Cloze Test

Samuel Pepys wrote many diaries about the events of the 1660s. Our (1) …  knowledge of that decade is in no small part due to him. Pepys was an adult at the time of the Restoration of the English monarchy. It was a time when many (2) … freedoms and rights were returned to the citizens. For instance, the theatre, an important (3) … of entertainment, was given to them. Theatres were reopened in 1660, after having been closed down in 1649.

The 1660s was a period of great change; people could start to relax more. A (4) … of this could be seen in the fashions of the time. Bright, colourful clothes were being introduced. Also, much of what we know about 17th century diet and (5) … habits is due to Pepys, as he described his meals and fondness for food in some detail.

Pepys socialised in a wide (6) … of circles and mixed as easily with the working (7) … as with the aristocrats. Samuel Pepys had a gentle touch and a deep (8) … of humanity.

Pepys witnessed two major events in history, the Great Plague and the Great Fire of London. His compassion for the suffering (9) … by both is clear in his diaries. His sorrow at the devastating (10) … of the plague is visible on page after page of his entries for 1664-1665. On completing his diary in 1669, Pepys still had half his career ahead of him, and he devoted the rest of his life to public service until his death in 1703.

 

  1.         A) considerate           B) copious                           C) considerably                        D) considerable
  2.         A) personnel               B) personal                 C) person                    D) personality
  3.         A) brand                     B) form                       C) means                    D) style
  4.         A) reflection               B) reflector                 C) reflect                    D) reflex
  5.         A) eat                         B) eater                       C) eating                    D) eatery
  6.         A) area                        B) choice                    C) range                     D) variety
  7.         A) group                     B) crowd                    C) class                       D) world
  8.         A) feel                        B) sense                      C) feeling                   D) sensation
  9.         A) caused                   B) done                      C) made                     D) blamed
  10.       A) affects                   B) effects                   C) effectives              D) effectiveness