Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct word that best fits each of the numbered blanks from 1 to 5. The placebo effect is far more powerful than most people realize. It's fascinating, and it has been (1) _____ studied by medical science. We know that four placebo sugar pills a day will clean up an illness quicker than two sugar pills, we know that an injection is a more effective treatment for pain than a pill, we know that ...

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct word that best fits each of the numbered blanks from 1 to 5.

The placebo effect is far more powerful than most people realize. It's fascinating, and it has been (1) _____ studied by medical science. We know that four placebo sugar pills a day will clean up an illness quicker than two sugar pills, we know that an injection is a more effective treatment for pain than a pill, we know that green pills are more effective (2) _____ stress than red pills, and we know that brand packaging on painkillers increases pain relief.

But if homeopathy users are being deceived by the placebo effect, is that so bad? Maybe not. There are often situations (3) _____ people want treatment but medicine has little to offer - back pain, stress at work, medically unexplained fatigue, and (4) _____ commonly colds. Trying every known medication will only give you side effects. A sugar pill in these circumstances seems a very (5) _____ option.

(Adapted from Unlimited B2 - student's book)