Complete the 12 sentences below. Choose the best answer for each one.
1Maya had serious reservations about the merger; ............... she declined to endorse it publicly.
Wrong!
"therefore" is correct because the sentence implies that her silence follows logically from having reservations.
2By presenting the new data as evidence to rebut the allegation, the report ............... that the earlier figures were deliberately inflated.
Wrong!
"denies" is correct because providing data 'to rebut' a claim implies rejecting, not accepting, that claim.
3The forecast is described as optimistic despite relying on outdated assumptions, so the author implies that it is ............... the speed of recovery.
Wrong!
"overstating" is correct because saying the forecast rests on outdated assumptions implies it is too optimistic.
4Since the project cannot proceed without the regulator's approval, that approval is ............... for the timetable to remain viable.
Wrong!
"necessary" is correct because the clause says the project cannot proceed without the approval.
5The fact that the university convenes a special committee for cases like this suggests that they occur ...............
Wrong!
"rarely" is correct because needing a special committee for such cases implies they do not happen often.
6Because the tender required an independent consultant, her financial interest in the supplier effectively ............... her from the selection panel.
Wrong!
"disqualified" is correct because requiring independence implies that a financial interest rules the consultant out.
7Given that the risk was explicitly mentioned in the document he signed, he ............... about it before approving the investment.
Wrong!
"must have known" is correct because signing a document that explicitly mentioned the risk strongly implies awareness.
8The board postponed the vote after the revised figures were released, apparently ............... the financial uncertainty they revealed.
Wrong!
"because of" is correct because being postponed after the figures were released implies the figures caused the postponement.
9When the minister called the deadline 'aspirational', she signalled ............... about whether it would actually be met.
Wrong!
"doubt" is correct because saying a deadline is 'aspirational' implies scepticism about whether it will be met.
10The damage was not as extensive as first feared, which implies that the situation is ............... than initial reports suggested.
Wrong!
"less severe" is correct because saying the damage is 'not as extensive as first feared' implies it is below the earlier expectation.
11The company ............... using the chemical even after inspectors had warned that it posed a health risk.
Wrong!
"continued" is correct because doing something 'even after' warnings implies persistence despite them.
12By refusing to publish the results without independent verification, the journal treated such verification as ............... rather than a mere formality.
Wrong!
"a prerequisite" is correct because refusing to publish without verification implies verification must come first.
Answers
- Maya had serious reservations about the merger; therefore she declined to endorse it publicly.
- By presenting the new data as evidence to rebut the allegation, the report denies that the earlier figures were deliberately inflated.
- The forecast is described as optimistic despite relying on outdated assumptions, so the author implies that it is overstating the speed of recovery.
- Since the project cannot proceed without the regulator’s approval, that approval is necessary for the timetable to remain viable.
- The fact that the university convenes a special committee for cases like this suggests that they occur rarely.
- Because the tender required an independent consultant, her financial interest in the supplier effectively disqualified her from the selection panel.
- Given that the risk was explicitly mentioned in the document he signed, he must have known about it before approving the investment.
- The board postponed the vote after the revised figures were released, apparently because of the financial uncertainty they revealed.
- When the minister called the deadline ‘aspirational’, she signalled doubt about whether it would actually be met.
- The damage was not as extensive as first feared, which implies that the situation is less severe than initial reports suggested.
- The company continued using the chemical even after inspectors had warned that it posed a health risk.
- By refusing to publish the results without independent verification, the journal treated such verification as a prerequisite rather than a mere formality.
