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Contemporary proposals for reversing ocean acidification have taken
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14 May 2026, 08:59
14 May 2026, 08:59
Expert Reply
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Question Stats:
41% (01:20) correct
58% (01:06) wrong based on 12 sessions
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Contemporary proposals for reversing ocean acidification have taken the form of planetary-scale alkalinity enhancement projects - such as dissolving vast quantities of crushed limestone into open seawater - that are vastly more (i) ______ than any Victorian naturalist's vision of restoring marine equilibrium. What remains unresolved, as one surveys the history of marine intervention research, is whether this audacious ingenuity will ultimately prove (ii) ______ , or whether, in failing, it will render the scientific community's (iii) ________ all the more conspicuous.
| Blank (i) | Blank (ii) | Blank (iii) |
|---|---|---|
| A. practicable | D. premature | G. zeal |
| B. audacious | E. efficacious | H. impotence |
| C. contentious | F. anticipated | I. forbearance |
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Contemporary proposals for reversing ocean acidification have taken
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15 May 2026, 23:47
15 May 2026, 23:47
1
Expert Reply
Explanation
Blank (i)
The sentence contrasts contemporary proposals with the "Victorian naturalist's vision." The contemporary ideas are described as "planetary-scale alkalinity enhancement projects," such as dissolving vast quantities of crushed limestone. Later in the sentence, the text refers to this approach as "audacious ingenuity." Therefore, the first blank needs a word that mirrors this scale and daring nature.
B. audacious is perfectly matches the later clue ("audacious ingenuity") and highlights how much bolder these modern planetary scales are compared to older, smaller visions.
Blank (ii)
The sentence sets up a contrast: "whether this audacious ingenuity will ultimately prove (ii) ______ , or whether, in failing, it will..." The word "or" introduces two opposite outcomes: succeeding versus failing. The second blank represents the successful outcome.
E. efficacious is correct: Efficacious means successful in producing an intended result (effective), which acts as the direct opposite of "failing."
Blank (iii)
If the project ends up "failing," it will make a certain characteristic of the scientific community "all the more conspicuous" (highly visible). We need a word that represents inability or failure to achieve a goal, especially in contrast to their big ambitions.
H. impotence is correct: Impotence means inability to take effective action or helplessness. If a massive, audacious project fails, it highlights the scientific community's ultimate lack of power to fix the ocean.
Answer: B,E,H
Blank (i)
The sentence contrasts contemporary proposals with the "Victorian naturalist's vision." The contemporary ideas are described as "planetary-scale alkalinity enhancement projects," such as dissolving vast quantities of crushed limestone. Later in the sentence, the text refers to this approach as "audacious ingenuity." Therefore, the first blank needs a word that mirrors this scale and daring nature.
B. audacious is perfectly matches the later clue ("audacious ingenuity") and highlights how much bolder these modern planetary scales are compared to older, smaller visions.
Blank (ii)
The sentence sets up a contrast: "whether this audacious ingenuity will ultimately prove (ii) ______ , or whether, in failing, it will..." The word "or" introduces two opposite outcomes: succeeding versus failing. The second blank represents the successful outcome.
E. efficacious is correct: Efficacious means successful in producing an intended result (effective), which acts as the direct opposite of "failing."
Blank (iii)
If the project ends up "failing," it will make a certain characteristic of the scientific community "all the more conspicuous" (highly visible). We need a word that represents inability or failure to achieve a goal, especially in contrast to their big ambitions.
H. impotence is correct: Impotence means inability to take effective action or helplessness. If a massive, audacious project fails, it highlights the scientific community's ultimate lack of power to fix the ocean.
Answer: B,E,H
Re: Contemporary proposals for reversing ocean acidification have taken
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16 May 2026, 04:00
16 May 2026, 04:00
Expert Reply
Blank (i) - B. audacious: The passage praises scale and daring, not feasibility. Audacious captures bold ambition; practicable judges workability; contentious judges reception.
Blank (ii) - E. efficacious: The positive outcome of the contrast is that the ambition yields actual results. Efficacious (producing the intended effect) is the precise word. Premature and anticipated describe timing and expectation, not results.
Blank (iii) - H. impotence: If the grand scheme fails, the scientific community's inability to solve the problem is made all the more visible and painful by the scale of the attempt. Zeal is positive and unaffected by failure; forbearance is the premium trap.
Blank (ii) - E. efficacious: The positive outcome of the contrast is that the ambition yields actual results. Efficacious (producing the intended effect) is the precise word. Premature and anticipated describe timing and expectation, not results.
Blank (iii) - H. impotence: If the grand scheme fails, the scientific community's inability to solve the problem is made all the more visible and painful by the scale of the attempt. Zeal is positive and unaffected by failure; forbearance is the premium trap.
