Read this excerpt from "The Unseen Values."

Nevertheless, if we can depend on the history of scientific adventure and progress, on its consistent tendencies of the past, then we can be reasonably sure that the greatest, finest benefits to come from our ventures into space are yet unseen.
Which words in the passage above best help the reader infer the meaning of tendencies?

progress, benefits, adventure
history, consistent, past
scientific, space, ventures
depend, reasonably, sure