Understanding the Passage and Blank 10

The passage describes the historical context and mechanism of the treadmill as a prison device. It explains how it was used to make prisoners work hard for long hours as a form of rehabilitation and punishment. Blank 10 completes the sentence describing the duration of the prisoners' work on the treadmill: "They ________ (10) for 10 hours a day in summer, and seven in winter." We need to choose a word that accurately describes the action of prisoners working on the treadmill for extended periods.

Analyzing the Options for Blank 10

Let's examine the given options to determine which word best fits the context of prisoners working on the treadmill:

• Dragged: This word typically means pulling something heavy or difficult. While the work was difficult, "dragged" doesn't describe the specific action of stepping on a treadwheel.
• Talked: This means speaking. The passage mentions that partitions were added to prevent convicts from socializing, implying that talking was not the primary activity while on the treadmill. Also, the activity described is physical labor.
• Slogged: This word means to work hard and persistently over a long period, especially at something difficult or tedious. This aligns well with the description of prisoners spending many hours a day on the treadmill, which was designed to be laborious and make them "suffer and learn from their sweat."
• Gagged: This means to prevent someone from speaking, usually by covering their mouth. This is irrelevant to the action of working on a treadmill.

Selecting the Most Appropriate Word

Considering the context of hard, long, and strenuous work on a prison treadmill, the word "slogged" is the most fitting choice. It accurately conveys the idea of laboring intensely for extended periods.

Detailed Explanation

The sentence describes the prisoners' daily routine on the treadmill. The word chosen for blank 10 must reflect the nature of this activity. The passage earlier mentions the treadmill was "meant to cause the [prisoners] to suffer and learn from their sweat," indicating it was a difficult physical task. Working for 10 hours a day in summer and seven in winter emphasizes the prolonged and arduous nature of the work. "Slogged" precisely captures this sense of persistent, hard labor.

Therefore, the sentence becomes: "They slogged for 10 hours a day in summer, and seven in winter."

Revision Table: Filling the Blanks in the Passage

Additional Information: The History of the Treadmill

The passage highlights the original purpose of the treadmill, which was vastly different from its modern use in gyms. Invented in 1818 by William Cubitt, the prison treadmill was a device for penal labor. It was a large wheel that prisoners would climb, their weight causing it to rotate. This rotation could power machinery for milling grain or pumping water, but its primary function was punishment and rehabilitation through arduous work.

• The design varied, but a common form involved prisoners walking on steps around a central axle.
• The work was often monotonous and exhausting, intended to break the spirits of the prisoners and deter them from crime.
• The long hours mentioned in the passage (10 hours in summer, 7 in winter) illustrate the severity of the punishment.
• The addition of partitions shows an evolution in the design, aimed at preventing communication and making the labor a solitary experience.
• The prison treadmill was eventually phased out in the late 19th and early 20th centuries as penal philosophies changed.

Understanding this historical context makes it clear that the word describing the prisoners' activity should reflect difficult, prolonged physical exertion, which "slogged" does effectively.