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Difficulty: MediumCollocation and Idiomatic Fit

Which terms correctly fill the blanks in the sentence below to satisfy standard idiomatic collocations and academic context?

Answer:Cognitive neuroscientists studying memory formation discovered that synaptic plasticity in the hippocampus is not entirely 【impervious to】 external sensory stimulation; rather, cellular consolidation operates 【in tandem with】 circadian rhythm oscillations to preserve long-term storage.

Answer

Blank 1 requires 'impervious to' and Blank 2 requires 'in tandem with'.
The adjective 'impervious' strictly pairs with 'to' to denote being uninfluenced by an external factor. The multi-word prepositional idiom 'in tandem with' correctly indicates joint, synchronized operation.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Determine the correct adjective-preposition complement for Blank 1.
The adjective 'impervious' takes the specific prepositional complement 'to' when describing resistance or lack of susceptibility.
Phrases like 'impervious from' or 'impervious of' violate standard English idiomatic structure.
2
Determine the correct fixed phrasal expression for Blank 2.
The standard idiomatic expression meaning acting in conjunction or alongside something else is 'in tandem with'.
The semi-colon and 'rather' establish that consolidation works collaboratively with circadian cycles.

Key Concept

Prepositional complements and fixed idiomatic expressions in academic prose
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Topics

Collocation and Idiomatic Fit

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