Heat-related deaths rise sharply in Phoenix area after two years of decline

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 “sharply” mean in the article?

   1. Quickly and by a large amount
   2. Slowly and by a small amount
   3. Only during the night
   4. Without any clear change
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   Quickly and by a large amount

   The word describes a quick and large increase.

2. Question 2 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   What does “confirmed” mean in the article?

   1. Shown to be true or certain
   2. Expected to happen later
   3. Hidden from the public
   4. Changed by local officials
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   Shown to be true or certain

   Confirmed deaths have been shown to be true or certain.

3. Question 3 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   What does “investigated” mean in the article?

   1. Carefully examined to discover facts
   2. Quickly counted without checking
   3. Officially prevented from happening
   4. Compared with weather reports
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   Carefully examined to discover facts

   Investigated deaths are being carefully examined for facts.

4. Question 4 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   What does “contributing” mean in the article?

   1. Helping to cause something
   2. Completely stopping something
   3. Happening after something ends
   4. Being unrelated to a result
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   Helping to cause something

   A contributing factor helps cause an event or result.

5. Question 5 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   What does “prevent” mean in the article?

   1. Stop something from happening
   2. Study something after it happens
   3. Make something happen faster
   4. Describe something in detail
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   Stop something from happening

   Prevent means to stop something before it happens.

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.