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Difficulty: Very hardPhrasal Verbs and Prepositional Verbs

During the annual general meeting, when the aggrieved shareholders pressed for a clear account of the missing funds, the managing director attempted to __________ evasive excuses instead of presenting the audited statement. Which phrasal verb correctly completes the sentence?

  1. fob them off withAnswer
  2. B
    fob them off on
  3. C
    gloss them over with
  4. D
    palm them down with

Answer

fob them off with
The expression 'fob someone off with something' is the established phrasal verb pattern used when a person attempts to appease or evade persistent questioning by offering unsatisfactory or evasive excuses. In this context, the managing director is attempting to satisfy questioning shareholders with evasive excuses.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the contextual and syntactic requirements of the sentence stem.
The sentence requires a three-part phrasal-prepositional structure where a personal pronoun ('them', referring to shareholders) is the direct object, followed by a preposition introducing the instrument of evasion ('evasive excuses').
The scenario describes an executive attempting to pacify persistent interrogators using inadequate explanations.
2
Evaluate the precise idiomatic meaning of 'fob off'.
'Fob someone off with something' specifically denotes turning away or appeasing someone by offering deceptive or superficial excuses.
Standard British English usage requires 'fob [person] off with [excuse]' when addressing persistent inquiries.

Key Concept

Phrasal Verbs with Double Objects and Specific Prepositional Complements
Estimated Time:1m 0s
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Topics

Phrasal Verbs and Prepositional Verbs

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