Fill in the blank with the most appropriate word from the options given below:-
She worked _______ while her colleagues were busy gossiping in the cafeteria.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
The correct answer is Option (1) → diligently
Complete sentence: She worked diligently while her colleagues were busy gossiping in the cafeteria. The sentence sets her against colleagues who "were busy gossiping": while they wasted time, she kept working hard, so the blank needs an adverb that shows serious effort.
| Word | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| (1) diligently (answer) | with steady, careful and hard work | He studied diligently and topped his class. |
| (2) lately | recently (it tells us when, not how, she worked) | I have not been sleeping well lately. |
| (3) early | before the usual time (it says nothing about the effort that the contrast with gossiping calls for) | She reached the station early. |
| (4) rarely | not often (if she rarely worked, there would be no contrast with her gossiping colleagues) | He rarely eats outside. |
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