Understanding Human Interaction with Creatures: Filling Blank 4

The passage describes how humans interact with different types of creatures based on their perceived usefulness or harmfulness. We are asked to select the most appropriate word to fill in blank number 4.

Let's look at the sentence containing blank 4:

"Thus, our 4 ______ to song-birds, birds of prey and other animals is 5 _____ by the fact that they have either been proved useful or of no consequence at all."

This sentence explains why humans treat certain animals in a particular way. It talks about "our ______ to" these animals and how this is influenced by whether the animals are considered useful or harmless.

Analyzing the Options for Blank 4

Let's examine each given option to see which one fits best in the context of the sentence and the overall passage:

• belief: A belief is something one accepts as true or real. While we might have beliefs *about* animals (e.g., "that bird is harmful"), having a "belief to" animals doesn't make grammatical sense in this context.
• impression: An impression is an idea, feeling, or opinion about something or someone, especially one formed without conscious thought or on the basis of slight evidence. We might have an impression *of* animals. However, the sentence describes a settled way of relating to animals guided by their utility, which is more than just an initial impression. "Impression to" is also not standard phrasing.
• attitude: An attitude is a settled way of thinking or feeling about something or someone, typically reflected in a person's behavior. An attitude towards or to animals directly influences how we treat them. The sentence structure "our ______ to... is guided by the fact..." strongly suggests that what is being guided is our stance or feeling towards these animals. This fits perfectly with the definition of 'attitude'.
• behaviour: Behaviour is the way in which one acts or conducts oneself, especially towards others. While our behaviour towards animals is guided by their usefulness, the sentence is structured such that "our ______ to..." is the thing being guided, not the behaviour itself. The sentence implies that the attitude (the internal stance) is guided by the facts, and this attitude then dictates behaviour. Also, "behaviour to" is not the typical phrasing; "behaviour towards" is more common.

Conclusion for Blank 4

Based on the analysis, the word "attitude" is the most appropriate choice for blank number 4. It refers to the human's settled way of thinking or feeling towards animals, which is explained as being guided by whether the animals are considered useful or not.

The completed part of the sentence reads: "Thus, our attitude to song-birds, birds of prey and other animals is..."

Revision Table: Key Vocabulary

Additional Information: Context Clues in Fill-in-the-Blanks

When solving fill-in-the-blanks questions in passages, it's crucial to look at the words around the blank (collocations) and the overall meaning of the sentence and paragraph.

• Collocations: Pay attention to prepositions that follow the blank. In this case, the blank is followed by "to". While "attitude to" and "attitude towards" are common, "belief to", "impression to", and "behaviour to" are less so, or have different meanings.
• Sentence Structure: Understand what role the missing word plays in the sentence. Here, the blank represents something belonging to "us" ("our ______") which "is guided by" the animals' utility. This suggests an internal state or relationship rather than an action.
• Passage Theme: The passage discusses human perception of animals (harmful vs. useful) and the resulting interaction. The word chosen for blank 4 should align with this theme of human-animal relationship based on utility.

Considering these context clues helps in selecting the most appropriate word that maintains grammatical correctness and logical flow within the passage.