In this passage about cultural identity, choose the noun that best completes the sentence: “Its roots go into _____.”

Introduction / Context:
This cloze item continues the description of a community’s cultural legacy. After stating “We have rich cultural heritage”, the passage adds “Its roots go into _____.” The blank must be filled with a noun that reinforces the idea of something very old, stretching back into ancient times.

Given Data / Assumptions:

1) The sentence fragment is “Its roots go into _____.”
2) The previous sentence mentions “rich cultural heritage”.
3) The options are: pastress, antiquity, obscurity, dignity.
4) We need a word that relates to age or the distant past.
5) The word must form a natural phrase with “roots go into”.

Concept / Approach:
The phrase “go into antiquity” is a standard way of saying that something originates in very ancient times. “Antiquity” means the ancient past, especially before the Middle Ages. Other options either do not exist as standard English words (“pastress”) or do not match the idea of ancient origin. Therefore we must choose the noun that clearly indicates great age and historical depth.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Consider the overall idea: cultural heritage with roots stretching far back in time. Step 2: Test “pastress”: this is not a standard English word and does not appear in common usage. Step 3: Test “antiquity”: this word means the ancient past and is frequently used in historical and cultural contexts. Step 4: Test “obscurity”: this means being unknown or unclear, not necessarily old; “roots go into obscurity” would change the meaning to “we do not know the origin”. Step 5: Test “dignity”: this refers to honour or respect, which does not connect logically with “roots go into”. Step 6: The phrase “roots go into antiquity” strongly supports the idea that the culture is ancient.

Verification / Alternative check:
Read the two sentences together with “antiquity”: “We have rich cultural heritage. Its roots go into antiquity.” This combination is common in essays about Indian civilisation, Greek culture and other ancient traditions. Substituting any other option either makes the sentence ungrammatical or shifts the meaning to something unintended.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
“pastress” is not a recognised English noun in this context and appears to be an incorrect or invented form. “obscurity” focuses on being unknown rather than on being old, which does not match the proud tone of the passage. “dignity” refers to nobility or respect, but “roots go into dignity” does not make sense because “dignity” is not a time period or origin.

Common Pitfalls:
A frequent mistake is to pick a word that “sounds” sophisticated, like “obscurity” or “dignity”, without checking whether it actually fits the meaning of the sentence. Another pitfall is not recognising “antiquity” as a common academic word referring to ancient times. To avoid such errors, always ask what idea the writer is emphasising: in this case, clearly the great age of the cultural heritage.

Final Answer:
The noun that best completes the sentence is antiquity.