Select the most appropriate option to fill in blank no. 5.

In the following passage, some words have been deleted. Read the passage carefully and select the most appropriate option to fill in each blank.

Erosion of America's farmland by wind and water (1)._________ a problem since settlers first put the prairies and grasslands (2) __________ the plow in the 19^th century. By the 1930s, more than 282 million acres of farmland were (3) ____________ by erosion. After 40 years of conservation efforts, soil erosion has (4) ________________ due to new demands placed (5) _____________ the land by heavy crop production.

Show answer & explanation

Correct answer: A

Explanation

The correct answer is option 1 i.e. on.

Context: The sentence talks about new demands being placed on the land because of heavy crop production. The preposition “on” is generally used when something is imposed or applied to a surface or an area, like “pressure on someone” or “demand on resources.”

Meaning of the words:

On: used to show something that affects or is applied to something.
In: used to show position inside something.
By: shows the agent (who performs the action).
Of: shows belonging or relationship.

Correct word: The phrase “placed on the land” is grammatically correct and commonly used in English.

Reason:
Here, the “demands” are being applied to the land, not “in,” “by,” or “of” it. Therefore, “on” correctly expresses the relationship between “demands” and “land.”

Final Sentence:
Soil erosion has increased due to new demands placed on the land by heavy crop production.

Hence, the chosen option is correct.

SSC GD 2025 PYQ — Question 1