Complete the cloze passage by filling in the blanks with the most appropriate words.
Last winter, Ananya traveled alone to Shimla for a school competition. The town, covered in snow, looked like a painting that had come alive. She checked into the guesthouse ___A___, eager to rehearse her debate speech. But just as she reached for her notes, she realized something alarming, her suitcase ____B_____, and the key was missing.
Had she dropped it at the railway station? Or had she left it in the train itself? The more she thought, the more restless she became. 'Stay calm, Ananya,' she whispered to ____C____, 'panic will solve nothing.'
Determined to find a way, she asked the receptionist for help. He suggested calling a locksmith. While waiting, she kept _____D_____ (pacing) the hall, her mind filled with worry. How embarrassing it would be if she could not present her speech tomorrow!
When the locksmith finally arrived, he ____E_____ (examined) the lock and said confidently, 'Do not worry, miss, this will open soon.' Within minutes, the suitcase clicked open. What a moment of relief it was! Ananya almost cried with gratitude.
That night, while reviewing her speech, she reflected: 'Life often tests us with unexpected problems. If we stay calm, solutions eventually appear.' She promised herself she would remember this lesson in every challenge ahead.
Fill in blank (B) with the correct verb form.
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: B
Explanation
Correct Answer
was locked
Explanation
The entire passage is written in the simple past tense, established by verbs like 'traveled,' 'looked,' 'checked,' and 'realized.' To maintain tense consistency across the paragraph, the state of the suitcase must also be expressed in the past tense. Furthermore, because a suitcase cannot perform the action of locking itself, we must use the passive voice form ('was' + past participle). Combining past tense and passive voice gives us 'was locked.'
The other choices are incorrect because they break tense uniformity. Option 1 uses the present tense ('is locked'). Option 3 uses an active present perfect form ('has locked') which implies the suitcase locked something else. Option 4 uses the future tense ('will be locked').
Key Points
When solving cloze tests, identify the baseline timeline of the narrative. If the surrounding verbs are systematically framed in the past tense, you can immediately rule out any options utilizing present, future, or perfect aspect variations that deviate from that timeline.