Understanding the Fill in the Blank Question

The question asks us to choose the most appropriate word to complete the sentence:

"As he crossed the desert he nearly ______ to thirst when he was forced to go without water for four days and five nights."

The sentence describes a person facing an extreme situation while crossing a desert – being without water for a long time. This situation would lead to severe thirst and a life-threatening condition. The word in the blank should convey what nearly happened to him because of the thirst.

Let's examine the given options:

• submerged: This means to be covered completely by water or another liquid. This word is unrelated to dying from thirst in a desert.
• succumbed: This means to fail to resist pressure, temptation, or some other negative force. When used with "to thirst," it means to give in to or be overcome by thirst, often leading to death. The phrase "nearly succumbed to thirst" means he almost died from thirst.
• survived: This means to remain alive after an event, especially a difficult one. The sentence says he "nearly" did something to thirst. If he "nearly survived," it would imply he almost didn't make it, which is similar in meaning to nearly dying, but "nearly survived to thirst" is not a standard or grammatically correct phrase in English. We usually survive *an ordeal* or *despite* something, not "to" it.
• subsisted: This means to maintain or support oneself, especially at a minimal level. While related to survival, "subsisted to thirst" does not make sense. You might subsist *on* minimal water or subsist *through* hardship, but not "to thirst."

Considering the extreme lack of water in the desert and the phrase "nearly ______ to thirst", the word that fits best is succumbed, as it means to nearly die or give in to the severe effects of thirst.

Analyzing the Options in Detail

Let's look closer at why the other options don't fit the context of nearly dying from lack of water in the desert.

• Submerged: This word describes being underwater. It is completely irrelevant to the experience of dehydration and thirst in a desert.
• Survived: The sentence structure uses "nearly". "Nearly survived" implies he almost didn't survive. However, the structure "nearly ______ to thirst" requires a word that signifies yielding or failing because of thirst. While closely related to not surviving, "succumbed to thirst" is the idiomatic phrase for dying or nearly dying from thirst.
• Subsisted: This implies managing to stay alive, perhaps just barely. The phrase "subsisted to thirst" is not a correct usage of the word. One might subsist *on* minimal resources or subsist *through* difficult times. It doesn't fit the grammatical structure or meaning required here.

Therefore, succumbed is the only word among the options that correctly completes the phrase "nearly ______ to thirst," conveying that he was on the verge of dying from dehydration.

Most Appropriate Word Selection

Based on the analysis of the meaning and usage of each word, the most appropriate word to fill the blank is succumbed.

The completed sentence reads: "As he crossed the desert he nearly succumbed to thirst when he was forced to go without water for four days and five nights."

This sentence clearly describes the extreme danger he faced from lack of water, indicating he was close to dying from thirst.

Revision Table: Key Vocabulary

Additional Information: Dehydration and Survival

Crossing a desert is an extremely dangerous task, especially without adequate water. Dehydration occurs when the body loses more fluid than it takes in, leading to severe thirst, weakness, dizziness, confusion, and eventually, organ failure and death if not treated. Survival in such conditions depends heavily on finding water or being rescued before the body's resources are depleted.

The sentence highlights the severity of being without water for "four days and five nights," emphasizing how close the person came to dying from thirst, or nearly succumbed to it.