Meaning: 'Swallowing' refers to the act of taking something in through the mouth, but in this context, it metaphorically describes a star consuming another celestial body.

Wrong options:

• slowing: The word 'slowing' is a gerund that implies a decrease in speed, which does not fit the context of a star consuming another object.
• resulting: 'Resulting' is an adjective that describes something that comes as a consequence, but it does not convey the action of consumption required in this sentence.
• opponent: 'Opponent' is a noun that refers to someone who competes against another, which is irrelevant in the context of a star consuming another celestial body.
• popularized: 'Popularized' is a verb that means to make something popular, which does not relate to the action of a star consuming another object.
• own: 'Own' is an adjective that indicates possession, but it does not fit as a verb describing the action of the star.
• theorized: 'Theorized' is a verb that means to form a theory, which does not fit the context of the star's action.

Correct answer: own

Explanation: The word 'own' is an adjective that indicates possession, referring to the meal that belongs to the star. It fits grammatically as it describes the meal that the star is consuming, maintaining coherence in the context of the sentence.

Meaning: 'Own' signifies something that belongs to someone or something, in this case, the meal belonging to the star.

Wrong options:

• slowing: 'Slowing' does not fit as it is a gerund indicating a decrease in speed, which is unrelated to possession.
• resulting: 'Resulting' is an adjective that describes something that comes as a consequence, which does not convey possession.
• opponent: 'Opponent' is a noun that refers to someone who competes against another, which is irrelevant in this context.
• popularized: 'Popularized' is a verb that means to make something popular, which does not relate to the concept of ownership.
• swallowing: 'Swallowing' is a gerund that describes the action of consuming, not possession, and does not fit in this context.
• theorized: 'Theorized' is a verb that means to form a theory, which does not relate to ownership.

Correct answer: resulting

Explanation: The word 'resulting' is an adjective that describes the explosion as a consequence of the star's consumption of the black hole or neutron star. It fits grammatically as it modifies 'explosion' and aligns with the context of the event being described.

Meaning: 'Resulting' refers to something that occurs as a consequence of an action, in this case, the explosion that follows the star's consumption.

Wrong options:

• slowing: 'Slowing' does not fit as it is a gerund indicating a decrease in speed, which is unrelated to the nature of the explosion.
• own: 'Own' is an adjective indicating possession, which does not describe the explosion itself.
• opponent: 'Opponent' is a noun that refers to someone who competes against another, which is irrelevant in this context.
• theorized: 'Theorized' is a verb that means to form a theory, which does not describe the explosion.
• popularized: 'Popularized' is a verb that means to make something popular, which does not relate to the nature of the explosion.
• swallowing: 'Swallowing' is a gerund that describes the action of consuming, not the explosion.

Correct answer: theorized

Explanation: The word 'theorized' is a verb that indicates the action of forming a theory about the possibility of a star-eat-star supernova. It fits grammatically as it follows 'had' in the past perfect tense, maintaining coherence with the context of astronomers' previous beliefs.

Meaning: 'Theorized' means to form a theory or hypothesis about something, in this case, the possibility of a specific astronomical event.

Wrong options:

• slowing: 'Slowing' does not fit as it is a gerund indicating a decrease in speed, which is unrelated to forming a theory.
• own: 'Own' is an adjective indicating possession, which does not fit as a verb in this context.
• opponent: 'Opponent' is a noun that refers to someone who competes against another, which is irrelevant in this context.
• popularized: 'Popularized' is a verb that means to make something popular, which does not relate to the action of theorizing.
• swallowing: 'Swallowing' is a gerund that describes the action of consuming, not theorizing.
• resulting: 'Resulting' is an adjective that describes a consequence, which does not fit as a verb in this context.