Select the appropriate pair of words to fill in the blanks:
Because of the ______ some neighbours still attach to seeing a counsellor, Ira went to her weekly sessions ______, telling no one except her mother.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
The correct answer is Option (1) → stigma, clandestinely
Complete sentence: Because of the stigma some neighbours still attach to seeing a counsellor, Ira went to her weekly sessions clandestinely, telling no one except her mother.
| Stigma (answer) | Clandestinely (answer) | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | a feeling of shame or disgrace that people link with something | secretly, so that others do not find out |
| Example | TV campaigns have helped reduce the stigma around leprosy in many villages. | The two traders met clandestinely to fix the price of onions. |
Why the Other Options are Incorrect?
Option 2: prestige, boastfully — Incorrect. Prestige means respect and admiration that comes from success or a high position. Boastfully means in a way that talks too proudly about oneself. Example: Raghav spoke boastfully about the prestige of his new college at every family function.
Option 3: stigma, openly — Incorrect. Openly means without hiding anything. Example: After the match, the captain openly admitted that his team had played badly.
Option 4: value, carelessly — Incorrect. Value means the importance or worth that people give to something. Carelessly means without enough attention or thought. Example: Grandpa puts great value on his old letters, so he was upset when Rohan carelessly threw one away.