Choose the most appropriate option to fill in blank no. 1.

In the following passage, some words have been deleted. Read the passage carefully and select the most appropriate option to fill in each blank.
Sniffer dog Tucker uses (1)________ nose to help researchers find out why a killer whale population off the northwest coast of the United States is (2)________ the decline. He searches for whale faeces floating on the surface of the water, which are then collected for examination. He is one of the elite team members of detection dogs used by scientists studying a (3)________ of species including right whales and killer whales.
Conservation canines are fast becoming indispensable tools for biologists according to Aimee Hurt, associate director and co-founder of Working Dogs for Conservation, (4)________ in Three Forks, Montana.
Over the last few years, though, so many new conservation dog projects have sprung up that Hurt can no (5)________ keep track of them all. Her organisation’s dogs and their handlers are fully booked to assist field researchers into 2012.

Show answer & explanation

Correct answer: B

Explanation

The correct answer is option 2 i.e. its

Context: The sentence talks about Sniffer dog Tucker and his nose used for detecting whale faeces. The blank should show possession by the dog.

Meaning of the words:

him – refers to a male person, not used for possession
its – shows possession for animals or things
his – shows possession for a male person
her – shows possession for a female person

Correct word:

its

Reason: Since Tucker is a dog, we use its to indicate possession. Using his or her is for humans, not for animals in formal writing.

Final Sentence: Sniffer dog Tucker uses its nose to help researchers find out why a killer whale population off the northwest coast of the United States is declining.

Hence, the chosen option will be correct

SSC MTS 2024 PYQ — Question 87