Animals rely on a combination of internal traits and external behaviors to survive. Bees, for example, have a keen sense of smell that enables them to (i) ............. kin from foe. Their ability to resist (ii) ..............., by contrast, is deficient, making them vulnerable to disease. Scientists speculate that the observed extensive grooming among hive mates (iii) ........... various diseases, thus protecting the colony.
The best way to approach the first blank is to consider the logic of this sentence and predict an answer. A “keen” sense of smell is a positive attribute. What should a bee with a keen sense of smell be able to do with regard to kin and foe? To (A) promulgate is to make known, in the sense of “to announce.” (B) discern means “to perceive or recognize.” And (C) arbitrate means “to decide between disputants.” A bee would want to “recognize” friend from foe, whether or not it did either of the other two things, so (B) discern is the correct choice. The road sign “by contrast” tells you that some other ability is not as good. Indeed, the bees have a “deficiency” of some kind, specifically one that makes them unable to protect themselves from disease. Which phrase most closely describes the desired response? Any of the three answer choices could work, but, as we said in the strategies section, the question gives you clues. Read the third sentence to see if the answer becomes clear. When you do, you’ll note the key words “various diseases” matches one of the second blank’s answer choices, pathogens. Let’s hold on to (D) for now. The third sentence is a bit convoluted, and some of the answer choices are uncommon words, so paraphrase it to put it into simpler terms and predict the answer: “Bees ‘protect’ their colony through grooming behavior.” Only one of the answer choices, (G) minimizes incursions by, fits our prediction. If you substitute the other terms into the blank and reread the sentence, you can confirm (G) as the correct choice; neither (H) implicates replication of or (I) simulates action by makes sense in context. Now that we have two of the blanks filled, we can return to blank (ii). When we read (D) pathogens into the sentence, the three sentences make sense together, and (D) is correct.