🇬🇧 ENGLISH

Decisions, Perceptions & Modern Life

B2/C1 · Revision · Decisions, perception, grammar and meaning

Progress: 0 / 5 exercises completed

Exercise 1

Choose the expression that best fits the context.

1.After comparing twenty nearly identical laptops for two hours, Marta stopped noticing meaningful differences between them. She was experiencing ________.

Aselective memory

Bfood security

Cdecision fatigue

Dcross-pollination

2.Investigators still do not know what caused the system failure. The cause remains ________.

Aunknown

Bunexpected

Ccompelling

Dnostalgic

3.The article repeats the same point across six paragraphs and could easily be shortened. It is too ________.

Acautious

Bplausible

Cunclear

Dwordy

4.The reviewer ignored the main argument and complained about tiny formatting details instead. He was ________.

Asettling for

Bnitpicking

Cnarrowing down

Dreinforcing

5.Seeing the same claim repeatedly can ________ an existing belief even when no new evidence is provided.

Arule out

Bdeteriorate

Creinforce

Dunderestimate

6.The student repeated the textbook definition almost word for word without explaining it. He simply ________ the information.

Aperceived

Bregurgitated

Cidealized

Dnarrowed down

7.A theory can sound reasonable without necessarily being true. In that case, it is ________.

Aplausible

Bproven

Carbitrary

Dunexpected

8.The product label allows customers to identify where the ingredients came from. This provides information about its ________.

Adecision fatigue

Bweather warning

Cwind chill

Dfood provenance

9.After rejecting five possibilities, researchers were left with only two realistic explanations. They had ________ the possibilities.

Asettled for

Bnarrowed down

Cidolized

Dsecond-guessed

10.The predicted event happened partly because people changed their behaviour after hearing the prediction. This is a ________.

Astaple food

Bconfirmation bias

Cself-fulfilling prophecy

Dselective memory

Exercise 2

Choose the grammatically correct sentence in neutral standard English. For question 9, also preserve the cautious meaning given.

1.A friendship began ten years ago and continues now.

AWe know each other since ten years.

BWe have known each other since ten years.

CWe knew each other for ten years and still do.

DWe have known each other for ten years.

2.Choose the correct preposition.

AThe town is famous for its medieval centre.

BThe town is famous of its medieval centre.

CThe town is famous about its medieval centre.

DThe town is famous by its medieval centre.

3.Compare the number of available options.

AThere are less choices than before.

BThere is fewer choice than before.

CThere are fewer choices than before.

DThere are fewer choice than before.

4.Choose the correct quantity expression.

AThe report does not contain evidence enough.

BThe report does not contain enough evidence.

CThe report does not contain enough evidences.

DThe report contains too few evidence.

5.Choose the correct expression for excessive detail.

AThe explanation contains too many unnecessary information.

BThe explanation contains fewer unnecessary information.

CThe explanation contains much too informations.

DThe explanation contains too much unnecessary information.

6.Choose the correct concessive clause.

ANo matter insignificant the problem is, they complain.

BNo matter how insignificant the problem is, they complain.

CNo matter how the problem insignificant is, they complain.

DNo matter how insignificant is the problem, they complain.

7.Describe a past state that is no longer true.

AMy family would own one car when I was young.

BMy family used to owning one car when I was young.

CMy family used to own one car when I was young.

DMy family would have one car yesterday.

8.Describe a repeated activity in an established past period.

AEvery Friday, we would rent a film after work.

BEvery Friday, we would rented a film after work.

CEvery Friday, we used to renting a film after work.

DEvery Friday, we would have rented a film tomorrow.

9.Express caution: the evidence is not automatically proof, although it might support the claim.

AThe evidence cannot necessarily taken as proof.

BThe evidence necessarily cannot be taken as proof.

CThe evidence cannot be necessarily take as proof.

DThe evidence cannot necessarily be taken as proof.

10.Choose the correct position of enough.

AThe instructions are enough clear now.

BThe instructions are clear enough now.

CThe instructions are enough clearly now.

DThe instructions have enough clear now.

Exercise 3

Choose the word or expression that forms the most natural combination in the given context.

