Fill in the blank with the most appropriate word from the options given below:
Though the old map was torn in several places, the museum staff restored it ______, joining every tiny piece by hand over six months.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → painstakingly
An adverb is a word that tells how, when, where or how much something happens. It can also describe an adjective or another adverb, for example she sings sweetly, very hot.
Complete sentence: Though the old map was torn in several places, the museum staff restored it painstakingly, joining every tiny piece by hand over six months. The blank describes the verb “restored”. The staff joined “every tiny piece by hand over six months”, which shows great care.
| Option | What it tells | Example |
|---|---|---|
| (1) painstaking | an adjective: it describes a noun, as in “painstaking work”, so it cannot describe the verb “restored” | The clay model of the fort took months of painstaking work. |
| (2) painstakingly (answer) | adverb of manner: with great care and effort, giving attention to every small detail | Dadaji painstakingly pasted the torn pages of his old diary back together. |
| (3) perfunctorily | doing something only as a duty, with little interest or effort | The tired guard checked our bags perfunctorily and waved us in. |
| (4) cursorily | quickly, without looking at the details | He read the notice cursorily and missed the exam date. |