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Difficulty: HardPhrasal Verbs and Prepositional Verbs

During the protracted contract negotiations, the vendor attempted to __________ the board's limited technical expertise to secure an inflated project budget. Which of the following phrasal verbs best completes the sentence?

  1. trade onAnswer
  2. B
    trade off
  3. C
    trade in
  4. D
    trade with

Answer

The phrasal verb 'trade on' correctly completes the sentence as it means to exploit or take unfair advantage of something (such as a weakness or lack of knowledge).
The phrasal verb 'trade on' idiomatically means to exploit, leverage, or take unfair advantage of a situation, vulnerability, or reputation for personal gain. In the given sentence, the vendor takes advantage of the board's limited technical knowledge to secure an inflated contract budget.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the sentence context and identify the required meaning.
The context describes a vendor exploiting the board's lack of technical knowledge to obtain an inflated budget.
Understanding the contextual nuances of the sentence determines the precise particle needed.
2
Evaluate the idiomatic meanings of phrasal verbs rooted in 'trade'.
'Trade on' specifically signifies taking unfair advantage of a situation or vulnerability, whereas 'trade off' implies compromise and 'trade in' refers to physical exchange.
Differentiating between particle pairings prevents selecting inappropriate collocations or literal misinterpretations.
3
Select the correct option that satisfies both grammatical structure and semantic precision.
'Trade on' fits seamlessly into the sentence structure and accurately reflects the vendor's opportunistic behavior.
Ensures adherence to Standard British English rules tested in JAMB UTME Use of English.

Key Concept

Phrasal Verbs and Prepositional Verbs
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Topics

Phrasal Verbs and Prepositional Verbs

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