Choose the correct word to fill in the blank in the given sentence:
The sudden silence of the crowd before the penalty ______ the young goalkeeper, and he began to doubt every move he had practised.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
The correct answer is Option (1) → unnerved
Complete sentence: The sudden silence of the crowd before the penalty unnerved the young goalkeeper, and he began to doubt every move he had practised.
| Word | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| (1) unnerved (answer) | to make someone lose courage or confidence (fits a goalkeeper who began to doubt himself) | The examiner’s cold stare unnerved Pooja, and she forgot her first line. |
| (2) emboldened | to make someone braver or more confident | The coach’s praise emboldened Sameer to try the high jump. |
| (3) enervated | to make someone feel drained of energy, tired and weak | The humid July afternoon enervated all of us. |
| (4) placated | to make an angry person calm | The shopkeeper placated the angry customer with a free packet of biscuits. |