Topic 7: Comprehension Cloze

Fill in each blank with one suitable word. Pulau Ubin is a small island off the north-eastern coast of Singapore. Many visitors (1)___ there by bumboat from Changi Point, a trip that takes only about ten minutes. Once they (2)___, they can hire bicycles and explore the island's quiet trails. Unlike the mainland, Ubin has very (3)___ tall buildings, and life moves at a much slower (4)___. Long ago, the island was known for its granite quarries. The stone was (5)___ from the ground and used to (6)___ roads and buildings in Singapore. The quarries were (7)___ many years ago, and the deep pits have since (8)___ with rainwater. Today, the island is a (9)___ for wildlife. Chek Jawa, a wetland at the eastern tip, is (10)___ to hundreds of kinds of creatures. During low tide, visitors may (11)___ starfish and horseshoe crabs on the sand flats. A boardwalk allows them to look around without (12)___ the fragile habitat. Conservationists urge everyone to (13)___ the island so that its natural charm will (14)___ for future generations to (15)___.

Fill in each blank with one suitable word. On the last afternoon of the school holidays, Rina (1)___ to fly the kite her grandfather had made for her. She carried it to the field behind her block, (2)___ a strong breeze was blowing. She held the string firmly and (3)___ across the grass. To her delight, the kite (4)___ into the sky at once. It (5)___ above the treetops, its long red tail rippling behind it. Then, without warning, a fierce gust (6)___ the kite and the string (7)___ through her fingers. Rina (8)___ in alarm and (9)___ after it, but the kite was already too (10)___ to reach. It drifted over the fence and (11)___ behind a row of trees. Rina walked home slowly, feeling (12)___. When her grandfather heard what had happened, he did not (13)___ her. Instead, he smiled and said, "Kites are made to fly. We shall build a (14)___ one tomorrow." Rina felt (15)___ and could hardly wait to begin.

Fill in each blank with one suitable word. Water on Earth is never used up. It simply travels in a never-ending journey called the water cycle. The journey begins when the heat of the Sun (1)___ the surface of oceans, rivers and lakes. Some of the water then (2)___ and turns into an invisible gas known as water vapour. As the vapour rises high into the sky, it meets cooler air. The cool air causes the vapour to (3)___ into tiny droplets of water. Millions of these droplets (4)___ together to form clouds. When the droplets grow too (5)___, they can no longer stay in the air and fall to the ground as rain. Rain is (6)___ for farms, and it also refills the (7)___ that supply our drinking water. Not all rain returns to the sea at once. Some of this water flows into streams and rivers, which (8)___ it back to the sea. The rest sinks into the soil, where plants (9)___ it up through their roots. Later, the plants release a little water vapour through their leaves, and the cycle (10)___ once more. The Sun is the (11)___ behind the whole process, because it provides the (12)___ needed to lift the water into the air. Without the water cycle, fresh water would (13)___ scarce, and living things could not (14)___. That is why we should be careful never to (15)___ this precious resource.