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Practice Reading: Reading and Writing Fill in the Blanks ID: #50175 Suburbs
Instructions ›
Below is a text with blanks. Click on each blank, a list of choices will appear. Select the appropriate choice for each blank.
What  makes  a  suburb  a  suburb?  Simply,  a  suburb  is  a  community    a  city.  But  when  you  picture  a  suburb  in  your  mind,  your  image  may  vary  widely  depending  on  which  nation  you  call  home.  In  the  United  States,  most  consider  the  suburbs  home  to  upper—and  middle—class  people  with  private  homes.  In  other  countries,  like  France,  the  suburbs––or  “banlieues”––  are    with  housing  projects  and  impoverished  communities.  In  fact,  the  banlieues  of  Paris  are    for  their  ethnic  violence  and  crime,  with  higher  unemployment  and  more  residents  living  in  poverty  than  in  the  city  center.  Further,  the  banlieues  have  a  much  higher  
 population,  which  in  Paris  is  made  up  mostly  by  Arabic  and  African  immigrants.  This  contradicts  the  clichéd  U.S.  image  of  a  typical  white-picket-fence  suburb.

Result:

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Correct answer: surrounding

Explanation: The word 'surrounding' fits grammatically as it describes the relationship of the community to the city, indicating that the suburb is located around the city. It aligns with the context of defining what constitutes a suburb, emphasizing its geographical position.

Meaning: 'Surrounding' means to be located around something, in this case, a city, indicating the suburb's proximity and relationship to it.

Wrong options:

  • lying: The term 'lying' suggests a position but lacks the active connotation of being around something, making it less suitable in this context.
  • locating: 'Locating' implies the act of finding or establishing a position, which does not convey the same sense of being around a city as 'surrounding' does.
  • situating: 'Situating' refers to placing something in a specific position, but it does not capture the encompassing nature of a suburb in relation to a city.
Correct answer: synonymous

Explanation: The word 'synonymous' is appropriate here as it indicates that the term 'suburbs' in France is equivalent to housing projects and impoverished communities. This fits contextually as it draws a comparison between different cultural perceptions of suburbs.

Meaning: 'Synonymous' means having the same or similar meaning, indicating that in France, suburbs are viewed similarly to housing projects.

Wrong options:

  • antonymous: 'Antonymous' means having opposite meanings, which contradicts the intended comparison and does not fit the context.
  • antibiotic: 'Antibiotic' refers to a substance that kills bacteria, which is unrelated to the context of discussing suburbs and their meanings.
  • synthetic: 'Synthetic' refers to something made by chemical synthesis, which does not relate to the discussion of social or community definitions.
Correct answer: notorious

Explanation: The word 'notorious' is fitting as it conveys a sense of being well-known for negative reasons, which aligns with the context of discussing the banlieues' reputation for violence and crime. It captures the negative connotation intended in the sentence.

Meaning: 'Notorious' means famous or well-known, typically for some bad quality or deed, indicating the negative reputation of the banlieues.

Wrong options:

  • clamorous: 'Clamorous' means loud and noisy, which does not accurately describe the reputation of the banlieues in the context of crime and violence.
  • sensitive: 'Sensitive' refers to being easily affected or responsive, which does not fit the context of describing a reputation for crime.
  • famous: 'Famous' simply means well-known without the negative connotation, which is essential to the context of the sentence.
Correct answer: immigrant

Explanation: The word 'immigrant' is appropriate as it specifies the demographic composition of the population in the banlieues, aligning with the context of discussing the social issues present in these areas. It accurately reflects the higher population of immigrants in these communities.

Meaning: 'Immigrant' refers to a person who comes to live permanently in a foreign country, highlighting the demographic aspect of the population in the banlieues.

Wrong options:

  • local: 'Local' refers to people from the surrounding area, which does not capture the specific demographic focus on immigrants in the context provided.
  • young: 'Young' describes age but does not address the broader demographic aspect of immigration that is central to the discussion.
  • senior: 'Senior' refers to older individuals, which is not relevant to the context of discussing the immigrant population in the banlieues.

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