Flash-Flood Risk Lingers Across the Southwest After Rachel’s Remnants Swamped Nevada

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

C2. 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 “heightened” mean in the article?

   1. increased in intensity, seriousness, or awareness, especially in response to a potential threat
   2. Reduced after conditions improved
   3. Restricted to a small geographical area
   4. Measured with unusual precision
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   increased in intensity, seriousness, or awareness, especially in response to a potential threat

   It describes awareness that has been increased because danger remains possible.

2. Question 2 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   What does “accumulated” mean in the article?

   1. Evaporated rapidly
   2. gathered or built up gradually in a particular place or over time
   3. Moved downstream completely
   4. Been absorbed by vegetation
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   gathered or built up gradually in a particular place or over time

   It refers to water that has gathered in particular locations.

3. Question 3 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   What does “overwhelmed” mean in the article?

   1. caused a system or capacity to become unable to cope with the amount imposed on it
   2. Designed to redirect water efficiently
   3. Temporarily closed for routine maintenance
   4. Protected from unusually intense rainfall
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   caused a system or capacity to become unable to cope with the amount imposed on it

   Drainage systems overwhelmed by water cannot cope with the volume imposed.

4. Question 4 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   What does “comparatively” signal?

   1. in relation to something else, especially when emphasizing a relative difference
   2. Without reference to surrounding areas
   3. With complete statistical certainty
   4. In a manner that reverses expectations
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   in relation to something else, especially when emphasizing a relative difference

   It introduces a relative comparison between nearby communities’ conditions.

5. Question 5 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   What does “substantial” mean in context?

   1. considerable in size, amount, importance, or effect
   2. Negligible under normal circumstances
   3. Limited to the storm’s center
   4. Unrelated to subsequent precipitation
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   considerable in size, amount, importance, or effect

   It indicates that the remnants may carry a considerable amount of moisture.

6. Question 6 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   What does “consequential” imply here?

   1. having significant effects or importance, especially beyond the immediate situation
   2. Occurring without measurable consequences
   3. Arriving before any flooding begins
   4. Remaining unrelated to recovery efforts
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   having significant effects or importance, especially beyond the immediate situation

   Additional precipitation would have significant effects after severe flooding.

7. Question 7 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   What are “vulnerable areas”?

   1. particularly exposed to harm, damage, or adverse consequences
   2. Already protected from further flooding
   3. Located exclusively in developed districts
   4. Unable to receive weather warnings
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   particularly exposed to harm, damage, or adverse consequences

   They are places particularly exposed to continuing harm or pressure.

8. Question 8 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   What does “outlast” mean in the article?

   1. continue for a longer period than something else
   2. Intensify before something else begins
   3. Move away from its original location
   4. Prevent another system from developing
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   continue for a longer period than something else

   Flood risk may continue longer than the weather system causing it.

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.