Catherine Breed Completes Historic Swim Along the Length of California

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 “historic” mean in the article?

   1. Important in history or likely to be remembered
   2. Easy to complete quickly
   3. Happening every ordinary day
   4. Located far from the coast
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   Important in history or likely to be remembered

   Historic describes something important that people may remember for a long time.

2. Question 2 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   What does “journey” mean in the article?

   1. A long trip from one place to another
   2. A short swimming lesson
   3. A sudden change in weather
   4. A place for resting
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   A long trip from one place to another

   Journey means a long trip from one place to another.

3. Question 3 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   What does “surreal” mean in the article?

   1. Strange and difficult to believe because it feels like a dream
   2. Very painful and dangerous
   3. Carefully planned and organized
   4. Normal and easy to understand
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   Strange and difficult to believe because it feels like a dream

   Surreal describes something strange and dreamlike because it is difficult to believe.

4. Question 4 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   What does “demanding” mean in the article?

   1. Needing a lot of effort, time, or attention
   2. Taking almost no energy
   3. Happening only during a race
   4. Finished earlier than expected
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   Needing a lot of effort, time, or attention

   Demanding describes something requiring a lot of effort, time, or attention.

5. Question 5 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   What does “achievement” mean in the article?

   1. Something important that someone succeeds in doing
   2. A problem caused by weather
   3. A plan for future travel
   4. A person who provides support
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   Something important that someone succeeds in doing

   Achievement means something important that someone succeeds in doing.

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.