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Question

Fill in the blank with the most appropriate phrase:

As the deadline approached, the team was working _____ to finalize the report.

This question was previously asked in
SSC CHSL 2025 Tier 1 Question Paper (21-Nov-2025) (Shift 1)
The correct answer is

against the clock

The phrase "against the clock" means working fast because very little time is left before a deadline.

The sentence says the deadline was approaching and the team had to finish the report, so the situation is a race with time. "Working against the clock" fits this exactly.

"Under wraps" means kept secret, "around the corner" means very near in time or place, and "in high spirits" means cheerful. None of them describes hurried work under time pressure.

So the blank is best filled by "against the clock".

Hence, against the clock.

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