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Question

Difficulty: MediumCollocations and Fixed Phrases

To prevent further escalation of the industrial dispute, the trade union leaders called on the striking workers to _______ restraint during public demonstrations. Which of the following verbs correctly completes the fixed collocation in the sentence above?

  1. exerciseAnswer
  2. B
    apply
  3. C
    execute
  4. D
    practice

Answer

The verb 'exercise' correctly completes the fixed collocation 'exercise restraint'.
The expression 'exercise restraint' is a standard fixed collocation in formal English used to indicate demonstrating self-control, moderation, or discipline in a delicate situation.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the target noun needing a collocating verb
The target noun in the sentence gap is 'restraint'.
Collocations rely on natural, conventional word pairings rather than literal meaning alone.
2
Evaluate the conventional usage of verbs paired with 'restraint' in formal contexts
'Exercise' is the established, standard verb paired with 'restraint'.
Formal English fixed expressions overwhelmingly use 'exercise restraint' to denote demonstrating discipline or moderation.

Key Concept

Fixed Verb-Noun Collocations
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Topics

Collocations and Fixed Phrases

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