In Praise of Boredom

C2 Proficiency · Multiple Choice Cloze · Cambridge Ready original exercise

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

extents

distances

lengths

measures

lull

still

calm

slack

disservice

misdeed

malpractice

misconduct

smelts

welds

moulds

forges

reagent

compound

catalyst

solvent

less

light

way

room

place

space

area

region

run

walk

stand

sit

Boredom has an (0) ___ reputation. Parents go to great (1) ___ to keep children entertained, and adults reach for their phones whenever there is a (2) ___ in conversation. Yet a growing body of research suggests that we may be doing ourselves a (3) ___ . When the mind is left to its own devices, it tends to wander, and it is in this state of drift that it (4) ___ connections it would otherwise miss. In one frequently cited experiment, participants who had first been set a deliberately tedious task went on to produce more inventive answers to a creative problem than those who had not. Boredom, it seems, acts as a (5) ___ for exploration, prompting us to seek out something more stimulating. None of this is to make (6) ___ of the misery of chronic boredom, which has been linked to depression and reckless behaviour. But the occasional empty hour may be less a waste of time than a necessary breathing (7) ___ for the imagination. Rather than rushing to fill every gap, perhaps we should let our minds (8) ___ free from time to time.

In Praise of Boredom

unenviable

unworthy

unwarranted

undeserving

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

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