In the context of health & bioethics, which word best completes the following sentence: 'The government's failure to address the issue has only served to __________ the social divide'?
Elige una opción para comprobar tu respuesta.
Respuesta correcta: B)exacerbate
💡 Explicación
This question tests advanced vocabulary (verbs of change and impact) suitable for C1+ level.
Ver respuesta
Respuesta correcta: B)exacerbate
A)alleviateIncorrect. 'Alleviate' means to make something less severe, which is the opposite of what's needed.
B)exacerbateCorrect. 'Exacerbate' means to make a problem or bad situation worse, which fits perfectly here.
C)mitigateIncorrect. 'Mitigate' means to make something less severe, which doesn't fit the negative consequence implied.
D)facilitateIncorrect. 'Facilitate' means to make an action or process easy or easier, which is not appropriate for a social divide.
💡 Explicación
This question tests advanced vocabulary (verbs of change and impact) suitable for C1+ level.
Pregunta 2
Pregunta 2 · D4Bloom: Remember
Discussing health & bioethics in Bucaramanga.
In the context of health & bioethics, which word best completes the following sentence: 'Anonymised datasets that cannot be linked back to patients can __________ the rare conditions researchers are trying to find'?
Elige una opción para comprobar tu respuesta.
Respuesta correcta: A)obscure
💡 Explicación
The clause 'that cannot be linked back' sets up a trade-off: the safeguard that protects patient identity also hides the signal researchers rely on. A verb of making something unclear, such as 'obscure', names that cost precisely, whereas verbs of safety or approval contradict it.
Ver respuesta
Respuesta correcta: A)obscure
A)obscure'Obscure' means to make unclear or hard to see, and the sentence describes protection that has the side effect of hiding the very cases the study needs.
B)secure'Secure' means to make safe, and the option would claim the anonymisation is purely beneficial, ignoring the cost the clause states.
C)endorse'Endorse' means to declare approval of publicly, and nothing in the sentence concerns approval or support of a policy.
D)ensure'Ensure' means to make certain, and it would claim a guarantee of results rather than the loss of detectability described.
💡 Explicación
The clause 'that cannot be linked back' sets up a trade-off: the safeguard that protects patient identity also hides the signal researchers rely on. A verb of making something unclear, such as 'obscure', names that cost precisely, whereas verbs of safety or approval contradict it.
Pregunta 3
Pregunta 3 · D4Bloom: Remember
Discussing health & bioethics in Bogotá.
In the context of health & bioethics, which word best completes the following sentence: 'Paying patients to stay in a trial has __________ recruitment among the communities where the money was most needed'?
Elige una opción para comprobar tu respuesta.
Respuesta correcta: A)compromised
💡 Explicación
The wording 'most needed' carries the ethical sting: payment improved the numbers while damaging the trust that genuine recruitment depends on. 'Compromised' is the verb that expresses being weakened by an outside pressure, while the other options describe composition, compression or condemnation.
Ver respuesta
Respuesta correcta: A)compromised
A)compromised'Compromise' means to weaken something by exposing it to damaging forces, and the sentence reports trust damaged by an incentive that also skewed who took part.
B)comprised'Comprise' means to consist of or include, and the clause reports an effect on recruitment rather than a list of components.
C)compressed'Compress' means to press or squeeze, and nothing in the sentence concerns reducing volume or condensing information.
D)condemned'Condemn' means to express strong disapproval, and the sentence describes an unintended consequence rather than any act of judgement.
💡 Explicación
The wording 'most needed' carries the ethical sting: payment improved the numbers while damaging the trust that genuine recruitment depends on. 'Compromised' is the verb that expresses being weakened by an outside pressure, while the other options describe composition, compression or condemnation.
Pregunta 4
Pregunta 4 · D4Bloom: Remember
Discussing health & bioethics in Pereira.
In the context of health & bioethics, which word best completes the following sentence: 'A biobank that returns every individual result without consent can __________ people who would rather not learn what they carry'?
