A night school for amateur astronomers was (1) .......... as a way of sharing equipment that would otherwise have been beyond the reach of most participants. The project soon (2) .......... under scrutiny when nearby residents raised concerns about light pollution. The organisers argued that local conditions had been carefully (3) .......... into account before they (4) .......... forward their proposal.
At one stage, a sudden change in weather (5) .......... into question whether the sessions could continue through winter. The need for darkness was clearly at (6) .......... with the desire to keep the site welcoming and safe. Eventually, the group (7) .......... a balance between scientific ambition and practical compromise. (8) .......... the whole, the result has been a more flexible programme than anyone expected.
To reduce disruption, the school uses low-level red lighting and asks participants to arrive before the session begins. Experienced members explain that astronomical observation involves long periods of waiting, during which equipment must be handled quietly and safely. The organisers also work with nearby residents to agree dates when the site will be least intrusive. This has helped the project respond to concerns without abandoning its educational purpose. Once the basic programme was established, the group added short talks on weather forecasting, photographic technique and the history of local observations. These sessions give newcomers a reason to return even on cloudy nights.
A night school for amateur astronomers was (1) .......... as a way of sharing equipment that would otherwise have been beyond the reach of most participants. The project soon (2) .......... under scrutiny when nearby residents raised concerns about light pollution. The organisers argued that local conditions had been carefully (3) .......... into account before they (4) .......... forward their proposal.
At one stage, a sudden change in weather (5) .......... into question whether the sessions could continue through winter. The need for darkness was clearly at (6) .......... with the desire to keep the site welcoming and safe. Eventually, the group (7) .......... a balance between scientific ambition and practical compromise. (8) .......... the whole, the result has been a more flexible programme than anyone expected.
To reduce disruption, the school uses low-level red lighting and asks participants to arrive before the session begins. Experienced members explain that astronomical observation involves long periods of waiting, during which equipment must be handled quietly and safely. The organisers also work with nearby residents to agree dates when the site will be least intrusive. This has helped the project respond to concerns without abandoning its educational purpose. Once the basic programme was established, the group added short talks on weather forecasting, photographic technique and the history of local observations. These sessions give newcomers a reason to return even on cloudy nights.
Question 1
Exam guide & reading text▾
A night school for amateur astronomers — Part 1: Multiple Choice Cloze
"A night school for amateur astronomers" 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.
A night school for amateur astronomers was (1) .......... as a way of sharing equipment that would otherwise have been beyond the reach of most participants. The project soon (2) .......... under scrutiny when nearby residents raised concerns about light pollution. The organisers argued that local conditions had been carefully (3) .......... into account before they (4) .......... forward their proposal.
At one stage, a sudden change in weather (5) .......... into question whether the sessions could continue through winter. The need for darkness was clearly at (6) .......... with the desire to keep the site welcoming and safe. Eventually, the group (7) .......... a balance between scientific ambition and practical compromise. (8) .......... the whole, the result has been a more flexible programme than anyone expected.
To reduce disruption, the school uses low-level red lighting and asks participants to arrive before the session begins. Experienced members explain that astronomical observation involves long periods of waiting, during which equipment must be handled quietly and safely. The organisers also work with nearby residents to agree dates when the site will be least intrusive. This has helped the project respond to concerns without abandoning its educational purpose. Once the basic programme was established, the group added short talks on weather forecasting, photographic technique and the history of local observations. These sessions give newcomers a reason to return even on cloudy nights.