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Practice Reading: Fill in the Blanks (Dropdown) ID: #51256 Graffiti 2
Instructions ›
Below is a text with blanks. Click on each blank, a list of choices will appear. Select the appropriate choice for each blank.
People  have  been  leaving    on  bathroom  walls  for  thousands  of  years.  Just  google  "ancient  Roman  bathroom  graffiti."  But  we're  not  the  only  ones  to  use  latrines  for  information  exchange—as  two  German  researchers  have    after  hundreds  of  hours  watching  lemurs  pee  and  poop.  For  science.    Iris  Dröscher  and  Peter  Kappeler  concentrated  on  seven  sets  of  pair-bonded  members  of  a  species  called    sportive  lemurs,  at  a  nature  reserve  in  southern  Madagascar.  Their  report  is  in  the  journal  Behavioral  Ecology  and  Sociobiology.  Many  animals  use  the  same  spots    to  do  their  business,  primates  in  .  For  these  lemurs,  a  specific  tree  becomes  the  urine  and  feces  focal  point.  And  because  chemical  compounds  in  their  waste  transmit  information,  the  so-called  latrine  tree  becomes  like  a  bulletin  board  to  post  messages  for  the  rest  of  the  community.  Based  on  their  1,097  hours  of  observations,  the  researchers  conclude  that  urine  and  glandular  secretions  left  on  the  tree  trunk  are  the  primary  message  vehicles.  Feces  mostly  just  collects  on  the  ground.  Some  urine  telegrams  are  probably  signals  from  a  particular  lemur  to  the  neighbors  that  he  or  she  is  around.  But  male  lemurs  upped  their  latrine  visits  when  potential  competitors  for  females  came  into  their  home  area.  So  the  frequent  chemical  messages  left  on  the  tree  probably  say  in  that  case,  "Buzz  off,  buddy,  she's  with  me."  In  lemur.

Result:

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

Explanation: The word 'messages' fits grammatically as a plural noun that serves as the subject of the sentence, indicating what people have been leaving on bathroom walls. It aligns contextually with the idea of communication or information exchange, which is the main topic of the passage.

Meaning: 'Messages' refers to pieces of information or communication that are conveyed to others, often written or inscribed.

Wrong options:

  • redevelopments: This term refers to the process of developing something again, which does not fit the context of leaving information on walls.
  • kettledrums: This is a type of musical instrument, irrelevant to the context of communication on bathroom walls.
  • perilous: This adjective means dangerous, which does not relate to the act of leaving messages.
Correct answer: confirmed

Explanation: The verb 'confirmed' is the correct choice as it indicates that the researchers have validated their observations, fitting grammatically in the past tense and contextually with the scientific nature of their study.

Meaning: 'Confirmed' means to establish the truth or correctness of something, in this case, the researchers' findings about lemurs.

Wrong options:

  • remand: This term refers to sending someone back in legal terms, which does not apply to the context of research findings.
  • inferred: While this could relate to drawing conclusions, it does not convey the definitive nature of the researchers' findings as 'confirmed' does.
  • gerund: This is a form of a verb that functions as a noun, which does not fit grammatically in this context.
Correct answer: Primatologists

Explanation: The term 'Primatologists' is the correct answer as it refers to scientists who study primates, fitting grammatically as a plural noun and contextually as the subject of the sentence discussing the researchers.

Meaning: 'Primatologists' are scientists who specialize in the study of primates, including their behavior and ecology.

Wrong options:

  • Ophthalmologists: This term refers to eye doctors, which is unrelated to the study of lemurs or primates.
  • Preponderances: This noun refers to the quality or fact of being greater in number, influence, or importance, which does not fit the context of researchers.
  • Motherless: This adjective describes something lacking a mother, which is irrelevant to the context of scientific research.
Correct answer: white-footed

Explanation: The phrase 'white-footed' is the correct answer as it describes a specific species of lemurs, fitting grammatically as an adjective and contextually as a descriptor of the species being studied.

Meaning: 'White-footed' refers to a type of lemur characterized by its white feet, which is essential for identifying the species in the study.

Wrong options:

  • lurid: This adjective means very vivid in color, often to an unnatural degree, which does not describe the lemur species.
  • snowbird: This term refers to a type of bird, which is unrelated to the context of lemurs.
  • contorted: This adjective means twisted or bent out of shape, which does not apply to the description of a lemur species.
Correct answer: repeatedly

Explanation: The adverb 'repeatedly' is the correct choice as it indicates the frequency of the action, fitting grammatically and contextually with the idea of animals using the same spots multiple times.

Meaning: 'Repeatedly' means doing something over and over again, emphasizing the habitual nature of the behavior being described.

Wrong options:

  • sweepingly: This adverb means in a sweeping manner, which does not convey the idea of frequency in this context.
  • squeamishly: This adverb describes a feeling of disgust or nervousness, which is irrelevant to the context of animal behavior.
  • jeeringly: This adverb means in a mocking or taunting manner, which does not fit the context of describing how animals use latrine spots.
Correct answer: particular

Explanation: The adjective 'particular' is the correct answer as it specifies a certain type of primate behavior, fitting grammatically and contextually with the description of lemurs' habits.

Meaning: 'Particular' means specific or distinct, emphasizing the unique behavior of these lemurs in their choice of latrine spots.

Wrong options:

  • cleverer: This comparative adjective means more intelligent, which does not relate to the specific behavior being described.
  • singular: This adjective means unique or one of a kind, which does not fit the context of describing a group of primates.
  • bifida: This term refers to a medical condition and is irrelevant to the context of animal behavior.

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