Difficulty: Easy
Correct Answer: robots
Explanation:
Introduction / Context:
This question is from a cloze passage, where you must select the word that completes the meaning of a sentence logically and contextually. The passage talks about the true purpose of education and emphasises the need for human beings who can think, feel, and act generously. At the end, it contrasts such human beings with computers and another type of non human entity. The goal is to choose the option that best fits this contrast and maintains the theme of automation and technology.
Given Data / Assumptions:
- The passage stresses that education is for life, not only for earning a livelihood.
- It highlights that society needs human beings who can think and act generously.
- The last line mentions the kind of people who cannot be replaced by computers and blank.
- Options: monitors, televisions, robots, mechanics, machines.
Concept / Approach:
The key idea in the sentence is the contrast between rich, generous human beings and impersonal machines or automated systems. Computers already represent one type of machine. A parallel term should refer to another kind of intelligent, automated device associated with replacing human labour. Robots fit this meaning perfectly because they are machines that can carry out complex tasks and are often imagined as replacing human workers. Monitors and televisions are display devices, not independent agents. Mechanics are human workers, and machines is too general and unbalanced after computers. Therefore, robots is the most natural and meaningful choice.
Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Notice the contrast in the sentence between human beings with feelings and artificial entities like computers.
Step 2: Recognise that the blank should be filled with another non human entity capable of performing tasks that might replace humans.
Step 3: Among the options, robots uniquely represents advanced machines that are often imagined as substitutes for human labour.
Step 4: Read the sentence with robots inserted: human beings who cannot be replaced by computers and robots. This sounds natural and reinforces the message of the passage.
Verification / Alternative check:
Evaluate the sentence with each option. Computers and monitors sounds like two computer parts, not two agents replacing humans. Computers and televisions mixes computing and entertainment devices, which breaks the theme. Computers and mechanics is illogical because mechanics are human workers. Computers and machines is possible but less specific and slightly repetitive, because computers are already a type of machine. Computers and robots, however, clearly evokes the theme of automation and artificial intelligence, making the contrast with rich human qualities very sharp.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
- monitors: these are display screens and are not typically thought of as entities that replace human beings in complex tasks.
- televisions: mainly entertainment devices, unrelated to the idea of automated work replacing humans.
- mechanics: refers to people who repair machines, so using this after computers would break the contrast between humans and non humans.
- machines: too broad and somewhat redundant because computers are already machines; the pairing sounds vague compared to computers and robots.
Common Pitfalls:
Some candidates pick machines because it seems to match the category of computers. However, cloze questions often aim for the most vivid and specific image. Robots immediately suggests automated workers without feelings, which emphasises the contrast with educated human beings who can think and act generously. Always look for the option that sharpens the theme of the passage rather than simply matching by general category.
Final Answer:
The correct word to fill the blank is robots.
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