Question 184·Easy·Form, Structure, and Sense
During the expedition, scientists collected ice cores that _____ valuable data about Earth’s ancient climate, which they plan to analyze back in the laboratory.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
For verb tense and agreement questions like this, first read the whole sentence to understand the time frame (past, present, future) and whether the information is a one-time event or a general fact. Then, locate the subject that the verb must agree with and decide what tense and aspect (simple past, simple present, present perfect, etc.) best match the meaning. Quickly test each option in the sentence, eliminating choices with wrong tense, wrong number (singular/plural), or awkward, nonstandard forms; the remaining choice should sound natural and match both the subject and the time frame.
Hints
Identify the subject for the blank
Look at the phrase “ice cores that _____ valuable data.” What noun does “that” refer to, and is it singular or plural?
Think about when the data is in the ice cores
Are the ice cores being described as having had data only in the past, or as having data that the scientists will still analyze later?
Match verb tense to meaning
Given that the scientists plan to analyze the data later, should the verb in the blank show a past state that might be over, or a current, ongoing fact?
Check for natural, standard usage
Try each choice in the sentence and listen for which one sounds like normal, standard English to describe what is inside the cores now, with a plural subject.
Step-by-step Explanation
Understand the meaning and time frame of the sentence
The sentence says scientists collected ice cores and that they plan to analyze the data in the laboratory. This means the valuable data is still in the ice cores now and will be there when they analyze it. So the verb in the blank should describe a current, ongoing fact about the ice cores.
Find the subject that the blank’s verb must match
Focus on the phrase around the blank: “ice cores that _____ valuable data.”
- The subject of the verb in the blank is “that,” which refers back to “ice cores.”
- “Ice cores” is plural, so the verb must be in a form that agrees with a plural subject.
- We also need a verb form that matches the ongoing situation described in Step 1.
Evaluate the tense and form of each option
Now consider what each choice would mean in the sentence:
- “contained” = simple past; suggests the cores had the data in the past, not necessarily now.
- “are containing” = present progressive; sounds unnatural with a state verb like “contain” and is not standard here.
- “have contained” = present perfect; suggests something like “they have, at various times, had data,” which does not match the simple description of what is inside them now. We need a simple present verb form that works with a plural subject and expresses a general, current fact about the cores.
Choose the verb that fits tense, meaning, and agreement
The simple present plural form of the verb “to contain” is “contain,” which describes a general, current fact and agrees with the plural subject **“ice cores.” Plugging it in, we get: “scientists collected ice cores that contain valuable data about Earth’s ancient climate, which they plan to analyze back in the laboratory.” This is grammatically correct and matches the intended meaning, so C) contain is the correct answer.