Saying Nothing

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.

For many of us, a lull in conversation is something to be avoided at all (0) ___ . We rush to fill the gap (1) ___ idle remarks or nervous laughter, as though a moment's quiet were a sign that something had gone badly wrong. Attitudes to silence, however, vary considerably (2) ___ one culture to another. In some places, a pause before replying is taken as a mark of respect, showing that the listener has given the question the thought it deserves. Those unused (3) ___ such pauses may easily mistake them for disapproval. Silence can also be a powerful tool in its own (4) ___ . Skilled interviewers know that people who are met with silence will often keep talking simply (5) ___ the sake of breaking it, and in doing so reveal far more than they meant to. Negotiators, too, understand the value of letting a pause stretch out: the side that cannot bear the quiet is, more often (6) ___ not, the one that gives way. Learning to tolerate silence takes practice, but it is well (7) ___ the effort. (8) ___ from being empty, a well-timed pause can say a great deal.

Saying Nothing

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