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Question

Directions: Select the most appropriate option to fill in the blank.

We don’t know how the accident happened. We are ______ in the dark.

This question was previously asked in
SSC Stenographer 2019 Previous Year Paper (24-Dec-2020) (Shift 2)
The correct answer is

completely

Understanding the "In the Dark" Idiom for Fill in the Blank

The question asks us to complete the sentence: "We don’t know how the accident happened. We are ______ in the dark." This sentence uses the idiom "in the dark."

What does "in the dark" mean?

The idiom "in the dark" means that someone is unaware of something, lacking information or knowledge about a particular situation or event. If you are "in the dark" about something, it means you haven't been informed or you don't understand what is happening.

Analyzing the Sentence Context

The first part of the sentence, "We don’t know how the accident happened," directly tells us the reason they are "in the dark." They lack information about the cause or details of the accident. The blank needs an adverb that describes the degree to which they are "in the dark."

Evaluating the Options

Let's look at the given options and see which one best fits the blank to describe the state of being "in the dark."

  • appropriately: This means in a suitable or proper manner. It doesn't make sense to be "appropriately in the dark."
  • thoroughly: This means completely and carefully. While "completely" is part of the meaning, "thoroughly" usually applies to actions (like cleaning something thoroughly) rather than a state of lacking information.
  • accurately: This means in a way that is correct or precise. It doesn't apply to the state of lacking information; you can't be "accurately in the dark."
  • completely: This means entirely or totally. Being "completely in the dark" means having no information or knowledge whatsoever about the situation. This fits the context perfectly, as they "don’t know how the accident happened," implying a total lack of understanding about the event.

Why "Completely" is the Correct Choice

The phrase "completely in the dark" is a common way to emphasize a total lack of knowledge or information. Since the sentence states "We don’t know how the accident happened," it implies a full absence of knowledge regarding the accident's cause. Therefore, "completely" is the most appropriate adverb to describe being totally "in the dark."

The completed sentence is: "We don’t know how the accident happened. We are completely in the dark."

Revision Table: Understanding Adverbs

Adverb Meaning Common Usage Context
Appropriately Suitably, correctly Used for actions or responses
Thoroughly Completely, carefully Often used for actions requiring detail
Accurately Precisely, without error Used for measurements, facts, data
Completely Entirely, totally Used for states, feelings, or full extent of something

Additional Information on Idioms and Fillers

Idioms are phrases or expressions whose meaning cannot be deduced from the meanings of its individual words. "In the dark" is a good example.

  • Understanding idioms is important for English fluency and comprehension.
  • Fill-in-the-blank questions often test vocabulary, grammar, and knowledge of idioms and fixed phrases.
  • Words like "completely," "totally," "utterly" are often used to intensify the meaning of certain states or feelings.

In this specific case, "completely" acts as an intensifier for the idiom "in the dark," highlighting the absolute lack of information about how the accident happened.

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