🎯 How to Answer Summary/Gapped Text Questions

Step-by-step strategy:

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✅ 1. Read the Instructions Carefully

Check the word limit. It will say:

• NO MORE THAN ONE WORD

• NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS

• NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER

🚫 Don’t go over the limit, or your answer will be wrong.

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✅ 2. Read the Summary First

• Focus on understanding the overall meaning.

• Pay attention to the sentence before and after each blank.

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✅ 3. Anticipate the Word Type

Ask yourself: What kind of word fits the gap?
Is it a noun, verb, adjective, or number?

Example:
“The volcano last ______ in 1991.”
→ You need a verb (e.g., erupted)

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✅ 4. Underline Keywords in the Summary

These will help you locate the answer in the passage.
Look for synonyms or paraphrased expressions in the text.

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✅ 5. Scan the Passage for Matching Ideas

Don’t look for the exact words—look for meaning matches.

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✅ 6. Check Grammar and Spelling

• The completed sentence must be grammatically correct.

• Copy the word exactly from the passage.

• Check plural forms and verb tenses.

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📝 PRACTICE ACTIVITY: Summary Completion (B2 Level)

Instructions: NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER

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Text Summary: About the Honeybee

Summary:
Honeybees are essential to the ecosystem because they help with the ______ (1) of many plants. They carry ______ (2) from one flower to another. A typical bee colony can have as many as ______ (3) members. The bees in a hive are divided into groups. The queen is responsible for ______ (4). Worker bees do jobs such as gathering nectar and cleaning the hive. Male bees, or drones, exist mainly to ______ (5) with the queen. Bees make honey by mixing nectar with ______ (6) in their bodies. This substance is then stored in ______ (7), where it becomes honey. Bees also communicate by doing a kind of dance, which shows the ______ (8) of food.

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✅ Answer Key + Explanations

1. pollination
   ➡ The summary talks about bees helping plants. In the text, “bees are key to the pollination of flowering plants.” → The noun pollination fits the gap.

2. pollen
   ➡ Bees carry something from flower to flower. The text says, “They collect and transfer pollen as they move.” → Fits grammatically and contextually.

3. 60,000
   ➡ The number mentioned in the text is: “A colony can include up to 60,000 bees.” → A number is needed, and it's correct.

4. laying eggs
   ➡ The queen’s main role is described as “laying eggs”. → It’s a gerund phrase (noun), fitting after “responsible for”.

5. mate
   ➡ The drones’ purpose is to “mate with the queen”. → Mate is a verb, and it fits grammatically after “to”.

6. enzymes
   ➡ “Bees mix nectar with enzymes to create honey.” → Enzymes is a noun and fits well after “with”.

7. honeycombs
   ➡ The storage is described as “stored in honeycombs.” → It fits as the place where honey is kept.

8. location
   ➡ “The bee dance communicates the location of food.” → Fits the idea and grammar of the sentence.

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🧠 Final Tips

• Look for exact matches in meaning, not in wording.

• Always check the grammar of the sentence after inserting your answer.

• If unsure, try to predict the word type before going to the passage.