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Question

Difficulty: HardSupport and Cause-Effect Clues

Complete the passage below by providing appropriate words for the blanks that preserve the support and cause-effect relationships established by the context clues.

Answer:Given that recent high-resolution satellite imagery revealed an extensive network of subterranean irrigation canals beneath the arid basin, archaeologists concluded that the ancient agrarian society had successfully 【surmounted】 recurring seasonal droughts, a technological achievement that directly 【engendered】 the unprecedented urban expansion of the era.

Answer

The first blank requires a verb indicating that the society successfully overcame or minimized droughts (such as 'surmounted' or 'mitigated'), supported by the evidence of an extensive irrigation network ('Given that...'). The second blank requires a verb indicating cause or initiation (such as 'engendered' or 'precipitated'), reflecting how this technological mastery led directly to urban expansion.
The introductory phrase 'Given that' signals supporting evidence: discovering widespread irrigation canals proves that the society managed environmental hardship effectively ('surmounted' or 'mitigated'). Subsequently, the phrase 'directly [blank]' establishes a cause-and-effect link showing that this agricultural stability caused or catalyzed rapid city growth ('engendered' or 'precipitated').

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the introductory support clue and its logical implication for the first blank.
The clause beginning with 'Given that' introduces factual evidence: the discovery of an extensive subterranean irrigation network. An advanced irrigation system provides a means for an agrarian society to overcome water scarcity. Thus, the first blank must denote successfully overcoming, lessening, or bypassing drought conditions.
The support signal 'Given that' links the existence of functional infrastructure to a successful outcome against environmental hardship.
2
Analyze the causal signal connecting the first clause to the second blank.
The phrase 'a technological achievement that directly {{blank_2}}' introduces a cause-and-effect continuation. Overcoming environmental constraints (the cause) logically brought about or accelerated the subsequent urban growth (the effect). Thus, the second blank requires a causal verb meaning to bring about, catalyze, or foster.
The modifier 'directly' reinforces a straightforward causal chain where agricultural security yields demographic and urban growth.

Key Concept

Support and Cause-Effect Clues in Text Completion
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Topics

Support and Cause-Effect Clues

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