Fill in the blank with the most appropriate option:
Recent advances in language development, such as synthetic phonics, are said to be _______ with neuro-divergent children, who often struggle with language acquisition at a young age.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → the bee's knees
The bee's knees is an informal idiom meaning an excellent person or thing, the very best. The sentence praises recent advances such as synthetic phonics as excellent for neuro-divergent children who find language hard to learn.
Example: Her grandmother thinks the new smartphone is the bee's knees.
Why the Other Options are Incorrect?
Option 1: Gordian's knot — Incorrect. A Gordian knot (the usual form of the idiom) is a very difficult problem that can be solved only by bold action; in the legend, Alexander the Great cut through the knot tied by King Gordius instead of untying it. It names a difficulty, which does not suit advances that are praised.
Example: The border dispute had become a Gordian knot for both governments.
Option 2: a Pyrrhic victory — Incorrect. A Pyrrhic victory is a win that costs the winner so much that it is almost a defeat, named after King Pyrrhus of Epirus, whose victories over the Romans cost him most of his army. It does not express the praise the sentence gives.
Example: Winning the case after spending all his savings was a Pyrrhic victory.
Option 4: a stalking horse — Incorrect. A stalking horse is a person or thing used to hide someone's real purpose; hunters once hid behind a horse to get close to their prey. Nothing in the sentence suggests a hidden aim.
Example: The small party was only a stalking horse for the bigger party's plans.
The following words have also been asked in other CUET (UG) English papers:
| Word | 2026 | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| gordian knot | 14-05 S1 | – | – | – | – |
| the bee's knees | 14-05 S2 | – | – | – | – |