30%
Help the panicked accountant complete his frantic email to the IT department by selecting the correct nuanced future and modal forms.
By the time the auditors knock on our door tomorrow, our poor server ___________________________________ these numbers for 48 straight hours. Assuming it doesn't melt, it _______________________________ the final report by 8:59 AM. However, if the system fails, we __________________________ resort to the ancient art of the abacus.
will have been crunching
The phrase "By the time... tomorrow" combined with the duration "for 48 straight hours" requires the Future Perfect Continuous tense to emphasize an ongoing action leading up to a specific point in the future.
should have finished
We use should + have + past participle to express an expectation that an action will be completed by a certain point in the future (indicated here by "by 8:59 AM"). "Must have finished" is used for past deductions, not future expectations.
will have to
The sentence uses a first conditional structure ("if the system fails" - present simple), which requires a future form in the main clause to express a realistic future consequence or obligation.