Question:
Honeybees tend to be more ---- than earth bees: the former, unlike the latter, search for food together and signal their individual findings to one another.
Honeybees tend to be more ---- than earth bees: the former, unlike the latter, search for food together and signal their individual findings to one another.
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A colon (:) in a sentence completion question is a strong signal that the following clause will define, explain, or give an example of the missing word. Read the explanation carefully and find the word that summarizes it.
Updated On: Oct 4, 2025
- insular
- aggressive
- differentiated
- mobile
- social
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Solution and Explanation
Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
This is a sentence completion question where the second part of the sentence defines or provides evidence for the word in the blank. The colon indicates an explanation is to follow.
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
The sentence compares honeybees and earth bees. It states that honeybees are "more ----". The part after the colon explains this difference: honeybees "search for food together and signal their individual findings to one another." This behavior of working together and communicating is the definition of a social animal. Therefore, the word in the blank must mean "social." Let's evaluate the options:
(A) insular: isolated; uninterested in others. This is the opposite of the described behavior.
(B) aggressive: hostile or ready to attack. This is not supported by the evidence.
(C) differentiated: distinct or specialized. While bees in a hive are differentiated, "social" is a better description of the specific behaviors mentioned.
(D) mobile: able to move. Both types of bees are mobile; this is not the point of contrast.
(E) social: living and working together in an organized community. This word perfectly describes the behavior of searching for food together and communicating findings.
Step 3: Final Answer:
The word "social" accurately describes the cooperative and communicative behavior of honeybees as detailed in the sentence.
This is a sentence completion question where the second part of the sentence defines or provides evidence for the word in the blank. The colon indicates an explanation is to follow.
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
The sentence compares honeybees and earth bees. It states that honeybees are "more ----". The part after the colon explains this difference: honeybees "search for food together and signal their individual findings to one another." This behavior of working together and communicating is the definition of a social animal. Therefore, the word in the blank must mean "social." Let's evaluate the options:
(A) insular: isolated; uninterested in others. This is the opposite of the described behavior.
(B) aggressive: hostile or ready to attack. This is not supported by the evidence.
(C) differentiated: distinct or specialized. While bees in a hive are differentiated, "social" is a better description of the specific behaviors mentioned.
(D) mobile: able to move. Both types of bees are mobile; this is not the point of contrast.
(E) social: living and working together in an organized community. This word perfectly describes the behavior of searching for food together and communicating findings.
Step 3: Final Answer:
The word "social" accurately describes the cooperative and communicative behavior of honeybees as detailed in the sentence.
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