In the context of space exploration, 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: A)exacerbate
💡 Explicación
This question tests advanced vocabulary (verbs of change and impact) suitable for C1+ level.
Ver respuesta
Respuesta correcta: A)exacerbate
A)exacerbateCorrect. 'Exacerbate' means to make a problem or bad situation worse, which fits perfectly here.
B)alleviateIncorrect. 'Alleviate' means to make something less severe, which is the opposite of what's needed.
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 space exploration in Manizales.
In the context of space exploration, which word best completes the sentence: 'The launch window closes for good in ten minutes, so the crew has to __________ now'?
Elige una opción para comprobar tu respuesta.
Respuesta correcta: B)launch
💡 Explicación
Space vocabulary distinguishes the phases of a mission: a crew 'launches' the vehicle, it later 'orbits' the planet and may 'dock' with another craft before it finally 'lands'.
Ver respuesta
Respuesta correcta: B)launch
A)land'Land' describes the arrival of a vehicle on a surface, which is the opposite phase of the launch described.
B)launch'Launch' is the verb for sending a spacecraft into space, and the closing window forces the action immediately.
C)orbit'Orbit' is the path a spacecraft follows, not an action the crew performs at lift-off.
D)dock'Dock' means to connect two vehicles in orbit, and nothing in the sentence describes a rendezvous.
💡 Explicación
Space vocabulary distinguishes the phases of a mission: a crew 'launches' the vehicle, it later 'orbits' the planet and may 'dock' with another craft before it finally 'lands'.
Pregunta 3
Pregunta 3 · D4Bloom: Remember
Discussing space exploration in Cali.
In the context of space exploration, which word best completes the sentence: 'A satellite in low orbit burns up as it __________ through the upper atmosphere'?
Elige una opción para comprobar tu respuesta.
Respuesta correcta: A)descends
💡 Explicación
Space vocabulary includes directional verbs, and a satellite 'descends' as it loses altitude, entering the atmosphere where drag and friction cause it to burn up.
Ver respuesta
Respuesta correcta: A)descends
A)descends'Descends' means to move downwards, and falling into denser layers of air is what causes the satellite to burn up.
B)ascends'Ascends' means to move upwards, which would take the satellite away from the upper atmosphere.
C)floats'Floats' suggests remaining at a stable height, whereas the sentence describes an ongoing loss of altitude.
D)stabilises'Stabilises' means to become steady, and nothing suggests the orbit is being made more stable.
💡 Explicación
Space vocabulary includes directional verbs, and a satellite 'descends' as it loses altitude, entering the atmosphere where drag and friction cause it to burn up.
Pregunta 4
Pregunta 4 · D4Bloom: Remember
Discussing space exploration in Cartagena.
In the context of space exploration, which word best completes the sentence: 'The probe will __________ a sample from the crater and return it to Earth'?
Elige una opción para comprobar tu respuesta.
Respuesta correcta: C)collect
💡 Explicación
Mission vocabulary names each step precisely, and a probe 'collects' a sample to bring back, which is the opposite of ejecting material from the spacecraft.
Ver respuesta
Respuesta correcta: C)collect
A)eject'Eject' means to throw something out, the opposite of gathering a sample for a return mission.
B)dismiss'Dismiss' means to reject or send away a person or idea, and it does not describe gathering rock.
C)collect'Collect' means to gather material, and taking a sample from the crater is precisely that action.
D)exhibit'Exhibit' means to display publicly, which has nothing to do with retrieving material from a crater.
💡 Explicación
Mission vocabulary names each step precisely, and a probe 'collects' a sample to bring back, which is the opposite of ejecting material from the spacecraft.
Pregunta 5
Pregunta 5 · D6Bloom: Apply
A news article about a Colombian student satellite project in Manizales.
Read the text and answer the question.
"A group of students and professors from a university in Manizales built a small satellite called a CubeSat. It is only ten centimetres on each side and weighs about one kilogram. The satellite was launched from the International Space Station in 2023 and took photos of the Andes to study glaciers and volcanoes. The project took four years and had many problems: the first model failed during a vibration test. Instead of giving up, the team redesigned the structure. 'We learned more from that failure than from anything else,' said one of the students."
What is the main idea of the text?
Elige una opción para comprobar tu respuesta.
Respuesta correcta: C)A university team overcame problems to build and launch a small satellite.