1.The findings are strongly convincing: ________ evidence.

Acompelling

Bslippery

Cnostalgic

Dselective

2.Remembering flattering details but overlooking mistakes: ________ memory.

Ablack

Bselective

Cstaple

Dcautious

3.Reduce the list to a manageable shortlist: ________ down the options.

Aease

Brule

Cdeteriorate

Dnarrow

4.Eliminate an explanation: ________ a possibility.

Aidolize

Bperceive

Csettle

Drule out

5.Accept something less than ideal: ________ for the first acceptable option.

Asettle

Breinforce

Cregurgitate

Dworsen

6.Remember the past too positively: look through ________ glasses.

Afrozen-tinted

Brose-tinted

Cwind-tinted

Dpast-tinted

7.An official alert about a coming storm: a ________ warning.

Adecision

Bweather

Cmemory

Dprovenance

8.The term for a thin, transparent layer that is difficult to see on a dark road: ________ ice.

Ablack

Bslippery

Cchilling

Dfrozen

9.Rice is a basic, regularly eaten part of the diet: a ________ food.

Aregularized

Bselective

Cstaple

Dplausible

10.Favouring information that supports an existing belief: ________ bias.

Aprovenance

Bconfirmation

Cnostalgia

Ddrought

Exercise 4

Choose the option that best explains the difference.

1.unknown / unexpected

ABoth mean difficult to understand.

BUnknown means unpleasant; unexpected means dangerous.

CUnknown means not known; unexpected means not anticipated.

DThey have exactly the same meaning.

2.idealize / idolize

AIdealize means remember; idolize means forget.

BIdealize means represent as better than reality; idolize means admire excessively.

CIdealize applies only to people; idolize applies only to objects.

DThey are interchangeable in every context.

3.narrow down / rule out

ANarrow down reduces the possibilities; rule out eliminates a possibility.

BNarrow down means accept reluctantly; rule out means compare carefully.

CNarrow down means doubt yourself; rule out means prove something.

DThey both mean choose the first available option.

4.wind chill / windshield

ABoth describe winter weather.

BWind chill is frozen rain; windshield is black ice.

CWind chill is a warning; windshield is visibility.

DWind chill is the effect of wind on perceived temperature; a windshield is a vehicle window.

5.plausible / compelling

APlausible means possible or believable; compelling means strongly convincing.

BPlausible means proven; compelling means uncertain.

CPlausible means pleasant; compelling means possible.

DThey are exact synonyms.

6.less choice / fewer choices

AOnly 'less choices' is correct.

BBoth are incorrect.

CBoth are correct because 'choice' can be uncountable and 'choices' countable.

DOnly 'fewer choice' is correct.

7.second-guess / settle for

ASecond-guess means reduce a list; settle for means eliminate an option.

BSecond-guess means doubt a decision; settle for means accept something less than ideal.

CSecond-guess means prove; settle for means investigate.

DThey both mean hesitate before choosing.

8.selective memory / nostalgia

ASelective memory means remembering some details while overlooking others; nostalgia is emotional longing for the past.

BBoth mean remembering the past accurately.

CNostalgia means forgetting negative events completely.

DSelective memory refers only to childhood.

9.unknown / unclear

AUnknown means false; unclear means unexpected.

BUnknown means not known; unclear means difficult to understand or determine.

CUnknown means uncertain weather; unclear means missing information.

DThey are always interchangeable.

10.reinforce / prove

AReinforce always means prove beyond doubt.

BProve means repeat an idea more frequently.

CThere is no meaningful difference.

DReinforce can strengthen support for an idea without proving it conclusively.

Exercise 5

Choose the sentence that preserves the meaning of the original.

1.Researchers found a correlation, but this does not demonstrate causation.

AThe correlation proves the theory.

BThe correlation cannot necessarily be taken as proof of causation.

CThe correlation rules out every other explanation.

DThe correlation must indicate causation.

2.People often remember that period more positively than it really was.

APeople often look at that period through rose-tinted glasses.

BPeople always remember that period accurately.

CPeople have ruled out the negative parts of that period.

DPeople second-guess the entire period.

3.The number seven has a connection with luck in some traditions.

