Choose the appropriate word from the options to fill in the blank:
As the structure was illegal, the authorities decided to___________ it.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 4
The correct answer is Option (4) → raze
Raze means to destroy a building completely, to pull it down to the ground. An illegal structure is pulled down by the authorities, so they decided to raze it.
Example: The old factory was razed to make room for a park.
Why the Other Options are Incorrect?
Option 1: rise — Incorrect. Rise means to go up; it takes no object, so "to rise it" is not possible.
Example: The sun rises in the east.
Option 2: rays — Incorrect. Rays is a plural noun (narrow beams of light); it sounds like raze but is not a verb. (Raze, rays and raise sound alike: raze is to pull down, raise is to lift up or build.)
Example: The rays of the sun entered the room.
Option 3: raise — Incorrect. Raise means to lift something up or build it; it is nearly the opposite of what the authorities do to an illegal structure.
Example: Please raise your hand if you know the answer.