Question

Comprehension: In the following passage, some words have been deleted. Read the passage carefully and select the most appropriate option to fill in each blank. Erosion of America's farmland by wind and water (1)_____ a problem since settlers first put the prairies and grasslands (2)______ the plow in the 19th century. By the 1930s, more than 282 million acres of farmland were (3)______ by erosion. After 40 years of conservation efforts, soil erosion has (4)________ due to new demands placed (5)____ the land by heavy crop production. Select the most appropriate option to fill in blank no. 4.

• A. delayed
• B. discouraged
• C. accelerated
• D. hindered

Answer 1

Answer:

C. accelerated

To find the correct word for blank (4), we need to look at the cause-and-effect relationship in the final sentence. Contextual Logic: The passage mentions that despite "40 years of conservation efforts," there are now "new demands" placed on the land by "heavy crop production." Why "Accelerated" (C): When you increase demand and intensify farming (heavy production), the process of soil wearing away naturally speeds up. Therefore, the erosion has accelerated (moved faster or increased in intensity). Why the others don't fit: Delayed (A): This means to slow down or postpone. Heavy crop production would not delay erosion; it would cause it. Discouraged (B): This usually refers to a person's mood or a behavior. Soil erosion is a physical process that cannot be "discouraged." Hindered (D): This means to create an obstacle or to slow something down. Heavy production is an aid to erosion, not a hindrance.