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Difficulty: Very hardMulti-Blank Dependency Tracking

Fill in each blank in the passage below with the word that best completes the sentence logically and coherently.

Answer:Whereas classical geneticists viewed phenotypic variations as (i) 【immutable】 outcomes dictated strictly by genomic sequences, contemporary epigeneticists argue that environmental triggers render gene expression remarkably (ii) 【malleable】; consequently, traits once thought to be permanently fixed are now understood to possess a degree of (iii) 【fluidity】 that challenges traditional evolutionary models.

Answer

Blank (i): immutable (or deterministic); Blank (ii): malleable (or plastic); Blank (iii): fluidity (or plasticity).
The contrast introduced by 'Whereas' establishes an opposition between the classical perspective that phenotypes are strictly unchangeable—requiring 'immutable' or 'deterministic' for Blank (i)—and the modern finding that gene expression adapts dynamically to environmental inputs, requiring 'malleable' or 'plastic' for Blank (ii). The final clause uses 'consequently' to conclude that traits previously viewed as fixed actually exhibit 'fluidity' or 'plasticity' (Blank iii), completing the logical dependency chain across all three blanks.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze structural contrast clues and determine the orientation for Blank (i).
The opening contrast signal 'Whereas' sets classical geneticism against modern epigenetics. The phrase 'dictated strictly by genomic sequences' implies that classical views saw phenotypic outcomes as fixed and unchangeable, pointing to words such as 'immutable' or 'deterministic' for Blank (i).
Establishing the classical baseline defines the fixed concept that contemporary findings will oppose.
2
Determine the semantic requirement for Blank (ii) based on environmental responsiveness.
Because contemporary epigeneticists challenge the rigid view established in Blank (i), environmental triggers must render gene expression responsive and adaptable, requiring words such as 'malleable', 'plastic', or 'labile' for Blank (ii).
The contrast word 'Whereas' requires Blank (ii) to express susceptibility to change, directly opposing the immutability of Blank (i).
3
Track inter-blank dependency to complete Blank (iii).
The transition 'consequently' introduces a logical result derived from Blank (ii). If gene expression is malleable, physical traits previously assumed to be 'permanently fixed' demonstrate structural changeability, requiring a noun like 'fluidity', 'plasticity', or 'mutability' for Blank (iii).
Blank (iii) synthesizes the shift from rigid determinism (Blank i) to environmental adaptability (Blank ii).

Key Concept

Multi-Blank Dependency Tracking and Structural Contrast Resolution
Estimated Time:2m 0s
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Multi-Blank Dependency Tracking

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