Question

elephant seals
elephant seals are massive marine mammals that can grow as large as
8,800 pounds. male elephant seals have a protuberance that resembles
a trunk. they are tremendously territorial, and often males ___ by
slamming their large, thick necks into their opponent with enough force to
crush bones. unlike many marine animals, the elephant seal can survive
frigid conditions and warm beaches.
which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions
of standard english?
a have fought
b will fight
c did fight
d are fighting

Explanation:

The sentence describes a general characteristic of male elephant seals. The present - tense form is appropriate for stating a general fact.

• Option A: "have fought" is the present perfect tense, which is used for actions that started in the past and have a connection to the present (e.g., result in the present). But this sentence is about a general behavior, not an action with a specific connection to the present in that sense.
• Option B: "will fight" is the future tense. The sentence is not talking about a future action but a general characteristic.
• Option C: "did fight" is the past tense. The text is not referring to a past - only action but a general behavior that still holds.
• Option D: "are fighting" is the present continuous tense. However, the present simple (if it were "fight") would be more appropriate for a general statement. But among the given options, since the sentence structure is "often males...", and we need a verb form that can be used in a general sense (even though it's a bit of a stretch in terms of tense - usage nuances compared to the ideal present simple), "are fighting" can be used to describe a repeated action in a more dynamic way (as if we are looking at their general behavior pattern).

Answer:

D. are fighting