Reading: Fill in the Blanks (Dropdown) · Part 2: Reading

Before effective anesthetics, surgery was very crude and very painful.…

56 students marked "I sat this"Added 26 May 2020Question #120073
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Choose the word for each blank.

Before effective anesthetics, surgery was very crude and very painful. Before 1800, alcohol and opium had 1 success in easing pain during operations. Laughing gas was used in 1844 in dentistry in the USA, but failed to ease all pain and patients 2 conscious. Ether (used from 1846) made patients totally unconscious and lasted a long time. However, it could make patients cough during operations and sick afterwards. It was highly flammable and was 3 in heavy glass bottles. Chloroform (used from 1847) was very effective with few side effects. However, it was difficult to get the dose right and could kill some people 4 the effect on their heart. An inhaler helped to regulate the dosage.

Options for each gap (alphabetical)

  • 1 great · little · much · title
  • 2 contained · released · remained · retained
  • 3 translated · transmitted · transparent · transported
  • 4 because of · but · due · rather than
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Reading: Fill in the Blanks (Dropdown) format (Pearson)

Formerly called Reading & Writing: Fill in the Blanks.

PromptText up to 200 words
Time to answerNot set per question (Part 2 lasts 23–30 minutes)
Skills assessedReading

How it is scored

  • Partial credit applies: a partly correct response still scores.

Source: Pearson, PTE Academic & UKVI test format, Part 2: Reading, checked 9 October 2026.