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Practice Reading: Fill in the Blanks (Dropdown) ID: #31525 Edison
Instructions ›
Below is a text with blanks. Click on each blank, a list of choices will appear. Select the appropriate choice for each blank.
Thomas  Alva  Edison  was  both  a  scientist  and  an  inventor.  Born  in  1847,  Edison  would  see    change  take  place  in  his  lifetime.  He  was  also  to  be  responsible  for  making  many  of  those  changes  occur.  When  Edison  was  born,  society  still  thought  of  electricity  as  a  ,  a  fad.  By  the  time  he  died,  entire  cities  were  lit  by  electricity.  Much  of  the  credit  for  that  progress  goes  to  Edison.  In  his  lifetime,  Edison    1,093  inventions,  earning  him  the  nickname  “The  Wizard  of  Menlo  Park.”  The  most  famous  of  his  inventions  was  the  incandescent  light  bulb.  Besides  the  light  bulb,  Edison    the  phonograph  and  the  “kinetoscope,”  a  small  box  for  viewing  moving  films.  Thomas  Edison  is  also  the  first  person  in  the  US  to  make  his  filmstrips.  He  also  improved  upon  the  original  design  of  the  stock  ticker,  the  telegraph,  and  Alexander  Graham  Bell’s  telephone.  He  believed  in  hard  work,  sometimes  working  twenty  hours  a  day.  Edison  was  quoted  as  saying,  “Genius  is  one  per  cent  inspiration  and  99  per  cent  perspiration.”  In    to  this  important  American,  electric  lights  in  the  United  States  were    for  one  minute  on  October  21,  1931,  a  few  days  after  his  death.

Result:

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Correct answer: tremendous

Explanation: The word 'tremendous' fits grammatically as it is an adjective that describes the noun 'change,' indicating a significant or large change. It aligns contextually with the sentence, emphasizing the magnitude of the changes Edison witnessed during his lifetime.

Meaning: 'Tremendous' means very great in amount, scale, or intensity, suggesting that the changes Edison saw were substantial and impactful.

Wrong options:

  • big: 'Big' is a more informal term and does not convey the same level of significance as 'tremendous' in this context.
  • elemented: 'Elemented' is not a standard English word and does not fit grammatically or contextually in the sentence.
  • existing: Existing implies something that is currently present, which does not accurately describe the nature of the change that Edison would see.
Correct answer: novelty

Explanation: The term 'novelty' is appropriate here as it refers to something new and unusual, which fits the context of how society viewed electricity at the time. It is a noun that aligns with the preceding phrase, indicating that electricity was seen as a temporary trend.

Meaning: 'Novelty' means the quality of being new, original, or unusual, highlighting that electricity was not yet considered a standard or essential part of life.

Wrong options:

  • fake: 'Fake' suggests something that is not genuine, which does not accurately describe society's perception of electricity as a new concept.
  • literally: 'Literally' is an adverb that does not fit grammatically in this context, as it does not describe a noun.
  • entirely: 'Entirely' is an adverb that indicates completeness, which does not fit the context of describing how electricity was perceived.
Correct answer: patented

Explanation: The verb 'patented' is the correct choice as it indicates that Edison legally secured rights for his inventions, fitting grammatically and contextually with the subject of Edison and his achievements.

Meaning: 'Patented' means to obtain a patent for an invention, giving the inventor exclusive rights to it, which is relevant to Edison's prolific inventiveness.

Wrong options:

  • listed: 'Listed' implies merely writing down inventions, which does not convey the legal protection and significance of Edison's work as 'patented' does.
  • fainted: 'Fainted' means to lose consciousness, which is unrelated to the context of inventions and does not fit grammatically.
  • tainted: 'Tainted' suggests something has been made impure or damaged, which does not apply to the context of Edison’s inventions.
Correct answer: developed

Explanation: The verb 'developed' is suitable here as it indicates that Edison created or improved upon inventions, fitting both grammatically and contextually with the subject matter of his contributions to technology.

Meaning: 'Developed' means to create or improve something over time, which accurately describes Edison's role in advancing technology.

Wrong options:

  • fellowed: 'Fellowed' is not a standard English word and does not fit grammatically or contextually in this sentence.
  • stapled: 'Stapled' refers to fastening papers together, which is irrelevant to the context of invention and does not fit grammatically.
  • helped: 'Helped' implies assistance rather than direct creation, which does not accurately reflect Edison's role in making these inventions.
Correct answer: tribute

Explanation: The word 'tribute' fits grammatically as a noun that signifies an act, statement, or gift intended to show gratitude, respect, or admiration, aligning well with the context of honoring Edison.

Meaning: 'Tribute' means an act or statement that shows respect or admiration, particularly in remembrance of someone important, which is relevant to the context of honoring Edison after his death.

Wrong options:

  • addition: 'Addition' refers to the act of adding something, which does not convey the sense of respect or honor that 'tribute' does.
  • forming: 'Forming' implies creating or shaping something, which does not fit the context of honoring someone.
  • regretting: 'Regretting' means feeling sad or disappointed about something, which is not appropriate in the context of honoring Edison's legacy.
Correct answer: dimmed

Explanation: The verb 'dimmed' is appropriate here as it indicates a reduction in brightness, fitting grammatically and contextually with the action taken to honor Edison.

Meaning: 'Dimmed' means to reduce the brightness of lights, which is relevant to the context of paying tribute to Edison by dimming electric lights.

Wrong options:

  • dined: 'Dined' refers to eating a meal, which is completely unrelated to the context of honoring someone with lights.
  • formed: 'Formed' implies creating something, which does not fit the context of the action taken to honor Edison.
  • stormed: 'Stormed' suggests a sudden attack or movement, which is not relevant to the context of dimming lights in tribute.

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