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Practice Reading: Fill in the Blanks (Dropdown) ID: #4468 Plastic 3
Instructions ›
Below is a text with blanks. Click on each blank, a list of choices will appear. Select the appropriate choice for each blank.
Each  time  a  person  orders  a  soft  drink  in  a  bar  or  café,  it  almost  certainly  comes  with  a  straw—something  most  people  don't  give  a    thought  to.  But  each  of  these  unnecessary  plastic  tubes  is  discarded  immediately  after    and  very  rarely  recycled.  According  to  the  Marine  Conservation  Society,  the  United  Kingdom  uses  8.5  billion  plastic  straws  each  year;  they  are  the  most  common  type  of  litter    up  off  roads  and  beaches.  The  EU  is  currently  making  plans  to  ban  all  plastic  straws,  but,  in  California,  restaurant  staff  who  put  plastic  straws  in    drinks  can  already  be  fined  $1000  and  even  serve  jail  time.  The  use  of  plastic  straws  is  so  prevalent  globally  that  the  oil  company  BP  has  announced  that  these  bans  could  lower  oil    by  around  two  million  barrels  per  day.

Result:

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Correct answer: second

Explanation: The word 'second' fits grammatically as it refers to a unit of time, indicating that people do not give a second thought to the straws, which aligns with the context of the sentence about overlooked details. It also matches the idiomatic expression 'give a second thought,' which means to consider something carefully.

Meaning: In this context, 'second' refers to a brief moment of time, suggesting that people do not think about the straws at all.

Wrong options:

  • first: The word 'first' implies priority or initial consideration, which contradicts the context of not thinking about the straws at all.
  • primary: The term 'primary' suggests something of utmost importance, which does not fit the context of something being overlooked.
  • secondary: While 'secondary' could imply lesser importance, it does not fit the idiomatic expression used here.
Correct answer: use

Explanation: The word 'use' is the correct form here as it refers to the act of utilizing the straw, fitting grammatically in the sentence structure as a noun. It aligns with the context of the sentence discussing the immediate disposal of straws after they are utilized.

Meaning: 'Use' refers to the act of employing something for a purpose, in this case, the act of using the straw.

Wrong options:

  • used to: The phrase 'used to' indicates a past habit or state, which does not fit the present context of the sentence.
  • uses: The word 'uses' is a plural noun form that does not fit grammatically in this context, as it requires a singular noun.
  • used: The word 'used' is the past participle form and does not fit grammatically as it does not serve as a noun in this context.
Correct answer: picked

Explanation: The word 'picked' is the correct past participle form that fits grammatically and contextually, indicating that the straws are collected from the litter. It aligns with the passive construction of the sentence, which discusses the action of collecting litter.

Meaning: 'Picked' means to collect or gather something, in this case, referring to the action of collecting straws from the environment.

Wrong options:

  • taken: The word 'taken' implies removal but does not fit the passive construction required here, as it does not convey the action of collecting litter.
  • turned: The word 'turned' does not fit contextually, as it suggests a change of state rather than the action of collecting litter.
  • took: The word 'took' is the past tense of 'take' and does not fit grammatically in this passive construction.
Correct answer: customers'

Explanation: The word 'customers'' is the correct possessive form that indicates ownership, fitting grammatically as it refers to the drinks belonging to multiple customers. This aligns with the context of the sentence discussing actions taken by restaurant staff regarding drinks.

Meaning: 'Customers'' indicates that the drinks belong to the customers, showing possession in a plural context.

Wrong options:

  • customer: The word 'customer' is singular and does not indicate possession for multiple individuals, which is required here.
  • customer's: The word 'customer's' is singular possessive and does not fit the context of referring to multiple customers.
  • customers: The word 'customers' is plural but lacks the possessive form needed to indicate ownership of the drinks.
Correct answer: demand

Explanation: The word 'demand' fits grammatically as a noun that refers to the desire for oil, aligning with the context of the sentence discussing the impact of plastic straw bans on oil consumption. It is the correct term to describe the market need for oil.

Meaning: 'Demand' refers to the desire or need for a product, in this case, oil, indicating how much oil is sought after in the market.

Wrong options:

  • services: The word 'services' refers to actions or work done for others and does not fit the context of oil consumption.
  • companies: The word 'companies' refers to business entities and does not relate to the concept of oil consumption in this context.
  • peak: The word 'peak' refers to the highest point and does not fit grammatically or contextually in relation to oil consumption.

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