In the following passage, some of the words have been left out. Read the passage carefully and select the correct answer for the given blank from the four alternatives. "Jim Crow" shuns the mountains for reasons satisfactory to himself; not so the magpie, the raven, and a certain mischief maker, Clark's nutcracker. All of this keeps the bird lover from the East in an ecstasy of surprises until he has become fully accustomed to his changed environment. One cannot help falling into a speculative mood in view of the sharp contrasts ____________ the birds of the East and ____________ of the West. Choose the correct preposition to complete the blank in view of the sharp contrasts ____________.

Introduction / Context:
This question is based on a passage that compares birds of the Eastern and Western regions. A single blank tests the candidate understanding of a very common English preposition pattern, namely the phrase contrast between A and B. Such questions are frequent in banking, SSC, and other competitive examinations, because they check whether the learner can recognise fixed prepositional combinations rather than translating word by word.

Given Data / Assumptions:
The passage mentions sharp contrasts and then refers to the birds of the East and the birds of the West. The blank comes just before the words the birds of the East and another blank comes before of the West. The options given for this particular blank are beside, beneath, between, and below. Only one option correctly completes the standard expression used in formal written English. We assume normal modern usage and no archaic or poetic licence.

Concept / Approach:
In English, certain nouns regularly combine with only one or two prepositions. The noun contrast usually combines with between when two things or groups are compared, and with with when one thing is contrasted with another. The idiomatic phrase here is contrast between X and Y. Therefore, we must choose the preposition that fits this fixed pattern. The other options relate to physical position or vertical location and do not create a natural collocation with contrast in this abstract sense.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Identify the key phrase in the sentence: sharp contrasts ______ the birds of the East and ______ of the West. Step 2: Recognise that the sentence is comparing two groups, namely birds of the East and birds of the West. Step 3: Recall the standard English pattern: contrast between A and B. Step 4: Check the options and see that only between fits the pattern contrast between A and B. Step 5: Conclude that between is the only grammatically correct and idiomatic choice for the blank that introduces the first group in the comparison.

Verification / Alternative check:
A simple way to verify the answer is to form a shorter sentence. For example, one can say There is a contrast between summer and winter, but one cannot say There is a contrast below summer and winter or There is a contrast beside summer and winter in standard English. If we replace birds of the East and birds of the West with summer and winter, the same logic applies. This mental substitution confirms that contrast between is the correct fixed phrase and that between is therefore the only acceptable preposition in the given context.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Beside normally refers to physical position at the side of something or someone, and contrast beside the birds sounds ungrammatical in this context.
Beneath usually refers to position lower than something, either literally or metaphorically, and does not pair naturally with the noun contrast here.
Below also refers to vertical position lower than a reference point and cannot introduce a group being contrasted with another group in this abstract way.

Common Pitfalls:
A common mistake is to focus only on the meaning of individual prepositions, such as thinking that any preposition might work as long as a vague relation is expressed. Examinations often test collocations, where a noun or verb has a preferred preposition. Learners sometimes choose beside or below because they associate contrast with figurative distance or separation, but that approach ignores actual idiomatic usage. The safest strategy is to recall or learn patterns like difference between, contrast between, and divide between, which are widely accepted in formal English writing and speaking.

Final Answer:
The correct preposition that completes the phrase in view of the sharp contrasts __________ the birds of the East and __________ of the West is between.