We reached the station late, and _______ missed the train.
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Answer: B
To choose the most appropriate word for the blank, let's analyze the meaning and grammatical role of each option in the sentence:
- nearly (Adverb): Means "almost" or "very close to". Saying "nearly missed the train" means they came extremely close to missing it (and likely caught it by a narrow margin), which perfectly fits the context of reaching the station late.
- near (Adjective/Preposition/Adverb of place): Typically refers to physical distance and does not fit grammatically as an adverb modifying the verb "missed" in this context.
- utterly (Adverb): Means "completely" or "absolutely". It is typically used to emphasize absolute states (e.g., utterly destroyed, utterly confused) and does not fit naturally with "missed the train".
- mostly (Adverb): Means "mainly" or "for the most part". Since missing a train is a binary event (you either miss it or you don't), "mostly missed" is semantically incorrect.
Thus, nearly is the most appropriate word to complete the sentence.
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