In the following passage, some of the words have been left out. Read the passage carefully and select the correct answer for the given blank out of the four alternatives. You can spend hours looking for________, days waiting for that Eureka ________, moving things around on screen, staring at blank pieces of paper, _______ down half-formed ideas, all to ________ no avail. Sometimes coming up with just one creative idea can feel _______. You feel this way because creativity is a process, a ________that has to be learned and honed. ________ you’re a marketer, designer, entrepreneur or anything in between, creative thinking is a valuable skill to ________. It can help us find ______, tailored solutions to problems and create memorable and effective _________.
________ no avail.
Absolutely
Understanding the Passage and the Blank
The passage describes the often difficult and sometimes frustrating process of creative thinking and generating new ideas. It talks about spending a lot of time trying to find inspiration, waiting for a breakthrough moment (Eureka), trying different approaches, and writing down ideas, but sometimes without success.
The specific sentence we need to complete is: "...staring at blank pieces of paper, _______ down half-formed ideas, all to ________ no avail."
The blank in question comes after "all to" and before "no avail". The phrase "to no avail" is a common idiom meaning "without success" or "uselessly". The word needed for the blank will intensify or specify the degree of "no avail".
Analyzing the Options for '________ no avail'
Let's look at the provided options to see which one fits correctly and naturally with the phrase "to no avail".
- Absolutely: The phrase "absolutely no avail" is a very common and correct way to emphasize that there was absolutely no success or result. It means completely without success.
- Silence: "to silence no avail" does not make grammatical or contextual sense.
- Fully: While "fully" indicates completeness, "to fully no avail" is not a standard or natural phrase in English. "Completely no avail" or "absolutely no avail" are preferred.
- Rightly: "to rightly no avail" suggests that the lack of success was deserved or correct. This does not fit the context of the passage, which describes the frustration of trying to be creative and failing.
Determining the Correct Word
Based on the analysis, "absolutely" is the word that fits idiomatically and contextually with "to no avail" to convey the idea of complete lack of success despite effort. The full phrase "to absolutely no avail" strongly emphasizes the fruitlessness of the actions described before it.
Putting it Back in the Sentence
Reading the sentence with the chosen word:
"...staring at blank pieces of paper, _______ down half-formed ideas, all to absolutely no avail."
This makes perfect sense, indicating that all the effort (staring, moving things, writing ideas) resulted in zero success.
Summary of Choices
| Option | Fits? | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| Absolutely | Yes | Forms a standard idiom "to absolutely no avail" meaning completely without success. |
| Silence | No | Incorrect grammar and meaning. |
| Fully | No | Not a standard idiom, "absolutely" or "completely" is preferred. |
| Rightly | No | Implies the lack of success was justified, which doesn't fit the passage's tone. |
Conclusion
The word that best completes the blank and fits the context and English idiom is "Absolutely".
Revision Table: Understanding Idioms
| Idiom/Phrase | Meaning | Example Usage |
|---|---|---|
| To no avail | Without success; uselessly | He tried to fix the old car, but to no avail. |
| Absolutely no avail | Completely without success | Despite hours of searching, the rescue attempt was to absolutely no avail. |
| Eureka moment | A moment of sudden, exciting discovery or inspiration. | After struggling for days, she had a eureka moment and solved the problem. |
Additional Information: Vocabulary for Describing Lack of Success
Here are some other words or phrases that can be used to describe a lack of success or results:
- Fruitless
- Useless
- In vain
- Unsuccessful
- Ineffective
- Bootless (less common)
Understanding idioms and common collocations (words that often go together) is crucial for vocabulary and grammar questions like this one.
Similar Questions
A ________ that has to be learned and honed.
________ you’re a marketer
It can help us find ________.
Create memorable and effective ________.
Select the most appropriate option to fill blank no 1.
Select the most appropriate option to fill blank no 2.
Select the most appropriate option to fill blank no 3.
Select the most appropriate option to fill blank no 4.
Select the most appropriate option to fill blank no 5.
Select the most appropriate option to fill blank no 6.
Important Questions from Vocab Based Questions
Select whichever word you consider most appropriate for the blank (1)
Select whichever word you consider most appropriate for the blank (2)
Select whichever word you consider most appropriate for the blank (3)
Select whichever word you consider most appropriate for the blank (4)
Select whichever word you consider most appropriate for the blank (5)
