Unsupervised machine learning is an approach that computer scientists like Nina Miolane use to engineer artificial intelligence technologies. It invol...

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

• Unsupervised machine learning
  • is an approach
  • that computer scientists like Nina Miolane use
  • to engineer artificial intelligence technologies.
• It
  • involves training computer algorithms
  • to organize unlabeled data sets.
• Multitask learning
  • is another approach.
• (?)
  • involves training computer models
  • to perform multiple tasks
  • at the same time.

Understanding the Meaning

Let's start reading from the beginning to understand what this passage is about.

The first sentence tells us:

• Unsupervised machine learning is an approach
  • that computer scientists like Nina Miolane use
  • to engineer artificial intelligence technologies.

So we're learning about one specific approach to creating AI.

The second sentence continues:

• 'It involves training computer algorithms to organize unlabeled data sets.'
  • The 'It' here refers back to unsupervised machine learning
  • and tells us what this approach involves doing.

The third sentence introduces something new:

• 'Multitask learning is another approach.'
  • So now we have a second approach being mentioned
  • 'Multitask learning' is one thing - a singular approach.

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

• '______ involves training computer models to perform multiple tasks at the same time.'

Let's look at our choices:

• Those = plural
• They = plural
• It = singular
• Some = plural

The blank needs a pronoun that refers back to 'Multitask learning' from the previous sentence.

What do we notice?

• 'Multitask learning' is singular - it's one approach
• So we need a singular pronoun to refer to it
• The sentence structure mirrors the earlier pattern:
  • Sentence 2: 'It involves training...' (about unsupervised machine learning)
  • Sentence 4: '[?] involves training...' (about multitask learning)

So we need It - the singular pronoun that refers back to 'Multitask learning.'

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

• 'involves training computer models to perform multiple tasks at the same time'
  • This completes the description of what multitask learning does
  • It makes perfect sense as an explanation of this approach.

GRAMMAR CONCEPT APPLIED

Pronouns Must Match Their Antecedents in Number

When you use a pronoun to refer back to something mentioned earlier (called the antecedent in grammar terms), the pronoun must match whether that thing is singular or plural. This is called pronoun-antecedent agreement.

Pattern:

Singular antecedent → Singular pronoun

• The approach is effective. It helps solve complex problems.
  • "approach" = singular antecedent
  • "It" = singular pronoun ✓

Plural antecedent → Plural pronoun

• The approaches are effective. They help solve complex problems.
  • "approaches" = plural antecedent
  • "They" = plural pronoun ✓

In this question:

• Multitask learning is another approach. It involves training computer models...
  • "Multitask learning" = singular antecedent
  • "It" = singular pronoun ✓

The key is identifying what the pronoun refers to and checking whether it's singular or plural, then choosing the pronoun that matches.