Filling Blank 1 in the Passage: Word Choice for Harmful Creatures

The question asks us to select the most appropriate word to fill in the first blank of the given passage. The passage discusses how humans interact with creatures, specifically waging war against those they perceive as harmful.

Let's look at the sentence fragment where blank 1 appears:

"Man wages war against the creatures which he 1 ______ harmful..."

We need a verb that describes how humans judge or perceive certain creatures as harmful, leading to warfare against them.

Analyzing the Options for Blank 1

Let's examine each option provided:

1. remembers: This word refers to recalling past information. It doesn't fit the context of judging whether a creature is currently harmful.
2. considers: This word means to think about someone or something in a particular way, to regard or deem. "He considers them harmful" means he regards them as harmful. This fits the context perfectly, as humans wage war against creatures they regard as harmful.
3. observes: This means to watch or notice something. While observing a creature might lead one to *consider* it harmful, the act of observing itself doesn't mean deeming it harmful. The sentence requires a word that expresses the judgment of being harmful.
4. recognizes: This word means to identify someone or something from previous encounters or knowledge. While one might recognize a creature *as* harmful (if it has been deemed so before), the word 'recognizes' primarily means identification, not the act of deeming something harmful in the present context.

Selecting the Most Appropriate Word

Comparing the options, the word that best fits the context of humans deeming creatures to be harmful, which then justifies waging war, is considers. It accurately reflects the human judgment or perception of a creature's harmfulness.

Therefore, the most appropriate option to fill in blank No. 1 is considers.

Let's insert the chosen word into the sentence fragment:

"Man wages war against the creatures which he considers harmful..."

This makes grammatical sense and aligns with the overall theme of the passage.

Conclusion on Filling Blank 1

Based on the analysis of the meaning of each word and the context of the sentence, considers is the most suitable word to fill blank No. 1.

Revision Table: Understanding Vocabulary in Context

Additional Information: Cloze Tests and Context Clues

Cloze tests are a great way to practice reading comprehension and vocabulary. They require you to understand the meaning of the passage as a whole and use context clues to figure out the missing words.

• Context is Key: Always read the sentences before and after the blank to get the full picture.
• Word Meaning: Think about the precise meaning of each option and how it fits grammatically and logically.
• Elimination: Rule out options that clearly don't make sense in the context.

In this passage, understanding the contrast between creatures considered "harmful" (leading to warfare) and those considered "useful" (leading to preservation) helps in choosing the correct words for all the blanks, including blank 1 which describes the initial judgment of "harmful".