DET Fill in the Blanks Practice

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Examples

Example 11

• The compositor works with a [manuscript] and uses a small, flanged iron ruler called a composing stick placed at his left side.
• As he reads, his right hand, guided by habit, finds the needed letter from a [case] and places it upright on the composing stick in a row.
• He separates the words using a metal [spacer] that has a flat end without any carving.
• After finishing the first line, he starts the next by placing a [new] row of metal pieces next to the completed line.
• When the composing stick is full, he carefully [transfers] the pieces into an iron frame to keep them in place, creating what is known as the printing bed.

Example 12

• The picture [represents] a locomotive.
• The boiler, also known as the boiling pot, is the largest component where steam is [generated].
• It is a large [cylindrical] structure that extends from one end to the other and rests on six wheels.
• It is constructed with solid iron plates that are [securely] fastened with large rivets.
• At the front, the boiler ends in a [smokestack], while at the back it connects to a furnace with an open door.
• A man known as the stoker [continuously] shovels pit-coal into the furnace to maintain a hot fire that heats the boiler’s water and produces ample steam.

Example 13

• The rags are [washed] thoroughly to remove impurities.
• Next, machines [take] over the process.
• Scissors cut the rags, metal claws tear them, and wheels [shred] them into pulp.
• Millstones grind the pulp further, and mixing it with water [transforms] it into a slurry.
• Since the pulp is [gray], it must be whitened.
• Strong chemicals are then applied to [bleach] the pulp, quickly turning it white.
• The pulpy mass is now fully [purified].

Example 14

• Ants that discover a small herd plan to build a sheepfold—a summer chalet—where they can [enclose] the plant-lice and protect them from the bright sun.
• They also stay at the chalet for a while, keeping the plant-lice close so they can easily [collect] the sweet secretions.
• To begin, they dig a small hole at the base of a tuft of grass to [expose] the top of the root.
• The exposed root forms a natural framework that [supports] the new structure.
• Next, grains of damp earth are placed one by one to form a large dome that [rests] on the root framework and encloses the part of the plant above where the plant-lice live.
• Openings are [carved] into the dome to provide access and ventilation.
• Finally, the chalet is [complete].

Example 15

• Some metals [never] rust; gold is one such metal.
• Ancient gold coins recovered from the earth after centuries remain as bright as when they were first [minted].
• They show no signs of [dross] or rust on their engravings and inscriptions.
• Time, fire, humidity, and air do not damage this [remarkable] metal.
• Because of its [lasting] shine and rarity, gold is especially valued for making ornaments and coins.
• Furthermore, gold was the first metal people became [familiar] with, long before iron, lead, tin, and others.

Example 16

• Jules [declared], "There is no truth in those tales like Puss-in-Boots, Cinderella, or Bluebeard."
• He explained that they are [merely] fairy tales, not real stories.
• He added that he prefers stories that are [genuinely] true.
• At these words, Uncle Paul [closed] his large book and looked up.
• This moment provided a chance to shift the conversation to more [engaging] and meaningful topics beyond Mother Ambroisine's old tales.
• Uncle Paul said, "I [value] your interest in true stories."
• He continued, "In true stories, you will find both [wonders] to delight your imagination and lessons to prepare you for life."

Example 17

• After a brief silence, Uncle Paul resumed speaking and [explained] that the unfortunate boy's death was caused by belladonna.
• Belladonna is a large weed that features [reddish], bell-shaped flowers.
• Its berries are [round], purplish-black, and resemble cherries.
• The leaves are [oval] with pointed tips.
• The plant gives off an [unpleasant] odor and has a gloomy appearance, as if warning of its hidden poison.
• The berries are particularly dangerous because they [tempt] children with their cherry-like appearance and sweet taste.
• Belladonna poisoning is characterized by an [enlarged] pupil and a fixed, dull stare.

Example 18

• A low, [flat] section of the seashore is selected, and shallow, extensive basins called salt marshes are dug.
• Sea water is then allowed to [flow] into these basins.
• Once the basins are full, their [connection] to the sea is closed.
• The work on these salt marshes takes place during the [summer].
• As the sun heats the basins, the water gradually [evaporates], leaving behind a crystalline layer of salt that is removed with rakes.
• Finally, the accumulated salt is [piled] into a large heap to allow it to drain.

