Continuing in the same passage, select the best word to fill the blank: “Instead of finding the root cause of discontent of Indians, the British government took to more ____________ measures.”

Introduction:
This cloze question focuses on choosing a word that accurately describes the type of measures adopted by the British government in response to Indian discontent. The passage narrates political actions such as increasing police powers under the Defense of India Act. The correct adjective must fit both historically and linguistically, reflecting how these measures aimed to suppress opposition rather than address its causes.

Given Data / Assumptions:

- Sentence fragment: the British government took to more ____________ measures. - Options: drastic, angrier, repressive, damaging. - The measures described include greater police powers and arrests to stop processions. - The passage deals with political suppression rather than personal emotions.

Concept / Approach:
Repressive is the adjective commonly used to describe laws, regimes, or measures that restrict freedom and suppress dissent. It fits well with historical descriptions of colonial and authoritarian rule. Drastic means severe or extreme, but does not specifically indicate suppression of freedoms. Angrier is an emotional comparison and does not describe official measures. Damaging describes harmful effects but again lacks the political nuance of repression. Therefore, repressive is the most suitable choice in this context.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Consider the actions mentioned in the passage, such as giving more power to the police to arrest persons and stop processions. Step 2: Recognise that these actions are intended to control and suppress public movements. Step 3: Recall that repressive measures is a standard phrase in political history to describe such actions. Step 4: Evaluate drastic measures and note that while they can be severe, they are not necessarily about suppression of rights. Step 5: See that angrier is an adjective of emotion, not appropriate to describe legal or administrative measures. Step 6: Observe that damaging focuses on negative effects, but does not directly convey the idea of systematic suppression.

Verification / Alternative check:
Insert each option into the full sentence and read it: the British government took to more repressive measures sounds natural and is consistent with typical historical writing. The phrase repressive measures is widely used to talk about colonial rule and autocratic policies. Drastic measures is possible English but fails to highlight the oppressive, freedom restricting nature of the acts. Angrier measures and damaging measures sound unnatural and imprecise in this formal political context.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Drastic focuses on the degree of change and could describe harsh policies of many kinds, including economic reforms, but here the emphasis is on suppression of movements and arrests. Angrier is inappropriate because governments are described by their policies as harsh or repressive, not angrier. Damaging simply describes harmful consequences and does not capture the intention to restrict political activity and civil liberties. Thus, these alternatives do not fully match the tone and meaning of the passage.

Common Pitfalls:
Some test takers choose drastic because they associate it with strong action without paying attention to political vocabulary. In cloze passages that deal with history or politics, it is particularly important to recognise specialised words like repressive, oppressive, and authoritarian. Building familiarity with such terms through reading history texts and editorials can greatly improve your performance on similar questions.

Final Answer:
repressive is the correct word to describe the kind of measures the British government took in the passage.