In the passage, choose the correct word to complete the sentence: "...which is why we have familiar _____________ to memory like maps, flags, or the figure of Mother India."

Introduction / Context:
This question continues the cloze passage about national identity. The specific line is: "...which is why we have familiar _____________ to memory like maps, flags, or the figure of Mother India." You must select the word that correctly completes the common expression used to refer to tools that help us remember something.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Sentence fragment: "we have familiar _____________ to memory like maps, flags, or the figure of Mother India."
• Maps and flags are concrete items that help people remember and visualise the nation.
• We are looking for a set phrase used in English.
• Options: "assistance", "aids", "help", "support", "props".

Concept / Approach:
There is a well known phrase in English: "aids to memory". It refers to devices, images, or phrases that help someone remember information, similar to "memory aids" or "mnemonics". The context of maps and flags fits this idea perfectly. Among the options, only "aids" forms the set phrase "aids to memory" in standard usage. The other words are more general and do not typically appear in this collocation.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recognise that maps and flags serve as visual tools that help people recall the idea of the nation.Step 2: Recall the standard expression "aids to memory", meaning things that assist memory.Step 3: Check the options and see that "aids" is the only one that fits naturally before "to memory".Step 4: Construct the complete phrase: "familiar aids to memory like maps, flags, or the figure of Mother India."Step 5: Confirm that this phrase is both grammatically correct and idiomatic in formal writing.

Verification / Alternative check:
Read the sentence with "aids": "which is why we have familiar aids to memory like maps, flags, or the figure of Mother India." This clearly communicates that such images help citizens recall and emotionally connect with the nation. Substituting "assistance", "help", or "support" gives awkward and unidiomatic phrases such as "assistance to memory" or "help to memory", which are not standard expressions in English.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• assistance: While related in meaning, "assistance to memory" is not a standard collocation and sounds unnatural.
• help: "Help to memory" is also awkward; we usually say "memory help" or "helps you remember", not "help to memory".
• support: "Support to memory" does not convey the specific idea of tools or devices used as reminders.
• props: "Props to memory" would suggest theatrical props and is not idiomatic for psychological or symbolic aids.

Common Pitfalls:
Examinees often focus only on literal meaning and ignore fixed expressions. Because "assistance" and "help" can generally mean similar things, they may choose them without realising that the phrase "aids to memory" is a fixed and recognised pattern. Always pay attention to standard collocations that you may have encountered in reading textbooks or articles.

Final Answer:
The correct word is aids, giving the phrase "familiar aids to memory".