Introduction / Context:
This cloze passage question checks both tense agreement and subject–verb agreement in a journalistic context. The sentence describes current thinking of health department officials based on last year's H1N1 attack and the present weather. The learner must choose the verb form that correctly matches the plural subject “officials” and fits the overall time reference of the passage.
Given Data / Assumptions:
- Sentence: “In view of last year's H1N1 attack and prevailing erratic weather conditions, the health department officials ____________ that the virus will turn more active by January end.”
- Subject: “the health department officials” (plural).
- Options: “expect”, “expects”, “were expecting”, “are expecting”.
- The clause “will turn more active” refers to a future possibility, but the statement itself is given as a general present report.
Concept / Approach:
We need a verb that agrees with the plural noun “officials” and expresses their present assessment. In formal news writing, present simple is commonly used to state general expectations or predictions, especially in reported summaries: “officials expect that…”. The present continuous “are expecting” sometimes suggests an ongoing process, while “were expecting” would refer to the past. “Expects” with -s would agree with a singular subject, so it is not correct here.
Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Identify the subject of the verb: “the health department officials” is clearly plural.
Step 2: Eliminate “expects” because the -s form is used only with a singular subject in the present simple (he/she/it expects).
Step 3: Consider the time frame. The reference to “last year's attack” is background information, but the clause “will turn more active by January end” describes what they currently believe about the future.
Step 4: Present simple “expect” is the standard choice for expressing general expectations: “officials expect that the virus will turn more active …”.
Step 5: “Were expecting” would put the expectation in the past, which contradicts the sense that they are making a present prediction. “Are expecting” is grammatically possible but less idiomatic than the neutral present simple “expect” in this reporting style.
Verification / Alternative check:
Insert “expect”: “the health department officials expect that the virus will turn more active by January end.” This reads exactly like standard news reporting.
Check if any other option fits better. “Are expecting that the virus will turn more active” sounds slightly awkward and is not the usual collocation with “officials” in formal articles.
Thus, “expect” is both grammatically correct and stylistically appropriate.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option B (expects): Does not agree with the plural subject “officials”. It would be correct only with a singular subject such as “the department expects”.
Option C (were expecting): Past continuous, suggesting a previous expectation which may have changed; this does not match the present report of what they now think.
Option D (are expecting): Grammatically possible but less natural in formal news style, where simple present “expect” is favoured for general statements.
Common Pitfalls:
Learners often focus on the nearest noun, such as “department”, and incorrectly use singular verb forms.
Some candidates overuse continuous tenses (“are expecting”) even when simple present is more appropriate for general truths or institutional views.
Failure to match the style of news reporting can lead to choosing verbs that sound technically correct but not idiomatic for exam passages.
Final Answer:
The correct choice is “expect”, giving “the health department officials expect that the virus will turn more active by January end.”
Discussion & Comments