Select the appropriate pair of words to fill in the blanks:
The children kept ______ their uncle for a ride on his new bike, but he refused with such ______ that nobody felt hurt.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
The correct answer is Option (1) → pestering, tact
Complete sentence: The children kept pestering their uncle for a ride on his new bike, but he refused with such tact that nobody felt hurt.
| Pester (answer) | Tact (answer) | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | to keep annoying someone with requests or questions | the skill of saying or doing the right thing without upsetting others |
| Example | My little sister pesters me to play ludo every evening. | The class monitor showed great tact in ending the quarrel between the two friends. |
Why the Other Options are Incorrect?
Option 2: pestering, rudeness — Incorrect. Rudeness means behaviour that is not polite and hurts others’ feelings. Example: The shopkeeper’s rudeness made us leave without buying anything.
Option 3: thanking, grace — Incorrect. Thanking means telling someone that one is grateful for something they have done. Example: Meena thanked her hosts before leaving the party.
Option 4: blaming, arrogance — Incorrect. Blaming means saying that someone is responsible for something bad. Arrogance means behaving as if one is better or more important than others. Example: With his usual arrogance, the captain kept blaming the bowlers for the loss.