In Praise of Small Talk

C1 Advanced · Word Formation · Cambridge Ready original exercise

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. There is an example at the beginning (0).

SIGNIFY

ENJOY

COMFORT

ESTIMATE

BELONG

CONNECT

NATURE

SUFFICE

Chatting about the weather with a stranger is often dismissed as (0) ___ , a polite way of filling an awkward silence. Yet psychologists argue that these brief exchanges, however (1) ___ they may appear, play a vital role in our wellbeing. In one study, commuters who were asked to strike up a conversation with a fellow passenger reported a far more (2) ___ journey than those who kept to themselves, even though most had predicted that the experience would be awkward or (3) ___ . Researchers believe we hold back because we routinely (4) ___ how keen other people are to talk to us. Casual chats with a shop assistant or a neighbour foster a sense of (5) ___ , which is particularly valuable for those who live alone or feel (6) ___ from the people around them. Of course, not everyone finds such encounters easy, and for the (7) ___ shy, the prospect can be daunting. The advice is to start small: a comment about a long queue or a compliment on someone's dog is usually (8) ___ to get a conversation going.

In Praise of Small Talk

POINT

Available as a free printable PDF worksheet with an optional answer key.

More C1 Advanced Word Formation practice · All C1 Advanced practice