Understanding the Passage Completion Question

The question asks us to fill in the last blank in the provided passage. The sentence with the blank is: "All mental _______ is within you." We need to choose the most appropriate word from the given options that fits grammatically and makes sense in the context of the passage.

Analyzing the Options for the Blank

Let's look at the last sentence again: "All mental _______ is within you." The word needed after the adjective "mental" should be a noun, as "is within you" is the predicate describing the subject, which should be a noun phrase ("All mental _______"). We need a word that refers to a state or condition related to being disturbed mentally.

Let's examine the options provided:

1. disturb: This is primarily a verb (to interrupt the tranquility of someone or something). It does not fit grammatically as a noun in this context.
2. disturbance: This is a noun meaning a state of being disturbed or a disruption. This fits grammatically after the adjective "mental" and makes sense in the context of mental state or condition.
3. disturbed: This is the past participle of the verb "disturb" and is often used as an adjective (e.g., a disturbed person). It does not fit grammatically as the main noun subject in this sentence structure.
4. disturbs: This is the third-person singular simple present tense of the verb "disturb". It does not fit grammatically as a noun in this context.

Based on grammatical structure and meaning, the noun "disturbance" is the correct choice to complete the sentence "All mental _______ is within you."

Filling the Blank and Understanding the Sentence

When we fill the blank with "disturbance", the sentence becomes "All mental disturbance is within you." This means that any mental disruption, agitation, or lack of peace originates internally, rather than solely from external factors. This aligns with the passage's advice to manage distracting conditions and influences from the outer world, suggesting that controlling one's internal state is key to finding peace.

The Completed Sentence

The correct word to fill the blank is "disturbance". The completed sentence is:

"All mental disturbance is within you."

Revision Table: Word Forms of Disturb

Additional Information: Nouns and Adjectives

In English, adjectives like "mental" modify nouns. They describe qualities or characteristics of the noun that follows. In the structure "Adjective + _______ + Verb", the blank almost always requires a noun or a noun phrase to act as the subject of the verb.

For example:

• "Beautiful _______ sings well." (Needs a noun like 'bird' or 'singer')
• "Quick _______ run fast." (Needs a noun like 'animals' or 'runners')
• "Mental _______ affects health." (Needs a noun like 'stress' or 'state')

In our sentence, "All mental _______ is within you," the word must function as a noun to be the subject modified by "mental". "Disturbance" is the correct noun form among the options provided that fits this role and the meaning of the passage, which discusses internal peace and external distractions.