An independent cinema in a former factory has reopened after a two-year restoration. The project nearly came to a (1) .......... when the owners discovered that the roof needed far more work than expected. Rather than (2) .......... in the towel, they raised additional funds and invited local tradespeople to contribute their skills.
The team wanted to preserve the building’s character without (3) .......... back on modern safety requirements. This meant finding a way to hide new equipment behind existing walls and to (4) .......... the original brickwork wherever possible. The cinema now has fewer seats than it once did, but the owners believe that the smaller capacity will (5) .......... to its advantage by creating a more intimate atmosphere.
Programming is equally important. The organisers do not want the venue to (6) .......... into the habit of showing only familiar titles. They have therefore (7) .......... up a partnership with a film school and plan to give new directors a chance to (8) .......... their work before local audiences.
The restoration has also created a small public space in the entrance, where visitors can see photographs of the factory before it became a cinema. The owners hope that this connection with the building’s past will make the venue feel rooted in the area.
The cinema now works with nearby cafés and bookshops when planning festivals. These partnerships allow visitors to stay in the area before and after a screening, rather than treating the film as an isolated event.
An independent cinema in a former factory has reopened after a two-year restoration. The project nearly came to a (1) .......... when the owners discovered that the roof needed far more work than expected. Rather than (2) .......... in the towel, they raised additional funds and invited local tradespeople to contribute their skills.
The team wanted to preserve the building’s character without (3) .......... back on modern safety requirements. This meant finding a way to hide new equipment behind existing walls and to (4) .......... the original brickwork wherever possible. The cinema now has fewer seats than it once did, but the owners believe that the smaller capacity will (5) .......... to its advantage by creating a more intimate atmosphere.
Programming is equally important. The organisers do not want the venue to (6) .......... into the habit of showing only familiar titles. They have therefore (7) .......... up a partnership with a film school and plan to give new directors a chance to (8) .......... their work before local audiences.
The restoration has also created a small public space in the entrance, where visitors can see photographs of the factory before it became a cinema. The owners hope that this connection with the building’s past will make the venue feel rooted in the area.
The cinema now works with nearby cafés and bookshops when planning festivals. These partnerships allow visitors to stay in the area before and after a screening, rather than treating the film as an isolated event.
Question 1
Exam guide & reading text▾
Independent cinema restoration — Part 1: Multiple Choice Cloze
"Independent cinema restoration" 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.
An independent cinema in a former factory has reopened after a two-year restoration. The project nearly came to a (1) .......... when the owners discovered that the roof needed far more work than expected. Rather than (2) .......... in the towel, they raised additional funds and invited local tradespeople to contribute their skills.
The team wanted to preserve the building’s character without (3) .......... back on modern safety requirements. This meant finding a way to hide new equipment behind existing walls and to (4) .......... the original brickwork wherever possible. The cinema now has fewer seats than it once did, but the owners believe that the smaller capacity will (5) .......... to its advantage by creating a more intimate atmosphere.
Programming is equally important. The organisers do not want the venue to (6) .......... into the habit of showing only familiar titles. They have therefore (7) .......... up a partnership with a film school and plan to give new directors a chance to (8) .......... their work before local audiences.
The restoration has also created a small public space in the entrance, where visitors can see photographs of the factory before it became a cinema. The owners hope that this connection with the building’s past will make the venue feel rooted in the area.
The cinema now works with nearby cafés and bookshops when planning festivals. These partnerships allow visitors to stay in the area before and after a screening, rather than treating the film as an isolated event.