Guardian seeks readers’ tips for wild escapes in Scotland

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 “rooted” most nearly mean in the article?

   1. firmly based on or deeply connected with a particular source, place, or set of ideas
   2. Recently transferred
   3. Visually concealed
   4. Officially prohibited
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   firmly based on or deeply connected with a particular source, place, or set of ideas

   Here, “rooted” means firmly based in particular places and experiences.

2. Question 2 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   What does “rugged” describe in the article?

   1. Highly cultivated
   2. rough, uneven, and difficult to travel across, especially because of natural features
   3. Densely populated
   4. Artificially constructed
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   rough, uneven, and difficult to travel across, especially because of natural features

   It characterizes coastlines that are rough, uneven, and naturally imposing.

3. Question 3 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   What does “intentionally” indicate?

   1. Accidentally
   2. Temporarily
   3. deliberately and as the result of a conscious decision
   4. Reluctantly
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   deliberately and as the result of a conscious decision

   It indicates that the breadth of possible entries is deliberate.

4. Question 4 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   What does “prescribing” mean in context?

   1. setting out a fixed requirement, method, or course of action
   2. Recording a personal memory
   3. Estimating a financial reward
   4. Describing a landscape vividly
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   setting out a fixed requirement, method, or course of action

   It means imposing a fixed model or requirement on outdoor travel.

5. Question 5 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   What does “remoteness” refer to?

   1. the quality of being far away from populated areas, services, or ordinary activity
   2. Similarity between destinations
   3. Accessibility by public transport
   4. Popularity among local residents
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   the quality of being far away from populated areas, services, or ordinary activity

   It denotes distance from populated places, services, and ordinary activity.

6. Question 6 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   What does “infrastructure” mean in the article?

   1. Decorative architectural features
   2. the basic physical and organizational systems needed for a place or activity to function
   3. Personal travel preferences
   4. Rules governing writing competitions
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   the basic physical and organizational systems needed for a place or activity to function

   It refers to basic systems and services supporting conventional accommodation.

7. Question 7 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   What does “spectacular” convey?

   1. highly impressive or striking, particularly in appearance or scale
   2. Difficult to interpret
   3. Entirely predictable
   4. Moderately expensive
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   highly impressive or striking, particularly in appearance or scale

   It describes views that are exceptionally impressive or striking.

8. Question 8 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   What does “distinctive” mean in the final sentence?

   1. Shared by nearly everyone
   2. recognizably different from others because of characteristic or individual qualities
   3. Unavailable to visitors
   4. Dependent on formal approval
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   recognizably different from others because of characteristic or individual qualities

   It describes an experience possessing recognizable qualities that set it apart.

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.