Elige una opción para comprobar tu respuesta.
Respuesta correcta: A)alienate
💡 Explicación
The clause 'who would rather not learn what they carry' names people whose wishes are overridden, and the verb must express the social estrangement that produces. 'Alienate' fits that sense of pushing someone to the margins, whereas allocation, association and authorisation are all institutional acts rather than the consequence described.
Ver respuesta
Respuesta correcta: A)alienate
A)alienate'Alienate' means to make someone feel excluded or estranged, and the sentence describes patients pushed away by a policy they did not choose.
B)allocate'Allocate' means to distribute for a purpose, and the clause is about how people feel rather than how resources are assigned.
C)associate'Associate' means to connect in one's mind, and the sentence concerns loss of trust rather than a link formed between two things.
D)authorize'Authorize' means to give official approval, and the clause reports an unwanted outcome rather than any act of permission.
💡 Explicación
The clause 'who would rather not learn what they carry' names people whose wishes are overridden, and the verb must express the social estrangement that produces. 'Alienate' fits that sense of pushing someone to the margins, whereas allocation, association and authorisation are all institutional acts rather than the consequence described.
Pregunta 5
Pregunta 5 · D6Bloom: Apply
A hospital bulletin from Bucaramanga about a new organ donation campaign.
Read the text and answer the question.
"Since 2016, Colombian law says that every adult is a potential organ donor unless they register that they do not want to be one. Even so, doctors at a hospital in Bucaramanga noticed that many families still refused donation after a relative died. The reason was simple: the families did not know what the person had wanted. The hospital started a campaign called 'Talk about it at dinner', which encourages people to tell their families their decision. In the first year, the number of families that accepted donation rose from 40 to 65 per cent."
What is the main idea of the text?
Elige una opción para comprobar tu respuesta.
Respuesta correcta: B)A campaign helped families know their relatives' wishes, and more families accepted donation.
💡 Explicación
A main-idea question in an informative text often follows a problem-solution-result pattern. Here the problem is lack of family knowledge, the solution is a dinner-table conversation campaign, and the result is a higher acceptance rate. Options that focus on the law or invent a reason do not represent the whole text.
Ver respuesta
Respuesta correcta: B)A campaign helped families know their relatives' wishes, and more families accepted donation.
A)The 2016 law made organ donation compulsory for all families.Incorrect. The law makes adults potential donors unless they register otherwise; it does not force families, and many still refused.
B)A campaign helped families know their relatives' wishes, and more families accepted donation.Correct. The text identifies the problem (families did not know the person's wish), describes the campaign and reports the rise from 40 to 65 per cent.
C)Most families refuse donation because of religious reasons.Incorrect. The text gives a different reason: the families 'did not know what the person had wanted'. Religion is never mentioned.
D)Doctors in Bucaramanga want to change the law on donation.Incorrect. The hospital started a communication campaign; the text says nothing about doctors trying to change the law.
💡 Explicación
A main-idea question in an informative text often follows a problem-solution-result pattern. Here the problem is lack of family knowledge, the solution is a dinner-table conversation campaign, and the result is a higher acceptance rate. Options that focus on the law or invent a reason do not represent the whole text.
Pregunta 6
Pregunta 6 · D6Bloom: Apply
An online forum post by a nursing student from Pereira about informed consent.
Read the text and answer the question.
"During my practice at a clinic in Pereira, I watched a doctor explain a surgery to an elderly patient. He spoke fast and used words like 'laparoscopy' and 'anaesthetic risk'. The patient nodded and signed the form. Afterwards, I asked her if she had any questions. She said, 'Not really, I didn't understand much, but the doctor knows best.' That moment changed how I see consent. A signature on a paper is not the same as understanding. Since then, I always ask patients to explain the procedure back to me in their own words."
What can we infer about the writer's view of informed consent?
Elige una opción para comprobar tu respuesta.
Respuesta correcta: A)Real consent requires that the patient actually understands the information.
