Choose the correct option to complete the following sentence:
Neither the mill owners nor the workers’ union would budge an inch through round after round of meetings, so the wage talks were ______, and the mill stayed shut from Dussehra till well after Diwali.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → protracted
Complete sentence: Neither the mill owners nor the workers’ union would budge an inch through round after round of meetings, so the wage talks were protracted, and the mill stayed shut from Dussehra till well after Diwali.
| Word | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| (1) brief | lasting only a short time | The principal gave a brief speech and sent us home early. |
| (2) fruitful | producing good, useful results | The parent-teacher meeting was fruitful; the canteen menu changed the very next week. |
| (3) protracted (answer) | lasting much longer than usual or than expected (fits talks from Dussehra till after Diwali) | After a protracted court case, the family finally got its land back. |
| (4) informal | relaxed and friendly, not following official rules | The new manager had an informal chat with the staff over tea. |