Analyzing the Passage for Blank 4

The question asks us to fill in the fourth blank in the provided passage. The passage discusses how sports fans develop allegiance to their teams and the strong emotions involved. The specific sentence we need to complete is: "In spite of this craze and hysteria, sport has 4 ______ a long way." We need to choose the most appropriate word from the given options to fit grammatically and contextually.

Evaluating Options for Blank 4

Let's look at the options provided for blank number 4 and consider how each fits into the sentence "sport has ______ a long way."

• Option 1: fame
• If we use 'fame', the sentence becomes "sport has fame a long way." This phrase does not make sense grammatically or semantically in English. 'Fame' is a noun and doesn't fit the structure required after the auxiliary verb 'has' in this context.
• Option 2: came
• If we use 'came', the sentence becomes "sport has came a long way." The verb 'came' is the simple past tense of 'come'. When using the auxiliary verb 'has' (part of the present perfect tense), we need the past participle form of the main verb. The past participle of 'come' is 'come'. Therefore, 'has came' is grammatically incorrect.
• Option 3: come
• If we use 'come', the sentence becomes "sport has come a long way." The verb 'come' here is the past participle form. The phrase "has come a long way" is a common idiom in English. It means that something has made significant progress or developed considerably from a starting point. This fits the context of the passage, which talks about the evolution and acceptance of sport globally ("It is accepted as one of the world’s most ... pastimes ever.").
• Option 4: game
• If we use 'game', the sentence becomes "sport has game a long way." 'Game' is a noun, and like 'fame', it does not fit grammatically or contextually in this sentence structure.

Determining the Most Appropriate Word

Based on the grammatical analysis and the meaning conveyed by each option, the only word that fits correctly and makes sense in the sentence "sport has ______ a long way" is 'come'. The idiom "has come a long way" perfectly captures the idea that sport, despite the potential negative aspects like "craze and hysteria," has progressed and established itself significantly over time.

Conclusion

The word that most appropriately fills blank number 4 is 'come'.

Revision Table: Analyzing Blank 4 Options

Additional Information: Understanding "Come a Long Way"

The phrase "to come a long way" is a common English idiom. It is used to describe significant progress or improvement over a period of time. For example:

• "Technology has come a long way in the last decade." (Meaning technology has progressed significantly).
• "She has come a long way since she started learning." (Meaning she has improved greatly).

In the context of the passage, stating that "sport has come a long way" means that sport has developed, grown, and gained importance or acceptance significantly over time, reaching its current status as a major global pastime.