Complete the cloze passage by filling in the blanks with the most appropriate words.
It was a rainy evening when Rohan ____ A __ a crowded city bus. He had just finished his tuition classes and was eager to reach home. As he searched for his ticket, he __ B __ realized his wallet was missing. His heart began to race. Had he dropped it, or had someone stolen it?
"Don't panic, think carefully," he told himself. He remembered using the wallet __ C __ a small tea stall near the bus stop. Could it still be there? What if someone else had already picked it up?
When the bus stopped at the next signal, Rohan quickly got down. "Please hurry, I must go back!" he whispered under his breath. He ran in the rain, splashing through puddles, his mind full of fear and hope.
To his surprise, the tea vendor smiled and said, "Young man, you left this behind." He held out the wet but safe wallet. What a __ D __ (relief) it was! Rohan almost shouted with joy. He thanked the vendor again and again.
This small __ E ____ (incident) taught Rohan a big lesson. He realized that not everyone in the world is dishonest, and kindness often appears when least expected. As he walked home in the rain, he thought, "I will never be careless with my belongings again!"
Fill in blank (B) with the most suitable adverb.
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: C
Explanation
Correct Answer
suddenly
Explanation
The sentence reads: “As he searched for his ticket, he suddenly realized his wallet was missing.” The adverb “suddenly” is the most suitable because it indicates an unexpected realization, which fits the context of the passage.
The other options are incorrect. Option 1 (“gradually”) means slowly over time, which does not fit an instant realization. Option 2 (“eventually”) means after a long delay, which is not appropriate here. Option 4 (“rarely”) means not often and does not fit the meaning of the sentence.
Key Points
Choose an adverb that matches the context. “Suddenly” is commonly used with verbs like realized, remembered, noticed, and heard to express an unexpected event or realization.