Select the most appropriate option to fill in blank no. 3.

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: B

Explanation

The correct answer is option 2 i.e. damaged.

Context: The sentence says, “By the 1930s, more than 282 million acres of farmland were ________ by erosion.”
Erosion by wind and water causes harm to farmland, not improvement or purification.

Meaning of the words:

Purified: made clean or free from impurities.
Damaged: harmed or destroyed partially.
Developed: made something better or more advanced.
Improved: made something better in quality.

Correct word: The word “damaged” perfectly describes what erosion does — it harms the farmland by removing the topsoil and reducing fertility.

Reason: Erosion cannot purify, develop, or improve land; it destroys and weakens it. Hence, “damaged” fits logically and grammatically.

Final Sentence: By the 1930s, more than 282 million acres of farmland were damaged by erosion.

Hence, the chosen option is correct.

SSC GD 2025 PYQ — Question 3