Where Are You From?

C1 Advanced · Open Cloze · Cambridge Ready original exercise

For questions 1–8, read the text below and think of the word which best fits each gap. Use only one word in each gap. There is an example at the beginning.

Within seconds of hearing a stranger speak, most of us have formed an opinion not only of where they come from (0) ___ also of their education and even their character. Unfortunately, such judgements often have little to do (1) ___ reality. Some studies suggest that candidates with strong regional accents may be passed (2) ___ for jobs for (3) ___ they are perfectly well qualified. It is hardly surprising, then, that many people feel under pressure to tone (4) ___ their natural way of speaking (5) ___ an attempt to fit in at work or university. Yet linguists are clear that no accent is in (6) ___ way superior to another. What we think of as a standard accent is simply the speech of a particular group (7) ___ members happened to hold power and prestige. Encouragingly, attitudes appear to be shifting, and (8) ___ is now quite common to hear a wide range of regional voices reading the news. For many listeners, a familiar accent makes a broadcaster seem more trustworthy rather than less.

Where Are You From?

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