• ☐ ☐ ☐ play down [phv] - reduce, shift focus away from
• ☐ ☐ ☐ progress [n] - improvement, moving forward
• ☐ ☐ ☐ reportedly [adv] - people say, but not confirmed
• ☐ ☐ ☐ air strikes [n] - attacks from airplanes
• ☐ ☐ ☐ widespread [adj] - happening in many places
• ☐ ☐ ☐ power cuts [n] - no electricity for a while
• ☐ ☐ ☐ drone strikes [n] - attacks by drones
• ☐ ☐ ☐ power stations [n] - places that make electricity
• ☐ ☐ ☐ suspect [v] - think, believe
• ☐ ☐ ☐ a gene [n] - part of DNA
• ☐ ☐ ☐ drive [v] - cause, lead to
• ☐ ☐ ☐ pigments [n] - natural colors in skin, hair
• ☐ ☐ ☐ fur [n] - thick hair on animals

[n] - noun,  [v] - verb,  [phv] - phrasal verb,  [adj] - adjective,  [exp] - expression

1. The U.S. is optimistic about the progress of peace talks between Russia and Ukraine.
   True
   False
   
   
2. Peace talks between Russia and Ukraine took place on Thursday.
   True
   False
   
   
3. More than one hundred Palestinians have reportedly died due to air strikes on Gaza.
   True
   False
   
   
4. A shortage of fuel has caused power cuts in Khartoum.
   True
   False
   
   
5. Cats with orange fur tend to be female.
   True
   False
   
   

Directions: What expressions from the audio have the same meaning as the highlighted expressions in the sentences below?

1. The United States has [ lowered expectations for ] the chances of progress in peace talks.

   [ played down ]

   Show Hide
   
   
2. And there have been [ far-reaching ] power cuts in Sudan's capital Khartoum.

   [ widespread ]

   Show Hide
   
   
3. They've [ guessed ] that this gene was [ causing ] the production of lighter pigments.

   [ suspected ] [ driving ]

   Show Hide
   
   
4. Why some cats have orange [ animal hair ].

   [ fur ]

   Show Hide
   
   

Directions: Choose the most natural word (only one word) for each blank.

Instrucciones: Elige la palabra más natural (solo una palabra) para cada espacio en blanco.

Instruções: Escolha a palavra mais natural (apenas uma palavra) para cada espaço em branco.

지시 사항: 빈칸마다 가장 자연스러운 단어(한 단어만)를 선택하세요.

• (The) United States has played down the chances of progress in peace talks (between) Russia and Ukraine in Istanbul.
• The two sides failed (to) meet (as) scheduled (on) Thursday.
• More (than) a hundred Palestinians have (been) reportedly killed in Israeli air strikes on Gaza.
• And there (have) been widespread power cuts in Sudan's capital Khartoum after drone strikes (on) power stations.
• They've suspected that this gene (was) driving the production (of) lighter pigments.
• Instead (of) the darker pigment you would get with, say, a black cat, they thought it (was) driving lighter pigment, but they couldn't understand (why).
• Why some cats (have) orange fur, and why those cats (are) usually male.