Digital technology continues to transform how people communicate worldwide. According to recent surveys, approximately 60% of global internet traffic ...

Let's begin by understanding the meaning of this sentence. We'll use our understanding of pause points and segment the sentence as shown - understanding and assimilating the meaning of each segment bit by bit!

Sentence Structure

• Digital technology continues
  • to transform how people communicate worldwide.
• According to recent surveys,
• approximately 60% of global internet traffic [?]
  • from mobile devices
    • rather than desktop computers.

Understanding the Meaning

Let's start reading from the beginning:

"Digital technology continues to transform how people communicate worldwide."

• This sets up the topic - we're talking about digital technology and communication
• "Continues" tells us this is an ongoing, present-day transformation

Now the second sentence:
"According to recent surveys, approximately 60% of global internet traffic..."

This is giving us specific data:

• Recent surveys have found that 60% of global internet traffic...
• "Recent surveys" tells us this is current, up-to-date information

Now here's where we need to fill in the blank:

• "approximately 60% of global internet traffic _____ from mobile devices"

Let's look at our choices:

• The choices are: is / was being / was / will be
• They're all asking about TENSE - what time frame are we talking about?

What do we know so far that helps us decide?

• "Recent surveys" - this means surveys conducted recently, describing what's happening NOW
• The first sentence uses "continues" - present tense, telling us about the current state of things
• This is clearly data about the PRESENT situation

So we need present tense: is

Now let's read the rest to see the complete picture:

• "from mobile devices rather than desktop computers"
• This completes the finding: 60% of traffic comes from mobile devices (not desktops)

The complete meaning:

• Digital technology is currently transforming communication
• Recent surveys show that RIGHT NOW, 60% of internet traffic comes from mobile devices rather than desktop computers
• This is describing a current fact based on recent data

The correct answer is A. is because we're stating a current fact based on recent surveys.

GRAMMAR CONCEPT APPLIED

Matching Verb Tense to Time Context

The verb tense you choose must match the time markers and logical time frame in your sentence. When describing current facts, ongoing conditions, or present states, use present tense.

Key time markers that signal present tense:

• Words like "recent," "current," "now," "today," "currently"
• Other present-tense verbs in the context
• Data from recent studies/surveys describing present conditions

Pattern:

Example 1:

• "According to recent data, 40% of students were enrolled in online courses"
• "According to recent data, 40% of students are enrolled in online courses"
• "Recent data" = information about the present - use present tense

Example 2:

• "The river continues to flood, and many homes were at risk"
• "The river continues to flood, and many homes are at risk"
• "Continues" = present tense establishes current time frame - other verbs should match

In our question:

• Time markers: "recent surveys" + "continues" (present tense)
• Logical meaning: surveys report current reality
• Therefore: "approximately 60% of global internet traffic is from mobile devices"

The present tense "is" correctly matches the present-time context and describes a current fact.