B1+ English test 1 – text with multiple choice gaps

Three years ago, my father 1 had diagnoseddiagnosedwas diagnosed with cancer. It was stage IV cancer,  which meant that he didn’t have much time to live. When I learned that he was going to die, I 2 didn’t seehadn’t seenhaven’t seen him in over a year and, to be honest, our relationship wasn’t the best. It was not that we argued a lot because we 3 weren’tdidn’tnot. But if we never argued, it was just because we didn’t talk very often.

My parents divorced when I was a teenager, and my father had to move into 4 an old littlean uncomfortable littlea little cheap apartment on the outskirts, which wasn’t convenient for me. My friends lived near my mum’s home, and in my father’s apartment, I had a very dark and tiny room. My father 5 had it paintedhad paintedhad it paint and he even bought me an amazing TV with the little income that he had. But I 6 wasn’t used to livingwasn’t used to livedidn’t used to live in 7 assosuch a tiny space, and I always made 8 whicheverhoweverwhatever excuse to avoid visiting.

The thing is, I 9 should have beenshould bemust have been there for my dad when he needed me. Years went by and I started to feel guilty. I really wanted to have him back, but I had let the relationship 10 deterioratingdeteriorateto deteriorate to the extent that we were practically strangers.

When he gave me the news, he looked 11 as if–as he was truly sorry, and he told me that it was his fault that we had grown apart; he hadn’t fought hard enough to make our relationship work. I couldn’t believe how he could feel guilty when I was the one to blame.

I decided 12 takingtaketo take an unpaid leave of absence at work 13 toso thatfor I could spend my dad’s last weeks with him. It was very hard and wonderful at the same time. We talked for hours every day, we remembered all the good moments, we recounted all the details of our separate lives, and we expressed all those feelings that had gone unconfessed.  Before dying he told me that I had given him the best present he could ever have hoped for. I was so moved to hear that, and glad. Since that day I have always regretted 14 not to have spendnot to spendnot having spent more time with my dad. I wish I 15 didhad donewould do things differently while my father was alive and I still had the chance.