Gaokao English 'Cloze' Flashcards

I used to be a person who was afraid of public speaking. The mere thought of standing before an audience would make my palms sweat and my heart __1__. This fear held me back in many ways, both in school and in my personal life. I knew I had to __2__ it. My opportunity came when our English teacher announced a speech contest. __3__ everyone else was excited, I was terrified. However, a friend encouraged me, saying, 'The only way to get over a fear is to face it.' His words __4__ with me. I decided to participate. I spent weeks preparing, practicing in front of a mirror, and then in front of my family. On the day of the contest, I was still nervous, but as I walked onto the stage, I took a deep breath and remembered my friend's advice. I started speaking, and to my __5__, the words flowed smoothly. When I finished, the audience applauded. That moment was a turning point. I didn't win the contest, but I won something more __6__: confidence.

Answer: 1. race

The verb 'race' is commonly used to describe a heart beating very quickly, especially due to excitement or fear. This fits the context of being nervous about public speaking.

I used to be a person who was afraid of public speaking. The mere thought of standing before an audience would make my palms sweat and my heart __1__. This fear held me back in many ways, both in school and in my personal life. I knew I had to __2__ it. My opportunity came when our English teacher announced a speech contest. __3__ everyone else was excited, I was terrified. However, a friend encouraged me, saying, 'The only way to get over a fear is to face it.' His words __4__ with me. I decided to participate. I spent weeks preparing, practicing in front of a mirror, and then in front of my family. On the day of the contest, I was still nervous, but as I walked onto the stage, I took a deep breath and remembered my friend's advice. I started speaking, and to my __5__, the words flowed smoothly. When I finished, the audience applauded. That moment was a turning point. I didn't win the contest, but I won something more __6__: confidence.

Answer: 2. overcome

'Overcome' means to succeed in dealing with a problem or difficulty. The narrator recognized their fear as a problem and decided they needed to defeat it.

I used to be a person who was afraid of public speaking. The mere thought of standing before an audience would make my palms sweat and my heart __1__. This fear held me back in many ways, both in school and in my personal life. I knew I had to __2__ it. My opportunity came when our English teacher announced a speech contest. __3__ everyone else was excited, I was terrified. However, a friend encouraged me, saying, 'The only way to get over a fear is to face it.' His words __4__ with me. I decided to participate. I spent weeks preparing, practicing in front of a mirror, and then in front of my family. On the day of the contest, I was still nervous, but as I walked onto the stage, I took a deep breath and remembered my friend's advice. I started speaking, and to my __5__, the words flowed smoothly. When I finished, the audience applauded. That moment was a turning point. I didn't win the contest, but I won something more __6__: confidence.

Answer: 3. While

'While' is a conjunction used to show contrast. It effectively contrasts the excitement of the other students with the narrator's terror.

I used to be a person who was afraid of public speaking. The mere thought of standing before an audience would make my palms sweat and my heart __1__. This fear held me back in many ways, both in school and in my personal life. I knew I had to __2__ it. My opportunity came when our English teacher announced a speech contest. __3__ everyone else was excited, I was terrified. However, a friend encouraged me, saying, 'The only way to get over a fear is to face it.' His words __4__ with me. I decided to participate. I spent weeks preparing, practicing in front of a mirror, and then in front of my family. On the day of the contest, I was still nervous, but as I walked onto the stage, I took a deep breath and remembered my friend's advice. I started speaking, and to my __5__, the words flowed smoothly. When I finished, the audience applauded. That moment was a turning point. I didn't win the contest, but I won something more __6__: confidence.

Answer: 4. stuck

The idiom 'stuck with me' means that the narrator remembered the words and they had a lasting effect. The friend's advice was memorable and influential.

I used to be a person who was afraid of public speaking. The mere thought of standing before an audience would make my palms sweat and my heart __1__. This fear held me back in many ways, both in school and in my personal life. I knew I had to __2__ it. My opportunity came when our English teacher announced a speech contest. __3__ everyone else was excited, I was terrified. However, a friend encouraged me, saying, 'The only way to get over a fear is to face it.' His words __4__ with me. I decided to participate. I spent weeks preparing, practicing in front of a mirror, and then in front of my family. On the day of the contest, I was still nervous, but as I walked onto the stage, I took a deep breath and remembered my friend's advice. I started speaking, and to my __5__, the words flowed smoothly. When I finished, the audience applauded. That moment was a turning point. I didn't win the contest, but I won something more __6__: confidence.

Answer: 5. surprise

The phrase 'to my surprise' indicates that the outcome was unexpected. The narrator was nervous and likely expected to fail, so the smooth flow of words was a pleasant surprise.

I used to be a person who was afraid of public speaking. The mere thought of standing before an audience would make my palms sweat and my heart __1__. This fear held me back in many ways, both in school and in my personal life. I knew I had to __2__ it. My opportunity came when our English teacher announced a speech contest. __3__ everyone else was excited, I was terrified. However, a friend encouraged me, saying, 'The only way to get over a fear is to face it.' His words __4__ with me. I decided to participate. I spent weeks preparing, practicing in front of a mirror, and then in front of my family. On the day of the contest, I was still nervous, but as I walked onto the stage, I took a deep breath and remembered my friend's advice. I started speaking, and to my __5__, the words flowed smoothly. When I finished, the audience applauded. That moment was a turning point. I didn't win the contest, but I won something more __6__: confidence.

Answer: 6. valuable

The sentence contrasts not winning the contest with gaining confidence. 'Valuable' correctly describes confidence as a prize of great worth, even more so than winning the contest itself.