New blood test offers clues about Alzheimer’s-related brain changes, but raises difficult questions
About this practice test
Listen to the C2 Daily News report “New blood test offers clues about Alzheimer’s-related brain changes, but raises difficult questions” and answer 8 comprehension questions.
What you’ll practice
Understanding detail
Follow specific information and examples.
Interpreting ideas
Identify main points and inferences.
Evaluating arguments
Assess claims, evidence, and limitations.
What to expect:
8 questions with explanations to review after submission.
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 questions, then listen before opening the transcript. Notice names, numbers and any corrections the speaker makes.
News lesson for this practice
Read the complete article and use its text or audio alongside these exercises: New blood test offers clues about Alzheimer’s-related brain changes, but raises difficult questions.
New blood test offers clues about Alzheimer’s-related brain changes, but raises difficult questions
Read a transcript excerpt
A new type of blood test is attracting attention from people who want to know whether their brains show changes associated with Alzheimer’s disease. The test indicates the presence of amyloid plaques, a hallmark of the condition, by measuring a protein called p-tau217. The development is being met with both promise and caution. A blood test is less invasive than procedures that examine the brain directly, and it may provide…
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Question 1 · Single choice
Choose one answer.
What prompted Dancer to begin worrying after her sixtieth birthday?
Return to the passage, recording or visual- Her daughter’s professional advice
- Her family’s history of Alzheimer’s symptoms
- An alarming clinical-trial email
- A sudden decline in her rescued animals
Check answers and explanations
- Answer
- Her family’s history of Alzheimer’s symptoms
Her close family history made the disease feel personally plausible.
After turning 60 this year, she began to worry that she might eventually face the same disease.
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Question 2 · Single choice
Choose one answer.
What did Dancer do before enrolling in the clinical trial?
Return to the passage, recording or visual- She received treatment for dementia.
- She consulted a specialist overseas.
- She searched online and spoke with her daughter.
- She compared several laboratory thresholds.
Check answers and explanations
- Answer
- She searched online and spoke with her daughter.
She researched independently and discussed testing with her daughter first.
She discussed the idea of testing with her daughter, a medical research scientist.
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Question 3 · Single choice
Choose one answer.
How was Dancer informed of her test result?
Return to the passage, recording or visual- By telephone from her physician
- Through a mailed laboratory report
- By email after several days
- During an in-person consultation
Check answers and explanations
- Answer
- By email after several days
The result arrived electronically several days after testing.
Several days later, the result arrived by email.
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Question 4 · Single choice
Choose one answer.
What did the accompanying literature identify as a hoped-for value?
Return to the passage, recording or visual- Exactly 0.10
- Above 0.18
- Below 0.18
- Between 0.18 and 0.60
Check answers and explanations
- Answer
- Below 0.18
The literature described values below 0.18 as desirable.
The accompanying literature described a hoped-for number below 0.18; Dancer’s result was 0.10.
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Question 5 · Single choice
Choose one answer.
What did Dancer’s daughter and Dancer disagree about?
Return to the passage, recording or visual- Whether family history was medically relevant
- Whether testing information was worth having
- Whether Dancer should care for animals
- Whether the trial measured amyloid plaques
Check answers and explanations
- Answer
- Whether testing information was worth having
The daughter favored avoiding knowledge, whereas Dancer valued information for planning.
Her daughter’s immediate reaction was that they did not want to know the result, partly because it would not lead to treatment.
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Question 6 · Single choice
Choose one answer.
What did Dancer say she felt responsible for doing?
Return to the passage, recording or visual- Protecting her family from similar experiences
- Persuading her daughter to join the trial
- Finding treatment for her relatives
- Proving the test’s accuracy
Check answers and explanations
- Answer
- Protecting her family from similar experiences
She wanted to shield her family from painful experiences already endured.
She described the prospect as frightening and said she felt responsible for protecting her family from experiences they had already endured.
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Question 7 · Single choice
Choose one answer.
What contrast does the final paragraph establish between possible responses to testing?
Return to the passage, recording or visual- Scientific curiosity and financial caution
- Early planning and additional emotional burden
- Family loyalty and professional ambition
- Immediate treatment and delayed diagnosis
Check answers and explanations
- Answer
- Early planning and additional emotional burden
The recording contrasts early planning with the psychological burden of uncertain knowledge.
Some people may value early knowledge as a way to make plans, while others may regard uncertain information as an additional burden.
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Question 8 · Single choice
Choose one answer.
According to the conclusion, what must expand alongside access to testing?
Return to the passage, recording or visual- Specialized surgical facilities
- Guaranteed preventive medication
- Thoughtful interpretation and application
- International diagnostic standards
Check answers and explanations
- Answer
- Thoughtful interpretation and application
Broader access requires careful consideration of interpretation and practical use.
As access expands, patients and doctors will have to consider not only what a test can detect, but also how its results can be understood and used.
What to review next
Listen again to difficult sections, then open the transcript to check what you heard. Repeat a useful phrase aloud and try the recording once more without the text.
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.
Before you practise: a worked example
Listen for the final information, especially when a speaker corrects or changes an earlier statement.
Example transcript: “Let’s meet at five — actually, half past five would be better.” What is the final suggested time?
The final suggested time is 5:30. Actually signals a correction; the first time is replaced by the later suggestion.
This teaching example is separate from the scored questions. After your test, compare any mistakes with the explanation and revisit the topic before trying again.