A 3,156-Pound Pumpkin Sets a New Benchmark in Rhode Island

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

C1. 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 pumpkin, ___ more than three thousand pounds, attracted international attention.

   Choices for blank 1

   1. weighing
   2. weighed
   3. to weighing
   4. weigh
   Check answers and explanations

   Blank 1

   weighing

   A present participle phrase correctly modifies the pumpkin.

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

   Choose the correct option for each blank.

   The report emphasizes that the harvest stands out not merely because of its size, ___ because of its lasting significance.

   Choices for blank 1

   1. and also
   2. but also
   3. or also
   4. so also
   Check answers and explanations

   Blank 1

   but also

   The correlative structure requires “but also” after “not merely.”

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

   Choose the correct option for each blank.

   Had the grower neglected soil conditions, the pumpkin ___ reached its recorded weight.

   Choices for blank 1

   1. would not have reached
   2. will not reach
   3. would not reach
   4. did not reach
   Check answers and explanations

   Blank 1

   would not have reached

   A third conditional requires “would not have reached.”

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

   Choose the correct option for each blank.

   The achievement is remarkable, ___ the precise growing methods remain undisclosed.

   Choices for blank 1

   1. although
   2. despite
   3. because of
   4. whereas of
   Check answers and explanations

   Blank 1

   although

   “Although” introduces the concessive subordinate clause correctly.

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

   Choose the correct option for each blank.

   The new record may encourage growers ___ more ambitious cultivation methods.

   Choices for blank 1

   1. developing
   2. develop
   3. to develop
   4. developed
   Check answers and explanations

   Blank 1

   to develop

   The verb “encourage” takes an object plus a to-infinitive here.

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

   Choose the correct option for each blank.

   The article suggests that agricultural skill can produce results ___ almost unreal.

   Choices for blank 1

   1. seeming
   2. seems
   3. seem
   4. to seeming
   Check answers and explanations

   Blank 1

   seem

   The adjective phrase requires the linking verb “seem.”

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

   Choose the correct option for each blank.

   Only after the pumpkin was weighed ___ the scale of the achievement fully apparent.

   Choices for blank 1

   1. the scale became
   2. did the scale become
   3. the scale had become
   4. became the scale
   Check answers and explanations

   Blank 1

   did the scale become

   A fronted negative expression requires subject–auxiliary inversion.

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.