Revisiting a Contested Decision

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, Multiple choice, Fill in the blank (text), Fill in the blank (dropdown), Cloze (text), Cloze (dropdown), Matching, Error correction, Sentence transformation, Sentence reordering

How to approach this practice

Read the complete context. Check both the meaning and the grammar, including word forms, collocations and links between sentences.

1. Question 1 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   Choose the best completion. The review accepts the outcome but takes … with the reasoning used to reach it.

   1. part
   2. issue
   3. turn
   4. place
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   issue

   Take issue with means disagree with or challenge a point.

2. Question 2 · Multiple choice

   Choose all the correct answers.

   Choose TWO correct statements based on the information given. The panel's reasoning may be flawed even if its conclusion is correct.

   1. If the conclusion is correct, the reasoning must be flawless.
   2. The reasoning could be flawed notwithstanding a correct conclusion.
   3. A correct conclusion does not rule out flawed reasoning.
   4. Flawed reasoning proves that the conclusion is false.
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   The reasoning could be flawed notwithstanding a correct conclusion.; A correct conclusion does not rule out flawed reasoning.

   Even if and notwithstanding allow a correct conclusion to coexist with defective reasoning.

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

   Complete each blank with the missing word or phrase.

   Use the noun from IMPARTIAL. The appeal focuses on whether the procedure satisfied the requirement of ___.

   Check answers and explanations

   Blank 1

   impartiality

   Impartiality names the absence of favouritism required of a fair procedure.

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

   Choose the correct option for each blank.

   The review found no grounds ___ attributing deliberate misconduct to the panel.

   Choices for blank 1

   1. for
   2. with
   3. to
   4. of
   Check answers and explanations

   Blank 1

   for

   Grounds for introduces the basis for an action or conclusion and takes an ing-form here.

5. Question 5 · Cloze (text)

   Complete each blank with the missing word or phrase.

   Form a word from each capitalised word. The review identified a procedural 1___ (REGULAR): the required notice had not been issued. It did not establish deliberate 2___ (DECEIVE), but it questioned the 3___ (DEFEND) of the original rationale.

   Check answers and explanations

   Blank 1

   irregularity

   Blank 2

   deception

   Blank 3

   defensibility

   Irregularity names a departure from procedure; deception names intentional misleading; defensibility means whether a rationale can be justified.

6. Question 6 · Cloze (dropdown)

   Choose the correct option for each blank.

   The conclusion was upheld, albeit 1___ different grounds. The reviewers stopped short 2___ exonerating the process. They urged the panel to account 3___ the omitted evidence.

   Choices for blank 1

   1. with
   2. on
   3. at
   4. by

   Choices for blank 2

   1. from
   2. for
   3. of
   4. to

   Choices for blank 3

   1. to
   2. for
   3. with
   4. of
   Check answers and explanations

   Blank 1

   on

   Blank 2

   of

   Blank 3

   for

   Use on different grounds, stop short of doing and account for something.

7. Question 7 · Matching

   Match each item to the correct choice.

   Match each beginning to its only suitable ending. Completing procedural-review statements.

   Answer choices

   • to the dissenting opinion.
   • to challenge under the appeal procedure.
   • between a procedural defect and a dishonest act.

   Items

   • The panel failed to give due weight
   • The review draws a distinction
   • The original decision remains open
   Check answers and explanations

   1. The panel failed to give due weight

   to the dissenting opinion.

   2. The review draws a distinction

   between a procedural defect and a dishonest act.

   3. The original decision remains open

   to challenge under the appeal procedure.

   Give weight to, distinction between and open to form the specified relationships.

8. Question 8 · Error correction

   Rewrite the sentence, correcting the grammatical error.

   Correct the one language error. Write the complete corrected sentence. Were the panel consulted the affected staff, it might have reached a different decision last month.

   Check answers and explanations

   Accepted answers

   Had the panel consulted the affected staff, it might have reached a different decision last month.

   A counterfactual about last month's action uses had plus past participle in the inverted condition.

9. Question 9 · Sentence transformation

   Rewrite or complete the second sentence as instructed, keeping the same meaning unless the task asks you to change it.

   Complete the second sentence so that it has the same meaning as the first. Use the given word unchanged. The procedure was flawed, but that alone does not establish deliberate bias. A flawed procedure does not ___ establish deliberate bias.

   Check answers and explanations

   Accepted answers

   in itself / by itself

   In itself and by itself express that this fact alone is insufficient.

10. Question 10 · Sentence reordering

    Arrange these parts into the correct sentence.

    Put the chunks in order to make one complete sentence. Keep the capitalised opening first and the punctuated ending last.

    Sentence parts

    • Had the original rationale been made explicit,
    • might have been avoided
    • the present dispute
    • without changing the decision itself.
    Check answers and explanations

    Correct order

    Had the original rationale been made explicit, the present dispute might have been avoided without changing the decision itself.

    The inverted past condition takes a modal perfect passive in the main clause.

11. Question 11 · Single choice

    Choose one answer.

    Choose the best completion. The panel's eventual apology was a … acknowledgement of the disruption it had caused.

    1. belated
    2. prospective
    3. preventive
    4. premature
    Check answers and explanations

    Answer

    belated

    Eventual and had caused establish that the acknowledgement came late; belated means late.

12. Question 12 · Multiple choice

    Choose all the correct answers.

    Choose TWO correct statements based on the information given. The review found insufficient evidence to conclude that the decision was biased.

    1. The available evidence did not warrant a finding of bias.
    2. The review did not establish bias on the evidence available to it.
    3. The review established that the decision was entirely unbiased.
    4. The review proved deliberate bias beyond doubt.
    Check answers and explanations

    Answer

    The available evidence did not warrant a finding of bias.; The review did not establish bias on the evidence available to it.

    Insufficient evidence establishes neither bias nor complete impartiality; the first two preserve that limit.

13. Question 13 · Fill in the blank (text)

    Complete each blank with the missing word or phrase.

    Use an adjective from COMMENSURATE. In the reviewers' view, the severe penalty was ___ with the minor procedural lapse.

    Check answers and explanations

    Blank 1

    incommensurate

    Incommensurate with means disproportionate to; severe and minor establish the mismatch.

14. Question 14 · Error correction

    Rewrite the sentence, correcting the grammatical error.

    Correct the one language error. Write the complete corrected sentence. The chair objected that the omitted evidence had not been taken in consideration.

    Check answers and explanations

    Accepted answers

    The chair objected that the omitted evidence had not been taken into consideration. / The chair objected that the omitted evidence hadn't been taken into consideration.

    The fixed expression is take into consideration.

15. Question 15 · Sentence transformation

    Rewrite or complete the second sentence as instructed, keeping the same meaning unless the task asks you to change it.

    Complete the second sentence so that it has the same meaning as the first. Use the given word unchanged. The panel ignored the warning then, so it is facing criticism now. If the panel had not ignored the warning then, it ___ criticism now.

    Check answers and explanations

    Accepted answers

    would not be facing / wouldn't be facing

    A mixed conditional links an unreal past action to an unreal present consequence.

What to review next

Explain why each answer fits the meaning and structure. Record useful phrases and write a new example using each pattern you found difficult.

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.