Question

Complete the sentence: “The candidate was completely ______ by the deceptive questions asked by the interview board.”

• A. taken in
• B. brushed off
• C. ironed out
• D. lashed out

Hint:

Remember: \[ \text{Taken in} \rightarrow \text{Fooled or deceived} \] Example: \[ \text{“He was taken in by the scam.”} \]

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
This context-completion question tests your mastery of phrasal verbs. A phrasal verb is an idiomatic phrase consisting of a standard verb combined with a preposition or an adverb. This combination creates a new meaning that is completely distinct from the original base verb.
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
Let's analyze the contextual definitions of each phrasal verb option to see which fits the sentence: - Taken in (Option A): To be "taken in" by something means to be deceived, tricked, misled, or fooled by it. In our sentence, since the interview board asked "deceptive questions," it makes perfect sense that the candidate was fooled or tricked by them. - Brushed off (Option B): To "brush off" means to dismiss, ignore, or reject someone casually. This doesn't fit the sentence's passive construction regarding the candidate's reaction to questions. - Ironed out (Option C): To "iron out" means to resolve minor problems, difficulties, or details. It is typically applied to agreements, disputes, or plans, not people. - Lashed out (Option D): To "lash out" means to suddenly attack someone physically or verbally. It is an active expression and does not fit the passive grammatical context ("was completely lashed out by questions"). Therefore, option (A) is the only phrasal verb that is both contextually and grammatically correct.
Step 3: Final Answer:
The correct phrasal verb to complete the sentence is taken in, matching option (A).