💡 Explicación
To infer a writer's view, look for the turning point of a personal story. 'That moment changed how I see consent' introduces the new belief, and the next sentence states it directly. The new habit of asking patients to explain the procedure back confirms the inference, while the distractors exaggerate or reverse it.
Ver respuesta
Respuesta correcta: A)Real consent requires that the patient actually understands the information.
A)Real consent requires that the patient actually understands the information.Correct. The writer concludes that 'A signature on a paper is not the same as understanding' and now checks understanding by asking patients to explain the procedure.
B)A signed form is enough to show that a patient has given consent.Incorrect. This is the idea the writer rejects after seeing that the patient signed without understanding.
C)Doctors should never use medical words with patients.Incorrect. The writer criticises the fast, technical explanation, but never says medical words must be avoided completely; the point is understanding.
D)Elderly patients should not be allowed to sign consent forms.Incorrect. The writer does not question the patient's right to sign; she questions whether the information was understood.
💡 Explicación
To infer a writer's view, look for the turning point of a personal story. 'That moment changed how I see consent' introduces the new belief, and the next sentence states it directly. The new habit of asking patients to explain the procedure back confirms the inference, while the distractors exaggerate or reverse it.
Pregunta 7
Pregunta 7 · D6Bloom: Apply
Instructions from a Manizales university for volunteers in a medical study.
Read the text and answer the question.
"Thank you for your interest in our sleep study. Volunteers must be between 18 and 30 years old and must not take any regular medication. The study lasts four weeks. During this time, you will wear a small bracelet that records your sleep, and you will visit the laboratory every Friday for a short interview. You will receive 200,000 pesos at the end of the study. You can leave the study at any time without giving a reason, and you will still receive payment for the weeks you completed. All personal data will be kept confidential."
What happens if a volunteer decides to leave the study after two weeks?
Elige una opción para comprobar tu respuesta.
Respuesta correcta: C)The volunteer is paid for the two weeks completed.
💡 Explicación
This detail question depends on one sentence that contains two pieces of information: volunteers can leave without giving a reason, and they are paid for the completed weeks. The distractors each contradict half of that sentence or confuse it with the payment for the full study, so careful reading of the whole sentence is essential.
Ver respuesta
Respuesta correcta: C)The volunteer is paid for the two weeks completed.
A)The volunteer must explain the reason to the university.Incorrect. The text says volunteers can leave 'without giving a reason', so no explanation is required.
B)The volunteer receives the full 200,000 pesos.Incorrect. The full amount is paid at the end of the complete study; a volunteer who leaves is paid only for the weeks completed.
C)The volunteer is paid for the two weeks completed.Correct. The instructions say volunteers 'will still receive payment for the weeks you completed', so two completed weeks are paid.
D)The volunteer must return the money already received.Incorrect. Nothing in the text mentions returning money; payment for completed weeks is guaranteed.
💡 Explicación
This detail question depends on one sentence that contains two pieces of information: volunteers can leave without giving a reason, and they are paid for the completed weeks. The distractors each contradict half of that sentence or confuse it with the payment for the full study, so careful reading of the whole sentence is essential.
Pregunta 8
Pregunta 8 · D6Bloom: Apply
An opinion article from a Medellín newspaper about genetic tests sold online.
Read the text and answer the question.
"Today anyone in Medellín can buy a genetic test online for less than a pair of good shoes. You send some saliva in a tube, and a few weeks later an app tells you about your ancestors and your risk of certain diseases. It sounds exciting, but I think buyers should be careful. A result that says 'high risk' can cause great anxiety, and no doctor is there to explain it. Also, few people read who will keep their genetic data. Before you buy, ask yourself one question: what will I do with this information?"
What is the writer's main purpose?
Elige una opción para comprobar tu respuesta.
Respuesta correcta: B)To warn readers about the risks of buying genetic tests without thinking.
