In the following question, few sentences are given with two blanks in each. Select the pair of words that best completes both blanks in all the
sentences, ensuring the sentences remain grammatically correct and contextually appropriate.
(I) After a sharp decline in sales, the leadership team moved quickly to __________ its __________, clarifying goals and timelines.
(II) The mayor’s address aimed to __________ public __________ in the safety of the new transit corridor.
(III) The revised prospectus seeks to __________ investor __________ ahead of the listing.
Correct Answer :
bolster, confidence
Solution :
The correct answer is bolster, confidence.
Step-by-Step Analysis:
1. Understanding the Context of Each Sentence:
• Sentence (I): "After a sharp decline in sales, the leadership team moved quickly to __________ its __________, clarifying goals and timelines."
- The first blank requires a verb in base form after "to" (infinitive structure) that means to strengthen, reinforce, or rebuild.
- The second blank requires a noun representing a quality or feeling, such as morale, strategy, or trust/confidence, which would be clarified by setting goals and timelines.
• Sentence (II): "The mayor’s address aimed to __________ public __________ in the safety of the new transit corridor."
- The phrase "in the safety of..." pairs naturally with nouns like "confidence", "trust", or "belief".
- The first blank again requires a verb meaning to boost, increase, or solidify.
• Sentence (III): "The revised prospectus seeks to __________ investor __________ ahead of the listing."
- A prospectus aims to inform and reassure investors.
- The verb must mean to build up or enhance, and the noun must fit the concept of "investor confidence" or "investor trust".
2. Evaluating the Options:
• bolster, confidence:
- Bolster (verb) means to support, strengthen, or build up.
- Confidence (noun) means trust, belief, or assurance.
- Substituting into (I): "...moved quickly to bolster its confidence..." (makes complete logical sense).
- Substituting into (II): "...aimed to bolster public confidence in the safety..." (grammatically and contextually precise).
- Substituting into (III): "...seeks to bolster investor confidence ahead of the listing." (standard business/financial phrasing).
• feeble, credibility:
- "Feeble" is an adjective, not a verb, which violates the grammatical requirement of the first blank following "to".
• dilute, momentum:
- "Dilute" means to make weaker or diminish, which contradicts the positive intention of leadership, mayors, and prospectus documents in the given contexts.
• robust, risk:
- "Robust" is an adjective, not a verb, so it does not fit grammatically after "to".
Conclusion:
The word pair bolster, confidence is the only pair that satisfies all grammatical and semantic requirements across all three sentences.
Access expert-curated educational resources and study materials—completely free.
Create, conduct, and manage professional online assessments with Mindyard. Perfect for teachers and institutes.
Copyright © 2026 Mindyard. All Rights Reserved.