# PTE RW FIB #7: Innovative Medical Technology for...

Reading & Writing: Fill in the Blanks #7 - Level 1 - Feeds Reading

> Below is a text with blanks. Click on each blank, a list of choice will appear. Select the appropriate answer choice for each blank.

Scientists have developed a vibrating pill that may help dieters feel full and eat less. The pill, which is swallowed before a meal, contains a tiny motor that is ____ by stomach acid. The motor makes the pill vibrate, stimulating the stomach wall and creating a ____ of satiety. The pill was tested on pigs, who ate almost 40% ____ food after ingesting the capsule. The researchers, from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the University of Texas at San Antonio, hope to conduct human trials soon. They believe the pill could be a safe and effective alternative to invasive weight-loss surgeries or drugs with ____ effects. The pill is designed to pass through the digestive system naturally after a few hours.

## Answer

Scientists have developed a vibrating pill that may help dieters feel full and eat less. The pill, which is swallowed before a meal, contains a tiny motor that is **activated** by stomach acid. The motor makes the pill vibrate, stimulating the stomach wall and creating a **sensation** of satiety. The pill was tested on pigs, who ate almost 40% **less** food after ingesting the capsule. The researchers, from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the University of Texas at San Antonio, hope to conduct human trials soon. They believe the pill could be a safe and effective alternative to invasive weight-loss surgeries or drugs with **side** effects. The pill is designed to pass through the digestive system naturally after a few hours.

## Explanation

Blank 3 describes an amount of "food," which is an uncountable noun. You use "less" with uncountable nouns, so "less food" is right. "Fewer" goes with countable nouns like "meals." "Least" and "fewest" are superlatives and do not fit after a percentage. In blank 4, "side effects" is a fixed phrase for unwanted drug effects.

## Hints

- Look at the words immediately before and after the blank to determine the required part of speech.
- Consider the scientific context; the passage describes a mechanical process inside the body.

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