💡 Explicación
Signals such as 'I think buyers should be careful' and the final direct question to the reader show that the article is a warning. The description of the test at the beginning sets the context, but the writer's purpose appears in the evaluation and advice that follow it.
Ver respuesta
Respuesta correcta: B)To warn readers about the risks of buying genetic tests without thinking.
A)To advertise a cheap genetic test sold in Medellín.Incorrect. The price comparison shows how easy the tests are to buy, but the writer warns against them instead of promoting them.
B)To warn readers about the risks of buying genetic tests without thinking.Correct. The writer says 'buyers should be careful', lists two risks (anxiety without a doctor and data privacy) and ends with a question to make readers reflect.
C)To explain the scientific process of analysing saliva.Incorrect. The text mentions sending saliva but gives no scientific explanation of how the analysis is done.
D)To prove that genetic tests always give false results.Incorrect. The writer never says the results are false; the concern is how people interpret them and what happens to the data.
💡 Explicación
Signals such as 'I think buyers should be careful' and the final direct question to the reader show that the article is a warning. The description of the test at the beginning sets the context, but the writer's purpose appears in the evaluation and advice that follow it.
Pregunta 9
Pregunta 9 · D6Bloom: Apply
A short report about a vaccination brigade in a rural area near Bogotá.
Read the text and answer the question.
"Last Saturday, a health brigade from Bogotá visited three villages in Sumapaz to vaccinate children and older adults. The roads are long and narrow, so the team travelled on horses for part of the way, carrying the vaccines in special cool boxes. Before the visit, local radio stations announced the dates, and community leaders went from house to house to explain why the vaccines were important. Thanks to this preparation, the brigade vaccinated 340 people in one day, almost double the number of the previous visit. The brigade will return in six months."
In the text, the word 'brigade' is closest in meaning to...
Elige una opción para comprobar tu respuesta.
Respuesta correcta: A)an organised team that works together on a task.
💡 Explicación
To guess the meaning of a word, look for synonyms nearby and for the actions connected to it. The text says 'the team travelled on horses', referring to the same group, and the brigade performs actions such as visiting and vaccinating. These clues point to an organised group, not an object or a place.
Ver respuesta
Respuesta correcta: A)an organised team that works together on a task.
A)an organised team that works together on a task.Correct. The 'brigade' travels, carries vaccines and vaccinates people; the text also calls it 'the team', which confirms that it is an organised group.
B)a type of vaccine for older adults.Incorrect. The brigade transports and gives the vaccines, so it cannot be a vaccine itself.
C)a narrow road in the mountains.Incorrect. The roads are described separately as 'long and narrow'; the brigade is what travels on them.
D)a radio programme about health.Incorrect. Radio stations announced the visit, but the brigade is the group that visited the villages.
💡 Explicación
To guess the meaning of a word, look for synonyms nearby and for the actions connected to it. The text says 'the team travelled on horses', referring to the same group, and the brigade performs actions such as visiting and vaccinating. These clues point to an organised group, not an object or a place.
Pregunta 10
Pregunta 10 · D6Bloom: Apply
Discussing health & bioethics in Bogotá.
Rewrite 'Researchers believe that clear consent forms improve understanding' using an impersonal passive construction.
Elige una opción para comprobar tu respuesta.
Respuesta correcta: A)It is believed that clear consent forms improve understanding.
💡 Explicación
The impersonal passive uses 'it + passive reporting verb + that-clause'. 'It is believed that' preserves the reported belief without naming the researchers as the grammatical subject.
Ver respuesta
Respuesta correcta: A)It is believed that clear consent forms improve understanding.
A)It is believed that clear consent forms improve understanding.'It is believed that' uses a passive reporting verb and keeps the original claim about consent forms.
B)It believes that clear consent forms improve understanding.'It believes' is active and assigns belief to 'it'; the impersonal passive requires 'is believed'.
C)It is believing that clear consent forms improve understanding.'Is believing' is an active progressive form, not the passive reporting structure required here.
