Analyzing the Passage and Fill in the Blank Question

The passage discusses the idea that childhood significantly shapes who a person becomes in adulthood. It emphasizes that natural instincts are formed during childhood and persist over time. The question asks us to select the most appropriate word to fill in blank number 4.

Understanding the Sentence for Blank 4

Let's look at the sentence where blank 4 appears:

"Time modifies them but cannot (4)______ them."

Here, "them" refers to the "natural instincts" mentioned in the previous sentence. The sentence states that time changes these instincts ("modifies them"), but there is something that time is unable to do to them. The word for blank 4 must convey this inability of time to completely remove or destroy these instincts.

Evaluating the Options for Blank 4

We need to find the word that best fits the idea that time can change instincts but cannot eliminate them entirely. Let's examine each option:

• delete: This means to remove or erase, typically data or written text. While it implies removal, it might not be the most nuanced word for ingrained instincts.
• efface: This means to erase (a mark) from a surface, or to make oneself appear insignificant. In a figurative sense, it means to wipe out or cause to disappear. This strongly implies removing something that is marked or ingrained, which fits well with "natural instincts".
• cancel: This means to annul or revoke, often used for plans, appointments, or orders. It doesn't fit the context of natural instincts.
• finish: This means to bring to an end or complete. While time can bring things to an end, "finish" doesn't specifically describe the act of removing or erasing instincts in the way required by the contrast with "modifies".

Selecting the Most Appropriate Word

Considering the options, "efface" is the most suitable word for blank 4. It captures the idea that while time might alter or soften natural instincts, it cannot completely erase or obliterate them. The phrase "Time modifies them but cannot efface them" means time changes the instincts but cannot wipe them out.

Meaning of Efface

The word 'efface' means to erase (a mark) from a surface, or to make oneself appear insignificant. In the context of abstract things like instincts or memories, it means to cause something to disappear or be forgotten.

Conclusion for Blank 4

Based on the meaning and context, the word that best completes the sentence "Time modifies them but cannot (4)______ them," referring to natural instincts, is "efface".

Revision Table: Key Vocabulary from the Passage

Additional Information: The Influence of Childhood Instincts

The passage highlights a key theme: the lasting impact of childhood experiences and innate tendencies (instincts) on adult personality and behavior. The famous line "The child is the father of man" suggests that who we are as children fundamentally shapes who we become as adults.

• Natural instincts developed early in life are deeply ingrained.
• While experiences and time can refine or adapt these instincts (modify them), they are difficult to completely remove (efface).
• The passage uses the metaphor of clay and a mould to illustrate how a child's mind is shaped and how that early shaping leaves a permanent mark.
• This concept is important in psychology and education, emphasizing the significance of early development stages.

Understanding how childhood instincts and values persist helps explain patterns of behavior and decision-making in adult life, even if they are modified over time.