In this cloze test item, choose the verb that best completes 'The opposition party should _____ the wrong plans, policies and decisions of the government in power.' so that the sentence reflects the proper role of opposition.

Introduction / Context:
This cloze test sentence describes one of the essential functions of an opposition party in a democracy. It states that the opposition has a duty regarding 'the wrong plans, policies and decisions of the government in power.' The blank requires a verb phrase that correctly captures what a responsible opposition should do in such a situation and that fits grammatically in the structure of the sentence.

Given Data / Assumptions:
- Fragment: 'The opposition party should _____ the wrong plans, policies and decisions of the government in power.'
- Options: 'rely on', 'against', 'support', 'oppose'.
- The political context implies that the government's plans mentioned are wrong, so the opposition should not cooperate with them.

Concept / Approach:
In a democratic system, the opposition is expected to criticise, question and oppose wrong or harmful actions taken by the ruling party. The verb 'oppose' precisely means to resist, stand against or disagree with something. The other options either suggest doing the exact opposite ('support') or simply do not fit grammatically ('against' as a bare preposition) or logically ('rely on'). Therefore, we must choose the verb that aligns with the watchdog and corrective role of the opposition.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Understand the meaning: if government plans and policies are wrong, the opposition should resist them. Step 2: Consider 'rely on'. This means to depend on something, which would be absurd in the context of 'wrong plans and policies'. Step 3: Consider 'against'. This is a preposition, not a verb, and cannot fill the blank directly after 'should'. Step 4: Consider 'support'. This means to back or help something; supporting wrong decisions is the opposite of what the opposition should do. Step 5: Consider 'oppose'. This verb means to be against, to resist or to try to prevent something, which fits both grammatically after 'should' and logically in this political context.

Verification / Alternative check:
Read the full sentence with each option: 'The opposition party should oppose the wrong plans, policies and decisions of the government in power.' This sounds exactly right and expresses the expected democratic role of an opposition party. 'Should rely on the wrong plans' implies trusting bad decisions, which is clearly incorrect. 'Should against the wrong plans' is ungrammatical. 'Should support the wrong plans' contradicts the idea of checking government misuse of power. Only 'oppose' delivers the proper meaning and structure.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
'Rely on' is wrong because it suggests dependence on something that is described as wrong, which is unreasonable and illogical. 'Against' is wrong because it is not a verb and cannot follow 'should' in this construction. 'Support' is wrong because a responsible opposition must not support wrong or harmful policies; its role is to question and resist them in the public interest.

Common Pitfalls:
Some candidates may focus only on grammar and accidentally choose 'support' because it is a verb that fits structurally after 'should'. However, cloze test questions also require paying close attention to meaning and context. Another pitfall is not noticing that 'against' is a preposition and therefore cannot stand alone without an auxiliary verb in this position. Always check both grammar and the underlying real-world logic of the sentence before choosing your answer.

Final Answer:
The correct verb to complete the sentence is oppose, giving 'The opposition party should oppose the wrong plans, policies and decisions of the government in power.'