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Practice Reading: Fill in the Blanks (Dropdown) ID: #31584 Paleoanthropologist
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Below is a text with blanks. Click on each blank, a list of choices will appear. Select the appropriate choice for each blank.
* Select the correct answer into all dropdown fields. You need to answer all questions before clicking verify button.
Forty  years  ago  yesterday,  November  24,  1974,  paleoanthropologist  Donald  Johansson  found  in  Ethiopia  what's  arguably  the  most  famous  and  important    of  a  human  ancestor:  Lucy.  Last  month,  at  the  ScienceWriters2014  meeting  in  Columbus,  Ohio,  Johansson  talked  about  the  moment  he  laid  eyes  on  Lucy.  "On  that  eventful  day  in  1974  I  was  out,  with  a  graduate  student,  Tom  Gray,  and  we  were  walking  back  to  our  Land  Rover  to  go  back  to  camp  to  enjoy  a  swim  in  the  river  with  the  crocodiles  and  enjoy  a  nice  little  lunch.  And  I  am  always  looking  at  the  ground.  I  find  more  quarters  by  parking  meters    anybody  I  know,  I  think.  And  you  know  how  it  is  you  find  what  you're  looking  for,  right?"  Because  a  year  before  the  ,  a  geologist  had  left  his  footprints  four-to-five  feet  away  from  the  skeleton  because  he  was  looking  for  rocks.  I  was  looking  for  bones.  And  I  found  a  little  piece  of  the  elbow,  that  little    that  allows  us  to  flex  and  extend  our  arm.  And  I  knew  from  my  studies  of  osteology,  of  comparative  anatomy  and  so  on,  that  this  had  to  be  from  a  human  ancestor.  "And  I  as  looked  up  the  slope;  I  saw  other  fragments    out.  And  we  recovered  over  a  two-week-long  excavation  operation  roughly,  not  counting  hand  and  foot  bones,  40  per  cent  of  a  skeleton.  And  this  was  important  because  first  of  all,  it  broke  the  three-million-year  time  barrier.  All  the  fossils  older  than  three  million  years  at  that  point  in  the  history  of  palaeoanthropology  would  fit  in  the  palm  of  your  hand…we  didn't  know  it  was  a  new  species  really  until  a  few  years  later  when  we  finally  published  in  1978  the  name  Australopithecus  afarensis."  For  more,  check  out  the  blog  item  on  our  Web  site  by  Scientific  American's  Kate  Wong  who,  with  Johansson,  co-authored  the  book  Lucy's  Legacy.  Kate's  blog  is  .  The  Fossil  That  Revolutionized  the  Search  for  Human  Origins:  A  Q&A  with  Lucy  Discoverer  Donald  Johansson.

Result:

AI explanationShows the answer. Tap to open.
Correct answer: fossil

Explanation: The word 'fossil' fits grammatically as a noun that refers to preserved remains of ancient organisms, which is contextually appropriate given the discussion about Lucy, a human ancestor. It aligns with the main topic of the passage, which is about a significant discovery in paleoanthropology.

Meaning: 'Fossil' refers to the remains or impression of a prehistoric organism preserved in petrified form or as a mold or cast in rock.

Wrong options:

  • places: 'Places' refers to locations and does not relate to the context of a significant discovery of a human ancestor.
  • gland: 'Gland' is a biological term referring to an organ that secretes particular chemical substances, which is irrelevant in this context.
  • range: 'Range' typically refers to a variety or extent of something, which does not fit the context of discussing a specific discovery.
Correct answer: than

Explanation: The word 'than' is used for making comparisons, which is appropriate here as Johansson compares his ability to find quarters with others. It fits grammatically and contextually as it indicates a comparative relationship.

Meaning: 'Than' is a conjunction used to introduce the second element in a comparison.

Wrong options:

  • that: 'That' is a demonstrative pronoun and does not serve the comparative purpose needed in this sentence.
  • there: 'There' is an adverb indicating a place, which does not fit the comparative context of the sentence.
  • their: 'Their' is a possessive pronoun, which does not apply in this context where a comparison is being made.
Correct answer: discovery

Explanation: The word 'discovery' is a noun that refers to the act of finding something, which is contextually relevant as it relates to the finding of Lucy. It fits grammatically as it serves as the subject of the sentence.

Meaning: 'Discovery' means the act of finding or uncovering something that was previously unknown.

Wrong options:

  • operation: 'Operation' refers to a process or procedure, which does not fit the context of finding a fossil.
  • broken: 'Broken' is an adjective that describes something that is damaged, which is irrelevant in this context.
  • stolen: 'Stolen' is the past participle of 'steal,' which does not relate to the context of a significant finding.
Correct answer: hinge

Explanation: The word 'hinge' is a noun that refers to a joint that allows movement, which is contextually appropriate as it describes a part of the elbow. It fits grammatically as it serves as the object of the sentence.

Meaning: 'Hinge' refers to a movable joint that allows two parts to pivot relative to each other, similar to how our elbows function.

Wrong options:

  • slope: 'Slope' refers to an inclined surface, which does not fit the anatomical context of the sentence.
  • hope: 'Hope' is a noun that expresses a desire for something to happen, which is irrelevant in this context.
  • wall: 'Wall' refers to a vertical structure that defines or encloses a space, which does not relate to the anatomical description being made.
Correct answer: eroding

Explanation: The word 'eroding' is a verb that describes the process of gradual destruction or wearing away, which fits contextually as it describes the fragments being worn away by natural elements. It fits grammatically as it serves as the main verb in the clause.

Meaning: 'Eroding' means to gradually wear away or diminish, often due to environmental factors.

Wrong options:

  • hoping: 'Hoping' is a verb that expresses a desire or wish, which does not fit the context of physical fragments being uncovered.
  • wanting: 'Wanting' is a verb that indicates a desire for something, which is not relevant in this context.
  • stroding: 'Stroding' is not a recognized English word and does not fit grammatically or contextually.
Correct answer: titled

Explanation: The word 'titled' is the past participle of 'title,' which fits grammatically as it describes the name given to the blog. It is contextually appropriate as it indicates the name of the blog item.

Meaning: 'Titled' means to give a name to something, in this case, the blog.

Wrong options:

  • styled: 'Styled' refers to the manner in which something is designed or presented, which does not fit the context of naming a blog.
  • vapoured: 'Vapoured' is a verb that refers to the process of turning into vapor, which is irrelevant in this context.
  • lighted: 'Lighted' is the past tense of 'light,' which does not apply to the context of naming a blog.

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