Question

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Explanation:

Analyze the text structure

The text discusses a study by Jeremy Gunawardena and colleagues on the single-celled protozoan Stentor roeseli. The researchers found that this organism uses multiple strategies to escape irritating stimuli and switches strategies when one fails. This evidence of "changing their minds" suggests that single-celled organisms may not be limited to simple, automatic, or basic behaviors. We need to find a word that contrasts with the complex behavior of switching strategies. This involves Textual Contrast.

Evaluate the context clues

The text contrasts the complex behavior of "changing their minds" (switching strategies) with what people might typically expect from single-celled organisms. The blank completes the phrase "may not be limited to ______ behaviors." The contrast is between complex, flexible behaviors and simple, basic, or undeveloped behaviors. We use Contextual Vocabulary to find a word that means basic, simple, or undeveloped.

Analyze the answer choices

• (A) aggressive: This means hostile or forceful, which does not fit the contrast with complex/flexible behavior.
• (B) rudimentary: This means basic, simple, or undeveloped. This perfectly contrasts with the complex behavior of switching strategies and "changing their minds."
• (C) evolving: This means developing gradually, which does not fit the context of describing simple vs. complex immediate behaviors.
• (D) advantageous: This means beneficial, which does not fit the logical contrast.

Select the correct option

The word "rudimentary" (B) is the most logical and precise word to complete the sentence, as it highlights that single-celled organisms are not limited to only simple, basic behaviors.

Answer:

• (A) aggressive
• (B) rudimentary (Correct answer)
• (C) evolving
• (D) advantageous