D)It is believed that researchers improve clear consent forms.Although the opening is passive, the sentence changes the claim from improved understanding to researchers changing forms.
💡 Explicación
The impersonal passive uses 'it + passive reporting verb + that-clause'. 'It is believed that' preserves the reported belief without naming the researchers as the grammatical subject.
Pregunta 11
Pregunta 11 · D8Bloom: Analyze
Discussing health & bioethics in Cali.
Complete the following sentence about health & bioethics: 'Hardly __________ the new policy been implemented when the first results started to show.' (Topic: Impersonal Passive)
Elige una opción para comprobar tu respuesta.
Respuesta correcta: B)had
💡 Explicación
This evaluates mastery of advanced inversion structures, a key component of C1+ proficiency.
Ver respuesta
Respuesta correcta: B)had
A)hasIncorrect. The sentence refers to a past sequence, requiring the past perfect in inversion.
B)hadCorrect. 'Hardly had...' is a classic C1 inversion structure used for sequential events.
C)wasIncorrect. 'Was' does not fit the past perfect structure required by 'Hardly'.
D)didIncorrect. 'Did' would require the base form of the verb, not the past participle 'been'.
💡 Explicación
This evaluates mastery of advanced inversion structures, a key component of C1+ proficiency.
Pregunta 12
Pregunta 12 · D8Bloom: Analyze
Discussing health & bioethics in Bogotá.
Complete the following sentence about health & bioethics: 'Not until the trial protocol was registered publicly __________ the ethics board approve the recruitment of healthy volunteers.' (Topic: 'not until' with an inverted clause)
Elige una opción para comprobar tu respuesta.
Respuesta correcta: C)did
💡 Explicación
Inversion with 'not until' frontes the auxiliary so that the subject follows the verb. The auxiliary 'did' carries the tense of the main clause while 'the ethics board' is delayed, giving 'did the ethics board approve'. Choosing a perfect or passive auxiliary describes a relation of time or voice that the sentence does not express.
Ver respuesta
Respuesta correcta: C)did
A)had'Not until' inverts the main clause, placing the auxiliary before the subject 'the ethics board'. 'Had the ethics board approved' would leave the subject first, which the pattern forbids.
B)was'Was' would suggest a passive or a singular subject. The subject is singular but the verb is active, so a passive form is not available here.
C)did'Not until the protocol was registered did the ethics board approve'. The auxiliary is fronted to invert the clause, which is the defining feature of the structure.
D)do'Do' is present tense, and the clause reports a completed sequence in the past simple, so a present auxiliary cannot invert it.
💡 Explicación
Inversion with 'not until' frontes the auxiliary so that the subject follows the verb. The auxiliary 'did' carries the tense of the main clause while 'the ethics board' is delayed, giving 'did the ethics board approve'. Choosing a perfect or passive auxiliary describes a relation of time or voice that the sentence does not express.
Pregunta 13
Pregunta 13 · D8Bloom: Analyze
Discussing health & bioethics in Manizales.
Complete the following sentence about health & bioethics: 'Rarely __________ a review board approve a protocol that no independent statistician has examined.' (Topic: inversion with 'rarely' and a singular subject)
Elige una opción para comprobar tu respuesta.
Respuesta correcta: C)does
💡 Explicación
Negative adverbials such as 'rarely', 'seldom' and 'never' trigger subject-auxiliary inversion. When the subject is third person singular, as 'a review board' is, the auxiliary is 'does' and the following verb loses its inflection: 'does approve'. Using 'do' is the frequent error because the plural pattern dominates in the language.
Ver respuesta
Respuesta correcta: C)does
A)do'Do' agrees with plural subjects, and 'a review board' is singular here, so the base form with 'does' is required.
B)have'Have' would give the perfect aspect, but the bare inversion with 'rarely' and a singular subject takes 'does' before the base form.
C)does'Rarely does a review board approve'. With a singular subject the inversion uses 'does', and the main verb reverts to the base form 'approve'.
