Examkin

Question

Difficulty: Very hardPrepositions and Prepositional Phrases

Although the regional manager was initially hesitant, he eventually became reconciled _____ the sweeping corporate reforms, especially after the board prevailed _____ him to lead the implementation committee.

Which of the following pairs of prepositions correctly completes the sentence above?

  1. to / uponAnswer
  2. B
    with / over
  3. C
    with / against
  4. D
    at / for

Answer

The correct prepositions are 'to / upon'.
The preposition 'to' correctly completes the expression 'reconciled to', which signifies becoming resigned to or accepting an unwelcome circumstance. The preposition 'upon' correctly completes 'prevail upon', an established idiomatic construction meaning to persuade someone to take action.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the first blank following 'reconciled' in the context of accepting an unwanted situation ('sweeping corporate reforms').
The correct preposition is 'to' because 'reconciled to' means coming to accept an unpleasant or undesirable state of affairs.
Using 'with' would incorrectly imply restoring personal harmony with an individual or group rather than resigning oneself to a situation.
2
Analyze the second blank following 'prevailed' in the context of influencing or persuading someone ('him to lead the implementation committee').
The correct preposition is 'upon' (or 'on') because 'prevail upon' is an idiomatic verb-preposition pair meaning to successfully persuade or induce someone to take action.
Using 'over' or 'against' would alter the meaning to defeating or gaining victory over an adversary.

Key Concept

Dependent prepositions and contextual prepositional collocations
Estimated Time:1m 0s
Rate this question

Topics

Prepositions and Prepositional Phrases

More questions from this topic