The Rejected Novel - Test 4

C2 Proficiency · Multiple Choice Cloze · Proficiency Testbuilder, 4th Edition, Mark Harrison, Macmillan

For questions 1–8, read the text below and decide which answer (A, B, C or D) best fits each gap.

yet

thus

hence

by

back

head

ears

face

omission

exclusion

difference

exception

bear

defy

cope

resist

broken off

wound up

pulled out

packed in

stationed

encased

buried

consigned

light

shallow

thin

scant

stood

revolved

lay

centred

'You've not had much luck with the book, I hear.' That had to be the (0) ___ of the year. My novel had been rejected four times (1) ___ far. I've no doubt that behind my (2) ___ the family were having a good snigger. Rhona of course had been the loyal (3) ___ , though I admit that her piteous expressions when the thing limped home battered by franking stamps were harder to (4) ___ than her sister's outright sarcasm: 'Has your boomerang got back yet, Patton?' she'd enquire, while her husband Jack would give the knife an extra twist by asking if I'd managed to sell any of my daubs. Which meant that he presumed I'd (5) ___ my job on the railways to pursue a painting career. Maybe I should have. The manuscript had begun to show bruises from its days, weeks and months (6) ___ in the 'slush pile' of various publishing firms. Actual criticism of the novel by its rejectors was very (7) ___ on the ground, although the consensus of opinion seemed to indicate that its main weakness (8) ___ in its apparent 'lack of plot'.

The Rejected Novel

understatement

misinformation

incomprehension

distortion

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