In this cloze test about democracy, choose the word that best completes the sentence 'Democracy should _____ dignity of the individual.' so that it is meaningful and grammatically correct.

Difficulty: Easy

Correct Answer: ensure

Explanation:


Introduction / Context:
This cloze test item comes from a short passage about the ideals of democracy, including dignity of the individual, the greatest good of the greatest number and the role of opposition parties. The specific sentence 'Democracy should _____ dignity of the individual' requires a verb that collocates naturally with 'dignity' and expresses what democracy ought to do for each person. Your task is to choose the word that makes the sentence both grammatically correct and conceptually strong.


Given Data / Assumptions:
- Sentence fragment: 'Democracy should _____ dignity of the individual.'
- Options: 'built', 'ensure', 'keep', 'support'.
- The passage talks about democratic principles, so the verb must fit a formal, normative description of democracy's role.


Concept / Approach:
In political theory and constitutional language, we often say that a system should 'ensure the dignity' or 'protect the dignity' of the individual. The verb 'ensure' means to make certain that something happens or exists. It fits perfectly with abstract nouns like 'dignity', 'justice' and 'freedom'. The other options either do not fit grammatically ('built dignity') or do not collocate naturally ('keep dignity' or simply 'support dignity') in this formal context.


Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Understand the intended meaning: democracy should guarantee or make sure that every individual's dignity is respected. Step 2: Examine 'built'. The correct form would be 'build', and even then, we usually do not say 'build dignity' in constitutional language. Step 3: Examine 'ensure'. This verb means to make certain or guarantee, and 'ensure dignity of the individual' is a common formal phrase. Step 4: Examine 'keep'. While we might say 'keep one's dignity' in some contexts, 'democracy should keep dignity of the individual' sounds unnatural and incomplete. Step 5: Examine 'support'. 'Support dignity' is grammatically possible, but in this context 'ensure dignity' is much stronger and more idiomatic in political writing.


Verification / Alternative check:
Read the full sentence with each option. 'Democracy should ensure dignity of the individual' sounds exactly like the type of statement found in civics textbooks and constitutional preambles. 'Democracy should built dignity...' is ungrammatical. 'Democracy should keep dignity of the individual' sounds awkward and not standard. 'Democracy should support dignity of the individual' is weaker in force and less common than 'ensure'. The cloze test is designed to lead you to the most natural and powerful collocation, which is 'ensure dignity'.


Why Other Options Are Wrong:
'Built' is wrong both in tense and collocation; even 'build' would not be the normal verb used with 'dignity' in such a sentence. 'Keep' is wrong because we normally say 'maintain' or 'ensure' dignity at the level of political principle; 'keep dignity of the individual' is not a standard phrase. 'Support' is grammatically possible but not as strong or idiomatic as 'ensure' in formal descriptions of democratic duties.


Common Pitfalls:
Students sometimes choose verbs like 'support' because they are safe and positive, without considering the typical combinations used in academic and constitutional language. Another pitfall is to overlook small grammatical errors like 'built' instead of 'build' and still treat them as candidates. Always read the entire sentence aloud in your mind with each option and ask whether it sounds like a phrase that might actually appear in a textbook or legal document about democracy.


Final Answer:
The correct word to complete the sentence is ensure, giving 'Democracy should ensure dignity of the individual.'

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