ASeven objectively creates good luck.

BSeven must represent luck everywhere.

CSeven proves that luck exists.

DSeven may be associated with luck in certain traditions.

4.We cannot eliminate human error as a possible explanation.

AHuman error has been proven.

BHuman error is impossible.

CWe cannot rule out human error.

DWe should settle for human error.

5.The company reduced the original list from twelve suppliers to three.

AThe company narrowed the list down to three suppliers.

BThe company ruled out all three suppliers.

CThe company second-guessed twelve suppliers.

DThe company settled for twelve suppliers.

6.The instructions contained more detail than users could comfortably process.

AThe instructions contained too few details.

BThe instructions contained too much information.

CThe instructions contained fewer information.

DThe instructions were not detailed enough.

7.When I was a child, my family regularly spent Sunday afternoons at my grandparents' house.

AMy family would spending Sunday afternoons there.

BMy family would have spent next Sunday there.

CMy family spends every Sunday afternoon there now.

DMy family would spend Sunday afternoons there.

8.The exact reason for the failure has not been identified.

AThe reason was unexpected.

BThe reason is compelling.

CThe reason is unclear enough.

DThe reason remains unknown.

9.The explanation contains unnecessary detail and could be much shorter.

AThe explanation is too wordy.

BThe explanation is too plausible.

CThe explanation is too selective.

DThe explanation is too cautious.

10.Repeating the claim may make people more confident that it is true.

ARepetition may rule out the claim.

BRepetition may reinforce the belief.

CRepetition may prove the claim scientifically.

DRepetition may narrow down the claim.

N E R D

Word Origin

Naturally Eccentric, Remarkably Different

Word / Phrase	Category	Origin & Explanation
nostalgia	Greek	From Greek nostos (homecoming) and algos (pain). Originally, the word referred more closely to painful homesickness. Today, nostalgia is emotional longing for the past. To idealize is to imagine something as better than reality; to idolize is to admire someone excessively.

Exercise 1

decision fatigue — Decision fatigue is mental exhaustion after sustained decision-making. Selective memory concerns what is remembered; food security concerns access to food; cross-pollination involves transfer between plants or ideas.
unknown — Unknown means not identified or known. Unexpected means not anticipated; compelling describes something convincing, and nostalgic describes longing for the past.
wordy — Wordy means using unnecessarily many words. Repetition does not necessarily make the article unclear, cautious, or merely plausible.
nitpicking — Nitpicking means focusing critically on minor details. Settling for means accepting less than ideal; narrowing down reduces options; reinforcing strengthens something.
reinforce — Reinforce means strengthen. Rule out means eliminate; underestimate means judge too low. Deteriorate means become worse and does not naturally take a belief as its object.
regurgitated — Regurgitated suggests mechanically repeating information without understanding or analysis. Perceived means noticed or interpreted; idealized means pictured as better than reality; narrowed down means reduced alternatives.
plausible — Plausible means believable or reasonable, not established as true. Proven claims have stronger support; arbitrary means lacking a reasoned basis; unexpected concerns anticipation.
food provenance — Food provenance concerns origin and sometimes production history. It does not refer to choice exhaustion, weather alerts, or perceived cold.
narrowed down — Narrowed down means reduced the set of possibilities. Settled for implies acceptance; second-guessed implies doubt or reconsideration; idolized means admired excessively.
self-fulfilling prophecy — A self-fulfilling prophecy helps bring about the predicted outcome through behaviour. Confirmation bias affects how evidence is selected or interpreted; selective memory affects recall; a staple food is a dietary mainstay.

