What Are Critics For?

C2 Proficiency · 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.

(0) ___ was a time when the verdict of a single newspaper critic could make (1) ___ break a new play. Today, (2) ___ every diner and theatregoer able to share their opinion online, the professional critic can seem a relic of a bygone age. Why defer (3) ___ one person's judgement when the views of thousands are freely available? Yet the value of criticism has never been confined (4) ___ the verdict alone. The best reviews are concerned less with passing judgement (5) ___ with deepening our understanding: placing a work in its context, and drawing our attention (6) ___ qualities we might otherwise have overlooked. A critic who is steeped (7) ___ the history of an art form can show us why a novel or a symphony matters, not merely whether we are likely to enjoy it. And, (8) ___ or not we share their conclusions, a well-argued review obliges us to work out what we ourselves think, and why. A thousand star ratings, however useful, cannot do that.

What Are Critics For?

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

More C2 Proficiency Open Cloze practice · All C2 Proficiency practice