What We Know About the $6.3 Billion Binance Cryptocurrency Heist

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 FBI confirmed that North Korea ___ the hack.

   Choices for blank 1

   1. was behind
   2. were behind
   3. be behind
   4. being behind
   Check answers and explanations

   Blank 1

   was behind

   Past simple follows a completed confirmation in reported past events.

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

   Choose the correct option for each blank.

   The attackers gained access before they ___ the assets.

   Choices for blank 1

   1. had removed
   2. have removed
   3. removing
   4. remove
   Check answers and explanations

   Blank 1

   had removed

   Past perfect marks the earlier completed action in the sequence.

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

   Choose the correct option for each blank.

   By freezing about $3 billion, Binance and its partners ___ the hackers from taking full possession.

   Choices for blank 1

   1. prevented
   2. prevent
   3. have prevented
   4. preventing
   Check answers and explanations

   Blank 1

   prevented

   Past simple describes the completed action and its result.

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

   Choose the correct option for each blank.

   Had the breach been detected earlier, the losses ___ significantly smaller.

   Choices for blank 1

   1. would have been
   2. will be
   3. would be
   4. have been
   Check answers and explanations

   Blank 1

   would have been

   This mixed conditional requires would have been for the past result.

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

   Choose the correct option for each blank.

   The article raises questions about how the attackers ___ the accounts.

   Choices for blank 1

   1. entered
   2. did enter
   3. entering
   4. to enter
   Check answers and explanations

   Blank 1

   entered

   The embedded question requires normal statement word order.

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

   Choose the correct option for each blank.

   The assets, ___ across several exchanges, were difficult to recover.

   Choices for blank 1

   1. distributed
   2. distributing
   3. were distributed
   4. to distributing
   Check answers and explanations

   Blank 1

   distributed

   The participial phrase correctly modifies the plural assets.

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

   Choose the correct option for each blank.

   Although the freeze limited the attackers’ control, it ___ not resolve compensation questions.

   Choices for blank 1

   1. did
   2. does
   3. had
   4. doing
   Check answers and explanations

   Blank 1

   did

   The singular subject it requires the auxiliary did in the past.

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.