Question

Directions for questions 91 and 92: Fill in the blanks with the correct words or phrases.
The government's attempt to petrol prices have failed.

• A. wipe off
• B. cap off
• C. sweep aside
• D. force down

Hint:

Look for the phrase that means to push a value or level lower.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is D

This question tests knowledge of phrasal verbs and which one fits the idea of bringing prices down.

1. wipe off: means to erase or remove something completely, like wiping off a debt or a stain. It does not carry the sense of reducing a price gradually, so it does not fit here.
2. cap off: means to finish or top off something, often on a good note, such as capping off a celebration. It has nothing to do with lowering prices.
3. sweep aside: means to ignore or dismiss something as unimportant, such as sweeping aside an objection. It does not describe an action taken on petrol prices themselves.
4. force down: means to push something to a lower level by applying pressure or effort, which is exactly what a government attempts when it tries to reduce petrol prices.

Since the sentence is about the government trying, and failing, to bring petrol prices lower, only "force down" matches this meaning.

Let's summarize:

• "Force down" means to push a level or value lower through effort or pressure.
• "Wipe off", "cap off", and "sweep aside" all carry different meanings that do not fit reducing a price.

So the correct phrase is "force down", making option (d) the right answer.