Training for the Last Ten Seconds | Part 1: Multiple Choice Cloze Practice | C1 Proficiency

Training for the Last Ten Seconds — Part 1: Multiple Choice Cloze

"Training for the Last Ten Seconds" 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

At the end of a race, the final seconds often expose habits that are invisible when an athlete is fresh. Good training does not merely (1) .......... at maximum speed; it also develops the ability to make accurate decisions when breathing is hard. Coaches look for a (2) .......... improvement over several weeks rather than a dramatic result after one session. A runner must be (3) .......... of maintaining form even when tired, which requires attention to posture as well as effort. The goal is to practise difficult choices (4) .......... hope that instinct will solve everything on the day. Before high-intensity work, athletes (5) .......... up carefully so that the body is ready to respond. The plan should use suitable (6) .......... for measuring pace and recovery, but it must not depend on expensive machines. Clear feedback can (7) .......... performers with the information they need to notice when they are losing control. This (8) .......... awareness helps them correct small errors before they become costly.