Sen. Chris Murphy’s stroke highlights the warning signs remembered by BE FAST

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 “acronym” mean in the article?

   1. a short name made from the first letters of other words
   2. a serious illness affecting the heart
   3. a medical machine used in hospitals
   4. a long report written by experts
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   a short name made from the first letters of other words

   An acronym uses initial letters to create a shorter name.

2. Question 2 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   What does “symptoms” mean in the article?

   1. signs that show someone may have an illness
   2. people who provide medical treatment
   3. letters used to form an acronym
   4. actions taken after a news report
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   signs that show someone may have an illness

   Symptoms are signs that may show someone has an illness.

3. Question 3 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   What does “droops” mean in the article?

   1. hangs lower than normal, especially because of weakness
   2. moves quickly from one place to another
   3. becomes brighter after medical treatment
   4. speaks clearly to a group
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   hangs lower than normal, especially because of weakness

   A drooping face hangs lower because one side may be weak.

4. Question 4 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   What does “numbness” mean in the article?

   1. a feeling in which part of the body cannot feel normally
   2. a sudden improvement in eyesight
   3. a way to remember emergency numbers
   4. a report about a person’s recovery
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   a feeling in which part of the body cannot feel normally

   Numbness means a body part cannot feel normally.

5. Question 5 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   What does “lasting” mean in the article?

   1. continuing for a long time
   2. happening only before breakfast
   3. appearing suddenly and disappearing immediately
   4. belonging to a particular reporter
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   continuing for a long time

   Lasting effects continue for a long time.

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.