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Practice Reading: Fill in the Blanks (Dropdown) ID: #49850 Telharmonium
Instructions ›
Below is a text with blanks. Click on each blank, a list of choices will appear. Select the appropriate choice for each blank.
In  the  late  1800s,  lawyer  and  inventor  Thaddeus  Cahill  patented  his  "telharmonium",  a  machine  which  would  make  music  and  pipe  it  across  Manhattan  along  phone  lines  —  a  century  before  Rhapsody  and  Spotify  arrived  on  the  streaming  scene.  Initially,  subscribers  could    in  by  phone  to  listen  to  live  music  synthesized  on  his  vast  contraption,  but  that  was  just  the  beginning  of  his  grander  vision.  Later,  restaurants  and  hotels  would  likewise  pay  to    these  sounds  into  shared  spaces.  His  tunes  became  a  kind  of  proto-Muzak.  But  in  this    before  amps,  end  users  had  to  attach  paper  funnels  to  boost  volume.  At  the  heart  of  this  music-making  network  was  Telharmonic  Hall,  a  building  in  the  middle  of  New  York  City    with  around  200  tons  of  equipment  and  built  out  at  an  estimated  cost  of  around  $200,000.  Cahill  called  this  his  "music  plant",  and  it  aptly  resembled  something  like  a  complex  industrial  factory  filled  with  moving  parts.

Result:

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Correct answer: dial

Explanation: The word 'dial' fits grammatically as a verb indicating the action of using a phone to connect, which aligns with the context of subscribers listening to music via phone. It is the correct tense and form for the action described in the sentence.

Meaning: 'Dial' means to use a phone to call a number, which is the action subscribers would take to access the music.

Wrong options:

  • write: The word 'write' implies creating text, which does not fit the context of using a phone to listen to music.
  • peak: The word 'peak' refers to reaching a high point or a brief look, which is unrelated to the action of connecting via phone.
  • stare: The word 'stare' means to look fixedly, which does not apply to the action of using a phone.
Correct answer: steam

Explanation: The word 'steam' is used here as a verb meaning to transmit or convey sounds, which fits the context of restaurants and hotels sharing music. It aligns grammatically and contextually with the sentence structure.

Meaning: 'Steam' in this context means to transmit or broadcast, similar to how one might stream music today.

Wrong options:

  • steam: This is the correct answer, so it will not be included in the wrong options.
  • translate: The word 'translate' means to convert from one language to another, which does not fit the context of sharing music.
  • divide: The word 'divide' implies splitting something into parts, which is not relevant to the action of sharing music.
  • build: The word 'build' means to construct, which does not relate to the act of transmitting sounds.
Correct answer: era

Explanation: The word 'era' fits grammatically as a noun indicating a period of time, which is appropriate in the context of discussing the time before amplifiers were available. It conveys the historical context effectively.

Meaning: 'Era' refers to a significant period in history, highlighting the time frame in which these events occurred.

Wrong options:

  • discovery: The word 'discovery' refers to finding something new, which does not fit the context of a time period.
  • level: The word 'level' implies a stage or degree, which is not relevant to the historical context being discussed.
  • place: The word 'place' refers to a location, which does not convey the intended meaning of a time period.
Correct answer: outfitted

Explanation: The word 'outfitted' is the correct past participle verb that indicates the hall was equipped with a significant amount of equipment, fitting grammatically and contextually into the sentence.

Meaning: 'Outfitted' means to equip or provide with necessary items, in this case, the equipment needed for the music-making process.

Wrong options:

  • trusted: The word 'trusted' implies reliability or confidence, which does not fit the context of equipping a building.
  • captured: The word 'captured' means to take possession of, which does not relate to the act of equipping a hall.
  • charged: The word 'charged' implies imposing a cost or fee, which does not fit the context of equipping with equipment.

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