In the closing part of the monsoon flood passage, select the most appropriate noun to complete the phrase "expensive ____________ work such as repairs of river embankments" so that it reflects the type of work usually done after flood damage.

Difficulty: Medium

Correct Answer: restoration

Explanation:


Introduction / Context:
The final cloze item in this passage describes the work that follows once floodwaters have receded. Government teams assess the damage and then undertake certain types of construction related work. The blank must be filled with a noun that accurately and naturally describes the kind of work done to bring damaged structures like river embankments back to their previous condition.


Given Data / Assumptions:
• The fragment is "expensive ____________ work such as repairs of river embankments, will follow." • The options are "rejuvenation", "reclamation", "renovation", and "restoration". • The context is flood damage to infrastructure like embankments.


Concept / Approach:
The most appropriate term in disaster management and engineering for work that returns damaged structures to a functional state is "restoration". It refers to bringing something back to its original or proper condition. "Renovation" is more often used for buildings and interiors when they are modernised or improved. "Reclamation" refers to recovering land from water or waste, and "rejuvenation" relates to making something feel or look younger or fresher, often used in environmental or cosmetic contexts. Here, we need the specific idea of repairing and restoring damaged embankments.


Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Insert "rejuvenation": "expensive rejuvenation work such as repairs of river embankments..." This sounds slightly off, because "rejuvenation" is rarely used for structural repair after floods. Step 2: Insert "reclamation": "expensive reclamation work..." Usually, reclamation refers to converting unusable land into usable land, for example, reclaiming land from the sea, not simply repairing embankments. Step 3: Insert "renovation": "expensive renovation work..." This is generally used for improving or upgrading buildings, not specifically for post flood repair of embankments. Step 4: Insert "restoration": "expensive restoration work such as repairs of river embankments..." This fits perfectly, as restoration is exactly about repairing damage and returning structures to their previous condition. Step 5: Conclude that "restoration" is the most precise and context appropriate option.


Verification / Alternative check:
Consider typical news sentences like "restoration work on roads and bridges will begin after the water recedes" or "the government allocated funds for the restoration of damaged embankments". These examples show that "restoration work" is a set phrase in this context. Using the other options in such sentences would sound unusual or technically inaccurate, which confirms that "restoration" is the best fit.


Why Other Options Are Wrong:
"Rejuvenation" suggests making something feel younger or more lively, which is more suitable for parks, rivers in terms of flow health, or people, not for direct structural repair after floods. "Reclamation" refers to recovering land, often from bodies of water or from waste, rather than repairing existing protective structures. "Renovation" is frequently used for interior or building upgrades, not specifically for restoring damaged embankments after a natural disaster.


Common Pitfalls:
Students may focus on the positive tone of words like "rejuvenation" or on the familiarity of "renovation", ignoring subtle differences in technical usage. Another tendency is to treat all words with the prefix "re" as interchangeable, which is not true. A good exam strategy is to connect such words to standard phrases you have seen in newspapers and textbooks so that their typical collocations guide your choices during cloze tests.


Final Answer:
The correct noun to fill the blank is restoration.

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