In the following passage, there are blanks each of which has been numbered.…
2026
In the following passage, there are blanks each of which has been numbered. These numbers correspond to the question numbers; against each question, five words have been suggested, one of which fills the blanks appropriately.
Banks have a long history and have _____(1)______economies and politics for centuries. The development of central banks, responsible for the monetary policy of their country and with supervisory powers over banks, _____(2)______ that financial institutions do not behave recklessly or fraudulently. In most countries, the central bank is state-owned and has a minimal degree of_____(3)______ to allow for the possibility of government intervention in monetary policy. While commercial banks serve individuals and businesses,_____(4)______ the flow of money and thus supporting economic transactions, the central bank's function is to maintain economic_____(5)______ by storing and regulating the flow of money, much as various organs in the human body regulate the production and flow of blood, including the production and flow of red and white blood cells, to support the health of the body as a whole.
Find the appropriate word in case 4.
- A.
facilitating
- B.
urging
- C.
transporting
- D.
declining
Attempted by 174 students.
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: A
Answer: facilitating
Explanation: The correct word to fill blank (4) is facilitating.
Meaning and grammatical fit: "facilitating" means making something easier or enabling it. The sentence reads "While commercial banks serve individuals and businesses, _____(4)______ the flow of money..." — a present participle (facilitating) properly links the two clauses and shows that banks help the flow of money, which supports economic transactions.
Why the other choices are incorrect:
urging — means encouraging; it does not collocate naturally with "flow of money" and does not convey enabling transactions.
transporting — implies physical movement of people or goods; "flow of money" is an abstract process, so this choice is inappropriate.
declining — means decreasing, which contradicts the intended idea that banks help maintain and enable the flow of money.
Summary: "facilitating" matches the meaning (helping or enabling transactions) and the grammatical structure (a participial phrase connecting the clauses), so it is the appropriate choice for blank (4).