FCE Open Cloze

For questions 1-8, read the text below and think of the word which fits each gap. Use only one word in each gap. EXAM DESCRIPTION

Cats

Cats of all kinds are present in the legends, religion, mythology, and history of (1) ... different cultures. Cave paintings created by early humans display various types of wild cats (2) ... are now extinct or no longer around. Many of these beasts saw humans as food, but were hunted by humans in return. Cats similar (3) ... the ones kept as pets today began showing up in artwork thousands of years ago. For example, the ancient Egyptians believed cats were the sacred, or unique, animal of a goddess named Bast. They trusted that Bast often appeared as a cat, so many ancient Egyptians respected and honoured cats and kittens. (4) ..., other cultures feared cats or thought that they brought illnesses and bad luck. Today, with millions kept as pets in homes around the world, they have become crucial members of many families. No one knows for sure when or (5) ... cats became very popular household pets. It's possible that people noticed how cats hunted mice and rats, (6) ... they set out food and milk to keep the cats near their homes. That helped to prevent (7) ... many of these rodents (8) ... entering homes and eating people's food or spreading sickness.

Answers

GAP 1 (MANY) ... mythology, and history of many different cultures. Cave paintings ... ↑_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _↑
MANY => DETERMINER
MANY => used with plural nouns and verbs, especially in negative sentences and questions, to mean 'a large number of '.
Common Errors:
~~He has got many friends.~~ X in affirmative sentences we use A LOT OF or PLANTY OF!
He hasn't got many friends. V MANY is usually used in questions and negative sentences!

GAP 2 (THAT/WHICH) ... various types of wild cats that\which are now extinct, or no longer around ... ↑_ _ _ _↑
WHICH | THAT => RELATIVE PRONOUN
WHICH | THAT => used after a noun to show what thing or things you mean.
Common Errors:
~~He gave me the book, that was very old.~~ X in non-defining clauses THAT cannot replace WHICH!
This is the book that you wanted. V in defining relative clauses we can use WHICH or THAT!
This is the book which you wanted. V in defining relative clauses we can use WHICH or THAT!

GAP 3 (TO) ... hunted by humans in return. Cats similar to the ones kept as pets today ... ↑_ _ _↑
SIMILAR + TO => ADJECTIVE + PREPOSITION
SIMILAR TO => almost the same.
Common Errors:
~~The climate of Spain is similar with that found in Portugal.~~ X We never use WITH after SIMILAR!
The climate of Spain is similar to that found in Portugal. V

GAP 4 (HOWEVER/NEVERTHELESS) ... honoured cats and kittens. However, other cultures feared cats or thought ... ↑_ _ _ _
HOWEVER => ADVERB
HOWEVER | NEVERTHELESS => used when you are adding a fact or piece of information that seems surprising, or seems very different from what you have just said.
Common Errors:
~~We thought the figures were correct. However we have now discovered some errors.~~ X COMMA must be used after HOWEVER!
We thought the figures were correct. However, we have now discovered some errors. V

GAP 5 (HOW/WHERE) ... No one knows for sure when or how cats became very popular household pets. ↑_ _ _ _
HOW => ADVERB
HOW => used to ask or talk about the way in which something happens or is done.
Common Errors:
What do you spell your name? X
How do you spell your name? V

GAP 6 (SO) ... how cats hunted mice and rats, so they set out food and milk to keep the cats near ... ↑_ _ _ _
SO => CONJUNCTION
SO =>used to say that someone does something because of the reason just stated.
Common Errors:
~~It was still painful and I went to see a doctor.~~ X
It was still painful so I went to see a doctor. V SO is used to show the reason for something!

GAP 7 (TOO) ... homes. That helped to prevent too many of these rodents from entering homes and ... ↑_ _ _↑
TOO + MANY => ADVERB + DETERMINER
TOO => more than is required, desirable or suitable.
Common Errors:
~~There are too much vehicles on the road.~~ X
There are too many vehicles on the road. V

GAP 8 (FROM) ... helped to prevent too many of these rodents from entering homes and eating people's food ... ↑_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _↑
PREVENT + FROM => VERB + PREPOSITION
PREVENT sb FROM (doing) sth => to stop someone doing something or something happening.
Common Errors:
~~The high wall prevented them to see the garden.~~ X
The high wall prevented them from seeing the garden. V PREVENT is alwyas used with FROM!