Question

Fill in the blank with the most appropriate option:

'Please' and 'Thank you' are the little courtesies by which we keep the __________ of life oiled and running smoothly.

• A. Path
• B. Machine
• C. Garden
• D. River

Answer 1

The correct option is B Machine

Option B: 'Machine' means 'an apparatus made of interrelated parts with different functions that work together to bring the desired result'. It relates to the given sentence: life is made up of different parts which must work smoothly, and 'please' and 'thank you' are one of those parts that help life run smoothly.

Hence option B is correct.

Option A: 'Path' means 'a way or route'. The courtesies 'please' and 'thank you' do not refer to the path of life, but the parts of life.

Option C: 'Garden' is a plot of land covered in grass, shrubs and flowering plants. It's used for a recreational purposes.

Option D: 'River' is a water body.

These words do not complete the sentence in meaning, and 'machine' is the most appropriate option.

Hence options A, C and D are incorrect.

Note: The given sentence is a metaphor. That is, it compares two things in order to bring a unified meaning. 'Life' is compared to 'machine' and 'please' and 'thank you' is compared to 'oil' that helps run life (the machine) smoothly.