Question

Select a suitable option to complete the sentence:
He_______on wearing the old fashioned coat in spite of his wife's disapproval.

• A. resists
• B. desists
• C. persists
• D. insists

Answer 1

Answer: (D)

insists

Options C and D: 'Insists' means 'demand something forcefully', 'not accepting refusal'. The word is relevant here in meaning: he does not accept his wife's disapproval and demands on wearing the coat.

Hence option D is correct.

'Persists' and 'insists' have similar meanings, but they are followed by different prepositions. 'Insists' will be followed by 'on' (as given in the sentence 'insists on wearing...') and 'persists' will be followed by in.

Hence 'insists' is more suitable than 'persists'.

So, option C is wrong.

Option A: 'Resists' means 'to oppose or defy'. The meaning is opposite here.

'Wearing the coat' is opposing the wife's disapproval, but 'resists on wearing' sounds like he's opposing to wear it at all. The meaning formed is contradictory.

Option B: 'Desists' means 'to stop doing something'. Here too, the meaning is the opposite of the answer.

Hence options A and B are wrong.