Updated 2026-08-28medium

Duolingo English Test Listening Cloze Practice #8 — Medium Level

Free DET (Duolingo English Test) Listening Cloze practice #8 — Medium level. Just DET Listening questions, no grading — solve it yourself and check the answer or model response.

How to practice: This set collects only the Listening Cloze question type from the real DET (Duolingo English Test) — DET Listening questions. No grading, no timer — solve it yourself, then tap each question to reveal the answer or model response.
Listening Cloze
Listen to the talk and fill in the blanks below.

For most of human history, formal education was a privilege available only to the _____. The idea of _____ — that every child deserves access to schooling — emerged over centuries. Horace Mann argued that a strong public education system was essential for creating an informed, _____ citizenry. In recent decades, the focus has shifted toward improving _____ rather than simply expanding access.

Show Answers
1) wealthy elite · 2) universal public education · 3) democratic · 4) the quality of education
Q1 · Comprehension
According to the lecture, who was Horace Mann and what did he argue?
  1. A. A US reformer who argued that public education was essential for democracy
  2. B. A British scientist who invented a new teaching method
  3. C. A politician who opposed public education in the 1800s
  4. D. A university professor who wrote about higher education
Show Answer
Correct: A US reformer who argued that public education was essential for democracy
Q2 · Comprehension
What did compulsory schooling laws require?
  1. A. Children to attend school up to a certain age
  2. B. All teachers to hold advanced degrees
  3. C. Schools to offer classes seven days a week
  4. D. Students to pass a national exam before graduating
Show Answer
Correct: Children to attend school up to a certain age
Q3 · Comprehension
What is mentioned as a significant development in the civil rights movement related to education?
  1. A. Fighting to end racial segregation in schools
  2. B. Introducing standardized testing for all students
  3. C. Creating private schools for minority students
  4. D. Establishing university scholarships for low-income families
Show Answer
Correct: Fighting to end racial segregation in schools
Q4 · Comprehension
What does the lecture say has become an increasing emphasis in modern education?
  1. A. Critical thinking, creativity, and digital literacy
  2. B. Memorization and recitation of facts
  3. C. Physical education and outdoor learning
  4. D. Foreign language instruction only
Show Answer
Correct: Critical thinking, creativity, and digital literacy
Q5 · Comprehension
What is the main message of this lecture?
  1. A. Public education has expanded over centuries and continues to evolve to meet new challenges
  2. B. Ancient civilizations had the best education systems in history
  3. C. Standardized testing is the most important reform in modern education
  4. D. Public education was fully equal and accessible from the beginning
Show Answer
Correct: Public education has expanded over centuries and continues to evolve to meet new challenges
Summary
Show Model Summary
Public education began as a privilege for the wealthy elite and gradually expanded to include all children through the work of reformers like Horace Mann in the nineteenth century. Compulsory schooling laws, the civil rights movement, and ongoing reforms have continued to shape modern education systems. Today, the focus is on improving quality and preparing students with skills like critical thinking, digital literacy, and creativity for a knowledge-based economy.

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