💡 Explicación
The main idea must cover the whole story: building, failing, redesigning and launching. The student's quote about learning from failure reinforces the idea of perseverance. Each distractor contradicts a specific fact, which shows the importance of checking every option against the text.
Ver respuesta
Respuesta correcta: C)A university team overcame problems to build and launch a small satellite.
A)The satellite was too heavy to be launched from the space station.Incorrect. The text says it weighs about one kilogram and was launched successfully in 2023.
B)The team abandoned the project after the vibration test.Incorrect. The text says 'Instead of giving up, the team redesigned the structure', which is the opposite.
C)A university team overcame problems to build and launch a small satellite.Correct. The text describes the satellite, its launch and mission, the failed test and how the team redesigned it, which together show a team overcoming problems.
D)The satellite was designed to take photos of the Moon.Incorrect. The satellite took photos of the Andes to study glaciers and volcanoes, not of the Moon.
💡 Explicación
The main idea must cover the whole story: building, failing, redesigning and launching. The student's quote about learning from failure reinforces the idea of perseverance. Each distractor contradicts a specific fact, which shows the importance of checking every option against the text.
Pregunta 6
Pregunta 6 · D6Bloom: Apply
An interview extract with a Colombian astronomer who works in Chile.
Read the text and answer the question.
"Daniela Torres grew up in Cali, where she used to look at the sky from her grandmother's roof. Today she works at an observatory in the Atacama Desert in Chile. 'People ask me why I left Colombia,' she says. 'The answer is simple: Atacama is one of the driest places on Earth, with almost no clouds and no city lights. For a telescope, that is paradise.' Torres hopes that young Colombians will see astronomy as a real career. 'You don't need to be a genius,' she explains. 'You need curiosity, patience, and a lot of mathematics.'"
What can we infer about why Daniela works in Chile?
Elige una opción para comprobar tu respuesta.
Respuesta correcta: C)The conditions in Atacama are much better for observing the sky.
💡 Explicación
An inference about reasons often comes from the speaker's own explanation. Daniela answers the question 'why I left Colombia' with the climate and darkness of Atacama, and her metaphor 'paradise' for a telescope confirms it. Distractors invent personal or legal reasons that the text does not support.
Ver respuesta
Respuesta correcta: C)The conditions in Atacama are much better for observing the sky.
A)She did not like living in Cali with her grandmother.Incorrect. She remembers looking at the sky from her grandmother's roof with no negative comment; her reason for leaving is about observation conditions.
B)Colombia does not allow people to study astronomy.Incorrect. Nothing in the text says this; she even hopes young Colombians will choose astronomy as a career.
C)The conditions in Atacama are much better for observing the sky.Correct. She explains that Atacama has almost no clouds and no city lights, and calls it 'paradise' for a telescope, so the location is ideal for her work.
D)She wanted to live in a city with many lights.Incorrect. She values Atacama precisely because it has 'no city lights', so this is the opposite.
💡 Explicación
An inference about reasons often comes from the speaker's own explanation. Daniela answers the question 'why I left Colombia' with the climate and darkness of Atacama, and her metaphor 'paradise' for a telescope confirms it. Distractors invent personal or legal reasons that the text does not support.
Pregunta 7
Pregunta 7 · D6Bloom: Apply
A notice from the planetarium in Bucaramanga about a special event.
Read the text and answer the question.
"On the night of 14 March, there will be a total lunar eclipse, and the Bucaramanga Planetarium will open its terrace for public observation from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m. Telescopes and guides will be available, and entry is free. Unlike a solar eclipse, a lunar eclipse is completely safe to watch with the naked eye, so you do not need special glasses. If the sky is cloudy, the planetarium will show a live broadcast from an observatory in the north of Chile in its main dome. Children under 14 must come with an adult."
What will the planetarium do if the sky is cloudy?
Elige una opción para comprobar tu respuesta.
Respuesta correcta: B)Show a live broadcast of the eclipse in its main dome.
💡 Explicación
This detail question depends on a conditional sentence ('If the sky is cloudy...'). The reader must locate the condition and its result. Distractors use other information from the notice, such as glasses, which are mentioned for a different reason, or invent plans that the notice never describes.
Ver respuesta
Respuesta correcta: B)Show a live broadcast of the eclipse in its main dome.
A)Give special glasses to all visitors.Incorrect. The notice says special glasses are not needed for a lunar eclipse, and they are not connected to cloudy weather.
