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Practice Reading: Fill in the Blanks (Dropdown) ID: #48223 Tear Research
Instructions ›
Below is a text with blanks. Click on each blank, a list of choices will appear. Select the appropriate choice for each blank.
Human  tears  are  more  than  just  a  sign  of  emotion  -  they  carry  a  substance  that  can  quell  aggression,  as  per  recent  research  findings.  This  intriguing  discovery  has  led  scientists  to  theorize  that  these  tear  drops  may    as  a  protective  mechanism  for  crying  infants.  In  an  experimental  setup,  men  were  asked  to  sniff  emotional  tears    by  women,  following  which  they  participated  in  computerized  tests  designed  to  incite  aggression.  The  outcome  was  quite  remarkable  -  aggression    dipped  by  over  40%  among  the  tear-sniffers.  Furthermore,  brain  scans  revealed  corresponding  changes  in  the  brain’s  aggression  networks.  Despite  the  experiment  being  conducted  with  women’s  tears,  the  researchers  behind  the  study  are  of  the  opinion  that  all  human  tears  would    similar  results.  

Result:

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Correct answer: have evolved

Explanation: The phrase 'have evolved' is the correct form here as it indicates a completed action that has relevance to the present, fitting the context of a protective mechanism. It aligns with the grammatical structure of the sentence, which requires a perfect tense to suggest that this evolution has occurred over time.

Meaning: 'Have evolved' means that something has changed or developed gradually over time, indicating that tears may have adapted for a specific purpose.

Wrong options:

  • be evolution: 'Be evolution' is grammatically incorrect as it lacks the necessary verb form to indicate a completed action.
  • be evolved: 'Be evolved' is also incorrect because it does not convey the intended meaning of an ongoing process or completed action in this context.
  • have evolution: 'Have evolution' is incorrect as it suggests possession rather than the action of evolving, which does not fit the sentence.
Correct answer: shed

Explanation: The word 'shed' is the appropriate choice as it refers to the act of releasing tears, which fits the context of the sentence. It is a verb that aligns with the past tense structure of the sentence, indicating an action that has already occurred.

Meaning: 'Shed' means to release or let fall, particularly in reference to tears being produced by women.

Wrong options:

  • lost: 'Lost' implies something that is no longer possessed, which does not fit the context of actively producing tears.
  • grown: 'Grown' suggests an increase in size or quantity, which is not applicable to the act of producing tears.
  • emitted: 'Emitted' typically refers to the release of something like gas or light, and while it could apply to tears, it is less common and does not fit the emotional context as well as 'shed'.
Correct answer: levels

Explanation: The term 'levels' is the correct choice as it refers to the degree or amount of aggression, which fits the context of the sentence discussing a measurable outcome. It is a noun that aligns with the plural form needed in this context.

Meaning: 'Levels' refers to the amounts or degrees of aggression that were measured in the study.

Wrong options:

  • posts: 'Posts' does not relate to the context of measuring aggression and is more commonly associated with social media or physical structures.
  • measures: 'Measures' could imply actions taken to assess something, but it does not fit as a noun in this context where a specific quantity is being discussed.
  • portions: 'Portions' typically refers to parts of a whole, which does not accurately convey the idea of measuring aggression.
Correct answer: yield

Explanation: The word 'yield' is the correct choice as it means to produce or provide a result, fitting the context of the sentence discussing the expected outcomes of human tears. It is a verb that aligns with the future implications of the research findings.

Meaning: 'Yield' means to produce or give way to something, indicating that all human tears are expected to produce similar effects.

Wrong options:

  • evade: 'Evade' means to avoid or escape, which does not fit the context of producing results from tears.
  • invoke: 'Invoke' typically means to call upon or bring about, which does not accurately describe the expected outcome of tears in this context.
  • reflect: 'Reflect' suggests showing or demonstrating something, which does not convey the idea of producing results as effectively as 'yield'.

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