Five Years On, the NPR College Podcast Challenge’s First Winner Reflects on Journalism’s Lasting Reach

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

Single choice

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 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   Choose the sentence using the concessive structure most precisely.

   1. Although the challenge ended, its influence continued to develop.
   2. Although the challenge ended, but its influence continued to develop.
   3. Despite the challenge ended, its influence continued to develop.
   4. Despite of the challenge ending, its influence continued to develop.
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   Although the challenge ended, its influence continued to develop.

   “Although” appropriately contrasts later reflection with original recognition.

2. Question 2 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   Choose the grammatically correct reduced relative clause.

   1. Stories first developing during the challenge gained new meaning.
   2. Stories first developed during the challenge gained new meaning.
   3. Stories first were developed during the challenge gained new meaning.
   4. Stories which first developed during the challenge they gained new meaning.
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   Stories first developed during the challenge gained new meaning.

   The participial phrase correctly modifies stories developed earlier.

3. Question 3 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   Choose the sentence with correct subject–verb agreement.

   1. The value of opportunities may becomes apparent gradually.
   2. The value of opportunities may become apparent gradually.
   3. The value of opportunities may becoming apparent gradually.
   4. The value of opportunities may became apparent gradually.
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   The value of opportunities may become apparent gradually.

   The singular subject “value” requires the singular verb “may become.”

4. Question 4 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   Choose the most idiomatic inversion after a negative adverbial.

   1. Not only the participants reconsidered their work, but they also reassessed its influence.
   2. Not only did the participants reconsider their work, but they also reassessed its influence.
   3. Not only the participants did reconsider their work, but also reassessed its influence.
   4. Not only reconsidered the participants their work, but they reassessed its influence.
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   Not only did the participants reconsider their work, but they also reassessed its influence.

   Negative-fronted “not only” requires auxiliary inversion in the main clause.

5. Question 5 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   Choose the sentence with a correctly placed participial modifier.

   1. Looking back, the participants considered their stories’ later significance.
   2. Looking back, their stories’ later significance considered the participants.
   3. The participants, their stories looking back, considered significance.
   4. The participants considered, looking back their stories’ later significance.
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   Looking back, the participants considered their stories’ later significance.

   The opening phrase logically modifies the participants, not the stories.

6. Question 6 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   Choose the correct mixed conditional expressing present significance of past action.

   1. If they had not entered the challenge, their paths would be different now.
   2. If they did not enter the challenge, their paths would have been different now.
   3. If they had not entered the challenge, their paths would have differed then.
   4. If they would not have entered the challenge, their paths are different now.
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   If they had not entered the challenge, their paths would be different now.

   A past condition combines with its continuing present consequence.

7. Question 7 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   Choose the most precise nominalization of the sentence.

   1. The participants reassessed their work, which clarified its influence.
   2. The participants’ reassessment of their work clarified its influence.
   3. The participants reassessing their work clarified its influence.
   4. The work was reassessed by participants, clarifying influence it.
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   The participants’ reassessment of their work clarified its influence.

   “The reassessment” appropriately nominalizes the participants’ reflective action.

8. Question 8 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   Choose the sentence with correct parallel structure.

   1. The feature examines beginnings, acknowledging community, and traces later paths.
   2. The feature examines beginnings, acknowledges community, and traces later paths.
   3. The feature examining beginnings, acknowledges community, and tracing later paths.
   4. The feature examines beginnings, acknowledgment of community, and traces later paths.
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   The feature examines beginnings, acknowledges community, and traces later paths.

   The coordinated verbs share the same grammatical form and complement.

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.