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Practice Reading: Fill in the Blanks (Dropdown) ID: #50356 Design
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.
Of  course,  for  as  long  as  there  have  been  objects  they  have  been  designed.  Yet  design  only  emerged  as  a    discipline  in  the  19th  century  and  its  literature  and  theory  is  still  very  much  in  its  infancy.  It  is  curious  that    the  increasingly  prominent  role  that  self-consciously  designed  commodities  play  in  our  everyday  lives  and  in  the  way  we  define  ourselves,  the  literature  around  the  subject  is  hugely  disappointing.  In  fact,  beyond  bland  coffee-table  books,  it  is  barely  there  at  all.  Nikolaus  Pevsner's  Pioneers  of  Modern  Design,  a  classic  Hegelian  text  treating  modernism  as  the  inevitable  outcome  of  a  historical  process  is,  despite  being  first  published  in  1936  and  hopelessly  ,  still  the  key  text.  There  have  been  other  books,  from  quirky  Bruno  Munari  (Design  as  Art)  to  deadpan  Norman  Potter  (What  is  a  Designer:  Things,  Places,  Messages),  and  Deyan  Sudjic's  2008  The  Language  of  Things,    attempted  a  broader  examination.  Nevertheless  there  is  surprisingly  little  critique,  an  almost  complete  absence  of  theory  and  little  genuinely  popular,  compelling  writing  on  the  subject.

Result:

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Correct answer: dedicated

Explanation: The word 'dedicated' fits grammatically as it describes a specific discipline that has a focused purpose, aligning with the context of design emerging as a distinct field. It indicates commitment and specialization, which is appropriate for the historical emergence of design as a discipline.

Meaning: 'Dedicated' means devoted to a particular task or purpose, suggesting that design became a specialized field in the 19th century.

Wrong options:

  • bilateral: Bilateral refers to something involving two sides, which does not relate to the context of design as a discipline.
  • ubiquitous: Ubiquitous means present everywhere, which does not convey the idea of a specialized discipline emerging.
  • foremost: Foremost means most important or leading, but it does not imply the establishment of a dedicated field.
Correct answer: despite

Explanation: The word 'despite' introduces a contrast, indicating that even with the increasing role of designed commodities, the literature remains disappointing. This fits the context of the sentence, which discusses an unexpected outcome.

Meaning: 'Despite' means in spite of or regardless of, highlighting the contradiction between the prominence of design and the lack of literature.

Wrong options:

  • since: Since indicates a time relationship, which does not fit the contrasting nature of the sentence.
  • within: Within suggests being inside something, which does not convey the intended contrast in this context.
  • through: Through implies a means or method, which does not align with the contrasting relationship needed here.
Correct answer: dated

Explanation: The word 'dated' is the correct form here, as it describes the text as being old-fashioned or out of date, fitting grammatically and contextually with the sentence structure.

Meaning: 'Dated' means old-fashioned or no longer relevant, indicating that while the text is significant, it may not reflect contemporary ideas.

Wrong options:

  • dates: Dates is a noun and does not fit grammatically in this context where an adjective is required.
  • dating: Dating is a gerund or present participle, which does not fit the grammatical structure needed here.
  • date: Date is a noun and does not provide the descriptive quality required in this context.
Correct answer: which

Explanation: The word 'which' is a relative pronoun that introduces a clause providing additional information about the preceding noun, 'Deyan Sudjic's 2008 The Language of Things.' This fits grammatically and contextually as it connects the examination to the book mentioned.

Meaning: 'Which' is used to refer to a specific thing or group of things, in this case, the book that attempted a broader examination.

Wrong options:

  • then: Then is an adverb indicating time or sequence, which does not fit the grammatical structure needed here.
  • however: However is a conjunction used to introduce a contrast, which does not serve the purpose of connecting the clause to the noun in this context.
  • as: As is a conjunction that indicates a relationship of time or manner, which does not fit the need for a relative pronoun in this sentence.

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