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Question

Difficulty: Very hardCollocations and Fixed Phrases

During the international trade summit, the ambassador was advised to exercise utmost caution so as not to ________ aspersions on the host nation's judicial integrity. Which of the following verbs correctly completes the fixed collocation in the sentence?

  1. castAnswer
  2. B
    pass
  3. C
    heap
  4. D
    draw

Answer

The verb 'cast' correctly completes the fixed expression 'to cast aspersions on', which means to criticize or attack someone's character or integrity.
The correct verb 'cast' combines with 'aspersions on' to form a well-established fixed collocation in formal English meaning to make derogatory remarks about someone's character or conduct.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the target fixed phrase in the sentence structure.
The target phrase is '________ aspersions on'.
English lexis relies on restricted collocations where specific nouns require dedicated verbs to maintain standard idiomatic meaning.
2
Evaluate the verb options against established British English collocations.
'Cast' is the unique, standard verb that pairs with 'aspersions'. Verbs like 'pass', 'heap', and 'draw' pair with other nouns ('judgment', 'scorn', 'criticism') but are ungrammatical in this specific fixed collocation.
Collocations are institutionalized word combinations that cannot be substituted with near-synonyms without creating unnatural phrasing.

Key Concept

Restricted Verb-Noun Collocations and Fixed Phrasal Expressions
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Topics

Collocations and Fixed Phrases

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