Complete the 12 sentences below. Choose the best answer for each one.
1The new encryption protocol is designed to ............... the risk of unauthorised access during data transfers.
Wrong!
Use "mitigate" with risks, impacts, and adverse effects when you mean reduce their seriousness or likelihood; "relieve" collocates with pain or pressure, not risk.
2The planning committee requested a revised traffic model to limit the development’s ............... impact on nearby schools.
Wrong!
Use "adverse" in the collocation adverse impact/effect; it means harmful or unfavourable.
3Automating the claims process should ............... reduce the administrative burden on frontline staff.
Wrong!
Use "significantly" with reduce when the reduction is large enough to matter or be measured.
4After the audit, the hospital introduced ............... measures to reduce the likelihood of medication errors.
Wrong!
Use "preventive" for measures intended to stop a problem from happening.
5The company used its cash reserves to ............... the impact of the sudden downturn.
Wrong!
Use "cushion" the impact when policies or reserves absorb part of a shock and make it less severe.
6Regulators demanded divestments to mitigate the ............... effect of the merger.
Wrong!
Use "anti-competitive" effect when a merger may reduce competition and regulators require remedies.
7The consultation paper acknowledged ............... concerns about privacy but proposed safeguards to address them.
Wrong!
Use "serious" with concerns to show that the concerns are important and need to be addressed.
8The review found ............... evidence of long-term harm, so the committee recommended continued monitoring rather than an outright ban.
Wrong!
Use "limited" evidence in formal writing when the available evidence exists but is not sufficient or broad enough; "minor" does not collocate with "evidence".
9Even after the safety upgrades, auditors identified a ............... risk of system failure during peak demand.
Wrong!
Use "residual" risk for the risk that remains after controls or mitigation steps have been applied.
10Emergency grants may help ............... the consequences of prolonged unemployment for low-income households.
Wrong!
Use "alleviate" with consequences, suffering, pressure, or hardship when making them less severe.
11The supplier’s revised proposal involved only a ............... increase in costs, which made the compromise acceptable.
Wrong!
Use "marginal" for a very small increase, decrease, improvement, or effect.
12The minister tried to ............... criticism by announcing an independent review of the procurement process.
Wrong!
Use "deflect" criticism when someone tries to turn criticism away from themselves or reduce its force.
Exercise complete
0 out of 12
correct answers
Answers
- The new encryption protocol is designed to mitigate the risk of unauthorised access during data transfers.
- The planning committee requested a revised traffic model to limit the development’s adverse impact on nearby schools.
- Automating the claims process should significantly reduce the administrative burden on frontline staff.
- After the audit, the hospital introduced preventive measures to reduce the likelihood of medication errors.
- The company used its cash reserves to cushion the impact of the sudden downturn.
- Regulators demanded divestments to mitigate the anti-competitive effect of the merger.
- The consultation paper acknowledged serious concerns about privacy but proposed safeguards to address them.
- The review found limited evidence of long-term harm, so the committee recommended continued monitoring rather than an outright ban.
- Even after the safety upgrades, auditors identified a residual risk of system failure during peak demand.
- Emergency grants may help alleviate the consequences of prolonged unemployment for low-income households.
- The supplier’s revised proposal involved only a marginal increase in costs, which made the compromise acceptable.
- The minister tried to deflect criticism by announcing an independent review of the procurement process.