' faults. Correct answer.
  2. They object to the novels' excessive length alone.
  3. They have carefully analysed the later novels.
  4. They prefer the novelist's earlier books for stylistic reasons.

Explanation

The comparative 'says more about... than about...' redirects the criticism from the books onto the critics. The writer implies that the label 'self-indulgent' reveals the critics' impatience rather than any genuine defect in the novels. This is a classic rhetorical move of deflecting a charge.

Question 29Reading

Which option best explains the function of the phrase 'if anything' in: 'The second edition is no clearer than the first; if anything, it is more opaque'?

  1. It indicates uncertainty about whether the comparison is valid.
  2. It signals that the following statement strengthens the preceding negative comparison. Correct answer.
  3. It marks the following clause as a hypothetical condition.
  4. It introduces a concession that weakens the main claim.

Explanation

'If anything' is used to intensify or extend a preceding statement, often a negative one, by suggesting the reality is even more extreme. Here it strengthens the claim that the second edition is unclear by asserting it is actually more opaque. It is not conditional or concessive in this use.

Question 30Reading

A text says of a reform: 'Its architects have since distanced themselves from the very measures they once championed.' What does this reveal about the reformers?

  1. They were never genuinely involved in designing the reform.
  2. They have quietly expanded the scope of the original measures.
  3. They continue to defend the reform with renewed vigour.
  4. They now publicly disown policies they previously promoted. Correct answer.

Explanation

'Distanced themselves from' means to disassociate or withdraw support, and 'once championed' contrasts their past advocacy with their present retreat. The sentence therefore shows them disowning measures they had promoted. The perfect aspect 'have since' marks the change over time.

Question 31Reading

In a C1 opinion piece, the sentence 'To lay the blame solely at the door of social media is to mistake a symptom for a cause' performs which function?

  1. It offers statistical evidence about social media use.
  2. It calls for stricter regulation of social media platforms.
  3. It rejects a single-cause explanation as a misdiagnosis. Correct answer.
  4. It concedes that social media is the main cause of the problem.

Explanation

The 'to do X is to do Y' construction equates blaming social media with mistaking a symptom for a cause, which is a misdiagnosis. The writer thus rejects the single-cause account without offering statistics. The infinitive frame is a common device for reframing an argument.

Question 32Reading

A review comments: 'The production's staging is inventive to the point of distraction.' What does the reviewer mean?

  1. The staging is inventive but ultimately rather dull.
  2. The staging is so inventive that it diverts attention from the play. Correct answer.
  3. The staging distracts the audience because it is poorly executed.
  4. The staging is conventional and unobtrusive.

Explanation

The phrase 'to the point of' indicates that a quality has been carried so far that it produces a negative side effect. Here the inventiveness is so pronounced that it becomes a distraction. The staging is still inventive; the problem is its excess, not its execution.

Question 33Reading

Which option best captures the meaning of 'The committee's report stops short of recommending a ban'?

  1. The report avoids going as far as recommending a ban. Correct answer.
  2. The report recommends a ban in cautious terms.
  3. The report refuses to discuss the question of a ban.
  4. The report goes beyond what was asked of it.

Explanation

'Stop short of doing X' means to come close to but not actually do X. The report therefore approaches but does not reach a recommendation for a ban. It may well discuss a ban; it simply does not recommend one.

Question 34Reading

A passage describes a theory as 'at once elegant and empirically threadbare'. What does the writer convey?

  1. The theory is elegant but lacks solid evidence. Correct answer.
  2. The theory is complicated but strongly evidenced.
  3. The theory is elegant and well supported by data.
  4. The theory is neither elegant nor evidence-based.

Explanation

'At once' means simultaneously, and 'threadbare' describes something worn thin, here applied metaphorically to evidence that is thin or lacking. The writer therefore grants elegance while denying empirical support. The two adjectives pull in opposite directions.

Question 35Reading

In a C1 text, the phrase 'for all its much-vaunted transparency' in 'For all its much-vaunted transparency, the process remains opaque to outsiders' signals what?