Exercise 2

We have known each other for ten years. — Use present perfect for a state continuing until now, and for with a duration. Since introduces a starting point. Past simple presents the state as past rather than continuing.
The town is famous for its medieval centre. — Famous for names the reason for fame. Of, about, and by do not complete this adjective in the intended sense.
There are fewer choices than before. — In standard edited English, use fewer with plural countable choices and are with a plural subject. Less choices occurs informally, but is not the target form here.
The report does not contain enough evidence. — Enough normally precedes a noun: enough evidence. Evidence is uncountable in this sense, so evidences and few evidence do not fit. Evidence enough is literary or marked, rather than the neutral form targeted here.
The explanation contains too much unnecessary information. — Information is uncountable: too much information. Too many and fewer require plural countable nouns; informations is not the standard plural here.
No matter how insignificant the problem is, they complain. — Use no matter how + adjective + subject + verb. This subordinate clause has statement word order, not question inversion.
My family used to own one car when I was young. — Used to + infinitive describes past states and habits. Habitual would is normally used for repeated actions, not the continuing state of owning a car. Used to owning and would ... yesterday do not express this past state correctly.
Every Friday, we would rent a film after work. — Habitual would takes the bare infinitive rent. Used to also takes an infinitive, not renting. The last option conflicts with the intended past habit and time reference.
The evidence cannot necessarily be taken as proof. — The passive requires be taken. Cannot necessarily be taken as proof avoids assuming conclusive proof. Necessarily cannot is grammatical but expresses a stronger necessary impossibility, so it does not preserve the specified cautious meaning.
The instructions are clear enough now. — Enough follows an adjective: clear enough. Clearly is an adverb, while are calls for the adjective clear in this description. Have enough clear lacks a suitable noun.

Exercise 3

compelling — Compelling evidence is strongly convincing. Selective evidence suggests a restricted or biased selection, which does not express convincing strength; slippery and nostalgic do not fit this meaning.
selective — Selective memory refers to uneven recall or remembering preferred details. The other adjectives do not name this pattern.
narrow — Narrow down the options means reduce their number. Rule combines with out to eliminate, not down. Ease and deteriorate do not form this expression.
rule out — Rule out a possibility means exclude it. Perceive can mean notice a possibility, but does not mean eliminate it. Settle needs for in the acceptance expression.
settle — Settle for means accept despite reservations. The other verbs do not combine with for to express this compromise.
rose-tinted — Rose-tinted glasses is the established figurative expression for an unrealistically favourable view. The other compounds are not this idiom.
weather — A weather warning alerts people to hazardous weather. The other nouns do not identify a storm alert.
black — Black ice is the established term for this hard-to-see road hazard. Slippery ice is a valid general description, but does not identify this specific type; frozen is redundant.
staple — A staple food is a main, routinely eaten part of a diet. Regularized means made regular or official, and does not express a dietary mainstay.
confirmation — Confirmation bias concerns favouring information consistent with existing beliefs. Nostalgia is longing for the past, provenance is origin, and drought concerns lack of rainfall.

Exercise 4

Unknown means not known; unexpected means not anticipated. — Unknown concerns knowledge; unexpected concerns anticipation. Something familiar can happen unexpectedly, and an unknown cause need not be dangerous or unpleasant.
Idealize means represent as better than reality; idolize means admire excessively. — Idealizing improves an imagined picture of someone or something; idolizing is intense, often excessive admiration. Neither verb simply means remember or forget, and their objects are not restricted as suggested.
Narrow down reduces the possibilities; rule out eliminates a possibility. — Narrowing down leaves a smaller set; ruling out excludes an option. Reluctant acceptance is settling for, and doubting a decision is second-guessing.
Wind chill is the effect of wind on perceived temperature; a windshield is a vehicle window. — Wind chill describes the cooling effect of wind on exposed people. Windshield is the American term for the front vehicle window, called a windscreen in British English; it is not a weather condition.
Plausible means possible or believable; compelling means strongly convincing. — A plausible explanation sounds reasonable; a compelling one is strongly persuasive. Neither adjective alone guarantees proof, and pleasantness is unrelated.
Both are correct because 'choice' can be uncountable and 'choices' countable. — Less choice describes a reduced range or freedom of choice; fewer choices counts individual options. Standard usage pairs less with the uncountable form and fewer with the plural countable form.
Second-guess means doubt a decision; settle for means accept something less than ideal. — Here, second-guess means question or doubt a decision, often afterwards; settle for means accept a compromise. Neither means prove or eliminate. Second-guess can also mean anticipate someone's actions in other contexts.
Selective memory means remembering some details while overlooking others; nostalgia is emotional longing for the past. — Selective memory concerns what is recalled; nostalgia concerns feelings about the past. They can overlap, but nostalgia does not require total forgetting and selective memory can concern recent events.
Unknown means not known; unclear means difficult to understand or determine. — An unknown cause has not been identified; an unclear explanation may be available but hard to understand. Neither word implies falsehood, and neither is limited to weather.
Reinforce can strengthen support for an idea without proving it conclusively. — Reinforcement strengthens support or confidence; proof establishes a claim to the relevant standard. Repeating something can reinforce belief without providing proof.

