Understanding the Generation Gap Passage: Filling Blank 3

The passage discusses the phenomenon of the generation gap, highlighting the division between young and old. We need to select the most appropriate word to fill in blank number 3, which appears in the sentence: "Sometimes, the (3)_____ is so wide that there hardly (4)___ to be any possibility of bridging it."

Analyzing the Context of Blank 3

The sentence describes the extent of the difference or separation between generations. The words "wide" and "bridging" are key. "Wide" suggests a large distance or difference, and "bridging" implies connecting two sides of a gap, divide, or chasm.

Evaluating the Options for Blank 3

Let's look at the meanings of the given options:

• coast: This refers to the land beside a sea. It doesn't fit the context of a division between people.
• gulf: This can mean a deep inlet of the sea, but it is also used metaphorically to mean a significant difference or division between people, points of view, or situations.
• bay: Similar to a gulf, it's an inlet of the sea, but usually smaller. It doesn't fit the metaphorical context of a human division.
• crater: This is a large, bowl-shaped hole, typically formed by impact or eruption. While it's a depression, it doesn't fit the metaphorical sense of a social or relational divide as well as "gulf."

Selecting the Most Appropriate Word

Considering the sentence structure and the metaphorical use of language when discussing abstract concepts like a "generation gap," the word "gulf" is the most fitting choice. It effectively describes a wide and deep division or separation that is difficult to connect across, aligning perfectly with the idea of "bridging it." The phrase "wide gulf" is a common idiom used to describe significant differences between groups or ideas.

Therefore, the most appropriate option to fill in blank number 3 is "gulf". The sentence then reads: "Sometimes, the gulf is so wide that there hardly..."

Complete Passage (with Blank 3 filled)

Generation gap is a much talked (1)______ phenomenon today. It indicates the wide hiatus (2)____ the young from the old. Sometimes, the gulf is so wide that there hardly (4)___ to be any possibility of bridging it. However, the (5) ____between the young and the old is not a characteristic of modern times alone.

Revision Table: Generation Gap Vocabulary

Additional Information: Understanding Hiatus and Bridging Gaps

The passage uses other important words related to the generation gap:

• Hiatus: This means a pause, gap, or break in continuity. The passage says the generation gap indicates a "wide hiatus" between young and old.
• Bridging it: This is a phrase meaning to connect or overcome a gap or difference. The sentence asks about the possibility of connecting across the wide gulf.

These terms reinforce the theme of division and the challenge of overcoming it, further supporting why "gulf" is the correct word to describe the depth and breadth of this separation.