Question

The CEO’s decision to cut costs was ________ by the investors who saw it as a necessary step for profitability, but it was ________ by employees who feared for their job security.

• A. supported
• B. condemned
• C. praised
• D. opposed
• E. welcomed
• F. ignored

Hint:

Pay attention to contrasting reactions in the sentence structure. When a sentence uses "but" to show contrast, one blank typically takes a positive word and the other a negative one.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A, D

This sentence presents a contrast between two groups reacting to the CEO’s cost-cutting decision:
- Investors are described as viewing the move positively because they see it as a necessary step for profitability. So, a positive word like “supported” (Option (A) fits this context.
- Employees, on the other hand, are described as fearing for their job security — a clear negative reaction. The most appropriate verb to reflect this opposition is "opposed" (Option (D).
Let’s evaluate the other Option:
- Option B (condemne(D) and Option C (praise(D) are strong, but don’t form the best contrast pair here. "Praised" could work for investors, but "opposed" aligns better with the structure of the sentence.
- Option E (welcome(D) is also positive, but “supported” fits more neutrally and logically with investor behavior.
- Option F (ignore(D) doesn't reflect any emotional or logical response to the decision, making it incorrect.
Thus, the correct pair is:
- (A) supported — by investors, and
- (D) opposed — by employees.