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 6
that
Analyzing the Passage and Identifying the Correct Word for Blank (6)
Let's examine the sentence containing blank (6) within the provided passage about the science of habits. The sentence reads: "If only it (5)_________ that easy. It's not (6)________ formulas don't exist."
The context tells us that the passage is discussing the difficulty of changing habits. It clarifies that the difficulty isn't because formulas for changing habits are non-existent, but rather because there are a multitude of different formulas.
We need to choose the word from the options that best fits into blank (6) to make the sentence grammatically correct and logically consistent with the rest of the passage.
Evaluating the Options for Blank (6)
Let's look at the provided options and see how they fit:
these: If we insert "these", the sentence becomes "It's not these formulas don't exist." This phrase structure does not make grammatical sense in standard English. "These" is typically used as a demonstrative adjective modifying a plural noun or as a demonstrative pronoun, neither of which fits here as a conjunction connecting "It's not" to the clause "formulas don't exist."
this: If we insert "this", the sentence becomes "It's not this formulas don't exist." Similar to "these", "this" is a demonstrative and does not function correctly here as a connector. It creates an ungrammatical sentence structure.
that: If we insert "that", the sentence becomes "It's not that formulas don't exist." This is a common and correct grammatical construction in English. The structure "It's not that [statement]" is used to deny the statement or to clarify that the statement is not the reason or the truth. It means "It is not the case that formulas don't exist" or "The reason is not that formulas don't exist." This fits the context perfectly, as the passage goes on to explain that the problem is not the lack of formulas, but their abundance and variability.
which: If we insert "which", the sentence becomes "It's not which formulas don't exist." "Which" is generally used as a relative pronoun (introducing a clause that adds information about a noun) or an interrogative pronoun (asking a question). Neither of these functions fits the structure and meaning required in blank (6). It results in an ungrammatical sentence.
Conclusion for Blank (6)
Based on the grammatical analysis and the context of the passage, the word "that" is the only option that correctly completes the sentence "It's not (6)________ formulas don't exist." The structure "It's not that..." is a valid and meaningful construction in English.
Therefore, the most appropriate word for blank (6) is "that".
| Option | Word | Fit in Sentence | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | these | It's not these formulas don't exist. | Ungrammatical; 'these' doesn't function as a connector here. |
| 2 | this | It's not this formulas don't exist. | Ungrammatical; 'this' doesn't function as a connector here. |
| 3 | that | It's not that formulas don't exist. | Grammatically correct structure "It's not that [statement]" meaning "It is not true that...". Fits context. |
| 4 | which | It's not which formulas don't exist. | Ungrammatical; 'which' doesn't function as a connector here. |
Revision Table: Understanding Sentence Structure
This question highlights the importance of understanding common English sentence structures, particularly how negative constructions like "It's not" are followed by clauses introduced by words like "that" to clarify or negate a preceding idea.
Additional Information: The Conjunction 'That'
The word 'that' is versatile in English. In this sentence, it functions as a conjunction, introducing a subordinate clause ("formulas don't exist") that follows the main clause fragment ("It's not"). This specific structure, "It's not that...", is a fixed expression used to introduce a statement that is being denied or presented as not being the main point or reason. For example, "I'm not upset. It's not that you were late; it's that you didn't call." This shows that being late isn't the real problem, but the lack of a call is.
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