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Question

Each of the following sentences has a blank space and four words are given below it. Select the word or group of words you consider most appropriate for the blank space and indicate your response accordingly.

I do not think he will ever _________ the shock of his wife’s death.

This question was previously asked in
CDS I 2018 Elementary Mathematics Previous Year Paper (04-Feb-2018)
The correct answer is

Get over

Let's analyze the given sentence and the options to find the most appropriate word to fill the blank. The sentence is "I do not think he will ever _________ the shock of his wife’s death." It describes a person dealing with intense grief and emotional trauma.

The blank space requires a phrasal verb that means to recover from a difficult or unpleasant experience, especially an emotional one like shock or grief after a death.

Let's examine the meanings of the given phrasal verbs:

  • Get by: This phrasal verb usually means to manage to live or survive, often with just enough money or resources. For example, "They don't have much money, but they manage to get by." It doesn't fit the context of recovering from emotional shock.
  • Get off: This phrasal verb has several meanings, such as leaving a place, escaping punishment, or descending from a bus, train, etc. For example, "He got off the bus at the next stop" or "She was lucky to get off with just a warning." None of these meanings relate to recovering from shock.
  • Get through: This phrasal verb can mean to succeed in passing an exam, finish a task, or communicate with someone. It can also mean to manage to survive a difficult experience or period. While it can imply surviving a difficult time, "get over" is more specifically about recovering from a particular emotional or physical event.
  • Get over: This phrasal verb means to recover from an illness, a shock, a disappointment, or an unpleasant experience. For example, "It took her a long time to get over the flu" or "He found it hard to get over the breakup." This meaning perfectly fits the context of recovering from the shock and grief caused by a death.

Considering the meaning of the sentence, which is about recovering from a severe emotional shock, the phrasal verb "get over" is the most suitable choice.

Understanding the Phrasal Verb Get Over

The phrasal verb "get over" is commonly used to talk about recovering from:

  • An illness (e.g., get over a cold)
  • An emotional event or relationship (e.g., get over a breakup, get over a fear)
  • A shock or disappointment (e.g., get over the shock of bad news)

In the sentence "I do not think he will ever _________ the shock of his wife’s death," the blank needs a word that expresses the idea of recovering from the deep emotional impact of loss. "Get over" accurately conveys this meaning.

Comparing Phrasal Verb Options for Sentence Completion

Here is a quick comparison of how the options fit (or don't fit) the sentence:

Phrasal Verb Meaning Fits the blank? Explanation
Get by Manage to survive/live with difficulty No Relates to survival, not emotional recovery from shock.
Get off Leave, escape, descend No Meanings are unrelated to recovering from shock.
Get through Complete, survive a difficult period (sometimes) Less likely Less specific to recovering from the *shock* itself compared to "get over".
Get over Recover from illness, shock, unpleasant experience Yes Exactly matches the need to recover from shock/grief.

Based on the analysis, "get over" is the most appropriate phrasal verb to complete the sentence.

Revision Table: Common Phrasal Verbs with Get

Phrasal Verb Meaning Example Sentence
Get across To successfully communicate an idea He struggled to get his point across.
Get around To travel to different places She likes to get around the city by bike.
Get back To return to a place When did you get back from your trip?
Get by To manage to live, often with difficulty We can get by on my salary for now.
Get in To enter a car/building Get in the car, we're leaving.
Get off To leave a bus/train/plane/bicycle/horse; to escape punishment Get off the bus at the next stop. / He got off with a warning.
Get on To enter a bus/train/plane; to have a good relationship Let's get on the train. / They get on well.
Get out To leave a car/building; to escape Get out of the car. / The news got out quickly.
Get over To recover from illness, shock, disappointment It took her months to get over the loss.
Get through To survive a difficult situation; to complete; to communicate We'll get through this together. / I couldn't get through to him.
Get up To rise from bed I usually get up at 7 AM.

Additional Information: Coping with Shock and Grief

Recovering from the shock and grief of losing a loved one is a complex and often long process. The phrase "get over" doesn't imply forgetting the person, but rather reaching a point where one can function normally again and integrate the loss into their life. The process can involve various stages, and there is no set timeline for everyone.

Using the phrasal verb "get over" in this context refers to the journey towards emotional healing and finding a way to live with the loss.

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