E. Babaii. H. Ansary | System 29 (2001) 209‑219

Appendix A. The C‑test

Directions: The following tests have been developed by removing the second half of every second word in a text. You are supposed to reconstruct the texts.

Example:

Dinosaurs were a group of egg‑laying animals. They ru _ _ _ the la _ _ for ab _ _ _ 140 mil _ _ _ _ years.

Dinosaurs were a group of egg‑laying animals. They ruled the land for about 140 million years....

A Slip of the Tongue

On a variety show presented by P. and U. Bird Seed Company, a funny thing happened. It ca _ _ from t _ _ advertiser a _ the begi _ _ _ _ _ of t _ _ program. H _ seemed extr _ _ _ _ _ nervous a _ _ for so _ _ minutes st _ _ _ awkwardly bef _ _ _ the micro _ _ _ _ _. As so _ _ as h _ opened h _ _ mouth, ever _ _ _ _ burst o _ _ laughing. W _ all kn _ _ what t _ _ man should have said, but what he actually said was, “This is the Poo and Ee Seed Bird Company. Good ladies, evening and gentlemen.”

The End of the World

One of the multitude of theories about how our world will end is that in a few billion years the sun will burn itself out. First, i _ _ supply o _ hydrogen fu _ _ will gi _ _ out, lea _ _ _ _ it a hu _ _ red st _ _ sending o _ _ a 100 ti _ _ _ more ene _ _ _ than i _ does n_ _. The pla _ _ _ _ surrounding t _ _ sun wi _ _ become incre _ _ _ _ _ hot. Ea _ _ _ will he _ _ up, oce _ _ _ will bo _ _, and ultimately life on earth will end. The cooling sun will then become a tiny, weak star.

A 50 Percent Thief

Sam Benton, the local butcher, had lost his wallet while taking his savings to the post office. Sam w _ _ sure th _ _ the wal _ _ _ must ha _ _ been fo _ _ _ by o _ _ of t _ _ villagers, b _ _ it w _ _ not retu _ _ _ _ to h _ _. Three mon _ _ _ passed, a _ _ then o _ _ morning, h _ found h _ _ wallet out _ _ _ _ his fr _ _ _ door. I had be _ _ wrapped up in newspaper and it contained half the money he had lost, together with a note that said: "A thief, yes, but only 50 per cent a thief!"

Keep the Torch Burning

Olympic Games are the biggest international gathering of any kind in the world. Not on _ _ do th _ _ bring spor _ _ _ _ _ together, b _ _ they un _ _ _ a world pub _ _ _. Is i _ not a suffi _ _ _ _ _ reason f _ _ continuing th _ _ ? Of cou _ _ _, a few peo _ _ _ intend t _ use th _ _ as a _ occasion f _ _ propaganda, b _ _ this i _ no rea _ _ _ why t _ _ Games should be cancelled. Why should every harmless activity be spoiled for the majority by the minority?! So, as long as the majority wants it, these Games will continue.

Lock Up Your Cars!

The recent increase in car stealing has alarmed the police, who are looking for what they now believe must be a well organized gang of professional car thieves. An inter _ _ _ _ _ _ aspect o _ these the _ _ _ is th _ _ nearly a _ _ the mis _ _ _ _ vehicles ha _ _ been ta _ _ _ from loc _ _ _ garages. The pol _ _ _ have ther _ _ _ _ _ assumed th _ _ the ga _ _ find i _ easier t _ break in _ _ garages, wh _ _ vehicles a _ _ often le _ _ unlocked a _ night, than into locked cars, parked on the roadside in daytime or at night. They advise car owners to lock up their cars, even when they are kept in locked garages.