The Story behind a Community Cookbook

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

A2. 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

Cloze (dropdown)

How to approach this practice

Read the passage for its main idea, then return to the relevant sentence or paragraph for each question. Base answers on the passage.

1. Question 1 · Cloze (dropdown)

   Choose the correct option for each blank.

   Complete the summary. Choose the correct option for each gap. The Maple Street Center began a community cookbook. People shared 1___ instead of money. Families brought recipe cards and children added notes. Mara sorted the cards at the library table, chose 2___ dishes for busy parents, and checked the 3___ so the recipes would be easy to follow on 4___.

   Return to the passage, recording or visual

   Choices for blank 1

   1. money
   2. stories
   3. recipes
   4. pans

   Choices for blank 2

   1. simple
   2. new
   3. summer
   4. warm

   Choices for blank 3

   1. notes
   2. cards
   3. measurements
   4. copies

   Choices for blank 4

   1. weeknights
   2. holidays
   3. mornings
   4. weekends
   Check answers and explanations

   Blank 1

   recipes

   Blank 2

   simple

   Blank 3

   measurements

   Blank 4

   weeknights

   Gap 1: The answer is “recipes” because people sent recipes instead of money. Gap 2: The answer is “simple” because Mara wanted busy parents to use the book on weeknights. Gap 3: The answer is “measurements” because Mara checked them to make the recipes easy to follow. Gap 4: The answer is “weeknights” because the dishes were chosen for busy parents to use then.

   People did not send money; they sent recipes.

   She chose simple dishes because she wanted busy parents to use the book on weeknights.

   She also checked the measurements, so the recipes would be easy to follow.

2. Question 2 · Cloze (dropdown)

   Choose the correct option for each blank.

   Complete the summary. Choose the correct option for each gap. Later, the group printed one hundred copies and sold them at the Saturday market. Each book had a short story about the cook, and the 1___ was used for new pans. Readers said the stories made the book feel 2___. The volunteers are now planning a 3___ edition with more summer 4___.

   Return to the passage, recording or visual

   Choices for blank 1

   1. recipes
   2. money
   3. story
   4. cards

   Choices for blank 2

   1. simple and careful
   2. new and clean
   3. warm and personal
   4. small and quiet

   Choices for blank 3

   1. first
   2. final
   3. second
   4. extra

   Choices for blank 4

   1. spoons
   2. cakes
   3. soups
   4. salads
   Check answers and explanations

   Blank 1

   money

   Blank 2

   warm and personal

   Blank 3

   second

   Blank 4

   salads

   Gap 1: The answer is “money” because it paid for new pans in the center kitchen. Gap 2: The answer is “warm and personal” because readers described the feeling created by the stories. Gap 3: The answer is “second” because the volunteers are planning a second edition. Gap 4: The answer is “salads” because the new edition will include more summer salads.

   The money paid for new pans in the center kitchen.

   Many readers said the stories made the book feel warm and personal.

   Now the volunteers are planning a second edition with more summer salads, and they hope to collect more recipes before the next fair.

What to review next

Find the words that support each answer. For a mistake, compare the question with the evidence and identify the detail or inference you missed.

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

Look for evidence in the text. Separate what the writer says from what you already know about the topic.

The library normally closes at six, but on Fridays it stays open until eight. When does it close on Friday?

The answer is eight. But introduces an exception to the normal closing time, so the first time mentioned is not the answer.

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.