Question

Select the most appropriate option to fill in the blanks.
Christmas trees spread around the world, but the tradition began to have a ____________ impact on forests, especially in Germany. As a result, Germans began making artificial goose-feather trees in the 1880s. These trees ____________ different countries, and over time the goose feathers were replaced by other materials. A notable development occurred in the 1930s, when a manufacturer of toilet bowl brushes allegedly used surplus product to ____________ an artificial tree.

• A. differential, had prevailed in, auction
• B. detrimental, found their way to, create
• C. prolific, were moved to, auction
• D. benign, came from, auction

Hint:

Look for cause-and-effect relationships in the text. The phrase "As a result" is a strong clue that the first blank describes a negative impact (the cause) leading to the creation of artificial trees (the effect).

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Step 1: Understanding the Question:
The question requires us to select the best set of words to fill the three blanks in the paragraph, ensuring the text is logical and grammatically correct.
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
Let's analyze each blank in the context of the paragraph:


Blank 1: The sentence mentions that Germans started making artificial trees as a "result" of the tradition's impact on forests. This implies the impact was negative. The word 'detrimental' means harmful or damaging, which fits perfectly. 'Benign' (harmless) is the opposite, 'prolific' (productive) and 'differential' (varying) do not fit the negative context.
Blank 2: This blank describes the spread of artificial trees. The phrase 'found their way to' is an idiomatic way to say they spread or reached different countries. 'Had prevailed in' is too strong, 'were moved to' is awkward, and 'came from' is incorrect.
Blank 3: The sentence describes a manufacturer using surplus product. The purpose was to make an artificial tree. The word 'create' is the most suitable verb for this action. 'Auction' is irrelevant.
Considering all three blanks, the words from option (B) create the most coherent and meaningful paragraph.
Step 3: Final Answer:
The correct set of words is 'detrimental, found their way to, create'.