Read the following lines and answer the question that follows by choosing the correct option :
The signal was given, the pistol exploded
And so did the runners on hearing the sound
But the youngest among them stumbled and staggered
And he fell on his knees to the ground.
He gave out a cry of frustration and anguish
His dreams and his efforts dashed in the dirt
But as sure as I'm standing here telling the story
Now it's a strange one, but here's what occurred
The eight other athletes stopped in their tracks
The ones who had trained for so long to compete
One by one they turned round and came back to help him
And lifted the lad to his feet.
That's how the race ended, with nine gold medals
They came to the finish line holding hands still
And the banner above and nine smiling faces
Said more than these words ever will
Said more than these words ever will
Identify the word from the lines above, that means the same as - DISTRESS.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 4
The correct answer is Option (4) → anguish
- Distress means great pain, sorrow or worry.
Example: The lost child was in distress until his mother found him. - Anguish means severe mental or physical pain and suffering, the same as distress; the poem has "a cry of frustration and anguish".
Example: She waited in anguish for news of the missing fishermen.
Why the Other Options are Incorrect?
Option 1: frustration — Incorrect. Frustration is annoyance at being unable to do or achieve something; it is a feeling of being blocked, not of deep suffering.
Example: He threw down the pen in frustration when the sum would not come out.
Option 2: staggered — Incorrect. To stagger is to walk or move unsteadily, almost falling; it describes movement, not a feeling.
Example: The injured player staggered off the field.
Option 3: dashed — Incorrect. Dashed (of hopes or dreams) means destroyed, ruined: "His dreams ... dashed in the dirt". It names what happened to the dreams, not the pain felt.
Example: Her hopes of winning were dashed by an injury.