In Chennai, Fisherfolk Face an Uncertain Struggle With the Sea

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

C1. 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.

   Which option best defines “bustling”?

   1. full of energetic activity and movement
   2. quiet and largely abandoned
   3. carefully regulated by authorities
   4. difficult to access physically
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   full of energetic activity and movement

   “Bustling” describes a place filled with energetic movement and activity.

2. Question 2 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   Which option best defines “precarious”?

   1. stable and highly predictable
   2. unstable and likely to become dangerous or unsuccessful
   3. luxurious but unnecessary
   4. temporary yet completely secure
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   unstable and likely to become dangerous or unsuccessful

   “Precarious” describes something unstable and vulnerable to failure.

3. Question 3 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   Which option best defines “disadvantaged”?

   1. lacking social or economic opportunities compared with others
   2. protected from economic competition
   3. recently welcomed into a profession
   4. especially skilled at managing resources
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   lacking social or economic opportunities compared with others

   “Disadvantaged” refers to limited social or economic opportunity.

4. Question 4 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   Which option best defines “unpredictable”?

   1. unlikely to change at all
   2. likely to change suddenly in ways that cannot be anticipated
   3. organized according to a fixed schedule
   4. difficult only because of its distance
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   likely to change suddenly in ways that cannot be anticipated

   “Unpredictable” describes changes that cannot be reliably anticipated.

5. Question 5 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   Which option best defines “precarity”?

   1. a condition of insecurity, instability, or vulnerability
   2. a period of exceptional prosperity
   3. a formal system of environmental protection
   4. a method for measuring commercial activity
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   a condition of insecurity, instability, or vulnerability

   “Precarity” names a condition of insecurity or vulnerability.

6. Question 6 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   Which option best defines “consequently”?

   1. in contrast with something earlier
   2. as a result of something previously stated
   3. despite an unexpected objection
   4. at approximately the same time
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   as a result of something previously stated

   “Consequently” introduces a result that follows from earlier circumstances.

7. Question 7 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   Which option best defines “inseparable”?

   1. so closely connected that separation is difficult or impossible
   2. temporarily associated for practical reasons
   3. physically distant but economically similar
   4. independent despite shared historical origins
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   so closely connected that separation is difficult or impossible

   “Inseparable” describes connections that cannot easily be divided.

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.