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Practice Reading: Fill in the Blanks (Dropdown) ID: #31488 Farms
Instructions ›
Below is a text with blanks. Click on each blank, a list of choices will appear. Select the appropriate choice for each blank.
A  few  summers  ago  I  visited  two  dairy  farms,  Huls  Farm  and  Gardar  Farm,  which  despite  being  located  thousands  of  miles  apart  were  still  remarkably  similar  in  their  strengths  and  vulnerabilities.  Both  farms  were  by  far  the  largest,  most  prosperous,  most  technologically  advanced  farms  in  their  respective  districts.  In  particular,  each  was  centred  around  a  magnificent  state-of-the-art  barn  for    and  milking  cows.  Those  structures,  both  neatly    into  opposite-facing  rows  of  cow  stalls,  dwarfed  all  other  barns  in  the  district.  Both  farms  let  their  cows    outdoors  in  lush  pastures  during  the  summer,  produced  their  hay  for  harvesting  in  the  late  summer  for  feeding  the  cows  through  the  winter,  and    their  production  of  summer  fodder  and  winter  hay  by  irrigating  their  fields.  The  two  farms  were  similar  in  an  area  (a  few  square  miles)  and  barn  size,  Huls  barn  holding  somewhat  more  cows  than  Gardar  barn  (200  vs  165  cows,  respectively).  The  owners  of  both  farms  were  viewed  as  leaders  of  their    societies.  Both  owners  were  deeply  religious.  Both  farms  were  located  in  gorgeous  natural  settings  that  attract  tourists  from  afar,  with  backdrops  of  high  snow-capped  mountains  drained  by  streams  teaming  with  fish,  and  sloping  down  to  a  famous  river  (below  Huls  Farm)  or  fjord  (below  Gardar  Farm).

Result:

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Correct answer: sheltering

Explanation: The word 'sheltering' fits grammatically as it is a gerund that describes the function of the barn, indicating that it provides protection for the cows. This aligns with the context of the sentence, which discusses the purpose of the barn in relation to milking cows.

Meaning: 'Sheltering' means providing protection or cover, particularly from the elements, which is essential for the well-being of the cows.

Wrong options:

  • bringing: 'Bringing' implies movement towards a place, which does not fit the context of a barn's purpose.
  • saving: 'Saving' suggests preservation or rescue, which is not the intended function of the barn in this context.
  • releasing: 'Releasing' indicates letting go or setting free, which contradicts the idea of a barn as a protective structure.
Correct answer: divided

Explanation: The word 'divided' is the correct past participle that describes how the structures were arranged. It fits grammatically and contextually, as it indicates the layout of the cow stalls in the barn.

Meaning: 'Divided' means separated into parts or sections, which accurately describes how the stalls are organized within the barn.

Wrong options:

  • breaked: 'Breaked' is not a valid word; the correct past tense is 'broke', which does not fit the context of arrangement.
  • shattered: 'Shattered' implies destruction, which is not relevant to the arrangement of cow stalls.
  • stripped: 'Stripped' suggests removal of something, which does not accurately describe the layout of the stalls.
Correct answer: graze

Explanation: The word 'graze' is the correct verb that indicates the action of cows feeding on grass. It fits grammatically and contextually, as it describes what the cows do outdoors during the summer.

Meaning: 'Graze' means to feed on grass or other vegetation, which is a natural behavior for cows in pastures.

Wrong options:

  • rear: 'Rear' means to raise or bring up, which does not fit the context of cows feeding outdoors.
  • shatter: 'Shatter' implies breaking into pieces, which is irrelevant to the context of cows feeding.
  • gather: 'Gather' suggests coming together, which does not accurately describe the action of cows feeding in a pasture.
Correct answer: increased

Explanation: The word 'increased' is the correct past participle that indicates a rise in production. It fits grammatically and contextually, as it describes the farms' efforts to boost their output of fodder and hay.

Meaning: 'Increased' means to become greater in amount or degree, which accurately reflects the farms' actions to enhance production.

Wrong options:

  • fluctuated: 'Fluctuated' means to vary or change irregularly, which does not convey the intended meaning of a consistent rise in production.
  • decreased: 'Decreased' indicates a reduction, which contradicts the context of improving production.
  • upsurged: 'Upsurged' is not commonly used and does not fit the grammatical structure of the sentence.
Correct answer: respective

Explanation: The word 'respective' correctly describes the societies associated with each farm owner. It fits grammatically and contextually, as it indicates that each owner is a leader in their own society.

Meaning: 'Respective' means relating separately to each of two or more people or things, which accurately describes the individual roles of the farm owners in their communities.

Wrong options:

  • perspective: 'Perspective' refers to a viewpoint or way of considering something, which does not fit the context of leadership in societies.
  • prospective: 'Prospective' means expected or likely to happen, which does not relate to the established roles of the farm owners.
  • retrospective: 'Retrospective' refers to looking back on or dealing with past events, which is not relevant to the current leadership roles of the owners.

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