Tips and Tricks To Solve Cloze Test Questions

Meaning of Cloze

Based on a test of reading comprehension in which the test taker is asked to supply words that have been systematically deleted from a text.

Meaning of a Cloze Test

A cloze test is an exercise, test or assessment consisting of a portion of a text with certain words removed, where the participant is asked to replace the missing words from the options given. Cloze tests require the ability to understand context and vocabulary in order identify the correct words or type of words that belong in the deleted passage of a text. 

Purpose of a Cloze Test

To identify the aspirants’ knowledge and understanding of the reading process.
To determine which cueing systems the aspirants effectively employ to construct meaning from the printed text given.
To assess the extent of aspirants’ vocabularies and knowledge of the English language.
To judge the aspirants’ ability to monitor for meaning while reading the given text.

How to Tackle Cloze Test Questions?

Example 1: 

Demonetization of high denomination bank notes was in ----1---- of a series of measures taken by our Government during the last two years.

➡Now that the blank is to be fulfilled in such a way as the sentence makes a proper sense.
➡The five options given are (a) continue; (b) continuation; (c) contribute; (d) contrive; and (e) console.

➡Now if you are having sufficient knowledge of prepositions, then continue is usually followed by with; continuation is followed by of; contribute is followed by ‘to’ or ‘towards’ and contrive means to devise – the word is not followed by any preposition and console means solace which also is not followed by any preposition. So, thus by hit and trial method – i.e. eliminating the unwanted options one by one we can arrive at the correct option and here the correct option is (b) continuation.

Understand the Steps before Arriving at a Correct Solution:

• Attentively read the given sentence or the given paragraph and try to grasp and understand the idea. Unless you have an understanding of the sentence/passage, it would be difficult to make the appropriate choice out of the options given. 
• In case, there is a passage given containing some sentences then you must observe that after filling the first option, there is a proper connectivity leading towards the second blank. All sentences in the given passage would be logically related to one another. 
• Hit and trial method i.e. eliminating the unwanted options is the best way to solve the Cloze Test question in a very short time. 
• Vocabulary cannot be developed in a single day. It requires a long-term practice. In the short period, only practice certain sentences and/or paragraphs using the elimination of unwanted options. 

Example 2: 

Even after 60 years of independence it is disgraceful that we are yet to put our infrastructure in__(1)__.
The five options given are (a) organize; (b) place; (c) vicinity; (d) commitment; and (e) duty

➡Here the option (b) is the correct answer because ‘disgraceful’ word in the sentence given clearly reflects that the work has not been done by us i.e. we have not put the infrastructure in place. The other options given i.e. organize; commitment and duty are in the positive side. Vicinity means neighbourhood and that option is also not appropriate.

Example 3: 

My mother waved me goodbye and the bus _____(1). The man sitting _____(2) to me was a doctor ______(3) to Kanpur, _____(4) participate in a conference.
1. (a) going (b) started (c) arrived (d) stopped (e) travelling
2. (a) next (b) besides (c) near (d) side (e) neighbour
3. (a) coming (b) arriving (c) going (d) visiting (e) flying
4. (a) to (b) for (c) so (d) and (e) then

Solution: 

➡This paragraph clearly gives the idea that the writer is going out and his/her mother has come to the bus-stand to say goodbye. The passenger sitting next is a doctor who is going to Kanpur to participate in a conference.
➡So, the correct answer for (1) is option (b); and for (2) is option (a); and for (3) the option is (c) and for the Question (4) the option is (a).

Conclusion:

For the long term vocabulary building is the right path for solving Cloze Test questions but for the short term practice by understanding the idea; keeping into mind the connectivity and eliminating the unwanted options.