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Question

Difficulty: EasyMulti-Blank Dependency Tracking

Consider the following passage from a botanical study:

"While early researchers considered the alpine flower's stunted growth a purely (i)________ reaction to harsh mountain winds, subsequent cultivation experiments revealed that the trait was in fact (ii)________, persisting across generations even when plants were grown in controlled, sheltered greenhouse conditions."

Which pair of words, when inserted into the blanks, best completes the passage logically and coherently based on the inter-blank dependencies?

  1. (i) transient ... (ii) heritableAnswer
  2. B
    (i) genetic ... (ii) ephemeral
  3. C
    (i) environmental ... (ii) acquired
  4. D
    (i) phenotypic ... (ii) situational
  5. E
    (i) permanent ... (ii) congenital

Answer

The pair '(i) transient ... (ii) heritable' correctly completes the sentence by maintaining the required contrast between an initial belief in a temporary environmental reaction and the subsequent proof of a genetically inherited trait.
The correct response pair '(i) transient ... (ii) heritable' fulfills the sentence's structural logic. The contrast pivot 'While' sets up an opposition between early assumptions and later experimental evidence. Since the plants retained stunted growth across generations in wind-free greenhouses, the trait is demonstrated to be innate ('heritable'), invalidating the initial hypothesis that it was a temporary, passing reaction ('transient') to mountain winds.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify structural clues and contrast signals
The sentence begins with the concession signal 'While', indicating a contrast between early beliefs about Blank (i) and later findings about Blank (ii).
Understanding the structural transition determines how the two blanks relate in polarity.
2
Analyze evidence in the second clause to solve Blank (ii)
The clue 'persisting across generations even when plants were grown in controlled, sheltered greenhouse conditions' indicates that the trait is genetically transmitted rather than environment-dependent.
Blank (ii) requires a word signifying a genetically inherited or innate characteristic, such as 'heritable'.
3
Track inter-blank dependency to solve Blank (i)
Because Blank (ii) is established as an inherited trait, Blank (i) must reflect the earlier, mistaken assumption that the trait was merely a temporary reaction to wind.
The word 'transient' (passing, short-lived) perfectly opposes 'heritable' across the 'While' contrast pivot.

Key Concept

Multi-Blank Dependency Tracking
Estimated Time:1m 0s
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Topics

Multi-Blank Dependency Tracking

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