Achy from sitting at a desk all day? Try doing this

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

Use the surrounding sentence to identify the meaning and word form needed. Check which words naturally go together.

1. Question 1 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   What does “boredom” mean in the article?

   1. The feeling of being uninterested because nothing is happening
   2. The ability to finish difficult work quickly
   3. A painful condition affecting the shoulders
   4. A plan for organizing computer equipment
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   The feeling of being uninterested because nothing is happening

   Boredom is the feeling of being uninterested because nothing is happening.

2. Question 2 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   What does “prolonged” mean in the article?

   1. Lasting for a long time
   2. Happening only outside
   3. Designed for young children
   4. Completed in a few minutes
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   Lasting for a long time

   Prolonged describes something lasting for a long time.

3. Question 3 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   What does “productive” mean in the article?

   1. Able to do useful work successfully
   2. Feeling unable to move at all
   3. Needing a special kind of chair
   4. Being interested in medical research
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   Able to do useful work successfully

   Productive means able to do useful work successfully.

4. Question 4 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   What does “ergonomic” mean in the article?

   1. Designed to make work more comfortable and safe for the body
   2. Connected with serious chronic diseases
   3. Related to walking outside after lunch
   4. Able to measure daily sitting time
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   Designed to make work more comfortable and safe for the body

   Ergonomic describes designs that make work more comfortable and safe for the body.

5. Question 5 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   What does “sedentary” mean in the article?

   1. Involving a lot of sitting and little physical activity
   2. Including many short running races
   3. Focused on improving computer speed
   4. Used to describe a comfortable desk chair
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   Involving a lot of sitting and little physical activity

   Sedentary describes a lifestyle involving much sitting and little physical activity.

What to review next

Keep a short list of unfamiliar words with their meanings and example sentences. Practise recalling them later, then use them in a sentence of your own.

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

Read the whole sentence before choosing a word. Check both its meaning and the words it naturally combines with.

Please make an appointment before visiting the clinic.

Make an appointment is a natural word combination. Knowing a dictionary meaning alone may not tell you which verb fits.

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.