In the following passage, some words have been deleted. Read the passage carefully and select the most appropriate option to fill in each blank. The water cycle, also known as the hydrological cycle, is a continuous process that circulates water throughout the Earth's systems. It involves the movement of water between the (1) ______ the water bodies and the land. The cycle consists of several key stages, each playing a crucial role in maintaining Earth's water balance.
At the heart of the water cycle is the process of (2) ______. This is where water from oceans, lakes and rivers is heated by the sun and turns into water vapour. This water vapour then rises into the atmosphere, where it cools and condenses to form clouds. When these clouds become heavy enough, they release their moisture through (3) ______ which can fall as rain or other forms of precipitation.
When precipitation falls onto the land, it can take different paths. Some of it may evaporate back into the air, while some may be taken up by plants and released back into the atmosphere through a process called (4) ______. The rest of the water may flow over the land's surface, gathering in streams and rivers that eventually lead back to the oceans, completing the cycle.
The water cycle is essential for maintaining Earth's ecosystems and supporting life. It helps distribute fresh water to various regions, replenishes water sources, and plays a role in regulating (5) ______ temperatures. Understanding the water cycle is crucial for addressing water scarcity and managing natural resources effectively.
Water Cycle Blank 3: Understanding Precipitation
The passage details the water cycle, also referred to as the hydrological cycle. This is the continuous journey water takes through Earth's systems – the atmosphere, oceans, land, and living things. It's fundamental for maintaining the planet's water balance and supporting life.
The question specifically asks to fill in the blank number 3. This blank appears in the sentence: "When these clouds become heavy enough, they release their moisture through (3) ______ which can fall as rain or other forms of precipitation." We need to find the term that describes water being released from clouds.
Key Stages of the Water Cycle Explained
To determine the correct word for blank 3, let's look at the main processes involved:
- Evaporation: This is the process where the sun's heat turns liquid water from surfaces like oceans, lakes, and rivers into water vapour. This vapour then rises into the atmosphere.
- Condensation: As the water vapour rises, it cools down. This cooling causes the vapour to change back into tiny liquid water droplets or ice crystals, which gather together to form clouds.
- Precipitation: This is the stage where the water droplets or ice crystals in clouds become too heavy to stay suspended in the air. They then fall back to Earth's surface as rain, snow, sleet, or hail. This perfectly matches the description in the passage about clouds releasing moisture.
- Sublimation: This process involves ice or snow turning directly into water vapour without melting first. While it's part of the water cycle, it's not the primary mechanism for releasing cloud moisture as rain.
Considering the context – clouds getting heavy and releasing moisture that falls as rain – the term that accurately describes this phenomenon is precipitation. This process is essential for returning water to the land and oceans, continuing the cycle.
Similar Questions
- Choose the word from the given options which fits in the blank labelled 1 and gives correct meaning
- Choose the word from the given options which fits in the blank labelled 2 and gives correct meaning.
- Choose the word from the given options which fits in the blank labelled 3 and gives correct meaning
- Choose the word from the given options which fits in the blank labelled 4 and gives correct meaning
- Identify the phrasal verb which fits in the blank labelled as 5 and gives correct meaning.
- Select the most appropriate option to fill in blank number 1.
- Select the most appropriate option to fill in blank number 2.
- Select the most appropriate option to fill in blank number 4.
- Select the most appropriate option to fill in blank number 5.
- Select the most appropriate option to fill in blank number 1.
Important Questions from Cloze Test
- Select the most appropriate option to fill in blank number 1.
- Select the most appropriate option to fill in blank number 2.
- Select the most appropriate option to fill in blank number 3.
- Select the most appropriate option to fill in blank number 4.
- Select the most appropriate option to fill in blank number 5.
