The question requires that we fill up the blank spaces with the correct words. Find the completed passage below:
British people have a reputation for being rather quiet and reserved. However, a new study has (1) <u>revealed</u>that Britons are actually quite sociable and the (2) <u>average</u>person claims to have 14 close friends. Although a minority of those questioned (3) <u>admitted</u>that they had no best friend, a quarter said that they had more than 18 close friends. Experts said that this is (4) <u>due</u> to changes in the way people (5) <u>spend</u>their free time. They are now more (6)<u>likely</u> to invite friends to their homes or go out socializing than previous generations. The increasing use of mobile phones and emails has also made it easier to (7) <u>keep up with</u> a greater number of friendships. Men's relationships are not (8) <u>deep</u>though they tend to have more friends. Women, (9) <u>on the other hand</u> prefer to have a small number of friends they can trust (10) <u>t</u><u>o</u><u>tally</u>, and with whom they can feel completely at (11) <u>ease</u>. The idea that people in the north of England are more neighborly than those in the south seems to be backed (12) <u>up</u>by the survey. However, despite having friends, it seems that family still (13) <u>plays</u>an important part in most people's lives. When asked who they would (14) <u>turn</u>to for help if they were ill or had a problem, the majority said that they would (15) <u>call</u> upon a relative first rather than a friend.
To correctly fill up the blank space, study the passage, and understand the context clues.
These clues will provide insight into the right verbs and prepositions to be fixed in the blank spaces.
