Select the most appropriate option to fill in the blank.
The audience was mesmerized __ the speaker's eloquence.
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: D
Explanation
Passive Voice: The sentence is written in the passive voice ("was mesmerized"). In this structure, the preposition by is typically used to introduce the agent or cause of the action.
Cause and Effect: The "speaker's eloquence" is the cause of the audience being mesmerized.
Usage of Other Options:
For: Usually indicates a purpose or duration (e.g., "mesmerized for hours").
With: Often used with tools or specific qualities (e.g., "filled with wonder"), but "mesmerized by" is the standard idiomatic expression for being captivated by an external force.
Therefore, the most appropriate option to fill in the blank is by.
The complete sentence is: "The audience was mesmerized by the speaker's eloquence."