A group of residents has created a sound archive of their neighbourhood, recording everything from shop shutters opening to the bell of an early-morning tram. The organisers did not (1) .......... the project lightly: they first spent several months asking whether people would be comfortable with their voices being stored. Once permission had been obtained, volunteers began to (2) .......... out interviews in kitchens, workshops and small cafés.
The archive has gradually (3) .......... a life of its own. Some recordings have prompted listeners to (4) .......... up memories that had not been discussed for years, while others have helped new arrivals (5) .......... a sense of how the area has changed. The team deliberately avoided trying to (6) .......... a complete picture of local history. Instead, it invited people to disagree, add detail and point out what had been missed.
A short listening trail is now available at the library. Visitors are encouraged not to (7) .......... the recordings at face value, since memories can be selective. Even so, the project has proved a useful way of (8) .......... a bridge between residents who might otherwise never have met.
The organisers say that the archive is most valuable when it remains open to correction. They are now planning listening sessions in which contributors can explain why two people may remember the same street, journey or event in strikingly different ways.
A group of residents has created a sound archive of their neighbourhood, recording everything from shop shutters opening to the bell of an early-morning tram. The organisers did not (1) .......... the project lightly: they first spent several months asking whether people would be comfortable with their voices being stored. Once permission had been obtained, volunteers began to (2) .......... out interviews in kitchens, workshops and small cafés.
The archive has gradually (3) .......... a life of its own. Some recordings have prompted listeners to (4) .......... up memories that had not been discussed for years, while others have helped new arrivals (5) .......... a sense of how the area has changed. The team deliberately avoided trying to (6) .......... a complete picture of local history. Instead, it invited people to disagree, add detail and point out what had been missed.
A short listening trail is now available at the library. Visitors are encouraged not to (7) .......... the recordings at face value, since memories can be selective. Even so, the project has proved a useful way of (8) .......... a bridge between residents who might otherwise never have met.
The organisers say that the archive is most valuable when it remains open to correction. They are now planning listening sessions in which contributors can explain why two people may remember the same street, journey or event in strikingly different ways.
Question 1
Exam guide & reading text▾
Community sound archive — Part 1: Multiple Choice Cloze
"Community sound archive" 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 group of residents has created a sound archive of their neighbourhood, recording everything from shop shutters opening to the bell of an early-morning tram. The organisers did not (1) .......... the project lightly: they first spent several months asking whether people would be comfortable with their voices being stored. Once permission had been obtained, volunteers began to (2) .......... out interviews in kitchens, workshops and small cafés.
The archive has gradually (3) .......... a life of its own. Some recordings have prompted listeners to (4) .......... up memories that had not been discussed for years, while others have helped new arrivals (5) .......... a sense of how the area has changed. The team deliberately avoided trying to (6) .......... a complete picture of local history. Instead, it invited people to disagree, add detail and point out what had been missed.
A short listening trail is now available at the library. Visitors are encouraged not to (7) .......... the recordings at face value, since memories can be selective. Even so, the project has proved a useful way of (8) .......... a bridge between residents who might otherwise never have met.
The organisers say that the archive is most valuable when it remains open to correction. They are now planning listening sessions in which contributors can explain why two people may remember the same street, journey or event in strikingly different ways.