Seeing that the laser can be used for many good purposes, the writer's fear of it _____.

Like most people, for many years, I remained frightened of the laser, perceiving it as a deadly device capable of enormous destruction. Although the laser does have tremendous potential for destruction, my unreasonable fear of the laser is fading. In recent years, scientists have found that the laser has a wide variety of applications, making it one of the most important inventions in the last quarter of a century for improving our quality of life.