Select the most suitable pair of words to fill in the blanks in the following sentence:
The new metro line was opened with great ______, but within a week a ______ in the signalling system had stopped all trains for three hours.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → fanfare, glitch
Complete sentence: The new metro line was opened with great fanfare, but within a week a glitch in the signalling system had stopped all trains for three hours.
| Fanfare (answer) | Glitch (answer) | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | a lot of public excitement and show around an event | a small fault that stops a machine or system from working properly |
| Example | The new film was released with much fanfare, with posters on every bus in the city. | A glitch in the bank’s app stopped all UPI payments for an hour. |
Why the Other Options are Incorrect?
Option 1: reluctance, glitch — Incorrect. Reluctance means not wanting to do something. Example: With some reluctance, Dad agreed to let me go on the school trip to Goa.
Option 3: caution, surplus — Incorrect. Surplus means an amount that is more than what is needed. Example: The state grew a surplus of rice this year, so some of it was sent abroad.
Option 4: secrecy, subsidy — Incorrect. Secrecy means the act of keeping something hidden from others. Subsidy means money the government gives to lower the cost of something. Example: The new subsidy on fertiliser was planned in complete secrecy until the budget speech.