In this cloze passage based on yoga, you must complete the sentence “As one of the most misunderstood practices, yoga has often borne the brunt of being __________ in extremes” by selecting the correct verb form so that the phrase “has often borne the brunt of being … in extremes” is grammatically correct and natural.

Difficulty: Easy

Correct Answer: seen

Explanation:


Introduction / Context:
This question is drawn from a passage about yoga and how it is frequently misunderstood. The line under consideration is “As one of the most misunderstood practices, yoga has often borne the brunt of being __________ in extremes.” The focus of the question is on choosing the correct verb form to follow “being” so that the entire clause is grammatically correct and stylistically natural in English. Such cloze questions test your grasp of verb forms, participles, and how they function after certain structures.


Given Data / Assumptions:

  • The sentence segment is: “yoga has often borne the brunt of being __________ in extremes.”
  • Options given are: see, seen, saw, and to see.
  • The structure before the blank includes the words “of being,” which strongly suggests a participle or past participle form.
  • The overall tense of the main clause is present perfect (“has often borne”).


Concept / Approach:
In English, the word “being” is often followed by a past participle to form a passive-like meaning or to describe how something is perceived. For example, we say “being seen as weak” or “being treated unfairly.” The phrase “has borne the brunt of being seen in extremes” describes how yoga suffers from being perceived at two extreme ends. Therefore, we need the past participle “seen.” The other forms either create incorrect tense sequences or do not fit grammatically after “being.”


Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recognise that the expression “borne the brunt of being” is followed by a description of how yoga is perceived.Step 2: Recall that after “being,” we usually expect a past participle when describing perception or passive experience, as in “being seen,” “being judged,” or “being misunderstood.”Step 3: Evaluate option B, “seen,” which is the past participle of “see,” and fits naturally in the phrase “being seen in extremes.”Step 4: Consider option A, “see,” which is the base form and does not fit grammatically after “being” in this context.Step 5: Consider option C, “saw,” which is the simple past form and cannot follow “being” correctly.Step 6: Consider option D, “to see,” which is an infinitive and again not suitable after “being” in this structure.Step 7: Conclude that “seen” is the only grammatically correct choice.


Verification / Alternative check:
To verify, read the complete sentence with the chosen word: “As one of the most misunderstood practices, yoga has often borne the brunt of being seen in extremes.” This sentence is smooth, precise, and idiomatic, clearly describing how yoga is often perceived only at extreme ends of the spectrum. If we try inserting the other options, such as “being see in extremes” or “being saw in extremes,” we immediately notice grammatical errors and awkwardness, confirming that they are incorrect.


Why Other Options Are Wrong:
“See” is the base form and does not follow “being” in this kind of expression; we do not say “being see.” “Saw” is simple past and is used as “I saw,” not as a complement after “being.” “To see” is the infinitive and would require a different structure, such as “has often borne the brunt of attempts to see yoga in extremes,” which is not what the sentence is formed to express. Only “seen” correctly conveys the passive sense of how yoga is viewed.


Common Pitfalls:
A frequent problem in cloze tests is ignoring the word directly before the blank. In this sentence, “being” is a clear signal that a participle should follow, but some candidates react only to the general meaning and choose random verb forms. Another pitfall is confusion between past tense and past participle forms such as “saw” versus “seen.” Remember that after “being” and “having been,” English almost always uses the past participle form, not the simple past. Keeping these patterns in mind will help you handle similar questions accurately.


Final Answer:
The correct word to complete the sentence is seen, giving the phrase “has often borne the brunt of being seen in extremes.”

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