Which of the phrases (1), (2), (3) and (4) given below each statement should…
20252023
Which of the phrases (1), (2), (3) and (4) given below each statement should be placed in the blank space provided so as to make meaningful and grammatically correct sentence?
Minimizing stress is about being able to “manage our minds” away from the things we can’t control and _________.
- A.
can manifest itself in a “flight or fight” response
- B.
can respond in different ways to the same situation
- C.
affect our mental wellbeing as well as our physical state
- D.
redirecting our focus towards things we can influence
Attempted by 431 students.
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: D
Solution: The best completion is "redirecting our focus towards things we can influence."
Why this fits:
The sentence uses the construction 'Minimizing stress is about being able to “manage our minds” away from the things we can’t control and ___.' The blank therefore needs a gerund phrase that is parallel to 'being able to “manage our minds”' and that explains what to do with our attention. "redirecting our focus towards things we can influence" is a gerund phrase that preserves parallelism and gives a clear, practical action.
Why the other choices do not work:
"can manifest itself in a “flight or fight” response": This describes how stress may appear rather than an action to take; it breaks the parallel structure and changes the subject of the clause.
"can respond in different ways to the same situation": This describes a response rather than instructing what to do with our minds, so it does not complete the sentence coherently.
"affect our mental wellbeing as well as our physical state": This states an effect of stress instead of giving a parallel action; it changes the intended meaning and does not form the required gerund-parallel construction.
Complete sentence: Minimizing stress is about being able to "manage our minds" away from the things we can’t control and redirecting our focus towards things we can influence.