Understanding Passage Completion

The question asks us to complete a passage by filling in the blanks with the most appropriate words. This requires reading the passage carefully, understanding its context and flow, and then selecting words that fit grammatically and meaningfully into each blank. The passage uses an analogy of a cow digesting food to describe how writers process their experiences.

Analyzing Blank Number 2

Let's look at the sentence containing blank number 2:

"As writers we live life twice, like (1) ______ cow that eats its food once and then regurgitates it to chew and digest (2) ______ again."

The sentence describes a cow's digestive process: eating food, regurgitating it, and then chewing and digesting it again. Blank (2) comes after "chew and digest" and before "again". It refers to what is being chewed and digested the second time. The passage states the cow "regurgitates it". This "it" refers to the food it ate earlier.

Therefore, the word needed for blank (2) should refer back to this regurgitated food, which is represented by the pronoun "it".

Evaluating the Options for Blank 2

Let's examine each given option for blank number 2:

• Option 1: away
• If we use "away", the phrase becomes "chew and digest away again". This doesn't make sense in the context of digesting food. "Digest away" is not a standard phrase describing this process.
• Option 2: more
• If we use "more", the phrase becomes "chew and digest more again". This implies digesting an additional amount, which is not what the passage describes. The cow is digesting the *same* food again after regurgitation.
• Option 3: it
• If we use "it", the phrase becomes "chew and digest it again". Here, "it" correctly refers back to the food that was regurgitated. This fits perfectly with the description of rumination (a cow chewing its cud).
• Option 4: a few
• If we use "a few", the phrase becomes "chew and digest a few again". "A few" is plural and typically refers to countable nouns. It doesn't fit grammatically or contextually here, as the food is treated as a single entity being re-digested.

Determining the Correct Answer for Blank 2

Based on the analysis, option 3, "it", is the most appropriate word to fill blank number 2. It correctly refers to the food being chewed and digested for the second time, completing the description of the cow's digestive process used in the analogy.

Thus, the complete phrase is "chew and digest it again".

Revision Table: Passage Completion Skills

Additional Information: Pronouns and Referencing

In grammar, a pronoun is a word that replaces a noun. In this passage, "it" is a pronoun. Pronouns help to avoid repetition and make sentences flow better. The word that a pronoun refers to is called its antecedent.

• In the sentence "a cow that eats its food once and then regurgitates it", the pronoun "it" refers to "its food". "Its food" is the antecedent.
• In the phrase for blank 2, "chew and digest (2) ______ again", the word filling the blank must refer back to this same food that was regurgitated. Therefore, the pronoun "it" is required again to maintain consistency and correct referencing.

Understanding how pronouns like "it" refer back to previous nouns or phrases is vital for correctly completing passages and ensuring grammatical accuracy.