In this passage about state leaders and history, choose the correct word to complete the blank: “The answer to the third question is __________________ answered; State leaders ...”

Introduction / Context:
This is a passage completion question that tests collocation and adverb usage in English. The sentence begins with The answer to the third question is and then needs a word that fits both grammatically and stylistically. The passage is written in a formal analytical style about state leaders and their behaviour, so the phrase must sound natural in serious writing.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Sentence fragment: The answer to the third question is __________________ answered; State leaders ...
• Options: easily, easy to, easy for, so easy.
• The full sentence continues with a semicolon and then a clause about state leaders showing willingness.
• We are looking for a phrase that means the third question can be answered without difficulty.

Concept / Approach:
The structure used here is is easily answered. In English, to say that something can be answered without difficulty, we often use the passive with an adverb, for example, The question is easily answered. Using easy as an adjective directly after is would require an infinitive such as is easy to answer, not is easy to answered, which would be ungrammatical. The option easily fits perfectly because it functions as an adverb modifying answered.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Identify the verb in the given fragment. The sentence uses is and answered in a passive form. Step 2: Confirm the pattern: is easily answered is a standard way to say that a question can be answered without difficulty. Step 3: Insert easily into the sentence: The answer to the third question is easily answered; State leaders ... This is grammatical and idiomatic. Step 4: Test easy to. The structure would be is easy to answered, which is incorrect because easy to must be followed by a base verb (answer), not a past participle (answered). Step 5: Test easy for. We would need easy for someone to answer, but that requires extra words; by itself easy for does not complete the sentence properly. Step 6: Test so easy. The phrase is so easy answered is grammatically wrong because so easy should also be followed by an infinitive or by that with a clause.
Verification / Alternative check:
Compare with similar sentences: This puzzle is easily solved, or The first question is easily understood. All these use an adverb before the past participle in a passive construction. The form is easily answered fits that pattern exactly. In contrast, is easy answered would sound wrong to any fluent speaker. Therefore, easily is the only option that produces a standard, natural sentence.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• easy to: Requires a verb like answer after it to complete the idea; it cannot directly precede answered.
• easy for: Needs an object such as easy for the students to answer, so alone it does not fit.
• so easy: Would require further structure like so easy to answer or so easy that everyone knows it, not so easy answered.

Common Pitfalls:
A common mistake is to focus on the word easy, which seems to match the idea of difficulty, without noticing the grammatical structure around it. Another pitfall is ignoring the passive voice; students may not recognise that answered is a past participle and so requires an adverb, not an adjective before it. Always check whether the blank should be filled with an adverb or adjective by looking at the neighbouring words.

Final Answer:
The correct word to complete the blank is easily, giving The answer to the third question is easily answered.