Gaokao Exam English 'Cloze' Test 2 — Questions and Answers

Question 1: In a Gaokao cloze passage, the blank reads: 'She had always been _____ of her younger brother, often helping him with his homework.' Which word best fits the blank?

protective (Correct answer)
jealous
critical
dismissive

Correct answer: protective

'Protective' fits the context: she helped her younger brother with homework, indicating a caring, protective attitude. The other options contradict the helping behavior described.

Cloze test items require both vocabulary knowledge and contextual reasoning. The clause 'often helping him with his homework' is a result of the attitude in the blank — she helps because she is protective of him. 'Jealous' and 'critical' would lead to negative behaviors, not helping. 'Dismissive' means not caring. 'Protective' (保护的/爱护的) correctly describes a caring sibling who looks out for and assists a younger brother.

Question 2: Choose the word that best completes this cloze sentence: 'The scientist's discovery was so _____ that it completely changed our understanding of the universe.'

groundbreaking (Correct answer)
ordinary
controversial
gradual

Correct answer: groundbreaking

'Groundbreaking' means pioneering or revolutionary, perfectly matching the consequence of completely changing our understanding. The sentence requires a strongly positive, transformative word.

The key signal is 'completely changed our understanding' — a total transformation suggests something revolutionary. 'Groundbreaking' (突破性的/开创性的) means pioneering and innovative, appropriately describing a discovery with such a transformative impact. 'Ordinary' is an antonym. 'Controversial' means disputed, not necessarily transformative. 'Gradual' refers to pace, not significance. In Gaokao cloze tests, adjective choices often require matching the intensity of surrounding context.

Question 3: Fill in the blank: 'After years of practicing, the young musician finally _____ the confidence to perform on stage.'

gained (Correct answer)
lost
required
avoided

Correct answer: gained

'Gained' means obtained or developed, which logically follows years of practice leading to increased confidence for performing.

The sentence structure 'After years of practicing... finally _____ the confidence' indicates that the confidence was earned through effort over time. 'Gained' (获得/增强了) means acquired or developed, correctly capturing this progression. 'Lost' is the opposite. 'Required' means needed (something external), not developed internally. 'Avoided' means stayed away from, which contradicts performing on stage. This type of collocation question ('gain confidence') tests common English verb-noun pairs.

Question 4: In the cloze passage, which transition word best fits: 'She studied hard for the exam; _____, she still did not pass.'

however (Correct answer)
therefore
moreover
meanwhile

Correct answer: however

'However' introduces a contrast — studying hard is expected to lead to passing, but the outcome was the opposite. This is a concessive/adversative relationship.

The relationship between the two clauses is adversative (concessive contrast): hard study does not lead to the expected outcome of passing. 'However' (然而/但是) signals this contrast. 'Therefore' (因此) would be used if studying led to passing — here it's the opposite. 'Moreover' (此外) adds information without contrast. 'Meanwhile' (与此同时) indicates simultaneous events. Identifying logical relationships between clauses is a core Gaokao cloze and reading comprehension skill.

Question 5: Choose the correct preposition: 'The new policy will have a significant impact _____ the local economy.'

on (Correct answer)
to
for
at

Correct answer: on

The correct collocation is 'impact on' — 'have an impact on something' is standard English usage.

In English, 'impact' collocates with the preposition 'on': 'have an impact on,' 'the impact on the environment,' etc. This is a fixed collocation that must be memorized. 'Impact to' and 'impact at' are grammatically incorrect. While 'impact for' occasionally appears in informal speech, the standard academic and written form uses 'on.' Collocation questions — testing which prepositions or words naturally go together — form an important part of the Gaokao English paper, including cloze and grammar-use sections.

Question 6: Which word correctly completes the cloze: 'The charity relies entirely on _____ from the public to fund its programs.'

donations (Correct answer)
demands
criticisms
competitions

Correct answer: donations

'Donations' are voluntary financial contributions from the public, which charities depend on. The context ('relies entirely on... from the public') clearly indicates funding through giving.

'Donations' (捐款/捐赠) are voluntary gifts of money or goods, which is exactly what a charity would rely on from the public to fund its programs. 'Demands' are requests or requirements — the opposite of voluntary giving. 'Criticisms' are negative feedback, irrelevant to funding. 'Competitions' are contests, not funding sources. This item tests vocabulary in context and the candidate's understanding of how charities operate, a common topic in Gaokao English reading and cloze passages.

Gaokao Exam English 'Cloze' Test 2

In a Gaokao cloze passage, the blank reads: 'She had always been _____ of her younger brother, often helping him with his homework.' Which word best fits the blank?