B)Show a live broadcast of the eclipse in its main dome.Correct. The notice says that if it is cloudy, 'the planetarium will show a live broadcast from an observatory in the north of Chile in its main dome'.
C)Change the event to the following night.Incorrect. The notice does not mention another date; the alternative is a live broadcast on the same night.
D)Close the terrace and send visitors home.Incorrect. The planetarium offers an alternative activity, so it does not send people away.
💡 Explicación
This detail question depends on a conditional sentence ('If the sky is cloudy...'). The reader must locate the condition and its result. Distractors use other information from the notice, such as glasses, which are mentioned for a different reason, or invent plans that the notice never describes.
Pregunta 8
Pregunta 8 · D6Bloom: Apply
Discussing space exploration in Bucaramanga.
The same report imagines what a research crew would do if its supply ship failed to arrive before winter. Which structure carries that imagined, unreal situation?
Elige una opción para comprobar tu respuesta.
Respuesta correcta: B)A second conditional: 'if' plus 'would'
💡 Explicación
A second conditional combines 'if' with 'would' to describe an unreal or imagined situation, which is exactly the hypothetical framing the report uses when it supposes what a crew would do without a supply ship.
Ver respuesta
Respuesta correcta: B)A second conditional: 'if' plus 'would'
A)A first conditional: 'if' plus 'will'The first conditional 'if' plus 'will' describes a real and possible future, but the supply failure here is a supposition the writer is testing, not a plan.
B)A second conditional: 'if' plus 'would'A situation described as merely imagined takes the second conditional, 'if' plus 'would', because the report is supposing a future event that is not expected to actually happen.
C)A third conditional: 'had' plus 'would have'The third conditional looks back at an unrealised past, whereas this scenario is placed in the future of the mission, so the past perfect structure does not apply.
D)A zero conditional: 'when' plus the present simpleThe zero conditional states a general truth such as 'if you heat ice, it melts', which is not what a hypothetical crew problem is doing here.
💡 Explicación
A second conditional combines 'if' with 'would' to describe an unreal or imagined situation, which is exactly the hypothetical framing the report uses when it supposes what a crew would do without a supply ship.
Pregunta 9
Pregunta 9 · D6Bloom: Apply
An opinion article in a Cartagena newspaper about space tourism.
Read the text and answer the question.
"This year, several private companies sold tickets for short trips to space. Each trip lasts only a few minutes and costs more than many Colombian families earn in a lifetime. Supporters say space tourism will make rockets cheaper and help science in the future. Perhaps they are right. But I cannot stop thinking about the fuel burned so that a few millionaires can float for four minutes and take selfies. Before we celebrate, we should ask who really benefits from these trips, and who pays the environmental cost."
What is the writer's attitude towards space tourism?
Elige una opción para comprobar tu respuesta.
Respuesta correcta: B)Critical, because it benefits very few people and harms the environment.
💡 Explicación
To identify attitude, look at the writer's evaluative language. The concession 'Perhaps they are right. But...' introduces the writer's real position, and words such as 'a few millionaires' and 'environmental cost' reveal criticism. Recognising concessions helps avoid choosing the position of the people the writer argues against.
Ver respuesta
Respuesta correcta: B)Critical, because it benefits very few people and harms the environment.
A)Enthusiastic, because it will make space travel cheap for everybody.Incorrect. Cheaper rockets is the supporters' argument; the writer questions it and focuses on the problems.
B)Critical, because it benefits very few people and harms the environment.Correct. Although the writer admits supporters 'Perhaps... are right', the rest of the text criticises the cost, the fuel and the small number of beneficiaries.
C)Neutral, because the writer gives no personal opinion.Incorrect. Expressions like 'I cannot stop thinking' and 'we should ask' show a clear personal opinion.
D)Interested, because the writer has bought a ticket.Incorrect. Nothing in the text says the writer bought a ticket; the writer criticises the people who travel.
💡 Explicación
To identify attitude, look at the writer's evaluative language. The concession 'Perhaps they are right. But...' introduces the writer's real position, and words such as 'a few millionaires' and 'environmental cost' reveal criticism. Recognising concessions helps avoid choosing the position of the people the writer argues against.
Pregunta 10
Pregunta 10 · D6Bloom: Apply
A science magazine article for teenagers about life on the International Space Station.
Read the text and answer the question.
