B2 Use of English Test 15 – multiple choice gaps

For questions 1-9, read the text below and decide which answer (A, B, C or D) best fits each gap.

What is a coincidence?

A coincidence is a surprising thing that happen to us. For example, two friends go shopping alone on the same day. When they (1)…………… up afterwards, they discover that they’ve each bought an identical T-shirt. Many people (2)…………… coincidences as significant or mysterious. But the simple (3)…………… could be that friends tend to have similar taste in clothes.

In reality, life is (4)…………… of coincidences, but normally we don’t notice them. For example, in almost fifty percent of all football matches, two players share the same birthday. This seems surprising, (5)…………… that there are 365 possible birthdays in the year. But most of these matches will be played without anybody being (6)…………… that the coincidence exists. (7)…………… your birthday is today or tomorrow, you don’t generally go around telling people when it is. What’s more, without realising it, you probably (8)…………… into contact with lots of people born on the same day as you. But when a coincidence is (9)…………… to your attention, it still seems amazing.

1   A   meet                   B   link                  C   join                 D   unite

2   A   regard                B   think               C   consider         D   believe

3   A   explanation       B   definition       C   motivation     D   resolution

4   A   heavy                  B   rich                 C   full                   D   crowded

5   A   given                   B   except            C   even                D   instead

6   A   noticed               B   known            C   aware              D   intelligent

7   A   Therefore          B   Whereas        C   Meanwhile      D   Unless

8   A   make                  B   come              C   have                 D   go

9   A   taken                  B   carried           C   brought            D   shown