Question : Comprehension:
In the following passage, some words have been deleted. Read the passage carefully and select the most appropriate option to fill in each blank.
Since the 17th century, manure has been utilised in agriculture. In those days, they didn't know how plants got the (1)_____ they needed. They would toss wood debris, fish remains, and other side-effects in an unfilled land to dispose of them. However, it wasn't long before people began to notice that the grass, bushes and shrubs there were beginning to (2)______ They came to the conclusion that the soil supplied the plants with the nutrients they needed and that organic remains could aid in this process. Because manure is (3)______ from animals and plants, it not only provides a wide range of plant nutrients but also improves the structure of the soil. Farmers gradually began using fertilisers as well because they understood that if their farmlands were treated in a similar manner, the growth of their crops would also improve. It bonds the soil particles together to form soil crumbs, which are necessary for cultivating soil. Additionally, the addition of manure to the soil aids in the prevention of soil erosion and the loss of plant nutrients during precipitation. Commercial fertilisers, in contrast to manure, are inorganic (4)_______ that do not alter the structure of the soil. Their function is to provide the sprouting plants with additional nutrients. A farmer ought to know when and how to apply a particular kind of fertiliser. When the plants require a particular nutrient the most, use it. If fertilisers haven't been added correctly to the soil, their roots won't be able to take in a lot. Rainwater could wash away these fertilisers, or they could end up (5)_______ the plants instead, costing the farmer money.
Select the most appropriate option to fill in the blank no. 5.
Option 1: wounding
Option 2: harming
Option 3: replicating
Option 4: hurting
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Correct Answer: harming
Solution : The correct choice is the second option .
In the context of the passage, the sentence discusses the potential negative outcomes of incorrect fertiliser application, such as hurting or harming the plants or causing a financial loss to the farmer.
Therefore, the complete sentence is: "Rainwater could wash away these fertilisers, or they could end up harming the plants instead, costing the farmer money."
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