In the same passage about childhood nights and fireflies, choose the correct preposition to complete the phrase “blow those divine lights ______” so that the sentence is idiomatic and meaningful.

Introduction / Context:
This question continues the same poetic passage describing winter nights, tiny flames and a fair of fireflies. The specific fragment now is “there is nothing that can blow those divine lights ______”. The aim is to test your knowledge of common phrasal verbs and prepositions used with “blow” when speaking about extinguishing a light, flame or candle. Even in a descriptive and literary context, English still relies on standard phrasal patterns. By picking the correct preposition, you ensure that the sentence sounds natural and that the intended meaning, namely putting out or extinguishing the lights, is clearly conveyed.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The important clause is: “nothing that can blow those divine lights ______”. • Options: from, of, for, off. • The context is about lights or flames that might be extinguished. • The writer is expressing that nothing can put out those lights.

Concept / Approach:
In English, when we talk about extinguishing a light or flame by blowing, we usually use the phrasal verb “blow out” (for example, “blow out the candle”). However, within the given options, “out” is not available. Another closely related and acceptable construction is “blow off” when used in an extended or slightly creative way to mean “blow away” or “remove by blowing”. Among the available prepositions, “off” is therefore the best match to convey the idea that the lights might be removed or extinguished by a blowing action. The other prepositions “from”, “of”, and “for” do not form a meaningful phrasal verb with “blow” in this context and would sound unnatural in the sentence.

Step-by-Step Solution:
1. Understand the intended meaning: the writer is saying that nothing can extinguish or put out the divine lights. 2. Recall phrasal verbs with “blow”: “blow out”, “blow off”, “blow away”, etc. 3. Examine the options: “from”, “of”, “for”, “off”. Only “off” combines with “blow” to make a familiar phrasal idea. 4. Insert each option into the sentence mentally: “blow those divine lights from”, “of”, “for”, “off”. 5. Recognise that “blow those divine lights off” is the only version that can reasonably express removal or extinguishing, given the limited choices.

Verification / Alternative check:
Read the entire line with the chosen preposition: “... and made us believe there is nothing that can blow those divine lights off.” Although many speakers would prefer “blow those divine lights out” in everyday English, the exam question restricts the choices. Within that restriction, “off” still communicates the idea of being blown away or removed, and thus works better than the other options. Trying “from”, “of” or “for” shows that they do not complete a standard expression: “blow lights from” is incomplete, “blow lights of” is incorrect, and “blow lights for” radically changes the meaning in an illogical way.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
• “from” usually indicates origin or separation but, without additional words, “blow lights from” is ungrammatical and incomplete here. • “of” is typically used to show possession or relation and does not form a meaningful phrase “blow lights of” in English. • “for” generally expresses purpose or benefit and does not collocate with “blow lights” to convey extinguishing or removal.

Common Pitfalls:
A common trap in cloze tests is that students may focus entirely on literal meaning and overlook idiomatic usage. Some may overthink the phrase and try to force “from” or “of” into a pattern that does not exist. Remember that phrasal verbs are often fixed combinations and that, when a more ideal word like “out” is missing, you must choose the closest acceptable alternative. Always test each option by reading the full sentence in your head and checking whether it sounds like natural English.

Final Answer:
Given the options provided, the best preposition is off, resulting in the expression “blow those divine lights off”.