Direction: Each of the following sentences in this section has a blank space with four-word or a group of words given. Select whichever word or group of words you consider the most appropriate for the blank space and indicate your response on the answer sheet accordingly. The difficult thing about (1)_________the science of habits is that most people when they hear about this field of research (2)______ to know the secret formula for quickly changing any habit. If scientists have discovered how (3)______ patterns work, then it stands to reason that they (4)________ have also found a recipe for rapid change, right? if only it (5)_________ that easy. It's not (6)________ formulas don't exist. The problem is that there isn't one formula for (7)_________ habits. There are thousands. Individuals and habits are (8)_________ different and so the specifics of diagnosing and changing the patterns in our lives differ from person to (9)________ and behaviour to behaviour. Giving up cigarettes is different (10)________ curbing overeating, which is different from changing how you communicate with your spouse, (11)_______ is different from how you prioritize tasks at work. What's more, each person's habits are (12)______ by different cravings. As a result, this book does not (13)________ one prescription, Rather, I hoped to deliver something else: a framework for understanding (14)_________ habits work and a guide to experimenting with how they (15)________ change. Some habits yield easily to analysis and influence. Others are (16)______ complex and obstinate and require prolonged study. And for others, change is a (17)_______ that never fully concludes. But that does not (18)_______ it can't occur. Each chapter in this book explains a different aspect of why habits exist and how they function. The framework (19)___________ in this section is an attempt to distill, in (20)_________ very basic way, the tactics that researchers have found for diagnosing and shaping habits within our own lives.
What would come in place of 3
these
Understanding the Blank in the Science of Habits Passage (3)
The question asks us to select the most appropriate word or group of words to fill the blank space labeled (3) in the provided passage about the science of habits. The specific sentence where blank (3) appears is: "If scientists have discovered how (3)______ patterns work, then it stands to reason that they (4)________ have also found a recipe for rapid change, right?"
Analyzing the Sentence and Blank (3)
Let's look closely at the sentence. The word needed for blank (3) modifies the noun "patterns". The noun "patterns" is plural. Therefore, the word filling the blank must be a modifier that can be used with a plural noun.
Evaluating the Options for Blank (3)
We need to consider which of the given options grammatically and contextually fits before the plural noun "patterns". The options are:
- those
- this
- these
- that
Let's examine each option:
- those: "Those" is a demonstrative adjective/pronoun used with plural nouns. It typically refers to things that are further away or previously mentioned in a way that contrasts them with things that are closer or more immediately relevant.
- this: "This" is a demonstrative adjective/pronoun used with singular nouns. It refers to something singular that is nearby or currently being discussed.
- these: "These" is a demonstrative adjective/pronoun used with plural nouns. It refers to things that are nearby or currently being discussed.
- that: "That" is a demonstrative adjective/pronoun used with singular nouns. It refers to something singular that is further away or previously mentioned.
Choosing the Correct Word for Habit Patterns
Since "patterns" is a plural noun, we can immediately eliminate "this" and "that" as they are used with singular nouns.
We are left with "those" and "these". The passage is discussing the "science of habits" and "this field of research". The "patterns" being referred to are the patterns *within* this field of research – specifically, the patterns of habit formation and change. "These patterns" is the appropriate choice to refer to the plural noun "patterns" that are the subject of the current discussion within this specific field of research on habits. "Those patterns" might imply a contrast with other patterns, which is not suggested by the context here. The passage is talking about the patterns that scientists have discovered *in this field*. Therefore, "these" is the best fit.
So, the sentence becomes: "If scientists have discovered how these patterns work..."
Revision Table: Selecting the Right Word
| Option | Type | Used With | Fit for "patterns"? | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| those | Demonstrative Adjective/Pronoun | Plural nouns | Possible (grammatically) | Implies distance or contrast, less likely for patterns central to current discussion. |
| this | Demonstrative Adjective/Pronoun | Singular nouns | No | "Patterns" is plural. |
| these | Demonstrative Adjective/Pronoun | Plural nouns | Yes (grammatically and contextually) | Refers to the specific patterns of habits being discussed in the passage. |
| that | Demonstrative Adjective/Pronoun | Singular nouns | No | "Patterns" is plural. |
Additional Information on Demonstrative Adjectives
Words like "this," "that," "these," and "those" can function as demonstrative adjectives when they are placed before a noun to point out which specific person or thing is being referred to. They must agree in number with the noun they modify:
- "This" and "that" modify singular nouns.
- "These" and "those" modify plural nouns.
Choosing between "this/these" and "that/those" often depends on the perceived distance (physical or figurative) or whether the item is currently being introduced ("this/these") or has been previously mentioned or is considered separate ("that/those"). In the context of the science of habits and discussing the core subject matter (habit patterns), "these" is the most natural choice.
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