  1. That the transparency is genuine and widely praised
  2. That the transparency, though praised, does not prevent the process being opaque Correct answer.
  3. That outsiders have failed to understand a transparent process
  4. That the process is transparent to insiders but not outsiders

Explanation

'For all X' is a concessive structure meaning 'despite X'. The writer concedes that transparency is much-vaunted, i.e. much praised, but asserts that the process is still opaque to outsiders. The irony is that the praised quality does not deliver in practice.

Question 36Reading

A text observes: 'Scarcely had the policy been announced when its critics were already drafting amendments.' What is the effect of the inverted 'scarcely had... when' structure?

  1. It indicates the policy was announced only after much delay.
  2. It emphasises how quickly the criticism followed the announcement. Correct answer.
  3. It suggests the criticism had begun before the announcement.
  4. It implies the critics were unprepared for the announcement.

Explanation

'Scarcely had X when Y' with inversion means that Y happened almost immediately after X, and the fronted negative adverb adds emphasis. The effect is to stress the speed of the critical response. The criticism follows the announcement, not precedes it.

Question 37Reading

Which option best restates the meaning of 'Notwithstanding its modest budget, the film achieves a remarkable visual coherence'?

  1. The film's visual coherence is remarkable given its modest budget. Correct answer.
  2. The film's modest budget prevents it from achieving visual coherence.
  3. The film is remarkable despite having no visual coherence.
  4. The film achieves visual coherence because of its modest budget.

Explanation

'Notwithstanding X' means 'in spite of X', so the sentence praises the film's coherence while noting the limiting factor of a small budget. The restatement must preserve both the concession and the achievement. Only one option keeps both elements intact.

Question 38Reading

A paragraph ends: 'Whether such measures will prove sufficient is, of course, a moot point.' What does the writer indicate about the measures' sufficiency?

  1. It has been proven sufficient by recent events.
  2. It is irrelevant to the argument being made.
  3. It is settled and no longer debated.
  4. It is a matter of open debate or doubt. Correct answer.

Explanation

In British and general academic usage 'a moot point' is a matter that remains open to debate or is doubtful. The hedging 'of course' frames this as an acknowledged uncertainty rather than a settled conclusion. The phrase does not mean irrelevant.

Question 39Reading

Which option best explains why a C1 writer might use the passive in 'Mistakes were made at every level of the organisation'?

  1. To create a more informal and conversational tone
  2. To avoid attributing responsibility to identifiable individuals Correct answer.
  3. To emphasise the competence of the organisation's leadership
  4. To specify precisely who was responsible for each mistake

Explanation

The agentless passive omits who performed the action, which in institutional contexts often serves to diffuse or evade responsibility. The writer reports that mistakes occurred without naming those accountable. This is a well-known function of the passive in political and corporate discourse.

Question 40Reading

A passage states: 'The report's recommendations are radical in form but conservative in substance.' What does this contrast suggest?

  1. The recommendations are both radical and conservative throughout.
  2. The recommendations are bold in presentation yet cautious in effect. Correct answer.
  3. The recommendations are cautious in presentation yet bold in effect.
  4. The recommendations are neither radical nor conservative.

Explanation

'Form' refers to how something is presented, while 'substance' refers to its actual content or effect. The sentence therefore contrasts a bold presentation with a cautious underlying effect. Reading the two halves against each other is the key skill here.

Question 41Reading

In a C1 text, 'The minister's statement was economical with the truth' most nearly means that the statement was:

  1. brief and to the point
  2. misleading by omission Correct answer.
  3. financially focused
  4. carefully fact-checked

Explanation

'Economical with the truth' is an established euphemism for being misleading, typically by withholding information rather than stating outright falsehoods. It is not a compliment about brevity. Recognising such euphemisms is important for interpreting tone.

Question 42Reading

A text reads: 'Had the authors consulted the earlier literature, they might have avoided retracing ground already well covered.' What does the writer imply?

  1. The authors consulted the literature but chose to ignore it.
  2. The authors consulted too much literature and lost focus.
  3. The authors' work is entirely original and well grounded.
  4. The authors failed to consult the literature and duplicated existing work. Correct answer.

Explanation

The third conditional with inversion ('Had they... they might have...') describes an unreal past condition whose opposite actually happened. So the authors did not consult the literature and consequently repeated work already done. The implication is criticism of their scholarship.

Question 43Reading

Which option best describes the function of 'Admittedly' at the start of a sentence in a C1 argument?