Exercise 5

The correlation cannot necessarily be taken as proof of causation. — A correlation alone does not establish causation. It may be relevant evidence, which is why proof is the precise word here. The other options wrongly claim certainty or eliminate alternatives.
People often look at that period through rose-tinted glasses. — Rose-tinted glasses expresses an overly positive view. Accurate memory removes the distortion; rule out means exclude a possibility, and second-guess means question a judgement.
Seven may be associated with luck in certain traditions. — Be associated with expresses a cultural connection, and certain traditions preserves the limited scope. The other options add unsupported causation, universality, or proof.
We cannot rule out human error. — Cannot rule out means the possibility remains open. It does not prove human error, call it impossible, or recommend accepting it as the explanation.
The company narrowed the list down to three suppliers. — Narrowed down to three preserves the smaller remaining shortlist. Ruling out all three would remove them; second-guessing does not specify reduction; settling for twelve gives the wrong outcome.
The instructions contained too much information. — Too much information expresses excessive detail with an uncountable noun. Too few and not detailed enough reverse the meaning; fewer information has the wrong countability pattern.
My family would spend Sunday afternoons there. — With the original childhood context established, would spend expresses a repeated past action. Would spending is malformed; next Sunday shifts time; the present-tense option changes the habit to now.
The reason remains unknown. — Remains unknown preserves the absence of identification. Unexpected concerns anticipation; compelling concerns persuasiveness; unclear enough adds an inappropriate degree judgement.
The explanation is too wordy. — Too wordy targets unnecessary length. Plausible concerns believability, selective concerns selection, and cautious concerns care or restraint.
Repetition may reinforce the belief. — Reinforce the belief means strengthen confidence. Repetition alone provides no scientific proof; ruling out eliminates a claim and narrowing down reduces a set of possibilities.

Quantity

too many + plural countable noun: too many choices.
too much + uncountable noun: too much information.
fewer + plural countable noun: fewer choices.
less + uncountable noun: less choice.
adjective + enough: convincing enough. enough + noun: enough evidence.

Past

used to + infinitive: past states and repeated situations. My family used to own one car.
would + infinitive: repeated past actions, with a past context established. Every Friday, we would rent a film.
past simple: completed past events. We rented a film yesterday.

Cautious language

may / might / could + infinitive: possible rather than certain. Seven may be associated with luck.
is believed to / is thought to + infinitive: report a belief without presenting it as established fact.
apparently: according to appearances or available information. arguably: a position can reasonably be argued.
cannot necessarily be taken as evidence of: the interpretation is not automatic. When evidence exists but is inconclusive, use cannot necessarily be taken as proof of. Correlation alone does not demonstrate causation.

Corrections

We have known each other for ten years. Present perfect for a continuing state; for + duration, since + starting point.
The city is famous for its architecture. Famous for introduces the reason.
No matter how insignificant the problem is, ... Use statement word order after how + adjective.
The explanation is too wordy. It uses unnecessarily many words.
Don't nitpick every detail. Nitpick means criticize minor details.
Repeated exposure can reinforce a belief. Stronger belief is not necessarily stronger evidence.
He regurgitated the information without analysing it. Mechanical repetition does not demonstrate understanding.

Meaning contrasts

unknown / unexpected / unclearNot known / not anticipated / difficult to understand or determine.

narrow down / rule outReduce the number of possibilities / eliminate a possibility.

idealize / idolizeImagine as better than reality / admire excessively.

plausible / compellingReasonably believable / strongly convincing.

wind chill / windshieldThe cooling effect of wind on exposed people / the front window of a vehicle (British English: windscreen).