Completing the Sentence: The Governor and the State Holiday

The question asks us to choose the most appropriate word to complete the sentence: "The governor ______ that it would be a state holiday." We need a verb that describes the action of a governor officially announcing or stating something like a state holiday.

Let's look at the options provided:

• talked: This word means to speak, often informally. It doesn't fit the formal context of a governor making an official announcement about a state holiday.
• granted: This word means to give or allow something, often in response to a request or as a formal right. While a holiday is something given, "granted that it would be a state holiday" doesn't quite fit the typical usage for making a public announcement of this kind. It's more about the act of bestowing something requested or deserved.
• decided: This word means to make a choice or come to a resolution. A governor might *decide* to make it a state holiday, but "decided that it would be a state holiday" usually implies the internal decision-making process, not the act of announcing it publicly or officially.
• declared: This word means to announce something officially or publicly. Governors officially announce state holidays. "Declared that it would be a state holiday" is the standard and most fitting phrase for this action.

Comparing the options, "declared" is the verb that accurately describes a governor making an official public announcement about something like a state holiday. The governor formally announces, or declares, that a specific day will be a state holiday.

Therefore, the completed sentence is:

The governor declared that it would be a state holiday.