Choose the most appropriate option to fill in the blank:
We helped an injured ranger while passing _____ the restricted area of the mountains.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → through
Preposition of movement:
- Through shows movement in at one side of an area and out at the other, passing inside it.
- This sentence: the speakers were crossing the restricted area of the mountains, so they were "passing through" it.
- Complete sentence: We helped an injured ranger while passing through the restricted area of the mountains.
Example: The train passes through a long tunnel.
Why the Other Options are Incorrect?
Option 1: from — Incorrect. From shows the starting point of movement; "passing from the area" would mean leaving it, not crossing it.
Example: She walked from the station to the school.
Option 3: between — Incorrect. Between refers to the space separating two things or people; an area is not two points.
Example: The shop is between the bank and the post office.
Option 4: among — Incorrect. Among means in the middle of a group of several separate things or people; it is not used for crossing a region.
Example: He found a rare book among the old papers.
Contrast: "through" is for crossing an area from one side to the other, "from" marks the starting point, "between" is for two things and "among" for several.