Choose the correct word to fill in the blank.

John did his best to act the scholar; but whenever he got his book open and his pipe lit he fell asleep before he had spent even half an hour _____ over his work.

Question

Choose the correct word to fill in the blank.

John did his best to act the scholar; but whenever he got his book open and his pipe lit he fell asleep before he had spent even half an hour _____ over his work.

BlackTom AI · Accepted Answer

The sentence asks for a word that completes the phrase 'spent even half an hour _____ over his work,' describing diligent, careful examination of his work.
Option 1: 'excepting' would mean excluding something, which does not semantically fit a phrase about looking over work with focus. The collocation is awkward here.
Option 2: 'accepting' implies agreeing to something or receiving, which again fails to convey the act of examining text or studying.
Option 3: 'pouring' could be used in expressions like 'pouring over,' but the correct form is 'pouring over' as two words; however, in this item the context requires a present participle form that precisely matches the idiom, and 'pouring' without the 'over' would be redundant. The given sentence already includes 'over his work,' so 'pouring over' could be plausible, yet the standard, most natural verb used with 'over' in this context is 'poring,' not 'pouring' here.
Option 4: 'adapting' means changing to suit something, which is not about examining or reading closely.
Option 5: 'adopting' means taking up or accepting something, which also doesn't fit the act of careful study.
Option 6: 'poring' is the correct pairing with 'over his work' to form the idiom 'poring over' meaning to study something closely or to read with concentrated attention. This aligns with the contrast in the sentence between scholarly effort and falling asleep.
In summary, the sentence requires a verb that captures close, attentive study of text, and the conventional phrase is 'poring over,' whereas the other options do not convey that precise meaning or produce a natural, grammatical fit with 'over his work.'

Choose the correct word to fill in the blank. John did his best to act the scholar; but whenever he got his book open and his pipe lit he fell asleep before he had spent even half an hour _____ over his work.Single choice

Similar Questions

The _______ possess advanced training and experience through specialized knowledge and intensive academic preparation.

The price of new types of grain needs to be ____________ to the cost of traditional ones.

Question at position 3 Clean drinking water is __________ for the health and well-being of communitiesvigorousverifiabledevastatingvital

You must pick a _ place that is unfamiliar and _ of your normal environment in order to learn something new about American culture.

Employees should not be surprised by a formal evaluation if they are provided with frequent Blank ______ from their managers.

Question at position 6 Unstoppable changes in climate mean that forests need to be Question Blank 1 of 1[input] rather than restored.

Read the definition carefully and choose the word that fits best. A possible result or consequence that should usually be considered.

More Practical Tools for Students Powered by AI Study Helper

Homework AI Solver

Stylized AI Paper Writer

Plagiarism Checker Assistant

Citation AI Academic Writing Tool

In-Class Translation Assistant

AI Note Generator

AI Quiz Answers

Past Exam Questions from University Test Bank

Smart Practice Assistant

Adaptive Practice

Making Your Study Simpler