Two Travelers Arriving From Cuba Found Carrying Live Birds at Miami Airport

Study the questions and tasks

Work through the material below, or start the interactive practice above to complete an attempt. Try the exercises before opening any answer or transcript sections, then use them to review your work.

Practice level

B2. Try this level if you can follow the instructions and understand most of the language; choose an earlier level if you need more support.

Question formats

Fill in the blank (dropdown)

How to approach this practice

Read the complete sentence and notice the subject, verb form, time reference and word order before answering.

1. Question 1 · Fill in the blank (dropdown)

   Choose the correct option for each blank.

   The birds ___ in the travelers’ clothing during separate arrivals.

   Choices for blank 1

   1. were hidden
   2. was hidden
   3. are hiding
   4. have hide
   Check answers and explanations

   Blank 1

   were hidden

   The passive past form is needed because the birds received the action.

2. Question 2 · Fill in the blank (dropdown)

   Choose the correct option for each blank.

   Authorities said the men ___ separately several days apart.

   Choices for blank 1

   1. arrived
   2. arrive
   3. have arriving
   4. were arrive
   Check answers and explanations

   Blank 1

   arrived

   The simple past correctly describes completed arrivals in the report.

3. Question 3 · Fill in the blank (dropdown)

   Choose the correct option for each blank.

   The cases drew attention because the animals were difficult ___ during inspection.

   Choices for blank 1

   1. to see
   2. seeing
   3. see
   4. to seeing
   Check answers and explanations

   Blank 1

   to see

   The adjective difficult is followed by a to-infinitive here.

4. Question 4 · Fill in the blank (dropdown)

   Choose the correct option for each blank.

   The available information does not establish why the birds ___.

   Choices for blank 1

   1. were being carried
   2. was carrying
   3. are being carried
   4. being carried
   Check answers and explanations

   Blank 1

   were being carried

   The reported explanation requires the past continuous passive form.

5. Question 5 · Fill in the blank (dropdown)

   Choose the correct option for each blank.

   If animals are hidden under clothing, authorities ___ unusual behavior carefully.

   Choices for blank 1

   1. may need to examine
   2. may needed examining
   3. will needing examine
   4. would need examined
   Check answers and explanations

   Blank 1

   may need to examine

   The first conditional uses a present condition and a future result.

6. Question 6 · Fill in the blank (dropdown)

   Choose the correct option for each blank.

   Transporting birds usually requires careful handling, ___ official permission.

   Choices for blank 1

   1. or
   2. but of
   3. despite of
   4. because to
   Check answers and explanations

   Blank 1

   or

   The phrase correctly adds another possible requirement with “or.”

7. Question 7 · Fill in the blank (dropdown)

   Choose the correct option for each blank.

   The birds may have been injured ___ tight confinement or lack of air.

   Choices for blank 1

   1. by
   2. with to
   3. from of
   4. at by
   Check answers and explanations

   Blank 1

   by

   The preposition “by” introduces the possible causes of injury.

What to review next

After checking an answer, explain the rule in your own words and write a new sentence using the same pattern. Revisit any rules you could not explain.

A focused practice result shows how you did on these tasks. Use several activities across skills to decide what to study next; one practice score does not certify an overall CEFR level.