In the following passage some words have been deleted. Fill in the blanks with the help of the alternative given. Two hundred years ago, the treadmill was invented in England as a prison rehabilitation device. It was meant to cause the ________ (1) to suffer and learn from their sweat. It would mill a bit of corn or ________ (2) some water as a bonus. William Cubitt, a civil engineer raised in a family of millwrights, created the treadmill - which was also called a treadwheel in the early days- in 1818. Cubitt's early attempts at the treadmill's ________ (3) took many forms. Including two wheels you walked on, Whose cogs interlocked. But his most popular ________ (4), which was installed at Brixton Prison in London. ________ (5) a wide wheel. Prisoners pressed down with their feet on steps ________ (6) In the wheel, Which moved it, presenting them with the next step. The Brixton treadmill was hooked up to subterranean machinery that ________ (7) corn. This treadmill could keep as many as 24 prisoners ________ (8), standing side-by-side along the wheel. Some devices at other prisons were smaller, and most treadmills soon ________ (9) partitions, so convicts could not socialize. They ________ (10) for 10 hours a day in summer, and seven in winter.
Select the most appropriate option to fill blank no 3.
design
Understanding the Treadmill History Cloze Test
The question asks us to fill in blank number 3 in the provided passage about the history of the treadmill. To do this, we need to read the sentence containing the blank carefully and consider the context provided by the surrounding sentences. The sentence is: "Cubitt's early attempts at the treadmill's ________ (3) took many forms."
This sentence discusses William Cubitt, the inventor of the treadmill, and his initial work on the device. It mentions "early attempts" and that these attempts "took many forms". This implies that he was experimenting with different versions or structures of the treadmill itself.
Analyzing Options for Blank 3
Let's look at the given options for blank number 3:
- proposal
- design
- strategy
- decline
Now, let's substitute each option into the sentence and see which one fits best:
- "Cubitt's early attempts at the treadmill's proposal took many forms." - A proposal is a formal plan or suggestion. While a proposal might have different versions, "attempts at a proposal taking many forms" isn't the most natural fit for describing the physical development of an invention. The passage talks about how the device itself changed ("two wheels you walked on," "a wide wheel").
- "Cubitt's early attempts at the treadmill's design took many forms." - Design refers to the plan or specifications for creating something. When inventing something like the treadmill, an inventor tries different designs or configurations. The phrase "designs took many forms" makes perfect sense in this context, referring to the various physical shapes or structures Cubitt experimented with.
- "Cubitt's early attempts at the treadmill's strategy took many forms." - A strategy is a plan of action, often for achieving a goal in a competitive context. This word does not relate to the physical construction or structure of the treadmill itself.
- "Cubitt's early attempts at the treadmill's decline took many forms." - Decline means a decrease or deterioration. This word is completely opposite to the context of an inventor working on developing and improving his invention.
Selecting the Correct Word for Blank 3
Based on the analysis, the word that best fits the context of an inventor trying out different versions or configurations of a mechanical device is "design". Cubitt's early work involved trying different plans or structures (designs) for the treadmill, and these designs had "many forms".
| Option | Meaning | Fit in Sentence ("Early attempts at the treadmill's ______ took many forms") | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|---|
| proposal | Suggestion/plan (often formal) | Poor fit | Refers more to the idea or pitch, not the physical form. |
| design | Plan/specifications for construction | Excellent fit | Refers directly to the structure and form of the invention being developed. |
| strategy | Plan of action | Poor fit | Not related to the physical makeup of the device. |
| decline | Decrease/deterioration | No fit | Opposite meaning of development. |
Therefore, the most appropriate word to fill blank number 3 is "design".
Revision Table: Key Terms from Passage
| Term | Context in Passage | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| treadmill | Main subject; prison rehabilitation device | A machine used for walking/running in place, historically a labor device. |
| rehabilitation | Purpose of treadmill invention | Restoring someone to health or normal life through training and therapy, here related to prisoners. |
| design | Cubitt's early work | The plan or drawing produced to show the look and function of something before it is built. |
| forms | Related to early designs | Shapes or arrangements that something takes. |
| prisoners | Users of the treadmill | People legally confined as punishment for crimes. |
Additional Information: Contextual Vocabulary in Cloze Tests
Cloze tests assess reading comprehension and vocabulary skills. To succeed, it is crucial to:
- Read the entire passage first to understand the overall topic and flow.
- Read the sentence containing the blank carefully.
- Look at the words immediately before and after the blank.
- Consider the meaning of each option provided.
- Substitute each option into the blank and see which one makes the sentence grammatically correct and logically sound within the context of the passage.
- Pay attention to collocations (words that naturally go together, e.g., "early attempts at the design").
In this specific passage, understanding the history of invention and the vocabulary associated with it (like "design", "attempts", "forms") is key to selecting the correct word for blank 3.
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Important Questions from Vocab Based Questions
Select whichever word you consider most appropriate for the blank (1)
Select whichever word you consider most appropriate for the blank (2)
Select whichever word you consider most appropriate for the blank (3)
Select whichever word you consider most appropriate for the blank (4)
Select whichever word you consider most appropriate for the blank (5)
