CLOZE TEST: PET OWNERS

Here you have a cloze test, fill in the gaps with the correct words.
The key is below the test.
Have a nice day!

Fill each of the numbered blanks in the following passage. Use only one word in each space. 

If you ask most pet owners what the main benefit of keeping a pet is, the answer will probably be companionship. They are (1) ________ not aware that (2) ________ pets can be responsible for improving their health. But scientists have now proved (3) ________ some owners have always believed (4) ________ is that animals can be good (5) ________ you. A recent study at Cambridge University has shown an improvement in (6) ________ the physical and mental (7) ________ of new dog owners. This is not just (8) ________ of the increase (9) ________ the amount of walking they do, either. Owners have also been found to be less (10) ________ to suffer from ailments (11) ________ as headaches, backache, colds and flu. Owners of cats have shown (12) ________ improvements. There is, however, no information so (13) ________ on fish or budgie owners. 

But whatever pet you have, it (14) ________ probably be beneficial to any children in the household. Studies have shown (15) ________ pets can improve children´s social skills, teaching them, for (16) ________, to understand the importance of communication without words. Looking (17) ________ a pet is a gentle introduction to responsibility. For all of us, the action of stroking a pet (18) ________ be very therapeutic. This (19) ________, in fact, led to (20) ________ use of “Pets as Therapy”, where dogs visit long-stay patients in homes and hospitals.

KEY
1. probably/perhaps /maybe
2. keeping/having/ some/certain
3. what
4. which
5. for
6. both
7. health
8. because
9. in
10. likely/prone
11. such
12. similar
13. far
14. will
15. that
16. example/instance
17. after
18. can
19. has
20. the