Mexico’s Baja California prepares for Hurricane Polo as Hurricane Nolo moves away from Hawaii

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 “approaching” as used in the article?

   1. moving nearer to a place or situation
   2. remaining stationary for an extended period
   3. changing direction without gaining distance
   4. decreasing gradually in strength
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   moving nearer to a place or situation

   Here, “approaching” means moving nearer to the Baja California peninsula.

2. Question 2 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   Which option best defines “hazards” as used in the article?

   1. potential sources of danger, harm, or difficulty
   2. official procedures for responding to emergencies
   3. measurements used to classify storm intensity
   4. geographical areas protected from severe weather
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   potential sources of danger, harm, or difficulty

   The term identifies potential sources of danger associated with the storm.

3. Question 3 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   Which option best defines “specify” as used in the article?

   1. to state or identify something precisely and explicitly
   2. estimate something from incomplete historical evidence
   3. compare several possibilities without selecting one
   4. confirm an event through direct observation
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   to state or identify something precisely and explicitly

   The reports do not identify the landfall location precisely or explicitly.

4. Question 4 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   Which option best defines “recedes” as used in the article?

   1. moves farther away or decreases in intensity, importance, or extent
   2. intensifies while approaching a populated area
   3. remains unchanged despite external pressure
   4. returns suddenly to an earlier position
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   moves farther away or decreases in intensity, importance, or extent

   The verb describes something moving farther away or decreasing in extent.

5. Question 5 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   Which option best defines “distinction” as used in the article?

   1. a meaningful difference between two things or situations
   2. a temporary interruption in a developing process
   3. a formal prediction supported by official data
   4. a sequence of events occurring simultaneously
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   a meaningful difference between two things or situations

   It denotes a meaningful difference between the two hurricane situations.

6. Question 6 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   Which option best defines “speculation” as used in the article?

   1. reasoning or discussion based on incomplete evidence rather than established facts
   2. information verified through multiple independent reports
   3. a formal warning issued by emergency authorities
   4. an explanation supported by confirmed physical effects
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   reasoning or discussion based on incomplete evidence rather than established facts

   The term concerns claims based on incomplete evidence rather than established facts.

7. Question 7 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   Which option best defines “persists” as used in the article?

   1. continues to exist or remain despite changing circumstances
   2. disappears immediately after conditions change
   3. moves rapidly toward a different coastline
   4. becomes impossible to measure accurately
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   continues to exist or remain despite changing circumstances

   The risks continue despite Nolo’s movement away from Hawaii.

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.