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Difficulty: Very hardVerb Tense, Aspect, and Mood

Launched in 1977 to study the outer Solar System, the Voyager 1 spacecraft has traveled farther from Earth than any other human-made object. By the time the probe, which carries a golden record containing sounds of Earth, finally reached interstellar space in 2012, it ______ telemetry data back to NASA scientists for thirty-five years. Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

  1. A
    has been transmitting
  2. had been transmittingAnswer
  3. C
    was transmitting
  4. D
    will have transmitted

Answer

had been transmitting
The passage establishes a specific point in the past ('reached interstellar space in 2012') and describes an action that started prior to this point and was ongoing up to it ('for thirty-five years'). To represent this continuous action leading up to a past reference point, the past perfect progressive tense ('had been transmitting') is required.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the temporal reference point established in the sentence.
The reference point is 'reached interstellar space in 2012,' which is in the past.
Establishing the timeline helps determine the correct verb tense.
2
Determine the relationship between the blank's action and the reference point.
The action of sending data ('telemetry data... for thirty-five years') was ongoing and completed up to that past point in time.
An action that was ongoing prior to and up to a past reference point requires the past perfect progressive tense.

Key Concept

Past Perfect Progressive Tense
Estimated Time:1m 0s
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Topics

Verb Tense, Aspect, and Mood

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