In the sentence "The villager cried __________ his voice for help", which prepositional phrase correctly completes the idiom meaning "very loudly"?

Introduction / Context:
This question tests your knowledge of a common English idiom that describes shouting very loudly. The sentence The villager cried ________ his voice for help needs a specific prepositional phrase to sound natural and idiomatic. Recognising and recalling the fixed phrase will allow you to fill in the blank correctly.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Sentence: The villager cried ________ his voice for help.
• The intended meaning is that he shouted extremely loudly in order to get help.
• Options: on the top of, in the top of, from the top of, at the top of.
• The standard idiom in English is at the top of one voice.

Concept / Approach:
The correct idiomatic expression is to cry or shout at the top of one voice. This phrase means to shout as loudly as one possibly can. It does not use on, in, or from before the top of one voice. Therefore, to complete the sentence according to standard idiom, you must choose at the top of so that it becomes cried at the top of his voice for help.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall the common idiom at the top of one voice, used with verbs like cry and shout.Step 2: Insert each option into the blank and test how natural it sounds.Step 3: The villager cried at the top of his voice for help clearly expresses that he shouted as loudly as he could.Step 4: Phrases like on the top of his voice, in the top of his voice, or from the top of his voice are not used in standard English.Step 5: Select at the top of as the only phrase that completes the idiom correctly.

Verification / Alternative check:
Check usage in similar sentences: She sang at the top of her voice, and The crowd shouted at the top of their voices. In both cases, at the top of links directly to voices and intensifies the verb. Trying to replace at with on, in, or from produces unnatural expressions that native speakers would not use. This consistent pattern across examples confirms that the correct preposition is at, not on, in, or from.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
On the top of is used for physical locations, such as on the top of the hill, not for volume of voice. In the top of is unidiomatic in this context and does not fit with voice. From the top of suggests movement from a place, such as from the top of the building, which again has nothing to do with how loud someone is speaking. These alternatives are designed as distractors to test whether you know the exact idiomatic form.

Common Pitfalls:
Prepositional phrases are often tricky because many languages use different prepositions for similar ideas. Learners may logically think of the top of one voice as a location and choose on, but idioms do not always follow literal logic. The best strategy is to treat expressions like at the top of one voice as fixed chunks that must be memorised, so that you recognise them instantly in exam questions.

Final Answer:
The correct prepositional phrase is at the top of, giving The villager cried at the top of his voice for help, so option D is correct.