The newly appointed professor found it hard to _________ the students who were _________ and _________ to the topics discussed during lectures.
The newly appointed professor found it hard to _________ the students who were _________ and _________ to the topics discussed during lectures.
Solution
✅ Correct Option: 2
Test the preposition 'to': The students were ___ and ___ TO the topics. Both adjectives must work with 'to'.
Answer: Option 2 - encourage; withdrawn; indifferent.
- 'Withdrawn to topics' = closed off from them. 'Indifferent to topics' = uninterested. BOTH work with 'to'.
Why the others fail:
- Option 1: 'difficult to topics' - wrong; 'difficult' doesn't take 'to' this way
- Option 3: 'belligerent to topics' - awkward; belligerent usually targets people, not topics
- Option 4: 'deficient to topics' - wrong preposition (it should be 'deficient IN')
Tip: When a fill-in has multiple blanks, find the ONE that fails for each wrong option. Often it's a hidden grammar issue, like preposition use.