Fired OpenAI employees question the company’s commitment to safety

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.

   Had the company disclosed the concerns earlier, the controversy ___ less severe.

   Choices for blank 1

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

   Blank 1

   might have been

   This mixed conditional expresses a past action’s hypothetical present consequence.

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

   Choose the correct option for each blank.

   The allegations, together with the company’s denial, ___ renewed scrutiny.

   Choices for blank 1

   1. has placed
   2. have placed
   3. placing
   4. places
   Check answers and explanations

   Blank 1

   have placed

   The singular subject “allegations” governs the plural verb “have placed.”

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

   Choose the correct option for each blank.

   The report recommends that independent specialists ___ access to relevant systems.

   Choices for blank 1

   1. are given
   2. be given
   3. were given
   4. being given
   Check answers and explanations

   Blank 1

   be given

   Mandative subjunctive requires the base form after “recommends that.”

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

   Choose the correct option for each blank.

   Only after the incident ___ the scale of the potential risk become apparent.

   Choices for blank 1

   1. did
   2. had
   3. was
   4. has
   Check answers and explanations

   Blank 1

   did

   A fronted negative adverbial triggers subject–auxiliary inversion.

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

   Choose the correct option for each blank.

   The company denied ___ employees for expressing safety concerns.

   Choices for blank 1

   1. to dismiss
   2. dismissing
   3. dismissed
   4. dismiss
   Check answers and explanations

   Blank 1

   dismissing

   The verb “deny” is followed by a gerund, not an infinitive.

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

   Choose the correct option for each blank.

   The agents were reportedly capable of ___ tasks without continuous supervision.

   Choices for blank 1

   1. carry out
   2. to carry out
   3. carrying out
   4. carried out
   Check answers and explanations

   Blank 1

   carrying out

   The preposition “of” requires a gerund in this construction.

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

   Choose the correct option for each blank.

   The dispute raises the question of how openly companies ___ internal criticism.

   Choices for blank 1

   1. should address
   2. should addressing
   3. should addressed
   4. should to address
   Check answers and explanations

   Blank 1

   should address

   The embedded question requires the base verb after the modal “should.”

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

   Choose the correct option for each blank.

   ___ the allegations, OpenAI maintained that its safety commitment remained intact.

   Choices for blank 1

   1. Despite of
   2. Despite
   3. Although of
   4. Even of
   Check answers and explanations

   Blank 1

   Despite

   “Despite” takes a noun phrase, whereas the competing options require incompatible complements.

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.