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TOEFL Reading Complete the Words Practice 003The History of the Zipper
TOEFL Reading Complete the Words Practice #003 - The History of the Zipper
Reveal
Complete the text with the missing letters.
TOEFL Reading Complete the Words Practice #003 - The History of the Zipper
The zipper was patented in 1893, but it took more than two decades before clothing manufacturers trusted it enough to use it widely. Early designs often jam or popped open without warn, which made tailors hes to recommend them to customers. An improved version introduced in 1913 finally solved most of these mech problems, inte teeth that grip firmly instead of merely hooking loos. Even so, the zipper's popularity rem limited to boots and tobacco pou for years. Only after a major clothing company ado zippers for children's clothing in the 1920s did the wider fashion industry begin experimenting with them for garments in general.
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Answer Explanations Reveals the correct words
- 1.jammed
“Jammed” is a past-tense verb coordinated with “popped” in “designs often jammed or popped open.” Both verbs describe ways early zippers failed. The past tense also matches the paragraph’s historical narrative.
- 2.warning
“Warning” completes the standard phrase “without warning,” meaning suddenly or unexpectedly. After the preposition “without,” a noun is needed, and “warning” names the advance notice that users did not receive.
- 3.hesitant
“Hesitant” fits the pattern make + object + adjective in “made tailors hesitant.” It describes the tailors’ resulting attitude: because zippers could fail unexpectedly, tailors were reluctant to recommend them.
- 4.mechanical
“Mechanical” is an adjective modifying the plural noun “problems.” It refers back to physical problems with the zipper’s mechanism, especially jamming and popping open.
- 5.interlocking
“Interlocking” modifies “teeth” and describes teeth that connect securely with one another. This adjective–noun combination explains how the improved zipper design solved many earlier mechanical problems.
- 6.gripped
“Gripped” is the past-tense verb in the relative clause “teeth that gripped firmly.” The combination “gripped firmly” indicates a secure hold and contrasts with the weaker action of “hooking loosely.”
- 7.loosely
“Loosely” is an adverb modifying “hooking.” It contrasts with “firmly”: both words describe how an action happens, but “firmly” suggests a secure connection while “loosely” suggests a weak one.
- 8.remained
“Remained” is a past-tense linking verb with the singular subject “the zipper’s popularity.” In “remained limited,” it shows that popularity continued to be restricted despite the improved design.
- 9.pouches
“Pouches” is a plural noun coordinated with the plural noun “boots.” The paired nouns identify the two limited product categories in which zippers were used for years.
- 10.adopted
“Adopted” is the past-tense main verb whose subject is “a major clothing company” and whose object is “zippers.” In context, it means the company began using zippers for children’s clothing, helping lead to wider experimentation in fashion.