Read the passage about marine biology research. Which word, when inserted into the blank, maintains a parallel structure with the other items in the list?
Answer:During their month-long research expedition in the northern Pacific Ocean, the marine biologists focused on three primary tasks. They spent their days mapping the deep ocean floor, collecting water samples at various depths, and 【tracking】 the migration patterns of local whale populations. Through these efforts, the team gathered invaluable data that will help protect the region's marine habitats for future generations.
Answer
A present participle verb ending in -ing (such as 'tracking', 'observing', 'monitoring', or 'studying') that matches the grammatical form of the preceding gerunds ('mapping' and 'collecting').
The sentence contains a list of activities that the biologists performed: 'mapping the deep ocean floor,' 'collecting water samples at various depths,' and the final item in the series. The first two items are gerunds/present participles ('mapping' and 'collecting'). To maintain parallel structure, the blank must be filled with a present participle verb ending in -ing (such as 'tracking', 'observing', 'monitoring', 'studying', 'recording', or 'analyzing') to complete the series in the same grammatical form.
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
Parallel structure requires that items in a list or series follow the same grammatical pattern.
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