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Practice Reading: Fill in the Blanks (Dropdown) ID: #50015 Gorongosa
Instructions ›
Below is a text with blanks. Click on each blank, a list of choices will appear. Select the appropriate choice for each blank.
Gorongosa,  which  was  a  jewel  of  Southern  Africa…had  great  populations  of  lions,  elephants,  hippos,  buffalo,  etcetera.  Absolutely  decimated.  So  if  you  went  there  in  the  early  part  of  the  last  decade,  in  the  early  2000s,  you  might  drive  for  five  or  six  hours  and  see  one  warthog,  one  baboon,  maybe."  Biologist  Sean  B.  Carroll,  of  the  Howard  Hughes  Medical  Institute  and  the  University  of  Wisconsin-Madison.  He  spoke  March  15th  in  the  Great  Hall  of  the  Cooper  Union  here  in  New  York  City  about  his  latest  book  The  Serengeti  Rules:  The  Quest  to  Discovery  How  Life  Works,  and  Why  It  Matters.  Gorongosa  National  Park  was  ravaged  during  the  Mozambique  war  for  independence  from  Portugal  and  then  the  civil  war  that  followed.  "And  a  ,  Greg  Carr…was  looking  for  a  project  to  really  sink  his  teeth  into  and  to  work  on  human  ,  became  also  really  interested  in  conservation,  learned  about  Mozambique…and  in  2004  committed  a  sizeable  fortune  to  helping  to  restore  Gorongosa  in  partnership  with  the  Mozambique  .  And  in  2004  surveys  showed  there  were  fewer  than  one    large  animals  in  the  entire  park,  and  this  is  a  massive  place.  So  that's  all  antelope  and  elephants,  all  combined,  fewer  than  a  thousand  of  all  types  combined.  "And  I  was  there  last  summer  as  the  new  survey  came  in.  A  decade  later:  72,000  large  animals.  Dramatic  change.  I'm  looking  at  elephant  herds  with  lots  of  youngsters.  I'm  looking  at  hippos,  groups  of  hippos….  "So  the  point  is  this:  the  habitat  was  all  there.  The  large  animals  had  been  shot,  poached,  used  for  food,  whatever,  but  the  habitat  was  still  there  and  still  .  And  once  these  very  small  remnant  populations  had  that  pressure  taken  off  them,  they've  just  been  booming.  And  so  a  place  that,  I  think  it's  the  one  place  on  Earth  I  know  that's  been  the  most  decimated  and  has  seen  the  greatest    …  "So  there's  a  lot  of  stories  of  good  management  and  of  recovery,  and  recovery  on  that  really  rapid  time  frame.

Result:

AI explanationShows the answer. Tap to open.
Correct answer: philanthropist

Explanation: The term 'philanthropist' fits grammatically as it refers to someone who seeks to promote the welfare of others, especially through the donation of money to good causes. Contextually, it aligns with Greg Carr's intention to invest in a project that benefits society, making it the most suitable choice.

Meaning: 'Philanthropist' means a person who seeks to promote the welfare of others, typically through charitable donations.

Wrong options:

  • passion: 'Passion' refers to a strong feeling or enthusiasm, which does not fit the context of someone looking for a project to invest in.
  • solstice: 'Solstice' refers to an astronomical event and is unrelated to the context of charitable work or projects.
  • ballast: 'Ballast' refers to a heavy material used to stabilize a ship or aircraft, which does not relate to the context of philanthropy.
Correct answer: development

Explanation: The word 'development' fits grammatically and contextually as it refers to the process of developing or being developed, particularly in a human context. It aligns with the idea of improving human conditions, making it the correct choice.

Meaning: 'Development' means the process of developing or being developed, often in terms of social or economic progress.

Wrong options:

  • negligence: 'Negligence' refers to failure to take proper care, which does not fit the positive context of improving human conditions.
  • prevalence: 'Prevalence' refers to the state of being widespread, which does not convey the idea of improvement or progress.
  • malevolence: 'Malevolence' means having or showing a wish to do evil to others, which is contrary to the context of positive human efforts.
Correct answer: government

Explanation: The term 'government' fits grammatically as it refers to the governing body of a nation, which is appropriate in the context of a partnership for restoration efforts. It aligns with the idea of formal collaboration to restore Gorongosa.

Meaning: 'Government' refers to the group of people with the authority to govern a country or state.

Wrong options:

  • parliament: 'Parliament' refers specifically to a legislative body and does not encompass the broader governing authority implied in the context.
  • semanticist: 'Semanticist' refers to a specialist in semantics, which is unrelated to the context of governance or conservation efforts.
  • journalist: 'Journalist' refers to a person who writes for newspapers or reports on news, which does not fit the context of a governing body involved in restoration.
Correct answer: thousand

Explanation: The word 'thousand' fits grammatically as it is a numerical term that quantifies the number of large animals. Contextually, it makes sense as it indicates a specific count of animals in the park.

Meaning: 'Thousand' refers to the number 1,000, used here to quantify the population of large animals.

Wrong options:

  • deflowered: 'Deflowered' means to take away virginity or purity, which is unrelated to counting animals.
  • embowered: 'Embowered' means to enclose or shelter, which does not fit the context of quantifying animal populations.
  • roundest: 'Roundest' refers to the shape of an object and does not relate to numerical counting.
Correct answer: productive

Explanation: The word 'productive' fits grammatically as it describes the capability of the habitat to support life. Contextually, it indicates that the habitat can yield a thriving ecosystem, which is essential to the narrative.

Meaning: 'Productive' means capable of producing abundant results or crops, indicating a healthy environment for wildlife.

Wrong options:

  • assertive: 'Assertive' refers to having or showing a confident and forceful personality, which does not describe the state of a habitat.
  • incidental: 'Incidental' means occurring by chance or as a minor consequence, which does not convey the idea of a thriving habitat.
  • compulsive: 'Compulsive' refers to an irresistible urge, which is not relevant to describing the state of a habitat.
Correct answer: recovery

Explanation: The word 'recovery' fits grammatically as it refers to the process of regaining something lost. Contextually, it aligns with the narrative of Gorongosa's restoration and the return of wildlife populations.

Meaning: 'Recovery' means the process of regaining or restoring something, particularly in the context of wildlife and ecosystems.

Wrong options:

  • efficacy: 'Efficacy' refers to the ability to produce a desired or intended result, which does not fit the context of wildlife restoration.
  • golly: 'Golly' is an exclamation of surprise and does not relate to the context of ecological recovery.
  • stumpy: 'Stumpy' refers to something that is short or has been cut off, which does not fit the context of recovery.

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