Understanding the Passage and Blank (1)

The passage describes Bond's experience after leaving his hotel. He walks for a few minutes when he suddenly realizes something important. The sentence where blank (1) appears is crucial: "But he had walked only for a few minutes when it suddenly ---(1)--- to him that he was being ----(2)--- by someone." We need to choose the word that best fits the blank (1) to convey the idea that a thought or realization came into his mind suddenly.

Analysing the Options for Blank (1)

Let's look at the options provided for blank (1):

• a) Felt
• b) occurred
• c) Happend

We need to determine which word grammatically and contextually fits the phrase "it suddenly ______ to him that...".

Option a) Felt

The word 'felt' is the past tense of 'feel'. While 'feel' relates to sensing or having an emotion, the phrase "it felt to him that..." is not a standard way to express a sudden realization or thought coming into someone's mind in this context. For example, you might say "He felt happy" or "The surface felt smooth", but not typically "it felt to him that he was being followed" when referring to the thought process itself.

Option b) occurred

'Occurred' is the past tense of 'occur'. The phrase "it occurred to him that..." is a very common and correct idiom used to describe a thought, idea, or realization suddenly coming into someone's mind. For example, "It occurred to me that I had forgotten my keys." This fits the context of Bond suddenly realizing he was being followed.

Option c) Happend

'Happend' is likely a misspelling of 'happened', the past tense of 'happen'. 'Happen' means to take place or occur. While related in meaning in some contexts, the phrase "it happened to him that..." is not the correct grammatical structure or idiom to express a sudden thought or realization. You might say "It happened that he was in the right place at the right time," but not "it happened to him that he was being followed" in the sense of a thought arriving.

Selecting the Correct Word

Based on the analysis, the phrase "it suddenly occurred to him that..." is the standard and correct way to express a sudden realization or thought. Options a) and c) do not fit grammatically or idiomatically in this sentence structure and meaning.

Therefore, the best word to fill in blank (1) is "occurred".

Revision Table: Analyzing Options for Blank (1)

Additional Information on "Occurred to Me"

The phrase "it occurred to me that..." is a common English idiom. It is used when you suddenly think of something, realize something, or remember something. The structure is typically:

• It occurred to + [person] + that + [idea/realization]

For example:

• It occurred to me that I hadn't eaten all day.
• Did it occur to you that we might be late?
• It suddenly occurred to him that he recognized the man's face.

This idiom highlights the suddenness or spontaneous nature of the thought coming to mind, which perfectly matches the context in the passage where the realization came to Bond suddenly.