In the following passage some words have been deleted. Fill in the blanks with the help of the alternatives given. Select the most appropriate option for each blank. Another farmer’s cotton harvest increased from 10 quintals to 14 quintals (1)______ using pesticides and fertilizers on the suggestion (2)______ the local agriculture extension officer. “I (3)______ doubts as I was going for organic cotton for the (4)______ time,” he said, “But I saved eight thousand rupees per acre (5)______ costs.” He sold his cotton for almost seven lakhs, (6)______ he wants to use for his daughter’s studies and to (7)______ a new house. Another farmer said he’s got the first (8)'______ crop' of his life this year. The 53-year-old used to grow red gram on his (9)______ field. “But thanks to a government project, my village tank is full and I could (10)______ paddy in the Rabi season.” He reaped 66 quintals from his two acres.
Select the most appropriate option to fill in blank 4.
first
Filling the Blank in the Cotton Farming Passage
The question asks us to select the most appropriate option to fill in blank number 4 in the provided passage about cotton farming. The passage discusses a farmer's experience with increasing his cotton harvest and trying organic cotton.
Analyzing Blank 4 in the Passage
Let's look at the sentence containing blank 4:
“I (3)______ doubts as I was going for organic cotton for the (4)______ time,” he said,
The speaker is explaining why he had doubts. He connects his doubts to the fact that he was trying organic cotton. The phrase "for the ______ time" indicates a specific instance or attempt at growing organic cotton.
Evaluating the Options for Blank 4
Let's consider the given options for blank 4:
- last
- first
- future
- next
We need to choose the word that best fits the context of someone having doubts about trying something, especially if it's related to a change in farming practice like switching to organic cotton.
- Option 1: last - If he was going for organic cotton for the "last" time, it would imply he was giving up or finishing. This doesn't fit with having doubts about the process itself, which is usually associated with trying something new or uncertain.
- Option 2: first - If he was going for organic cotton for the "first" time, it means this was his initial attempt. Trying something for the first time, especially a new farming method, often comes with uncertainty and "doubts." This fits the context perfectly.
- Option 3: future - Using "future" here ("for the future time") doesn't make grammatical sense in this construction.
- Option 4: next - Using "next" here ("for the next time") would imply he was planning to do it in the future, not that he was doing it now and having doubts about the current attempt. The passage implies he *was* in the process of going for organic cotton.
Based on the analysis, the word "first" is the most logical and grammatically correct fit for blank 4, as it explains why the farmer might have had doubts when trying organic cotton.
Conclusion for Blank 4
The phrase "going for organic cotton for the first time" clearly explains the reason for the farmer's doubts. Therefore, "first" is the most appropriate option to fill blank 4.
Revision Table - Passage Completion Analysis
| Blank Number | Context Clues | Reasoning for Fill |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | "...doubts as I was going for organic cotton for the (4)______ time," | The farmer had doubts because it was likely a new experience. "First time" indicates an initial attempt, which is often accompanied by uncertainty or doubt. |
Additional Information - Cloze Test Strategy
Completing passages with blanks, also known as cloze tests, requires careful reading and understanding of the context. Here are some tips:
- Read the entire passage once to get the general meaning.
- Read the sentence containing the blank and look for clues.
- Examine the words immediately before and after the blank.
- Consider the grammatical structure required (e.g., noun, verb, adjective, adverb, preposition).
- Evaluate each option provided and see which one fits logically and grammatically in the sentence and the overall passage.
- Sometimes, filling one blank can help you understand the context for other blanks.
- After filling in the blanks, read the complete passage again to ensure it flows well and makes sense.
In this passage, understanding the farmer's perspective on trying organic cotton is key to correctly filling blank 4. His "doubts" signal that the experience was likely new or unfamiliar.
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