Direction: In the following passage, some words have been deleted. Read the passage carefully and select the most appropriate option to fill in each blank. When he was in college, a famous poet made a useful distinction for him. He had drunk ______ (1) ______ in the poet's company to be compelled to describe to him a poem he was ______ (2) ______ of. It would be a monologue of sorts, the self-contemplation of a student on a summer afternoon who is reading Euphuise. The poem itself would be a subtle ______ (3) ______ of euphuisms, translating the heat, the day, the student's concerns, into symmetrical posies; translating even his ______ (4) ______ and boredom with that famously foolish book into a euphuism. The poet nodded his big head in a sympathetic, rhythmic way as this was ______ (5) ______ to him, then told him that there are two kinds of poems. There is the kind you write; there is the kind you talk about in bars. Both kinds have value and both are poems; but it's fatal to confuse them.
Select the most appropriate option to fill in blank no. 5.
explained
Understanding Passage Completion: Filling Blank 5
This question asks us to find the most appropriate word to fill the fifth blank in the given passage. The passage describes a student explaining a poem idea to a famous poet. We need to look at the sentence containing blank (5) and consider the context.
The sentence is: "The poet nodded his big head in a sympathetic, rhythmic way as this was ______ (5) ______ to him, then told him that there are two kinds of poems."
The blank describes what the student was doing or what was happening regarding the poem idea in relation to the poet.
Analyzing the Options for Blank 5
Let's examine each option:- explained: If we insert "explained," the sentence becomes "as this was explained to him." This implies that "this" (referring to the poem idea the student was describing) was being made clear or described in detail to the poet. This fits the context of the student telling the poet about his poem.
- sprang: If we insert "sprang," the sentence becomes "as this was sprang to him." "Sprang" is the past tense of "spring," and "was sprang" is grammatically incorrect. Even if it were grammatically correct in some unusual construction, "sprang to him" doesn't fit the idea of the student describing something.
- theorised: If we insert "theorised," the sentence becomes "as this was theorised to him." While the student might have been theorising about the poem, "theorised to him" is an awkward and uncommon phrasing. It doesn't clearly convey the act of describing the idea to the poet as well as "explained."
- raised: If we insert "raised," the sentence becomes "as this was raised to him." "Raised" can mean brought up for consideration (like a question or issue), but in the context of describing a creative idea, "explained" is a much more natural and precise word.
Selecting the Most Appropriate Word
Comparing the options, "explained" is the only word that is both grammatically correct in the context "as this was explained to him" (meaning "as this was being explained to him") and logically fits the situation where a student is describing his poem concept to a listener (the poet). The poet is nodding as the student is in the process of explaining the poem idea.Step-by-Step Reasoning:
- Identify the sentence with the blank: "The poet nodded his big head in a sympathetic, rhythmic way as this was ______ (5) ______ to him..."
- Determine what "this" refers to: "this" refers to the description of the poem idea that the student was giving.
- Consider the action being performed on "this" in relation to the poet: The student is conveying the idea to the poet.
- Evaluate options based on grammar and meaning in this context.
- "explained" fits grammatically ("as this was explained to him") and contextually (the poem idea was being described to the poet).
- "sprang" is grammatically incorrect ("was sprang").
- "theorised" is grammatically awkward and less precise than "explained."
- "raised" doesn't fit the act of describing a poem idea as well as "explained."
- Therefore, "explained" is the most appropriate choice for blank (5).
The completed sentence with the correct word is: "The poet nodded his big head in a sympathetic, rhythmic way as this was explained to him, then told him that there are two kinds of poems."
| Option | Fit in Blank (5) | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| explained | Good Fit | Grammatically correct and fits the context of describing the poem idea to the poet. |
| sprang | Poor Fit | Grammatically incorrect ("was sprang"). |
| theorised | Poor Fit | Grammatically awkward phrasing ("theorised to him") and less precise. |
| raised | Poor Fit | Doesn't naturally fit the act of describing a creative idea. |
Revision Table: Improving Vocabulary for Cloze Tests
| Word | Meaning | Example Usage |
|---|---|---|
| Distinction | A difference or contrast between similar things or people. | He made a clear distinction between prose and poetry. |
| Compelled | Forced or obliged to do something. | He felt compelled to tell the truth. |
| Monologue | A long speech by one actor in a play or movie, or as part of a theatrical or broadcast program. | The play began with a lengthy monologue from the protagonist. |
| Contemplation | The action of looking thoughtfully at something for a long time; deep reflective thought. | He was lost in contemplation of the stars. |
| Subtle | So delicate or precise as to be difficult to analyse or describe; (of a distinction, system, or argument) clever and indirect. | There was a subtle difference in their opinions. |
| Symmetrical | Made up of exactly similar parts facing each other or around an axis; showing symmetry. | The garden had a symmetrical design. |
| Phrasing | The way in which something is expressed in words; the way a piece of music is divided into phrases. | The careful phrasing of the question avoided ambiguity. |
Additional Information: Approaches to Solving Cloze Tests
Solving cloze test questions requires a combination of vocabulary knowledge, understanding of grammar, and comprehension of the passage's context and flow.- Read the entire passage first: Get a general understanding of the topic and the narrative or argument being presented. Don't focus on the blanks yet.
- Read the sentence with the blank: Focus on the sentence containing the blank and the sentences immediately before and after it. This provides the specific context for that blank.
- Consider the part of speech: Determine what kind of word is missing (e.g., noun, verb, adjective, adverb) based on the sentence structure.
- Evaluate options: Try inserting each option into the blank. Check if it makes grammatical sense and fits the meaning of the sentence and the overall passage.
- Look for clues: Sometimes, words or phrases near the blank can provide clues about the missing word (e.g., prepositions, conjunctions, parallel structures).
- Consider the tone and style: The missing word should match the tone and style of the rest of the passage.
- Eliminate incorrect options: Rule out options that are grammatically incorrect or clearly do not fit the meaning.
- Choose the best fit: From the remaining options, select the word that makes the sentence and passage most coherent and logical.
In this specific case, focusing on the phrase "as this was ______ to him" helped us identify that a word describing how the information (the poem idea) was conveyed was needed, leading to "explained" as the most suitable option.
Similar Questions
Select the most appropriate option to fill in blank no. 1.
Select the most appropriate option to fill in blank no. 2.
Select the most appropriate option to fill in blank no. 3.
Select the most appropriate option to fill in blank no. 4.
Select the most appropriate option to fill in blank no. 1.
Select the most appropriate option to fill in blank no. 2.
Select the most appropriate option to fill in blank no. 3.
Select the most appropriate option to fill in blank no. 4.
Select the most appropriate option to fill in blank no. 5.
- Select the most appropriate option to fill in blank no. 2.
Important Questions from Cloze Test
What would come in place of 1
What would come in place of 2
What would come in place of 3
What would come in place of 4
What would come in place of 5
