The passage below discusses desert survival adaptations. Which word completes the passage so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
Answer:In a 2025 study of desert survival adaptations in the Sahara, botanist Dr. Elena Vance observed that the resilient *Welwitschia mirabilis* plant successfully conserves water under extreme conditions. According to Vance, the species maintains hydration not only by closing its stomata during peak daytime heat hours but also by 【absorbing】 moisture from morning fog that rolls in from the Atlantic coast.
Answer
A gerund (a verb ending in -ing, such as 'absorbing' or 'harvesting') that completes the parallel construction established by the gerund 'closing'.
The sentence uses the correlative conjunction 'not only... but also' to connect two parallel actions. The first action is introduced as 'by closing its stomata...', where 'closing' is a gerund. To maintain parallel structure, the second action must also be a gerund (a verb ending in -ing). Thus, a word like 'absorbing' or 'harvesting' correctly completes the parallel series.
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
Parallel Structure with Correlative Conjunctions