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Difficulty: Very hardSupport and Cause-Effect Clues

Complete the passage by filling in each blank with the word that best preserves the logical support and cause-effect relationships established by the context.

Answer:Given that high-resolution micro-stratigraphic analyses of the alluvial basin demonstrate that mid-Holocene flood events were markedly episodic rather than continuous, geoarchaeologists have reasoned that the accompanying nutrient deposition must have been similarly 【spasmodic】; consequently, the agricultural yields of nearby early settlements were subjected to periodic 【shortfalls】, a causal relationship further 【buttressed】 by paleobotanical records showing sudden fluctuations in grain storage reserves.

Answer

Blank 1: spasmodic (or intermittent); Blank 2: shortfalls (or deficits); Blank 3: buttressed (or substantiated).
The correct terms align with the passage's strict cause-effect and support signals: 'spasmodic' reflects the episodic nature of mid-Holocene floods; 'shortfalls' logically follows as the downstream consequence of irregular soil enrichment; and 'buttressed' completes the additive support clue 'further', indicating that empirical grain storage data validates the causal model.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the causal premise for Blank 1
The opening structural clue 'Given that... flood events were markedly episodic rather than continuous' establishes a direct cause-and-effect relationship. The nutrient deposition stemming from these floods must reflect the same non-continuous pattern, requiring a word meaning irregular or occurring in bursts, such as 'spasmodic' or 'intermittent'.
Support and cause-effect clues mandate semantic alignment between the characteristic of the cause (episodic floods) and the effect (nutrient deposition).
2
Analyze the consequence marker for Blank 2
The transition signal 'consequently' indicates that the erratic nutrient deposition caused a direct impact on agricultural yields. Irregular nutrient supply to crops leads to periodic crop failures or shortages, making 'shortfalls' or 'deficits' the logically necessary completion.
'Consequently' enforces a downstream causal outcome derived directly from the instability described in the preceding clause.
3
Analyze the reinforcing evidence indicator for Blank 3
The phrase 'a causal relationship further [blank_3] by paleobotanical records' uses the additive support clue 'further', signaling that the empirical storage data confirms or reinforces the proposed causal link. Thus, a word meaning supported or validated, such as 'buttressed' or 'substantiated', is required.
The word 'further' acts as an elaboration signal, indicating that the subsequent paleobotanical evidence reinforces the primary claim rather than undermining it.

Key Concept

Identifying structural cause-effect markers (given that, consequently) and additive reinforcement signals (further) to maintain contextual polarity and logical continuity across multi-blank passages.
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Support and Cause-Effect Clues

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