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Difficulty: MediumVerb Tense, Aspect, and Mood

In the 1940s, geneticist Barbara McClintock conducted pioneering research on maize chromosomes, eventually discovering transposable elements—segments of DNA that can move within the genome. Although mainstream scientists initially dismissed her findings as anomalies, subsequent research in the 1960s and 1970s ______ her theories, ultimately leading to her receiving the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1983.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

  1. A
    validates
  2. validatedAnswer
  3. C
    will validate
  4. D
    had validated

Answer

validated
The correct answer is the simple past tense verb 'validated.' The passage establishes a past-tense temporal framework with verbs like 'conducted' and 'dismissed.' Since the action in the target clause occurred in a specific past period (the 1960s and 1970s), the simple past tense is required to maintain consistency with the rest of the timeline.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the temporal framework of the sentence by looking at contextual clues.
The verbs 'conducted' and 'dismissed' indicate a past-tense timeline, and the specific timeframe 'in the 1960s and 1970s' refers to a completed period in the past.
This establishes that the verb filling the blank must be in the past tense.
2
Evaluate the options to find the correct past-tense verb form.
The simple past tense verb 'validated' correctly fits the sentence, whereas present, future, and past perfect tenses do not align chronologically.
The simple past tense is used for completed actions in the past, maintaining tense consistency.

Key Concept

Verb Tense Consistency
Estimated Time:1m 0s
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Topics

Verb Tense, Aspect, and Mood

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