NPR report examines the stigma surrounding HIV

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 “stigma” mean in the article?

   1. A negative and unfair belief about a person or condition
   2. A medical test for a health condition
   3. A public meeting about treatment
   4. A detailed report with statistics
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   A negative and unfair belief about a person or condition

   Stigma means an unfair negative belief about a person or condition.

2. Question 2 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   What does “surrounding” mean in this sentence?

   1. Moving around physically
   2. Connected with or related to something
   3. Hidden inside something
   4. Finished before something
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   Connected with or related to something

   Here, surrounding means connected with or related to HIV.

3. Question 3 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   What does “continuing” mean in the article?

   1. Still happening or existing
   2. Already completely solved
   3. Expected to happen once
   4. Difficult to understand
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   Still happening or existing

   Continuing describes something that is still happening or existing.

4. Question 4 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   What does “specify” mean?

   1. To forget important information
   2. To give exact information about something
   3. To change a public attitude
   4. To discuss a medical condition
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   To give exact information about something

   To specify means to give exact information about something.

5. Question 5 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   What does “informed” mean in the final paragraph?

   1. Having useful knowledge about something
   2. Feeling afraid of a condition
   3. Being unable to speak openly
   4. Having no details about an event
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   Having useful knowledge about something

   An informed conversation is based on useful knowledge and understanding.

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.