Cloze passage (birds): In the sentence "_____ Colorado you will look in vain for the common blue jay", which preposition correctly completes the blank?

Introduction / Context:
This cloze question tests preposition use with geographical names. The passage talks about searching for a particular bird in a specific American state. In English, we typically use "in" with the names of large areas such as countries, states, and cities when indicating location.

Given Data / Assumptions:
- Sentence fragment: "_____ Colorado you will look in vain for the common blue jay." - Options: On, In, Into, Onto. - "Colorado" refers to a US state, treated as a large area. - The idea is to say "in Colorado" as a general location.

Concept / Approach:
When we refer to being located inside a country, state, or city, English uses the preposition "in": in India, in Rajasthan, in London, in Colorado. Prepositions like "on", "into", and "onto" suggest surfaces or movement toward a place, which do not fit here. The sentence is simply describing a general condition within the boundaries of Colorado, so "in" is the only correct choice.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recognise that "Colorado" is a state and that the sentence describes a general situation inside that state. Step 2: Apply the standard pattern: "in" plus name of region. Step 3: Insert "In" and read: "In Colorado you will look in vain for the common blue jay." Step 4: Test "On": "On Colorado" would sound wrong because Colorado is not a surface in this context. Step 5: Test "Into" and "Onto": both suggest movement towards Colorado, but the sentence is about looking inside Colorado, not going into it. Step 6: Therefore conclude that "In" is correct.

Verification / Alternative check:
Compare with similar sentences: "In Rajasthan you will find many forts" or "In Alaska you can see the northern lights." Using "on" or "into" in these examples would sound ungrammatical. The pattern "In Colorado you will look in vain" follows the same structure and is clearly the intended form in the passage.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
"On" is normally used for surfaces (on the table) or for some islands, not for states. "Into" implies movement from outside to inside, which the sentence does not describe. "Onto" also describes movement toward a surface and is not used for static regional location.

Common Pitfalls:
Learners sometimes overuse "on" with place names because of phrases like "on an island" or "on the coast". To avoid errors, remember that for most large land areas such as countries, states, and cities you should choose "in" when talking about general location, not movement.

Final Answer:
The correct preposition is "In", giving "In Colorado you will look in vain for the common blue jay."