Crying - Test 1

C2 Proficiency · Word Formation · Cambridge English Proficiency 2, Cambridge University Press

For questions 1–8, read the text below. Use the word given in capitals at the end of some of the lines to form a word that fits in the gap in the same line.

EVOLVE

SIGN

ATTACH

HELP

ADVANTAGE

JUST

VOLUNTARY

DENY

Charles Darwin thought that the human (0) ___ to cry had no obvious (1) ___ purpose. He was almost certainly wrong. More recently scientists have pointed to its social (2) ___ , with psychiatrist John Bowlby highlighting the role of crying in developing the (3) ___ between mother and child. Many believe that tears, at least during childhood, are mainly an expression of (4) ___ . However, the persistence of crying into adulthood is harder to explain. It seems that the sound of crying becomes considerably less important than the visual signal it conveys. It may have been (5) ___ to early human communities as a means of promoting trust and social connectedness. Tears can undoubtedly have other causes too. We may cry to express sympathy for those suffering terrible (6) ___ . Furthermore, tears can be shed (7) ___ , rather to our embarrassment, when we hear inspiring music or moving speeches. We may cry when watching a sentimental film, but interestingly, this is more likely to occur in company than when we are alone. The social function of crying would seem to be (8) ___ , but research continues.

Crying

TEND

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