Select the most appropriate option to fill in blank no. 4.

In the following passage, some words have been deleted. Read the passage carefully and select the most appropriate option to fill in each blank.
In 1981, the US Surgeon General issued a public health warning that alcohol use by women (1)______________________ pregnancy was the cause of physical and mental birth (2)__________________ in children.This warning came in (3)___________________ to growing recognition that a group of (4)__________________ physical and mental impairments in children, now commonly known as foetal alcohol syndrome, were correlated with maternal alcohol use during pregnancy.Today, doctors and scientists (5)___________________ that as many as 1 in 20 US school children may exhibit some form of foetal alcohol spectrum disorders, many of which cause lifelong challenges for those affected

Show answer & explanation

Correct answer: D

Explanation

The correct answer is option 4 i.e. severe.

Context: The sentence describes serious physical and mental impairments in children caused by maternal alcohol use. The missing word must highlight the intensity of the impairments.

Meaning of the words:

Social = related to society or community (not suitable here).
Limited = restricted in amount/extent (too mild for describing impairments).
Pivotel (pivotal) = very important, central (not correct spelling and doesn’t fit with “impairments”).
Severe = very serious or extreme (perfectly fits here).

Correct word: The correct word is severe.

Reason: Since foetal alcohol syndrome causes serious physical and mental impairments, the word severe conveys the correct intensity. Other words do not match the seriousness of the condition.

Final Sentence:
“…growing recognition that a group of severe physical and mental impairments in children, now commonly known as foetal alcohol syndrome, were correlated with maternal alcohol use during pregnancy.”

Hence, the chosen option will be correct.

SSC GD 2025 PYQ — Question 2