Choose the most appropriate word to complete the following sentence.
The management was kind enough to ________ to some of the demands of the workers.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → accede
Two-step check: 1. Meaning: the management agreed to the demands. 2. Pattern: the verb must take "to" before "some of the demands". Only "accede" passes both.
Accede (to) means to agree to a request, demand or proposal, often after some hesitation. The management was kind enough to agree to some of the workers' demands, and "accede" is the verb that takes "to" with "demands".
Example: The principal acceded to the students' request for an extra class.
Why the Other Options are Incorrect?
Option 1: adapt — Incorrect. Adapt means to change in order to suit new conditions (adapt to a new place). (Adapt and adopt look alike: adapt means adjust, adopt means take as one's own.)
Example: Camels have adapted to life in the desert.
Option 2: adopt — Incorrect. Adopt means to take up an idea or method as one's own, or to take a child into one's family legally; one does not "adopt to" demands.
Example: The school adopted a new timetable.
Option 4: exceed — Incorrect. Exceed means to go beyond a limit or amount. (Accede and exceed sound alike: accede means agree, exceed means go beyond.)
Example: Do not exceed the speed limit.