Question 1

Running and cycling ____ what George likes to do during his free time.

Accepted Answer

B. are. The compound subject 'Running and cycling' refers to two activities, requiring a plural present-tense verb. 'Are' agrees with the plural subject and matches the present tense of 'likes'.

Question 2

"____ children are very noisy. I can hear them all the way from here," Sally grumbled.

Accepted Answer

D. Those. 'Children' is a plural noun that is far from Sally (she can hear them 'all the way from here'). The plural far demonstrative 'Those' is used for plural nouns at a distance.

Question 3

Janet left some books on the table for you. She said they were ____.

Accepted Answer

D. yours. The books were left 'for you', so they belong to the person being addressed. The possessive pronoun for 'you' is 'yours'.

Question 4

We can buy the textbook ____ that bookshop.

Accepted Answer

A. in. The preposition 'in' is used to indicate location inside an enclosed space such as a shop. 'On' is for surfaces, 'into' shows movement, and 'with' shows accompaniment — none fit the static location of buying within a shop.

Question 5

Liam put in ____ effort in his studies and did not do well in the recent test.

Accepted Answer

A. little. 'Effort' is an uncountable noun, ruling out 'a few'. Because Liam 'did not do well', the quantifier must indicate a small amount. 'Little' (with a negative sense) fits uncountable nouns and explains the poor result.

Question 6

A crowd of curious ____ gathered around the old lady who had fallen on the pavement.

Accepted Answer

A. onlookers. 'Onlookers' are people who watch an event without participating, which matches a curious crowd observing an accident. Attendants serve, paramedics treat patients, and pedestrians simply walk — only 'onlookers' captures the act of curious watching.

Question 7

Scientists ____ venom from snakes to create medicine for snake bites.

Accepted Answer

B. extract. To 'extract' means to remove or draw out something, which is exactly what scientists do when collecting venom from snakes. 'Melt' applies to solids, 'salivate' relates to producing saliva, and 'maintain' means to keep up — none describe taking venom from snakes.

Question 8

The long wait at the restaurant was ____ because the food was absolutely delicious.

Accepted Answer

D. worthwhile. The conjunction 'because the food was absolutely delicious' provides a positive reason that justified the wait. 'Worthwhile' means worth the time spent, which matches a wait rewarded by delicious food.

Question 9

"Be careful when handling the silk dress. It is very ____ and tears easily," Mrs Lim reminded the salesgirl.

Accepted Answer

C. delicate. 'Delicate' describes something fragile that can easily be damaged, fitting a silk dress that 'tears easily'. 'Gentle' and 'sensitive' describe people or temperaments, and 'squishy' refers to soft, yielding objects.

Question 10

Alice ____ her glass against mine and drank to a good year ahead.

Accepted Answer

A. clinked. 'Clinked' refers to the sharp ringing sound made when glasses touch in a toast, which matches the context of drinking to a good year ahead. 'Sloshed' means liquid moving, 'sprinkled' means scattering drops, and 'scattered' means spreading apart — none describe a toast.

P4 English CA1 2025 — Nan Hua

Related papers