Complete the collocation.

When we met first it was very difficult to ______ the ice.

break

The correct answer is break.

The collocation "break the ice" means "to start a conversation or interaction with someone you don't know very well." It is the most accurate word to describe the situation in the sentence.

The other options are incorrect.

• Smash means "to hit something hard and violently so that it breaks into pieces." It is not the correct word to use in this sentence because it is too aggressive and it does not convey the sense of starting a conversation.
• Burst means "to break open suddenly and violently." It is not the correct word to use in this sentence because it is too sudden and it does not convey the sense of starting a conversation in a gentle way.
• Shatter means "to break into very small pieces." It is not the correct word to use in this sentence because it is too destructive and it does not convey the sense of starting a conversation in a positive way.