Which of the following pairs of homonyms can be used to fill in the blanks most suitably?
He had to ____ his brains trying to remember how he came to be on the shore strewn with ____ and driftwood.
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: C
Explanation
The phrase 'rack his brains' is an idiom meaning to strain one's brain or memory to remember something. The word 'wrack' in the second blank refers to wreckage or debris, such as that found on a shore after a shipwreck or storm, which fits the context of being 'strewn with' driftwood. The homonym 'rack' would not make sense in the second blank as it typically refers to a framework for holding things or a form of torture.