I would like to have native speakers suggestions about the following test.
Hi, I am Allen, from China, a learner of English for 13 years. Today, I came across the following weird test which puzzled me a lot. The test allows only one-word modification, to be deleted, added or changed, on each line. As I was going through the passage, I found that some lines might contain more than one error, which rendered me to question the validity of the test. Now, I need to ask native speakers for authoritative suggestions.
An individual human existence should be alike a river 1)____
small at first, narrowly contained within their banks, and rushing 2)____
passionately passed rocks and over waterfalls. Gradually, the river 3)____
grows wider, the banks recede, the waters flow more quietly, and at 4)____
the end, without some visible break, they become merged in the sea, 5)____
and painlessly lost their individual being. The man who, in old age, 6)____
can see his life at this way, will not suffer from the fear of death, 7)____
since the things he cares will continue. And if, with the decay of 8)____
vitality, weariness increases, the thought of a rest will not be 9)____
unwelcome. I should wish to die while still at work, content in
the thought what was possible has been done. 10)____
My answers in accordance with the requirements:
(The parts in brackets are what I am suspecting.)
An individual human existence should be alike a river 1)alike→like
small at first, narrowly contained within their banks, and rushing 2)their→its
passionately (passed) rocks and over waterfalls. Gradually, the river 3)over→down
grows wider, the banks recede, the waters flow more quietly, and (at) 4)waters→water
the end, without some visible (break), (they) become merged in the sea, 5)some→any
and painlessly (lost) their individual being. The man who, in old age, 6)in→at
can see his life at this way, will not (suffer from the fear of death), 7)at→in
since the things he cares will continue. And if, with the decay of 8)And→But
vitality, weariness increases, the thought of a rest will not be 9)of∨a→having
unwelcome. I should wish to die while still at work, content in
(the thought what was possible has been done). 10)in→with