In this passage-based vocabulary question, fill the blank in the clause "and ______________________ it for the purposes of subordinating individual rights" by choosing the correct verbal form related to using or taking over a concept.

Introduction / Context:

This question comes from a critical passage about how a court misused the symbolic term "fraternity" long after the Constitution was framed. The clause to be completed is "and ______________________ it for the purposes of subordinating individual rights". You must choose the correct verbal form that shows what the court did with the term in order to misuse it.

Given Data / Assumptions:

- The relevant fragment: "and ______________________ it for the purposes of subordinating individual rights".

- Options: "appropriate", "appropriately", "appropriating", "appropriated".

- The previous part of the sentence refers to a court coming along 66 years later.

- The basic sense is that the court took over or used the term in a particular way, which is expressed by the verb "appropriate".

Concept / Approach:

The sentence uses "and" to join two actions: the court comes along later, and it does something with the term for a particular purpose. In such structures, when we join actions with "and", we often use parallel non-finite verb forms like "and appropriating it" after describing a prior event. Because the sentence is describing a general process rather than a simple past action, the best form is the present participle "appropriating". The base form "appropriate" and the simple past "appropriated" do not fit as smoothly into this grammatical pattern, and "appropriately" is an adverb, which does not make sense before "it".

Step-by-Step Solution:

Verification / Alternative check:

Consider the full sentence: "The Constitution's framers did not use this symbolic term for a court to come along 66 years later, and appropriating it for the purposes of subordinating individual rights to some mythic notion of community harmony..." In context, "appropriating" functions as a participle that adds an action done by the court: it comes later and (by) appropriating the term, it misuses it. This sort of participial phrase is common in higher-level English prose when criticising actions or summarising complex behaviour.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

"appropriate" as a bare verb does not fit well without "to" or a clear subject and would disrupt the smooth flow of the passage. "appropriately" changes the meaning and grammatical role, describing how something is done rather than what is done, and it cannot take "it" as a direct object. "appropriated" is a past tense form and would require a change in sentence structure to use correctly. In the original passage style, the continuous participle "appropriating" is the form that both matches the grammar and conveys the idea of ongoing misuse.

Common Pitfalls:

Many learners instinctively choose base forms of verbs because they look simple, without checking whether a participle or a gerund is required after "and". Another mistake is confusing "appropriate" the verb (meaning to take or use something, often without permission) with "appropriate" the adjective (meaning suitable), which leads to wrong interpretations. Paying close attention to how the blank fits the entire clause structure is essential in passage-based questions where subtle grammatical cues guide the correct choice.

Final Answer:

The blank should be filled with "appropriating", giving "and appropriating it for the purposes of subordinating individual rights".