Craft and StructureEasy–MediumWord meaning from context
Craft and Structure practice question
Because the fossil record for the period is so ____, scientists can only speculate about how the species behaved.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
- A. sparseCorrect
- B. abundant
- C. detailed
- D. reliable
Answer: A. sparse
'Because' links the blank to the consequence: scientists can only guess. That follows if the evidence is thin. 'Sparse' — scanty, few and far between — fits.
Why the other answers are wrong
- B. abundant
- An 'abundant' record would let scientists conclude, not speculate.
- C. detailed
- A 'detailed' record is the opposite of one that forces guesswork.
- D. reliable
- A 'reliable' record would support firm conclusions; the sentence says the opposite.
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