D)are'Are' cannot invert with a singular subject and would require a plural or a collection for agreement.
💡 Explicación
Negative adverbials such as 'rarely', 'seldom' and 'never' trigger subject-auxiliary inversion. When the subject is third person singular, as 'a review board' is, the auxiliary is 'does' and the following verb loses its inflection: 'does approve'. Using 'do' is the frequent error because the plural pattern dominates in the language.
Pregunta 14
Pregunta 14 · D8Bloom: Analyze
Discussing health & bioethics in Bogotá.
A student rewrites 'Experts believe that the committee approved the consent procedure last week' as 'The committee is believed to approve the consent procedure last week.' Which revision preserves both the reporting time and the earlier approval?
Elige una opción para comprobar tu respuesta.
Respuesta correcta: A)The committee is believed to have approved the consent procedure last week.
💡 Explicación
A perfect infinitive marks an event that occurred before the reporting verb's time. The correct structure is 'is believed to have approved'.
Ver respuesta
Respuesta correcta: A)The committee is believed to have approved the consent procedure last week.
A)The committee is believed to have approved the consent procedure last week.'Is believed' keeps the current reporting time, while 'to have approved' places the approval before that report.
B)The committee is believed to be approving the consent procedure last week.'To be approving' presents an ongoing action and does not correctly represent the completed approval last week.
C)The committee is believed to have approve the consent procedure last week.The perfect infinitive requires 'have' followed by the past participle 'approved', not 'approve'.
D)The committee was believed to approve the consent procedure next week.This changes the reporting time to the past and the approval time to the future, altering both temporal relationships.
💡 Explicación
A perfect infinitive marks an event that occurred before the reporting verb's time. The correct structure is 'is believed to have approved'.
Pregunta 15
Pregunta 15 · D8Bloom: Analyze
Discussing health & bioethics in Cali.
A fictional clinic notice says, 'It is reported that some participants withdrew after the consent form was changed.' Which interpretation stays within what the wording establishes?
Elige una opción para comprobar tu respuesta.
Respuesta correcta: D)The sentence reports withdrawals following the change without naming the source or proving causation.
💡 Explicación
The impersonal passive reports information without identifying its source. The time marker 'after' establishes sequence but does not demonstrate causation.
Ver respuesta
Respuesta correcta: D)The sentence reports withdrawals following the change without naming the source or proving causation.
A)The sentence identifies every participant who withdrew.'Some participants' gives no names and does not identify every individual who withdrew.
B)The sentence proves that the changed form caused the withdrawals.'After' establishes a time sequence; it does not by itself establish a causal relationship.
C)The sentence states that all participants withdrew before the form changed.'Some' does not mean 'all', and 'after' places the withdrawals later than the change, not earlier.
D)The sentence reports withdrawals following the change without naming the source or proving causation.'It is reported' leaves the reporting source unnamed, and 'after' describes timing rather than proving why participants withdrew.
💡 Explicación
The impersonal passive reports information without identifying its source. The time marker 'after' establishes sequence but does not demonstrate causation.
Pregunta 16
Pregunta 16 · D8Bloom: Analyze
Discussing health & bioethics in Barranquilla.
Complete the following sentence about health & bioethics: 'Only after the participants were told what the placebo contained __________ the side effects reported honestly.' (Topic: 'only after' with an inverted passive clause)
Elige una opción para comprobar tu respuesta.
Respuesta correcta: D)were
💡 Explicación
When a negative or restrictive adverbial such as 'only after' opens a sentence, the main clause takes question word order. If the clause is passive, the auxiliary 'be' moves before the subject, so 'the side effects were reported' becomes 'were the side effects reported'. Do-support is only used when there is no other auxiliary.
Ver respuesta
Respuesta correcta: D)were
A)didIncorrect. 'Did' must be followed by a base verb, but here the verb is the participle 'reported'; 'did the side effects reported' mixes do-support with a passive.
