Choose the most appropriate option to complete the following sentence.
She tried to keep the children away from the ____eyes of the world's media.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → prying
Prying means trying too hard to find out about other people's private lives. "Prying eyes" is a set phrase for people who watch curiously and intrusively, such as the media; she wanted to keep the children away from them. (Preying, praying and prying sound alike: preying is hunting, praying is speaking to God, prying is poking into private matters.)
Example: She locked her diary away from prying eyes.
Why the Other Options are Incorrect?
Option 1: preying — Incorrect. To prey on means to hunt and kill for food, or to take advantage of weak people; it is not used with "eyes".
Example: Owls prey on mice.
Option 2: praying — Incorrect. Praying means speaking to God to give thanks or ask for help; the media's eyes are not praying.
Example: The family was praying for his recovery.
Option 4: accusing — Incorrect. Accusing means showing that one thinks someone has done wrong. The children are not being blamed; the worry is the media's curiosity.
Example: He could not face her accusing look.