"Astronauts on the International Space Station live without gravity, and that changes almost everything. They cannot pour water into a glass, so they drink from bags with straws. They sleep in sleeping bags tied to the wall, so they do not float around. Because their muscles and bones do not need to support their weight, they can become weak. To prevent this, astronauts must exercise about two hours every day on special machines. When they return to Earth after six months, many need several weeks to walk normally again."
In the text, the word 'prevent' is closest in meaning to...
Elige una opción para comprobar tu respuesta.
Respuesta correcta: D)stop something from happening.
💡 Explicación
Vocabulary in context can be solved by identifying what 'this' refers to and why the action is taken. The previous sentence says muscles and bones 'can become weak', and the exercise is the solution. Therefore 'prevent' means to stop a problem before it happens, which matches the key.
Ver respuesta
Respuesta correcta: D)stop something from happening.
A)cause something to happen faster.Incorrect. Exercise is used against the weakness, so it cannot mean making the weakness happen faster.
B)measure something carefully.Incorrect. The text does not describe any measurement; the exercise has a protective purpose.
C)explain something to other people.Incorrect. The astronauts do not explain anything in this sentence; they take action to protect their bodies.
D)stop something from happening.Correct. Astronauts exercise 'to prevent this', meaning to stop their muscles and bones from becoming weak.
💡 Explicación
Vocabulary in context can be solved by identifying what 'this' refers to and why the action is taken. The previous sentence says muscles and bones 'can become weak', and the exercise is the solution. Therefore 'prevent' means to stop a problem before it happens, which matches the key.
Pregunta 11
Pregunta 11 · D8Bloom: Analyze
Discussing space exploration in Cartagena.
Complete the following sentence about space exploration: 'Hardly __________ the new policy been implemented when the first results started to show.' (Topic: Hypothetical Situations)
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 space exploration in Bucaramanga.
Complete the following sentence about space exploration: 'Not until the second-stage engine was verified __________ the capsule cleared for launch.' (Topic: 'not until' with an inverted passive clause)
Elige una opción para comprobar tu respuesta.
Respuesta correcta: D)was
💡 Explicación
After a fronted negative expression such as 'Not until...', the main clause takes question order. When that clause is passive, the auxiliary 'be' itself inverts ('was the capsule cleared'), and it must agree with the subject. Do-support is used only when the clause has no auxiliary, which is not the case here.
Ver respuesta
Respuesta correcta: D)was
A)didIncorrect. 'Did' requires a base verb, but 'cleared' here is a passive participle; 'did the capsule cleared' combines do-support with a participle.
B)wereIncorrect. 'Were' is plural, but the subject 'the capsule' is singular, so the auxiliary must be 'was'.
C)doesIncorrect. 'Does' is present tense and needs a base verb, while the sentence is in the past ('was verified') and uses a participle.
D)wasCorrect. The main clause is passive ('the capsule was cleared'), so after 'Not until...' its own auxiliary 'was' moves before the singular subject: 'was the capsule cleared'.
💡 Explicación
After a fronted negative expression such as 'Not until...', the main clause takes question order. When that clause is passive, the auxiliary 'be' itself inverts ('was the capsule cleared'), and it must agree with the subject. Do-support is used only when the clause has no auxiliary, which is not the case here.
Pregunta 13
Pregunta 13 · D8Bloom: Analyze
Discussing space exploration in Manizales.
Complete the following sentence about space exploration: 'Only after the telemetry was confirmed __________ the mission control allow the countdown to begin.'
Elige una opción para comprobar tu respuesta.
Respuesta correcta: B)did
💡 Explicación
'Only after' is a fronted restrictive time phrase, and it obliges subject-auxiliary inversion: 'only after the telemetry was confirmed did mission control allow the countdown'.
Ver respuesta
Respuesta correcta: B)did
A)has'Has' would not create the inversion that 'Only after' requires, so the restrictive timing is not expressed.
B)didFronting 'Only after' is a restrictive phrase that obliges inversion, giving 'did mission control allow'.
C)was'Was' cannot be inverted to open this clause and does not place the countdown after the confirmation.
D)did not'Did not' would say the countdown was never allowed to begin, whereas the sentence only rules out an earlier start.
💡 Explicación
'Only after' is a fronted restrictive time phrase, and it obliges subject-auxiliary inversion: 'only after the telemetry was confirmed did mission control allow the countdown'.
Pregunta 14
Pregunta 14 · D8Bloom: Analyze
Discussing space exploration in Medellín.
Complete the following sentence about space exploration: 'Seldom __________ a launch delayed twice for weather reasons in the same year.'
