Select the most appropriate option to fill in the blank.

The ______ of directors will decide the penalty.

board

The most appropriate option to fill in the blank is board.

A board of directors is a group of people who are responsible for the overall management of a company. They are typically elected by the shareholders of the company and have the authority to make decisions on behalf of the company. In the sentence, the board of directors is the group that will decide the penalty.

The other options are not as appropriate.

• Bowed means to bend one's head or body in respect or submission. This does not make sense in the context of the sentence, because the board of directors is not submitting to anyone.
• Braid means to intertwine three or more strands of hair or thread to form a decorative cord. This does not make sense in the context of the sentence, because the board of directors is not making a decorative cord.
• Bored means to feel weary or uninterested. This does not make sense in the context of the sentence, because the board of directors is not feeling weary or uninterested.