In the following passage, choose the correct word to fill the blank: "___________ being an intangible idea, the nation is quite real because it is a shared idea."

Introduction / Context:
This question is part of a passage completion (cloze test) focused on formal English usage. The sentence discusses the nation as an intangible but real idea and begins with a concessive expression (showing contrast). You must select the preposition or conjunction that correctly introduces the contrast before a verb ing form ("being").

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Sentence fragment: "___________ being an intangible idea, the nation is quite real because it is a shared idea."
• The sentence expresses contrast between "intangible idea" and "quite real".
• Options: "Inspite", "Although", "Despite of", "Despite", and "Though of".
• The word after the blank is "being", which is a gerund/participle.

Concept / Approach:
In English, there are a few ways to express concession: "although", "though", "in spite of", and "despite". "Although" and "though" are followed by a full clause (subject + verb). "In spite of" and "despite" are prepositions followed by a noun, pronoun, or gerund. Here, the next word is "being", which functions like a noun (gerund). Therefore, the correct structure must be "Despite being an intangible idea". "Inspite" is a misspelling, and "Despite of" is grammatically wrong. "Although being" is awkward and non standard.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Notice the contrast: although the nation is an intangible idea, it is still real. So a concessive expression is needed.Step 2: Identify the form that follows the blank: "being an intangible idea" (a gerund phrase).Step 3: Recall that "despite" is correctly used with a gerund ("despite being") while "although" must be followed by a clause ("although it is").Step 4: Eliminate "Inspite" (incorrect spelling of "in spite") and "Despite of" (wrong combination because "despite" does not take "of").Step 5: Choose "Despite" to form the natural and grammatical phrase "Despite being an intangible idea".

Verification / Alternative check:
Insert "Despite" into the sentence: "Despite being an intangible idea, the nation is quite real because it is a shared idea." This sounds fully correct and very natural in formal writing. If we try "Although", we would need to add "it is": "Although it is an intangible idea, the nation is quite real..." The test does not provide "it is", so "Although being" would be ungrammatical. Thus only "Despite" fits both the grammar and the style.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• Inspite: Incorrect spelling; the correct phrase is "in spite of", and it would still require "of".
• Although: Must be followed by a clause ("although it is"), not directly by "being" in formal written English.
• Despite of: Redundant, because "despite" already includes the meaning of "in spite of" and is not followed by "of".
• Though of: Not a valid English expression; "though" does not take "of" in this way.

Common Pitfalls:
Many learners confuse "despite" and "in spite of", or they mechanically add "of" after "despite". A strong way to avoid this error is to remember that "despite" never takes "of", whereas "in spite of" always does. Also, be careful to match "although/though" with clauses and "despite/in spite of" with noun or gerund phrases.

Final Answer:
The correct word to fill the blank is Despite, giving the phrase "Despite being an intangible idea".