Elige una opción para comprobar tu respuesta.
Respuesta correcta: C)is
💡 Explicación
'Seldom' is a negative-frequency adverb, and negative-frequency adverbs like 'rarely', 'hardly ever' and 'seldom' take affirmative auxiliaries, so the present simple is used: 'a launch seldom is delayed' becomes 'seldom is a launch delayed'.
Ver respuesta
Respuesta correcta: C)is
A)has'Has' would imply a single occurrence, whereas 'seldom' points to how rare the event is across a whole year.
B)was'Was' would place the launches in the past, but the sentence describes a recurring pattern up to now.
C)is'Seldom' takes an affirmative auxiliary in a negative-frequency clause, so the present simple 'is' is the correct fit.
D)has been'Has been' would need 'twice' to modify a countable event rather than the frequency of the pattern described.
💡 Explicación
'Seldom' is a negative-frequency adverb, and negative-frequency adverbs like 'rarely', 'hardly ever' and 'seldom' take affirmative auxiliaries, so the present simple is used: 'a launch seldom is delayed' becomes 'seldom is a launch delayed'.
Pregunta 15
Pregunta 15 · D8Bloom: Analyze
Discussing space exploration in Cali.
Complete the following sentence about space exploration: 'By the time the supply ship reached the base, the solar panel __________ damaged beyond repair.'
Elige una opción para comprobar tu respuesta.
Respuesta correcta: A)had been
💡 Explicación
'By the time' signals that one past event precedes another reference point in the past, which requires the past perfect: the panel had been damaged before the ship got there.
Ver respuesta
Respuesta correcta: A)had been
A)had been'By the time' introduces a past reference point, so the earlier action needs the past perfect 'had been' to show it was completed before that moment.
B)is'Is' places the damage in the present, but the sentence anchors the event in the past, before the supply ship arrived.
C)was beingThe past continuous would describe the panel being damaged at the same moment as another ongoing action, whereas here the damage was already finished.
D)has beenThe present perfect would link the damage to now, but the sequence described is entirely in the past, so 'has been' is the wrong tense.
💡 Explicación
'By the time' signals that one past event precedes another reference point in the past, which requires the past perfect: the panel had been damaged before the ship got there.
Pregunta 16
Pregunta 16 · D8Bloom: Analyze
Discussing space exploration in Cali.
Complete the following sentence about space exploration: 'So complex __________ the docking procedure that the astronauts trained on the simulator for six months.'
Elige una opción para comprobar tu respuesta.
Respuesta correcta: D)is
💡 Explicación
In formal written English, the intensifier 'so' takes an affirmative verb rather than an informal one, so 'so complex is the procedure' replaces the everyday 'so complex the procedure is'.
Ver respuesta
Respuesta correcta: D)is
A)was'Was' would work only with an intensifier of degree such as 'so', but here the subject is a procedure described in the present as a general truth.
B)has'Has' would require a perfect construction, and no second event or present relevance is present in the sentence.
C)had'Had' would place the procedure in the past, but the sentence is making a general statement about how it is.
D)is'So' is a degree intensifier in formal registers and it takes an affirmative verb, so 'is' follows it here.
💡 Explicación
In formal written English, the intensifier 'so' takes an affirmative verb rather than an informal one, so 'so complex is the procedure' replaces the everyday 'so complex the procedure is'.
Pregunta 17
Pregunta 17 · D10Bloom: Evaluate
Discussing space exploration in Bucaramanga.
In a high-level debate about space exploration, Isabella says: 'I can't help but feel that we are barking up the wrong tree with this approach.' What does Isabella mean?
Elige una opción para comprobar tu respuesta.
Respuesta correcta: B)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: B)The current strategy is directed towards the wrong objective.
A)They are literally looking for something in the trees of Medellín.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 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.
C)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.
D)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.
💡 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 members of a school astronomy club in Cartagena.
Two members of a school astronomy club in Cartagena talk about a competition.
Andrea: 'We only have one week to build the model rocket for the competition.' Kevin: 'Then we have to hit the ground running. Let's buy the materials today and start building tomorrow.'
What does Kevin mean?
Elige una opción para comprobar tu respuesta.
Respuesta correcta: D)They need to start working quickly and with energy from the beginning.
💡 Explicación
'Hit the ground running' means to start something with immediate energy and speed. The context of a short deadline (one week) and Kevin's concrete plan ('today... tomorrow') support this meaning. Idioms like this are frequent in conversations about projects and must be read as a whole.
