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 7.
ground
Understanding the Historical Treadmill Passage
The passage describes the invention and use of the treadmill as a rehabilitation device in English prisons about two hundred years ago. It highlights its purpose to make prisoners work hard and the tasks it powered, such as milling corn or pumping water. We need to fill in the blanks using the most appropriate words from the given options.
Analyzing Blank 7 in the Passage
The sentence containing blank 7 is: "The Brixton treadmill was hooked up to subterranean machinery that ________ (7) corn." This sentence tells us what the machinery connected to the Brixton prison treadmill did to corn. We need to choose a verb that describes an action performed on corn by machinery in this context.
Let's look at the options for blank 7:
- packed
- grew
- ground
- planted
Evaluating the Options for Blank 7
Consider the meaning of each option in the context of machinery processing corn:
- Packed: This means putting corn into containers. While machinery can pack things, it's not typically the primary function of machinery powered by a mill or treadwheel designed for work like milling.
- Grew: Corn is grown in fields through cultivation, not by machinery hooked up to a treadmill. This option is not suitable.
- Ground: This is the past tense of 'grind', which means to break something down into small particles, often flour or meal, using a mill or crushing machinery. The passage mentions "mill a bit of corn" earlier, indicating that milling or grinding corn was a task performed by these devices. This aligns perfectly with machinery processing corn.
- Planted: This means putting seeds in the ground to grow. Like 'grew', this is an agricultural process done in fields, not by machinery powered by a prison treadmill.
Based on the context of the passage, where treadmills were used to power tasks like milling corn, the most logical action the machinery would perform on corn is grinding it into flour or meal. Therefore, "ground" is the most appropriate word to fill blank 7.
| Option | Meaning/Context | Fit for Blank 7 |
|---|---|---|
| packed | Putting into containers | Unlikely primary function |
| grew | Cultivation | Not done by this machinery |
| ground | Crushed into particles (milled) | Fits historical context of milling corn |
| planted | Putting seeds in soil | Not done by this machinery |
Conclusion for Blank 7
The machinery connected to the Brixton treadmill was used to process corn by grinding it. Thus, the word "ground" correctly completes the sentence.
Revision Table: Key Points from the Passage
| Topic | Detail from Passage |
|---|---|
| Treadmill Origin | Invented in England 200 years ago |
| Original Purpose | Prison rehabilitation, cause suffering/learning |
| Early Tasks | Mill corn, pump water |
| Inventor | William Cubitt (1818) |
| Brixton Treadmill | Installed in London, featured a wide wheel |
| Blank 7 Action | Machinery connected to treadmill ground corn |
Additional Information: The Prison Treadmill
The historical prison treadmill was a harsh punishment device. Prisoners walked on the rotating steps of a large wheel, similar to a modern stair-climbing machine, for many hours a day. This strenuous work powered machinery for tasks like grinding grain, pumping water, or operating fans for ventilation. The work was often monotonous and physically demanding, intended to break the spirit and discipline the inmates. Over time, concerns about its brutality led to its decline in use by the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
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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)
