It was a challenge to _____________ a response from the prisoner.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
The correct answer is Option (1) → elicit
Complete sentence: It was a challenge to elicit a response from the prisoner. Getting a response from an unwilling prisoner is drawing it out of him, so "to elicit a response" is right.
| Word | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| (1) elicit (answer) | to draw out a reply, a fact or a reaction from someone, often with effort | The teacher's question failed to elicit an answer from the class. |
| (2) illicit | an adjective meaning not allowed by law (it sounds like elicit but cannot follow "to" as a verb) | The police seized illicit liquor. |
| (3) ellicit | a misspelling of elicit with a doubled "l" | – |
| (4) licit | an adjective meaning allowed by law, the opposite of illicit (it is not a verb) | The firm deals only in licit trade. |