The Meeting That Changed Shape | Part 1: Multiple Choice Cloze Practice | C1 Proficiency

The Meeting That Changed Shape — Part 1: Multiple Choice Cloze

"The Meeting That Changed Shape" is a Cambridge C1 Proficiency Multiple Choice Cloze (Part 1) practice exam. This task tests your command of collocations, idiomatic expressions, phrasal verbs and fixed phrases in context. Read the full text carefully before choosing each option — the correct answer often depends on what naturally follows the surrounding words, not grammar alone. Eliminate distractors that are grammatically possible but semantically wrong, and watch for subtle register shifts between formal and informal usage.

Reading text

In one design firm, weekly meetings had become so predictable that staff began bringing laptops merely to appear busy. The new director asked everyone to (1) .......... concerns before suggesting solutions, a small change that made assumptions easier to examine. At first, people were (2) .......... to speak openly, because previous discussions had rewarded speed more than reflection. Each participant was (3) .......... for preparing one question in advance, and the chair made sure that silence was not treated as disagreement. The purpose was to explore uncertainty (4) .......... defend a position that had been chosen too early. To keep ideas from disappearing after the meeting, the director asked teams to (5) .......... through on any promise they made. She also offered a piece of practical (6) .......... on framing a difficult question without blaming a colleague. Within a month, the routine had (7) .......... junior staff the confidence to raise risks sooner. Decisions became (8) .......... slower at the start, a change that everyone could observe, but more durable in the long term.