Christa Pike Regains Consciousness After Failed Execution in Tennessee

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

B1. 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 passage for its main idea, then return to the relevant sentence or paragraph for each question. Base answers on the passage.

1. Question 1 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   What is the main idea of the article?

   Return to the passage, recording or visual
   1. Pike survived an attempted execution and later spoke.
   2. Tennessee changed its execution laws after May.
   3. Catherine Sweeney planned the execution attempt.
   4. Pentobarbital was removed from all lethal injections.
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   Pike survived an attempted execution and later spoke.

   The article explains that Pike survived a failed execution attempt.

   Christa Pike, a death row inmate in Tennessee, is conscious and speaking after surviving an attempted execution, according to her attorneys.

2. Question 2 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   Why does the article mention the failed attempt in May?

   Return to the passage, recording or visual
   1. To show the September attempt was repeated.
   2. To explain why Sweeney was present.
   3. To identify the drug used during execution.
   4. To show Pike left Tennessee in May.
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   To show the September attempt was repeated.

   It shows that the September attempt was not the first failure.

   An attempt in May had failed as well.

3. Question 3 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   What does “which” refer to in the sentence about death row?

   Return to the passage, recording or visual
   1. death row
   2. Pike
   3. Tennessee
   4. the sentence
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   death row

   The relative clause explains the meaning of death row.

   Pike is on death row, which means she has been sentenced to death.

4. Question 4 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   What relationship does the article show between the drugs and the result?

   Return to the passage, recording or visual
   1. The drugs were given, but Pike survived.
   2. The drugs were never prepared by officials.
   3. Pike refused to enter the witness room.
   4. The attempt ended before officials arrived.
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   The drugs were given, but Pike survived.

   Pike received the drugs, but the intended result did not happen.

   The September 30 attempt again ended without her death.

5. Question 5 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   How is the article mainly organized?

   Return to the passage, recording or visual
   1. Event, explanation, witness, and background
   2. Opinion, debate, prediction, and conclusion
   3. Biography, interview, advertisement, and review
   4. Problem, recipe, experiment, and solution
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   Event, explanation, witness, and background

   It presents the event, explains terms, and gives background.

   Lethal injection is an execution method in which drugs are given through a vein.

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.