Question

a model created by biologist luis valente predicts that the rate of speciation—the rate at which new species form—on an isolated island located approximately 5,000 kilometers from the nearest mainland _____ triple the rate of speciation on an island only 500 kilometers from the mainland.
20 mark for review
which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of standard english?
a being
b to be
c to have been
d will be

Explanation:

The sentence is about a prediction, so we need a verb form that fits the context of "predict that...". The structure "predict that + subject + will be..." is correct for future or predicted states. Option A "being" is a gerund/participle and doesn't fit as a main verb here. Option B "to be" is an infinitive and doesn't work with the prediction structure. Option C "to have been" is a perfect infinitive, which is not appropriate for a prediction. Option D "will be" correctly conveys the predicted future state of the speciation rate.

Answer:

D. will be