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Practice Reading: Fill in the Blanks (Dropdown) ID: #49822 Mercury Subsurface
Instructions ›
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.
A  new  study  published  in  the  journal  Astrobiology  suggests  that  the  subsurface  of  Mercury,  the  hottest  and  nearest  planet  to  the  sun,  could    life.  The  researchers  used  data  from  NASA’s  MESSENGER  mission,  which  orbited  Mercury  from  2011  to  2015,  to  analyze  the  geology  and  chemistry  of  the  planet’s  northern  hemisphere.  They  found  evidence  of  salt  flow  in  the  Raditladi  and  Eminescu  basins,  which  are  large  impact  craters.  These  salt  formations  are  similar  to  those  found  in  extreme    on  Earth,  such  as  the  Atacama  Desert  in  Chile.  The  study  proposes  that  these  subsurface  briny  ice  layers,  protected  from  the  harsh  surface  conditions  by  a  thick  layer  of  rock,  could  provide  a  suitable  environment  for  life  to  .  The  discovery  challenges  the  conventional  view  that  Mercury  is  too  hot  and  dry    life,  and  expands  the  potential  for  finding  life  on  other  planets  with  hot  star-like  features.  The  study  also  highlights  the  importance  of  exploring  the  subsurface  regions  of  Mercury  and  other  planetary  bodies,  as  they  may    more  secrets  than  their  barren  surfaces  suggest.

Result:

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Correct answer: harbor

Explanation: The word 'harbor' fits grammatically as a verb that means to contain or support something, which aligns with the context of the sentence discussing the potential for life. It is in the correct tense and form to match the subject 'the subsurface of Mercury.'

Meaning: 'Harbor' means to provide a place for something to live or exist, in this case, suggesting that Mercury's subsurface could support life.

Wrong options:

  • entitle: 'Entitle' means to give a right or claim to something, which does not fit the context of supporting life.
  • refrain: 'Refrain' means to hold back or avoid doing something, which is contrary to the idea of supporting life.
  • curtail: 'Curtail' means to reduce or limit something, which does not align with the concept of life existing.
Correct answer: habitats

Explanation: The term 'habitats' is appropriate as it refers to natural environments where organisms live, fitting the context of the sentence that compares Mercury's conditions to those on Earth.

Meaning: 'Habitats' are places where living organisms reside, indicating suitable environments for life.

Wrong options:

  • situations: 'Situations' refers to conditions or circumstances but lacks the biological context needed here.
  • latitudes: 'Latitudes' refers to geographical lines and does not relate to environments for life.
  • depths: 'Depths' refers to how deep something is, which does not convey the idea of living environments.
Correct answer: exist

Explanation: The verb 'exist' is correctly used here to indicate the presence of life, fitting grammatically and contextually with the sentence's focus on life in Mercury's subsurface.

Meaning: 'Exist' means to be present or to have life, suggesting that life could be found in the subsurface.

Wrong options:

  • build: 'Build' implies creating or constructing, which does not fit the context of life simply being present.
  • live: 'Live' suggests ongoing existence but is less precise than 'exist' in this context.
  • support: 'Support' implies providing assistance or sustenance, which does not directly convey the idea of life being present.
Correct answer: to support

Explanation: The phrase 'to support' is grammatically correct as it indicates purpose, fitting the context of the sentence discussing the conditions necessary for life.

Meaning: 'To support' means to provide the necessary conditions for life to thrive, indicating that Mercury's environment is unsuitable for life.

Wrong options:

  • for support: 'For support' is a prepositional phrase that does not fit grammatically in this context as it lacks the infinitive form needed.
  • supporting: 'Supporting' is a gerund that does not convey the intended purpose of the conditions being unsuitable for life.
  • that supports: 'That supports' is a relative clause that does not fit the structure of the sentence, which requires an infinitive.
Correct answer: hold

Explanation: The verb 'hold' is appropriate here as it means to contain or possess, fitting the context of the sentence discussing the potential secrets of Mercury's subsurface.

Meaning: 'Hold' means to have or contain something, suggesting that the subsurface may contain more secrets than visible surfaces.

Wrong options:

  • forecast: 'Forecast' means to predict or estimate, which does not fit the context of containing secrets.
  • imply: 'Imply' means to suggest indirectly, which does not convey the idea of physically containing secrets.
  • infer: 'Infer' means to deduce or conclude, which does not match the context of holding secrets.

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