Ebola response in Congo struggles amid limited data, budget cuts, and community fear

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

C2. 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 response cannot succeed unless authorities ___ reliable information.

   Choices for blank 1

   1. obtain
   2. obtains
   3. obtained
   4. obtaining
   Check answers and explanations

   Blank 1

   obtain

   The present-tense conditional clause requires the plural present form.

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

   Choose the correct option for each blank.

   The article emphasizes the importance of ___ coordination during an emergency.

   Choices for blank 1

   1. sustaining
   2. sustain
   3. sustained
   4. to sustain
   Check answers and explanations

   Blank 1

   sustaining

   The preposition “of” requires a gerund phrase here.

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

   Choose the correct option for each blank.

   Had funding remained stable, the teams ___ more equipment.

   Choices for blank 1

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

   Blank 1

   would have had

   A past unreal conditional requires “would have had.”

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

   Choose the correct option for each blank.

   The workers faced conditions ___ by limited data and community fear.

   Choices for blank 1

   1. complicated
   2. complicating
   3. were complicated
   4. to complicate
   Check answers and explanations

   Blank 1

   complicated

   The reduced passive participial phrase modifies “conditions.”

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

   Choose the correct option for each blank.

   It is essential that public-health agencies ___ community trust.

   Choices for blank 1

   1. build
   2. builds
   3. built
   4. building
   Check answers and explanations

   Blank 1

   build

   After “essential that,” formal English uses the mandative subjunctive.

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

   Choose the correct option for each blank.

   The more resources are reduced, the ___ the range of available actions becomes.

   Choices for blank 1

   1. narrower
   2. narrow
   3. narrowest
   4. narrowing
   Check answers and explanations

   Blank 1

   narrower

   The correlative construction requires the comparative adjective “narrower.”

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

   Choose the correct option for each blank.

   Fear may prevent residents from ___ with unfamiliar medical teams.

   Choices for blank 1

   1. engaging
   2. engage
   3. engaged
   4. to engage
   Check answers and explanations

   Blank 1

   engaging

   The preposition “from” requires a gerund complement.

8. Question 8 · Fill in the blank (dropdown)

   Choose the correct option for each blank.

   The response, ___ by several simultaneous pressures, struggled to keep pace.

   Choices for blank 1

   1. constrained
   2. constraining
   3. was constrained
   4. to constrain
   Check answers and explanations

   Blank 1

   constrained

   A nonfinite past participle correctly forms the supplementary passive phrase.

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.