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Difficulty: MediumWords in Context: High-Utility Vocabulary

For decades, oceanographers viewed the abyssal plains—the vast, flat areas of the deep ocean floor—as biological deserts. However, the discovery of hydrothermal vent ecosystems in 1977 revealed that these environments, far from being barren, support ______ communities of specialized organisms that thrive without sunlight.

Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?

  1. A
    transient
  2. vibrantAnswer
  3. C
    dormant
  4. D
    isolated

Answer

vibrant
The correct answer is the word 'vibrant'. The passage contrasts the old view of abyssal plains as 'biological deserts' and 'barren' with the discovery of hydrothermal vents that support communities that 'thrive.' A word meaning full of life and energy, like 'vibrant,' is needed to complete this contrast.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the context and contrast clues in the passage.
The passage sets up a contrast between the historical view of the deep ocean floor as 'biological deserts' or 'barren' and the new discovery of ecosystems where organisms 'thrive.'
Understanding the relationship between the two parts of the sentence is crucial for determining the correct tone and meaning of the missing word.
2
Evaluate the choices to find the word that best represents a state of being full of life and activity.
The word meaning full of life and energy fits the blank perfectly, showing that the communities are the opposite of empty or barren. Other words either contradict the context of thriving life or fail to contrast with barrenness.
Comparing each option against the established contextual clues ensures semantic and grammatical precision.

Key Concept

Using context clues and sentence contrast to select the most precise academic vocabulary word.
Estimated Time:1m 0s
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Topics

Words in Context: High-Utility Vocabulary

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