  1. It marks a conclusion drawn from the preceding paragraph.
  2. It introduces a point the writer concedes to the opposing view. Correct answer.
  3. It signals the writer's strongest piece of supporting evidence.
  4. It introduces a digression unrelated to the main argument.

Explanation

'Admittedly' is a concessive marker that acknowledges a point favourable to the other side before the writer returns to their own position. It typically precedes a counterargument or a rebuttal. It does not introduce evidence for the writer's own case.

Question 44Reading

A text says: 'The scheme was rolled out at breakneck speed, with predictable results.' What does 'with predictable results' imply?

  1. The outcome was exactly the kind of failure one would expect. Correct answer.
  2. The results were formally predicted by analysts.
  3. The results could not have been foreseen.
  4. The results were surprisingly positive.

Explanation

'With predictable results' is an ironic comment meaning the outcome was the foreseeable consequence of haste, usually a bad one. The phrase implies that anyone could have anticipated the failure. It is evaluative rather than a literal reference to forecasts.

Question 45Reading

In the sentence 'The proposal, while attractive on paper, would be unworkable in practice', what is the role of 'while'?

  1. It states a cause-and-effect relationship.
  2. It introduces a condition.
  3. It introduces a contrast or concession. Correct answer.
  4. It indicates simultaneous time.

Explanation

Here 'while' functions as a concessive conjunction equivalent to 'although', contrasting theoretical appeal with practical difficulty. It does not refer to time or cause. Distinguishing concessive 'while' from temporal 'while' is a key C1 reading skill.

Question 46Reading

A passage remarks: 'The evidence, far from being conclusive, is at best suggestive.' What does the writer conclude about the evidence?

  1. It is entirely irrelevant to the case.
  2. It offers only a hint of support. Correct answer.
  3. It proves the case decisively.
  4. It is conclusive in some respects but not others.

Explanation

'Far from being conclusive' denies conclusiveness, and 'at best suggestive' sets an upper limit of merely hinting at a conclusion. The writer therefore regards the evidence as weakly supportive. The phrase 'at best' caps the strength of the claim.

Question 47Reading

Which option best explains the effect of the short final sentence 'The results were never published.' at the end of a paragraph describing a flawed study?

  1. It delivers a blunt concluding point that heightens suspicion about the study. Correct answer.
  2. It introduces a new topic for the following paragraph.
  3. It provides a neutral logistical detail with no evaluative force.
  4. It softens the criticism made earlier in the paragraph.

Explanation

A short declarative sentence placed after longer, more qualified sentences creates emphasis through brevity. Coming after a description of flaws, the bare statement implies concealment and heightens suspicion. Writers use such clipped sentences to land a point.

Question 48Reading

In a C1 text, 'The author wears her learning lightly' means that the author:

  1. displays erudition without making it burdensome for the reader Correct answer.
  2. has written a short and simple book
  3. treats serious subjects in a trivial way
  4. avoids any display of knowledge

Explanation

To 'wear something lightly' is to carry it with ease and without ostentation. Applied to learning, it praises an author who is clearly erudite but wears that erudition gracefully rather than showing off. The phrase is a compliment about style.

Question 49Reading

A passage states: 'The novel's structure is deliberately fractured, mirroring the protagonist's disintegrating memory.' What is the function of 'mirroring' here?

  1. It criticises the novel for being disorganised.
  2. It introduces a contrast between form and content.
  3. It explains that the structure reflects the character's mental state. Correct answer.
  4. It describes the physical setting of the story.

Explanation

'Mirroring' introduces a relationship in which the narrative form reflects or parallels the protagonist's condition. The fragmented structure is thus presented as purposeful, echoing the character's failing memory. The participle clause explains rather than criticises.

Question 50Reading

A text comments: 'The charity's campaign was a victim of its own success.' What does this mean?

  1. The charity's success was achieved at the expense of the campaign.
  2. The campaign was ignored despite the charity's reputation.
  3. The campaign succeeded so well that it created problems for the charity. Correct answer.
  4. The campaign failed because it was poorly designed.

Explanation

To be 'a victim of its own success' means that the very success of something caused difficulties, for example overwhelming demand or raised expectations. The phrase presupposes that the campaign succeeded. It does not describe failure through poor design.