Tip 1 for “Fill the gap” questions?

Read the sentence with the gap first and decide what kind of information it needs: a reason (-기 때문이다), a conclusion (따라서, 그러므로), a summary (이처럼, 즉) or a contrast (반면, 반대로).

Tip 2 for “Fill the gap” questions?

The clue is almost always in the sentence just before or just after the gap. Underline the key words there and look for the option that paraphrases them.

Tip 3 for “Fill the gap” questions?

With '이처럼', '즉' or '이렇게', the gap sums up the whole text – the right option usually turns the earlier examples into one general statement.

Tip 4 for “Fill the gap” questions?

Common traps: (1) options that say the opposite (especially after '반대로', '오히려'); (2) options true as general knowledge but not stated in the text; (3) options that reuse words from the text but get the logic wrong.

TOPIK II · Reading · Questions 16–18 · Level 4

Fill the gap

빈칸에 들어갈 내용 고르기

TOPIK II Reading Q16–18: a short explanatory text (4–5 sentences) with one gap; choose the phrase or clause that best fits the content. It tests logical inference from the sentences around the gap.

Test tips

Read the sentence with the gap first and decide what kind of information it needs: a reason (-기 때문이다), a conclusion (따라서, 그러므로), a summary (이처럼, 즉) or a contrast (반면, 반대로).
The clue is almost always in the sentence just before or just after the gap. Underline the key words there and look for the option that paraphrases them.
With '이처럼', '즉' or '이렇게', the gap sums up the whole text – the right option usually turns the earlier examples into one general statement.
Common traps: (1) options that say the opposite (especially after '반대로', '오히려'); (2) options true as general knowledge but not stated in the text; (3) options that reuse words from the text but get the logic wrong.
Try the option in the gap and reread that sentence and the next one: if the next sentence no longer makes sense, eliminate it.
Time budget: about 1.5 minutes per item; don’t translate the whole text word by word – read closely around the gap and skim the rest.

Signal words and patterns

When you see these in a question, they point to the answer or to a trap.

따라서
그러므로
이처럼
즉
반면
반대로
오히려
-기 때문이다
덕분에
-기도 하다

Worked examples

운동을 시작한 사람들 중에는 빨리 근육을 키우고 싶어서 매일 쉬지 않고 같은 운동을 하는 경우가 있다. 그러나 근육은 운동하는 동안이 아니라 쉬는 동안에 자란다. 운동을 하면 근육에 작은 상처가 생기는데, 몸이 쉬면서 이 상처를 회복하는 과정에서 근육이 더 굵고 튼튼해지는 것이다. 따라서 근육을 키우려면 ( ) 것이 중요하다.

Translation

Some people who start exercising want to build muscle quickly, so they do the same workout every day without a break. But muscles grow not while you exercise but while you rest. Exercise causes tiny injuries in the muscle, and it is while the body rests and repairs them that the muscle becomes thicker and stronger. Therefore, to build muscle it is important ( ).

다음을 읽고 ( )에 들어갈 내용으로 가장 알맞은 것을 고르십시오.

Explanation

Step 1: the sentence with the gap starts with '따라서' (therefore), so the gap is a conclusion drawn from what comes before. Step 2: find the key idea: '근육은 … 쉬는 동안에 자란다' (muscles grow while you rest) and they repair themselves as the body rests. Step 3: the logical conclusion is 'rest enough between workouts' → option 3. Options 1 and 2 describe the very mistake criticised in the first sentence (training every day without a break). Option 4 is wrong because the text presents small injuries as a normal part of muscle growth, not something to avoid.

Words in this question · sign in to save words

근육
키우다
상처
회복하다
굵다
튼튼하다

Practise now

27 questions in the bank

5 questions per round, each checked immediately with the explanation, translation and key words.