In this English cloze passage about a forgetful traveller and his tooth brush, choose the correct linking word to fill in the blank so that the sequence of actions is logically and grammatically complete in the sentence “and it is always the last thing I turn out of the bag; and ____________ I repack and forget it, and have to rush upstairs for it at the last moment.”

Introduction / Context:
This question comes from a cloze passage where the narrator humorously describes the trouble caused by a tooth brush while travelling. The test checks your understanding of basic conjunctions and sentence connectors in English. Specifically, you must choose the word that correctly links two actions in time: turning the tooth brush out of the bag and later repacking and forgetting it. The aim is to select the option that shows a natural sequence of events.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The key sentence is “and it is always the last thing I turn out of the bag; and ____________ I repack and forget it, and have to rush upstairs for it at the last moment.”
• The options are “than,” “that,” “this,” and “then.”
• The blank appears before “I repack and forget it,” which describes what happens after the previous action.
• The sentence describes events happening one after another in time.

Concept / Approach:
The concept tested here is the correct use of simple linking words. The sentence uses a chronological structure: first the speaker turns the tooth brush out of the bag, and later something else happens. In English, the basic word that shows “after that” or “next in time” is “then.” The words “than,” “that,” and “this” serve different grammatical functions. “Than” is used in comparisons, “that” is a relative pronoun or determiner, and “this” is a demonstrative pronoun. None of these words naturally introduce the next step in a sequence of events.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Notice that the semicolon separates two closely connected clauses describing actions in order. Step 2: Recognize that the phrase after the blank, “I repack and forget it,” happens after the previous action “I turn out of the bag.” Step 3: Identify that the blank must show this temporal progression, meaning “after that” or “next”. Step 4: Evaluate each option. “Than” fits only in comparisons like “bigger than,” so it is unsuitable here. Step 5: “That” and “this” refer to things, not to the order of actions, so they do not match the intended meaning. Step 6: “Then” is a common adverb used exactly in this sense: “and then I repack and forget it.” It preserves the narrative flow.

Verification / Alternative check:
To verify, insert each option into the sentence and read it aloud. “And than I repack and forget it” is ungrammatical because “than” cannot start a clause in this way. “And that I repack and forget it” would require a different structure and sounds awkward without a main clause. “And this I repack and forget it” also does not fit natural spoken or written English here. By contrast, “and then I repack and forget it” clearly indicates what happens next and matches everyday storytelling language. This simple substitution check confirms that “then” is the only option that works both grammatically and logically.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
“Than” is used in comparative structures such as “more expensive than” and cannot serve as a temporal connector in this sentence. “That” can introduce a noun clause or act as a determiner, but here it would make the sentence clumsy and incomplete. “This” points to something near in time or space, but it does not express “after that” or “next” and therefore fails to show the intended sequence.

Common Pitfalls:
Many learners confuse “than” and “then” because they look and sound similar. Examination questions often exploit this similarity. Another pitfall is to choose “that” just because it seems grammatically acceptable, without considering whether it adds the correct meaning. Always remember that “then” is used to show the order of events, especially in narratives. Checking the function of the missing word in the sentence is more important than relying on superficial similarity of spelling or sound.

Final Answer:
The connector that correctly completes the sentence is “then”, giving “and then I repack and forget it.”