Summers are becoming ----- with each passing year

The sentence "Summers are becoming ----- with each passing year" describes a trend observed over multiple years. To fill in the blank correctly, we should choose a word that accurately conveys this continuous change. The choices provided are ['hottest', 'hot', 'hotter', 'heater'], and the correct answer is 'hotter'. Here's a detailed explanation: 1. Hottest: - This is a superlative adjective that describes something reaching the highest degree of heat. It is used when comparing more than two items or years. - Example: "Last summer was the hottest on record." 2. Hot: - This is a descriptive adjective, but not comparative. It describes something having a high temperature. - Example: "This food is hot." 3. Hotter: - This is the comparative form of 'hot'. It suggests an increase in heat when comparing two or more items or within a progression over time. - Example: "This summer is hotter than the last." 4. Heater: - This is a noun that refers to a device that produces heat. - Example: "We need to turn on the heater because it's cold." Given the context of the sentence, which is to discuss a trend over time, the comparative form 'hotter' is the most appropriate choice. Comparatives are used to compare two things or to indicate a continuous change, which fits the context of successive years. Evidence of Trend: Data from reputable sources, such as the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), supports the assertion that global temperatures are rising. NASA's climate data shows a consistent increase in average global temperatures, indicative of hotter summers over the years. Similarly, the IPCC reports indicate that human activities contribute significantly to global warming, leading to higher temperatures annually. By seamlessly intertwining comparative adjective usage with empirical scientific evidence, we can affirm that 'Summers are becoming hotter with each passing year'.