Ver respuesta
Respuesta correcta: D)They need to start working quickly and with energy from the beginning.
A)They should test the rocket by making it hit the ground.Incorrect. This is a literal interpretation; the idiom is about starting quickly, not about crashing a rocket.
B)They should go running to train for the competition.Incorrect. 'Running' here is figurative; the competition is about building a rocket, not physical exercise.
C)They should wait until next week to start the project.Incorrect. They only have one week, and Kevin wants to start today, which is the opposite of waiting.
D)They need to start working quickly and with energy from the beginning.Correct. 'Hit the ground running' means to start an activity immediately and with full effort; his plan to buy materials today shows urgency.
💡 Explicación
'Hit the ground running' means to start something with immediate energy and speed. The context of a short deadline (one week) and Kevin's concrete plan ('today... tomorrow') support this meaning. Idioms like this are frequent in conversations about projects and must be read as a whole.
Pregunta 19
Pregunta 19 · D10Bloom: Evaluate
A conversation between a journalist and a scientist from Bucaramanga about a Mars mission.
A journalist interviews a scientist from Bucaramanga about plans to send humans to Mars.
Journalist: 'Will people live on Mars in ten years?' Scientist: 'I wouldn't bet on it. We still don't know how to protect astronauts from radiation during such a long trip.'
What does the scientist mean?
Elige una opción para comprobar tu respuesta.
Respuesta correcta: C)She thinks it is unlikely to happen in ten years.
💡 Explicación
'I wouldn't bet on it' is an informal but common way to express doubt about a prediction. Speakers often follow it with a reason, as the scientist does with the radiation problem. This item checks the ability to interpret the speaker's degree of certainty, an important pragmatic skill.
Ver respuesta
Respuesta correcta: C)She thinks it is unlikely to happen in ten years.
A)She is planning to bet money on a Mars mission.Incorrect. This is a literal reading; the expression shows doubt and has nothing to do with real betting.
B)She is sure that people will live on Mars in ten years.Incorrect. Her answer presents an unsolved problem, which shows doubt, not certainty.
C)She thinks it is unlikely to happen in ten years.Correct. 'I wouldn't bet on it' means the speaker doubts something will happen; the unsolved problem of radiation is her reason.
D)She refuses to answer the journalist's question.Incorrect. She answers clearly, gives her opinion and explains why, so she is not avoiding the question.
💡 Explicación
'I wouldn't bet on it' is an informal but common way to express doubt about a prediction. Speakers often follow it with a reason, as the scientist does with the radiation problem. This item checks the ability to interpret the speaker's degree of certainty, an important pragmatic skill.
Pregunta 20
Pregunta 20 · D10Bloom: Evaluate
A conversation between two engineers at a space company in Bogotá after a failed test.
Two engineers in Bogotá talk after a satellite antenna failed a test.
Lucía: 'The antenna failed again. I think we should look into the material we used for the joints.' Andrés: 'Good idea. I'll ask the lab to analyse a sample this afternoon.'
What does Lucía suggest?
Elige una opción para comprobar tu respuesta.
Respuesta correcta: C)Investigating the material used in the joints to find the cause.
💡 Explicación
'Look into' is a phrasal verb meaning to investigate or examine something carefully. The reply from Andrés, who decides to analyse a sample, confirms the meaning through the reaction of the listener. Using the other speaker's response as evidence is a reliable strategy for interpreting phrasal verbs in dialogues.
Ver respuesta
Respuesta correcta: C)Investigating the material used in the joints to find the cause.
A)Looking through the antenna like a telescope.Incorrect. This takes 'look into' literally; the phrasal verb here means to investigate a problem.
B)Replacing the antenna without checking what went wrong.Incorrect. She wants to examine the material, which is checking the cause, not replacing the antenna directly.
C)Investigating the material used in the joints to find the cause.Correct. 'Look into' means to investigate or examine; Andrés understands this, because he offers to have a sample analysed.
D)Stopping the project because the antenna failed twice.Incorrect. She suggests a next step for solving the problem, so she does not want to stop the project.
💡 Explicación
'Look into' is a phrasal verb meaning to investigate or examine something carefully. The reply from Andrés, who decides to analyse a sample, confirms the meaning through the reaction of the listener. Using the other speaker's response as evidence is a reliable strategy for interpreting phrasal verbs in dialogues.
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