B)wasIncorrect. 'Was' is the right auxiliary type, but it is singular; the subject 'the side effects' is plural, so it needs 'were'.
C)hasIncorrect. 'Has' is singular and present, while the subject is plural and the time is past ('were told'); 'has the side effects reported' also reads as an active verb.
D)wereCorrect. After 'only after' the main clause inverts, and a passive inverts its own auxiliary: 'the side effects were reported' becomes 'were the side effects reported'. 'Were' also agrees with the plural subject.
💡 Explicación
When a negative or restrictive adverbial such as 'only after' opens a sentence, the main clause takes question word order. If the clause is passive, the auxiliary 'be' moves before the subject, so 'the side effects were reported' becomes 'were the side effects reported'. Do-support is only used when there is no other auxiliary.
Pregunta 17
Pregunta 17 · D10Bloom: Evaluate
Discussing health & bioethics in Cartagena.
In a high-level debate about health & bioethics, Sebastián says: 'I can't help but feel that we are barking up the wrong tree with this approach.' What does Sebastián mean?
Elige una opción para comprobar tu respuesta.
Respuesta correcta: D)The current strategy is directed towards the wrong objective.
💡 Explicación
'To bark up the wrong tree' means to look for a cause or a solution in the wrong place. The words 'with this approach' show that the speaker is questioning the strategy itself, so only the figurative reading fits; the literal options ignore that an idiom is a fixed expression whose meaning is not the sum of its words.
Ver respuesta
Respuesta correcta: D)The current strategy is directed towards the wrong objective.
A)They are literally looking for something in the trees of Cartagena.Incorrect. This reads the idiom word for word; nobody in the debate is searching any trees, because the phrase is figurative and describes a mistaken strategy.
B)The approach is too noisy and aggressive.Incorrect. 'Barking' here does not describe loud or aggressive behaviour; the idiom is about aiming at the wrong target, not about the tone of the discussion.
C)A new environmental project involving trees should be started.Incorrect. The speaker is criticising the current approach, not proposing a new project; 'tree' is part of a fixed expression and has no literal meaning here.
D)The current strategy is directed towards the wrong objective.Correct. 'Bark up the wrong tree' comes from hunting dogs barking at a tree the animal is not in, so it means putting effort into the wrong cause or the wrong solution.
💡 Explicación
'To bark up the wrong tree' means to look for a cause or a solution in the wrong place. The words 'with this approach' show that the speaker is questioning the strategy itself, so only the figurative reading fits; the literal options ignore that an idiom is a fixed expression whose meaning is not the sum of its words.
Pregunta 18
Pregunta 18 · D10Bloom: Evaluate
A conversation between two medical students in Bucaramanga about a classmate.
Two medical students in Bucaramanga talk about their classmate.
Natalia: 'Is Julián coming to the ethics seminar tonight?' Miguel: 'I don't think so. He has been under the weather since Monday.'
What does Miguel mean?
Elige una opción para comprobar tu respuesta.
Respuesta correcta: C)Julián has been feeling ill for a few days.
💡 Explicación
'Under the weather' is an informal way of saying that someone feels slightly ill. The context helps: Miguel gives a reason why Julián will not come, and 'since Monday' indicates a temporary condition. Idioms about health are frequent in everyday conversation and appear in reading tasks at B1 level.
Ver respuesta
Respuesta correcta: C)Julián has been feeling ill for a few days.
A)Julián is outside in the rain.Incorrect. This interprets 'weather' literally; the idiom describes a person's health, not their location.
B)Julián is studying meteorology instead of medicine.Incorrect. Nothing in the dialogue mentions a change of studies; 'weather' is part of a fixed expression.
C)Julián has been feeling ill for a few days.Correct. 'Under the weather' means slightly sick; 'since Monday' shows the illness has lasted some days, which explains why he will not come.
D)Julián is very happy and wants to celebrate.Incorrect. Miguel explains why Julián will probably not attend, which suggests a problem, not a happy mood.
