Academic Language Aspects

Choose the most appropriate verb to complete the sentence:

When we speak colloquially of clones, we are usually ______________ the science-fiction scenarios.

• meaning

• referring to

• defined as

• signifies

Choose the most appropriate transitional device to complete the sentence:

An employee may do a job ably for months, if not years. __________, when the position is formally advertised and filled, that worker may well be passed over.

• Finally

• Even though

• As well

• However

Choose the most appropriate collocations to complete the sentence:

Family __________ and social _____________ are the two of the elements that are studied  ___________ by researchers examining the likelihood that children will take advantage of the educational opportunities offered to them.

• background / category / closely

• information / category/ completely

• background / class / closely

Choose the most appropriate adverb to complete the sentence:

With the new software in place, companies such as Vasco PLC have been able to process __________ twice as many claims as before. 

• approximately

• more 

• considerably

• less

Choose the most appropriate noun to complete the sentence:

Most economic theories are based on the ____________ that people tend to act rationally.

• effect

• assumption

• request

• question

Which of the following options contains only academic words:

• got worse / two times / very bad

• advisable / secret talks / speed up

• occupation / unacceptable / advisable

Which example provides a more nominalised sentence, i.e., containing noun phrases:

• Variations in interest rates are a key instrument in economic control. 

• If companies continue to burn the forests, they are likely to destroy much of the local flora and fauna.

• It is essential to communicate regularly but briefly with the sales force in the field.

Choose a sentence that shows the opinion of a writer.

• There has been a dramatic reduction recently in the number of loans to small businesses.

• Manufacturing productivity was not nearly as high in France as it was in Germany in 2009.

• It could be argued that the internet is forcing users to engage with new concepts of copyright.

Choose the sentence that does not contain hedging language.

• British shoppers do not appear to care where their food comes from as long as it is cheap.

• The practice of short selling brought about the collapse of Lehman Brothers.

• It is widely accepted that the Athenians of Ancient Greece formed the world’s first democracy.

Choose the most appropriate reporting verb to complete the sentence:

Markham has ________ the poor performance of some schools as a key factor in your unemployment.

• concluded

• classified

• argued

• identified