In the following passage on saints and satyagrahis, choose the most suitable word to fill the blank in the sentence "A saint or a satyagrahi is often put on a ________, freezing her acts of goodness in time."

Introduction / Context:
This question is part of a cloze passage about how society treats saints and satyagrahis. The sentence "A saint or a satyagrahi is often put on a ________, freezing her acts of goodness in time" uses a common metaphor in English. The question tests your ability to choose the most appropriate word that fits both the literal image and the figurative meaning. The idiomatic expression "put someone on a pedestal" describes placing a person in a position of admiration and idealisation, often beyond normal criticism.

Given Data / Assumptions:

Given sentence: "A saint or a satyagrahi is often put on a ________, freezing her acts of goodness in time."
Options: pedestal, platform, plinth, podium.
The broader passage discusses how goodness gets fixed or frozen, suggesting elevation and idealisation rather than just any raised surface.
We assume the standard idiomatic usage of English in moral and social commentary.
Only one word forms a well known expression that matches the writer's message.

Concept / Approach:
In figurative language, "to put someone on a pedestal" means to admire them excessively and treat them as if they are perfect. It goes beyond a physical raised surface and carries a strong connotation of idealising someone. The other options also describe raised structures, but they lack this established idiomatic meaning. "Platform", "plinth", and "podium" generally refer to physical structures used for speeches, statues, or performances, and they do not create the same metaphor for extreme admiration in English writing.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Notice the phrase "put on a ________", which hints at a fixed expression in English. Step 2: Recall the idiom "to put someone on a pedestal", which means to treat a person as an ideal or perfect figure. Step 3: Consider the broader clause "freezing her acts of goodness in time", which suggests that society turns a living person into a static ideal, exactly what the idiom implies. Step 4: Evaluate option A, "pedestal". This word completes the idiom and fits both the literal and figurative context. Step 5: Evaluate option B, "platform". Although a platform is a raised structure, there is no common idiom "put on a platform" with the same meaning. Step 6: Evaluate option C, "plinth". A plinth is a base for a statue, but the set phrase in English is not "put on a plinth" when talking about idealising a person. Step 7: Evaluate option D, "podium". A podium is used for speeches or awards, and again, there is no strong idiomatic phrase "put on a podium" in the sense of idealising character.

Verification / Alternative check:
Read the full sentence with each option. "Put on a pedestal" immediately sounds like a familiar English phrase, and the entire sentence "A saint or a satyagrahi is often put on a pedestal, freezing her acts of goodness in time" reads smoothly and meaningfully. The other combinations, such as "put on a platform" or "put on a podium", lack this natural idiomatic force. Additionally, the following lines in the passage talk about heroism becoming a statue or a fixed stencil, reinforcing the idea that the person is elevated to an untouchable ideal. This is exactly what the "pedestal" idiom conveys.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option B, platform, is wrong because it suggests only a physical structure for standing or speaking and does not carry the metaphorical load of idealisation in common English usage.
Option C, plinth, is wrong because, although it relates to statues, the language of the passage relies on a familiar idiom, and "put on a plinth" is not widely used in that figurative sense.
Option D, podium, is wrong because it refers to a stand for speakers or winners, not to the act of turning a person into an idealised moral figure beyond criticism.

Common Pitfalls:
A frequent mistake in cloze tests is focusing only on literal meaning and ignoring idiomatic language. All four options are associated with raised structures, so if you think only in physical terms, you may find them equally plausible. However, exam passages often depend on well known phrases that carry deeper social or psychological meanings. Train yourself to recognise such fixed expressions and link them with their broader implications in text. This awareness will significantly increase your accuracy in reading comprehension and cloze questions.

Final Answer:
pedestal