💡 Explicación
'Under the weather' is an informal way of saying that someone feels slightly ill. The context helps: Miguel gives a reason why Julián will not come, and 'since Monday' indicates a temporary condition. Idioms about health are frequent in everyday conversation and appear in reading tasks at B1 level.
Pregunta 19
Pregunta 19 · D10Bloom: Evaluate
A meeting of a hospital ethics committee in Manizales.
At a hospital ethics committee meeting in Manizales, two members discuss a new research proposal.
Dr. Gómez: 'The researchers want to start next week, but they haven't explained how they will protect patients' data.' Dr. Salazar: 'Then we should put the proposal on hold until they send that information.'
What does Dr. Salazar suggest?
Elige una opción para comprobar tu respuesta.
Respuesta correcta: A)Delaying the decision on the proposal until the missing information arrives.
💡 Explicación
'Put something on hold' means to postpone it for a while. In formal meetings, speakers use this expression to suspend a decision without rejecting it. The conjunction 'until' introduces the condition for continuing, which distinguishes a temporary delay from a final refusal.
Ver respuesta
Respuesta correcta: A)Delaying the decision on the proposal until the missing information arrives.
A)Delaying the decision on the proposal until the missing information arrives.Correct. 'Put something on hold' means to stop it temporarily; 'until they send that information' shows that the delay depends on the missing data plan.
B)Rejecting the proposal permanently.Incorrect. 'On hold' is temporary, and 'until' shows the committee will reconsider when the information arrives.
C)Approving the proposal so it can start next week.Incorrect. Dr. Salazar responds to a problem by stopping the process, which is the opposite of approving it.
D)Calling the researchers on the telephone and waiting on the line.Incorrect. This confuses the idiom with 'being on hold' during a phone call; here it refers to suspending a proposal.
💡 Explicación
'Put something on hold' means to postpone it for a while. In formal meetings, speakers use this expression to suspend a decision without rejecting it. The conjunction 'until' introduces the condition for continuing, which distinguishes a temporary delay from a final refusal.
Pregunta 20
Pregunta 20 · D10Bloom: Evaluate
A conversation between a pharmacist and a customer in Medellín.
A customer in a Medellín pharmacy wants to buy antibiotics.
Customer: 'I'd like a box of antibiotics for my cold, please.' Pharmacist: 'I'm sorry, I can't sell them without a prescription. Besides, antibiotics don't work against colds, which are caused by viruses.'
What is the pharmacist doing?
Elige una opción para comprobar tu respuesta.
Respuesta correcta: D)Politely refusing the request and giving a medical reason.
💡 Explicación
This pragmatic item focuses on the speech act of refusing politely. English speakers often combine an apology ('I'm sorry'), a statement of inability ('I can't') and a reason ('Besides, antibiotics don't work...'). Recognising these steps helps students interpret the speaker's intention, not only the literal words.
Ver respuesta
Respuesta correcta: D)Politely refusing the request and giving a medical reason.
A)Recommending a stronger antibiotic for the cold.Incorrect. The pharmacist explains that antibiotics do not work against colds, so recommending another antibiotic would contradict her.
B)Agreeing to sell the antibiotics at a lower price.Incorrect. She clearly says she can't sell them without a prescription, and price is never discussed.
C)Accusing the customer of lying about the cold.Incorrect. She accepts that the customer has a cold and explains the medical facts; there is no accusation in her answer.
D)Politely refusing the request and giving a medical reason.Correct. 'I'm sorry, I can't...' is a polite refusal, and the second sentence adds a reason: antibiotics do not act on viruses.
💡 Explicación
This pragmatic item focuses on the speech act of refusing politely. English speakers often combine an apology ('I'm sorry'), a statement of inability ('I can't') and a reason ('Besides, antibiotics don't work...'). Recognising these steps helps students interpret the speaker's intention, not only the literal words.
¿Listo para practicar?
Resuelve un simulacro de Inglés para Grado 11 con temporizador y seguimiento de tu progreso.