Example 19

• Each eruption of this boiling water geyser is signaled by tremors in the earth and low, distant sounds reminiscent of underground [artillery].
• As the vibrations [intensify], water rushes upward from the crater’s depths, filling the basin with a force that makes it seem like a giant, heated boiler.
• Amid a swirling cloud of steam, the water rises in a [relentless] surge.
• Suddenly, the geyser releases its full power in a loud explosion, propelling a six-meter-wide column of water up to a height of sixty meters before [cascading] back down in steaming showers that form a broad, fan-shaped vapor cloud.
• This [dramatic] eruption lasts only a few moments.

Example 20

• Claire [quickly] joined them.
• Their uncle [led] the children under an elder bush in the garden, where they observed a beautiful scene.
• The bush was covered with [white] flowers.
• Bees, flies, beetles, and butterflies moved [slowly] from one flower to another, creating a gentle hum.
• On the trunk of the elder tree, many ants [crawled] along the ridges, some moving upward while others descended.

Example 21

• The cemetery of Allouville in Normandy is home to one of the [oldest] oaks in France.
• Its roots extend into the cemetery’s soil, lending the tree [remarkable] strength.
• The trunk measures ten meters in [circumference] at the base.
• A small hermit’s chamber crowned with a tiny [steeple] stands among its vast branches.
• The partly hollow base of the trunk has been [converted] into a chapel dedicated to Our Lady of Peace.
• Notable individuals have considered it an honor to pray in this rustic sanctuary and [reflect] under the ancient tree that has witnessed countless graves.
• Based on its dimensions, experts [estimate] the oak to be approximately nine hundred years old.

Example 22

• The silkworm butterfly is not [attractive].
• It is pale in color, has a [bulky] abdomen, and appears heavy.
• It does not fly from flower to flower because it does not feed on [nectar].
• Soon after emerging from its cocoon, it [immediately] begins laying eggs and then dies.
• The eggs of the silkworm butterfly are often called 'seeds' because an egg, like a seed, is the [starting] point for new life.
• Thus, eggs and seeds are [analogous] in their roles in the life cycles of animals and plants.

Example 23

• Many insects begin their lives by laying eggs in [locations] that ensure the young will find enough food.
• After hatching, the insect emerges as a larva, a small grub that must fend for itself and find shelter and nourishment—a [challenging] task.
• In the early stages of life, the larva receives no help from its [mother], as adult insects often die before their eggs hatch.
• Without delay, the larva [begins] to feed.
• It eats [continuously].
• Feeding is [crucial] for its survival and future development.
• The larva consumes food not only to maintain its strength but also to gain the [necessary] body mass for its metamorphosis.

Example 24

• In contrast, iron appears [unremarkable] when it is first discovered.
• It is found as an earthy, [reddish] crust in which the metal’s presence is only suspected after detailed analysis, as it is essentially a form of rust mixed with other materials.
• Furthermore, discovering that this [rusty] stone contains metal is only the first step; a method must be developed to break down the ore and restore the iron to its pure metallic form.
• Numerous efforts were required to achieve this [challenging] goal.
• There were also many [fruitless] attempts and painful trials along the way.
• Iron was the last metal to be [widely] used, following metals such as gold, copper, and silver, which were sometimes discovered in pure form.
• Despite its later adoption, iron proved to be extremely useful, spurring [significant] advancements in human industry.

Example 25

• He asked, "Which of you three can tell me what spiders do with their [webs], those fine webs stretched in the corners of the granary or between two shrubs in the garden?"
• In the evening, Mother Ambroisine, wearing her large round [spectacles], was busy knitting stockings.
• A cat slept on her knees, its gentle [purr] blending with the rhythmic tick-tack of the needles.
• Meanwhile, the children [eagerly] awaited the tale of the spider.
• Their uncle then [began] speaking.

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• All DET Question Types Explained - Task types with practice links
• Complete Guide to DET Basics - Format overview

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