Choose the correct pair of words to fill in the blanks respectively:
The team performed ______ in the final match earning the trophy; even the old players played ______ after many years
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
The correct answer is Option (1) → brilliantly- efficiently
- First blank, brilliantly: in an outstanding, impressive way. The team won the trophy, so it played brilliantly.
Example: The pianist played brilliantly at the concert. - Second blank, efficiently: in a well-organised, effective way, without wasting effort. "Even the old players" played well after many years, praise that matches the first half of the sentence.
Example: The new system handles complaints efficiently.
Why the Other Options are Incorrect?
Option 2: brilliantly - slowly — Incorrect. Brilliantly fits the first blank, but slowly means at a low speed; "even the old players played slowly" is not praise and does not match the team's success.
Example: The tortoise moved slowly.
Option 3: doggedly - hastily — Incorrect.
- Doggedly means with stubborn determination; it could describe a team's effort in the first blank.
Example: She doggedly kept practising every day. - Hastily means in a hurry, often carelessly; careless play does not suit the praise of the old players.
Example: He hastily signed the form without reading it.
Option 4: flawlessly - hardly — Incorrect.
- Flawlessly means without any fault; it fits the first blank.
Example: The gymnast landed flawlessly. - Hardly means almost not, barely; "played hardly" makes no sense here.
Example: I could hardly hear him.