Meaning: 'Soothe' means to gently calm or relieve someone from distress or discomfort, particularly relevant in the context of a crying baby.

Wrong options:

• writhe: Writhe means to twist or squirm, which does not relate to calming a baby and is grammatically incorrect in this context.
• swathe: Swathe means to wrap or bind, which does not convey the action of calming and is not suitable here.
• scythe: Scythe is a tool for cutting, which is unrelated to the context of comforting a baby.

Correct answer: laid

Explanation: The word 'laid' is the correct past tense of 'lay,' which means to place something down. It fits grammatically as it follows the structure of the sentence, indicating the action performed on the baby in the cot.

Meaning: 'Laid' is the past tense of 'lay,' meaning to put or place something down in a flat position, appropriate for describing how a baby is positioned in a cot.

Wrong options:

• lay: Lay is the present tense form and does not fit grammatically in this past context.
• lied: Lied is the past tense of lie (to tell a falsehood) and is irrelevant to the context of placing a baby down.
• lying: Lying is the present participle form and does not fit grammatically in this past tense context.

Correct answer: instinctively

Explanation: The word 'instinctively' is an adverb that describes an action done automatically or without conscious thought, which fits well in the context of how people react to a crying baby. It aligns grammatically and contextually with the sentence.

Meaning: 'Instinctively' means doing something naturally or without thinking, which is relevant to how people typically respond to a crying baby.

Wrong options:

• constructively: Constructively means in a way that is helpful or beneficial, which does not fit the context of an automatic reaction to a crying baby.
• collectively: Collectively means as a group, which does not apply to the individual action of responding to a baby.
• interrogatively: Interrogatively relates to questioning, which is not relevant to the context of calming a baby.

Correct answer: calm

Explanation: The word 'calm' is a verb that means to make someone or something tranquil or peaceful. It fits grammatically and contextually as it describes the intended action towards the crying babies in the experiment.

Meaning: 'Calm' means to make someone quiet or peaceful, which is the goal of the methods being tested on the babies.

Wrong options:

• palm: Palm refers to the inner surface of the hand and does not relate to the action of comforting a baby.
• psalm: Psalm refers to a sacred song or poem, which is irrelevant in this context.
• balm: Balm is a soothing ointment, which does not fit grammatically as a verb in this context.