Colonialism had a great impact on the lives of the aboriginal Australians who were eventually (1) _______ by the whites with all power and privilege. The colonisers turned their land into rubbish pits and (2) _______ sites for their own betterment. The aborigines were often (3) _______ as sub-humans with low status and dirty habits. The whites not only displaced the tribes off their homeland but also (4) _______ the beauty and balance of the natural world. An increase in deforestation and destruction of traditional land led (5) _______ like emu, eagle, and kangaroo, among many others to dwindle over time.

Select the most appropriate option to fill in blank number 1.

The correct answer is subjugated.

Step-by-step Explanation:

1. Analyze the context of the sentence:
The sentence reads: "Colonialism had a great impact on the lives of the aboriginal Australians who were eventually (1) _______ by the whites with all power and privilege."
The passage discusses the negative consequences of colonialism, specifically how the colonizers (the whites) stripped the aboriginal Australians of their rights, power, and homeland, while keeping all power and privilege for themselves.

2. Evaluate the given options for Blank 1:
- caught: This means captured or ensnared. While aborigines were captured or displaced, "caught by the whites with all power and privilege" does not form a logically sound passive construction expressing systematic domination in this context.
- understood: This means perceived or comprehended. This contradicts the context, as the passage highlights that they were treated as "sub-humans with low status," showing a lack of proper understanding or respect.
- subjugated: This means defeated, conquered, or brought under complete control and domination. This perfectly fits the context of colonialism, where the dominant group (the colonizers) conquered and dominated the native population.
- raised: This means elevated or brought up. This contradicts the theme of exploitation and displacement described in the passage.

3. Conclusion:
The word subjugated is the most appropriate fit both contextually and grammatically to show how the aboriginal Australians were dominated and brought under the control of the colonizers.