Solving the Cloze Test Passage - Blank 4

Let's analyze the provided passage and focus on filling in blank number 4. The passage discusses the conquest of Mount Everest and the mixed reactions it evoked.

The sentence containing blank 4 is: "It would have been nice to (4) ______ the Everest as an (5) ______ part of the Earth."

We need to select the most appropriate verb form to follow "to" in this context. The phrase "It would have been nice to..." is used to express a wish or a hypothetical situation that is contrary to what actually happened in the past. Since Everest was conquered, the speaker is expressing a wish that it had remained unconquered, i.e., left untouched.

Analyzing Options for Blank 4

Let's look at the given options:

1. have left
2. had left
3. be leaving
4. left

Now, let's evaluate each option for blank 4:

• Option 1: have left - This is the perfect infinitive form (to + have + past participle). The structure "would have been nice to have left" is grammatically correct and makes sense in this context. It expresses a desire that in the past, Everest had been left in its original, unconquered state.
• Option 2: had left - This is the past perfect tense. It cannot directly follow "to" in this grammatical structure. We use the infinitive form after "to".
• Option 3: be leaving - This is the continuous infinitive form (to + be + -ing). "to be leaving" implies an action that was ongoing or about to happen, which doesn't fit the context of wishing Everest had remained permanently untouched.
• Option 4: left - This is the simple past tense or past participle (when used without an auxiliary). It cannot directly follow "to" in this structure to form the required infinitive phrase.

Considering the structure "It would have been nice to..." and the meaning required (wishing for a past state contrary to fact), the perfect infinitive "to have left" is the correct form.

Therefore, the most appropriate option to fill in blank number 4 is "have left".

Final Sentence with Blank 4 Filled

Let's place the selected option back into the sentence:

"It would have been nice to have left the Everest as an (5) ______ part of the Earth."

This sentence clearly expresses the sentiment of wishing that Everest had remained untouched.

Revision Table: Verb Forms after "to"

Understanding the different verb forms that can follow "to" is crucial for cloze tests and grammar questions.

Additional Information: The Perfect Infinitive

The perfect infinitive (to have + past participle) is often used in sentences that discuss hypothetical or unreal situations related to the past. It is frequently found after phrases like:

• would like to have done
• would have preferred to have done
• should have done
• could have done
• might have done
• It was nice/good/etc. to have done
• It would have been nice/good/etc. to have done (as in the question)

In the sentence "It would have been nice to have left...", the perfect infinitive "to have left" indicates a desired action (leaving Everest unconquered) that did not happen in the past. It contrasts with the reality (Everest was conquered).