Complete the cloze passage by filling in the blanks with the most appropriate words.
Horses ____A_____ companions of humans for thousands of years. They carried warriors into battles, pulled carts ____B____ villages, and became symbols of power and grace. Even today, they remain important in sports, farming, and therapy sessions. Have you ever wondered why horses are often described as noble animals? Their strength, loyalty, and ability to understand human emotions make them unique. A horse does not simply run; it runs with a spirit that seems ____C____ (untamed) and free. Take care of your horse well, for it ____D_____ on you for food, shelter, and affection. Groom it regularly and ensure it is treated with kindness. When horses are cared for, they respond with trust and gentleness, creating a bond that lasts a lifetime. How ____E_____ (incredible) it is to watch a herd of horses galloping across an open field! Their hooves thunder against the ground, their manes fly in the wind, and their eyes shine with energy. Truly, horses are living poetry in motion! As the saying goes, 'The wind of heaven is that which blows between a horse's ears.' Horses remind us that freedom, loyalty, and beauty can exist together in one magnificent creature. They are not just animals of burden but teachers of patience, courage, and respect.
Choose the correct option to fill in the blank (A).
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: D
Explanation
Correct Answer
have been
Explanation
The question asks for the correct verb form to fill in blank (A). The sentence contains the time marker 'for thousands of years', which indicates an action or state that started in the past and continues up to the present moment. This requires the present perfect tense. Because the subject 'Horses' is plural, the plural auxiliary verb 'have' must be combined with the past participle 'been' to form 'have been'.
The other options are incorrect because they fail to match either the required tense or the plural subject. Option 1 (was) is simple past and singular, which creates a subject-verb agreement error with 'Horses'. Option 2 (had) is a past tense helping verb that would require another main verb to make sense in this context. Option 3 (will be) is simple future, which contradicts a state that has already existed for thousands of years.
Key Points
Tense selection in cloze passages on your exam paper often relies entirely on searching the sentence for specific time markers. Spotting phrases like 'for thousands of years' or 'since' is an immediate indicator that you must look for a present perfect tense form like 'have been'.