Improve the bracketed part of the sentence, if necessary. The equipment is (adapted to) cotton industries.

Difficulty: Easy

Correct Answer: Adapted for

Explanation:


Introduction / Context:
This question tests correct preposition use with the verb adapted. English uses different prepositions with adapt depending on whether something is changed to suit something else or taken from a source. The sentence refers to a piece of equipment designed to be suitable for use in cotton industries, so you need to select the preposition that expresses suitability or special design for a purpose.


Given Data / Assumptions:

  • Original sentence: The equipment is adapted to cotton industries.
  • Bracketed phrase: adapted to.
  • Options include adapted from, adapted for, adapted of, and no improvement.
  • The context is industrial usage, not modification from another source text.


Concept / Approach:
When something is adapted for a particular use, it means it has been adjusted or designed to be suitable for that purpose. Adapted from is used when one work or design is derived from another, as in a film adapted from a novel. The preposition to can appear with adapt in the sense of a person or system adjusting to conditions, as in adapt to a new environment, but in this sentence the focus is on suitability of equipment for an industry. Therefore, adapted for is the correct choice.


Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Identify the meaning: the equipment has been made suitable for use in cotton industries.Step 2: Recall the pattern: be adapted for a purpose when something is adjusted for a specific use.Step 3: Insert adapted for into the sentence: The equipment is adapted for cotton industries.Step 4: Check that this expresses the intended idea clearly and idiomatically.Step 5: Compare with adapted to and recognise that this pattern is more about people or systems adjusting to conditions, not about design.Step 6: Choose option B as the correct improvement.


Verification / Alternative check:
Consider similar sentences: This machine is adapted for use in cold climates. The software is adapted for educational purposes. Both sentences use adapted for to indicate suitability. Applying the same logic, The equipment is adapted for cotton industries fits naturally. Using adapted to in this context would sound less idiomatic and could confuse the reader about who or what is adjusting.


Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Adapted from: This suggests that the equipment has been developed from some original model or source, as in a machine adapted from a military design. That is not the idea here; we are focusing on its suitability for cotton industries.
Adapted of: This combination is not standard English. Adapt is not followed by of in this way.
No improvement: The original phrase adapted to cotton industries is not the best or standard way to express suitability of equipment for industrial use, so an improvement is necessary.


Common Pitfalls:
Many learners mix up adapt to and adapt for. Remember the simple rule: people, animals, or systems adapt to circumstances, but tools, devices, or plans are adapted for a purpose. Another pitfall is thinking that any preposition can follow adapted as long as the sentence sounds somewhat acceptable. In grammar based exams, however, collocation precision is important. Pay close attention to what is being adapted and for what reason, then choose the preposition that matches that relationship.


Final Answer:
The correct improvement of the bracketed part is adapted for, so the full sentence should read: The equipment is adapted for cotton industries.

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