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Practice Reading: Fill in the Blanks (Dropdown) ID: #5488 Travel 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.
In  the  past  people  travelled,  if  they  had  to,  for  particular  and  practical  reasons,  for  example,  to  trade  in  other  countries,  to  find  better  land  to  ,  to  get  away  from  an  unpleasant  political  regime  or  situation,  or  to  go  on  a  pilgrimage.  But  at  what  point  did  travel  become  tourism?  Certainly,  pilgrimages  had  a  sort  of  holiday  air  about  them,  as  any  reader  of  Chaucer's  Canterbury  Tales  will  know.  And  people  on  pilgrimages  to  other  countries  did  touristy  things  like  bringing  back  .  "Travel,"  however,  as  Skeat's  etymological  dictionary  points  out,  was  the  same  word  as  "travail,"  meaning  effort  or  labour,  because  of  "the  toil  of  traveling  in  olden  times."  Over  time,  the  pilgrimage  became  the  Grand  Tour  which  was  fashionable  in  the  16th  century  and  after.  This  was  a    around  Europe  made  by  the  sons  of  the  wealthy  with  the  supposed  purpose  of    them  in  the  great  cultures  of  the  past,  the  architecture  and  works  of  art,  especially  in  Italy.  So  it  could  be  said  that  the  Grand  Tour  had    of  the  pilgrimage  about  it.  It  is  therefore  possible,  at  a  pinch,  to  date  the  origins  of  tourism  to  the  medieval  pilgrimage.  But  the  word  itself  was  only  officially  used  for  the  first  time  in  1937,  and  referred  to  people  traveling  abroad  for  periods  of  over  twenty-four  hours.

Result:

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Correct answer: cultivate

Explanation: The word 'cultivate' fits grammatically as it is a verb that aligns with the context of improving land for agricultural purposes. It indicates the act of preparing and using land for crops, which is relevant to the reasons for travel mentioned in the sentence.

Meaning: 'Cultivate' means to prepare and use land for growing crops or plants, emphasizing the agricultural aspect of travel in search of better land.

Wrong options:

  • grow: 'Grow' refers to the process of increasing in size or developing, but it does not specifically imply the preparation of land, making it less suitable in this context.
  • harvest: 'Harvest' means to gather mature crops from the fields, which is an action that occurs after cultivation, thus not fitting the context of preparing land for planting.
  • pick: 'Pick' refers to the act of selecting or gathering fruits or vegetables, which is also a post-cultivation activity and does not align with the intent of preparing land.
Correct answer: souvenirs

Explanation: The term 'souvenirs' is appropriate as it refers to items kept as reminders of a person, place, or event, which fits the context of what travelers bring back from their journeys. It aligns with the idea of tourism and the activities associated with it.

Meaning: 'Souvenirs' are items that people buy or collect to remember a place they visited, often serving as mementos of their travels.

Wrong options:

  • postcards: 'Postcards' are cards sent through the mail, often depicting a location, but they are not typically collected as mementos in the same way as souvenirs.
  • visas: 'Visas' are official documents allowing entry into a country, which do not serve as reminders of travel experiences and are not items one would bring back as a keepsake.
  • photos: 'Photos' are images captured during travel, but they are not physical items purchased or collected in the same manner as souvenirs.
Correct answer: trip

Explanation: The word 'trip' is the most fitting choice as it refers to a journey or excursion, which aligns with the context of traveling around Europe. It is a common term used to describe travel for leisure or educational purposes.

Meaning: 'Trip' means a journey or excursion to a particular place, often for a specific purpose, such as education or leisure.

Wrong options:

  • travel: 'Travel' is a general term for the act of moving from one place to another, but it does not specifically denote a journey, making it less precise in this context.
  • voyage: 'Voyage' typically refers to a long journey by sea or in space, which does not fit the context of a land-based journey around Europe.
  • ride: 'Ride' implies a shorter journey, often on a vehicle or animal, and does not encompass the broader concept of a journey like 'trip' does.
Correct answer: educating

Explanation: The word 'educating' is appropriate as it indicates the process of imparting knowledge or skills, which aligns with the purpose of the Grand Tour as described in the text. It fits grammatically as a gerund that complements the purpose of the trip.

Meaning: 'Educating' means to provide knowledge or training, emphasizing the goal of the Grand Tour to teach young men about culture and history.

Wrong options:

  • teaching: 'Teaching' is a related term but is more focused on the act of instructing, whereas 'educating' encompasses a broader process of learning and development.
  • involving: 'Involving' suggests participation but does not convey the intent of imparting knowledge, making it less suitable in this educational context.
  • filling: 'Filling' implies making something full, which does not relate to the purpose of the Grand Tour and is grammatically incorrect in this context.
Correct answer: something

Explanation: The word 'something' is fitting as it indicates an unspecified quality or characteristic, which aligns with the context of comparing the Grand Tour to the pilgrimage. It serves as a pronoun that captures the essence of the shared attributes between the two.

Meaning: 'Something' refers to an unspecified thing or quality, suggesting that the Grand Tour had certain characteristics reminiscent of a pilgrimage.

Wrong options:

  • aspects: 'Aspects' refers to particular parts or features, but it lacks the generality needed in this context, making it less effective than 'something.'
  • attitudes: 'Attitudes' implies a way of thinking or feeling, which does not directly relate to the shared qualities being discussed, making it an inappropriate choice here.
  • similarities: 'Similarities' suggests a direct comparison but is too specific for the context, which requires a more general term like 'something' to convey the idea effectively.

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