Choose the most appropriate word to complete the sentence: “We feared the enemy attack because they ____________ everything in their path.”

Introduction / Context:
This is a vocabulary based blank-filling question. The sentence talks about fear of an enemy attack and explains the reason for that fear: what the enemy usually does when advancing. The correct word must describe a destructive action that can logically be applied to “everything in their path”. Thus, familiarity with verbs describing damage or destruction is essential.

Given Data / Assumptions:
- Sentence: “We feared the enemy attack because they ____________ everything in their path.”
- Options: satiate, quench, remedy, incinerate, ignore.
- Context: warlike situation where an enemy is advancing and causing devastation.

Concept / Approach:
The key is to choose a verb that describes total destruction. “Incinerate” means to burn something completely to ashes. The other options relate to satisfying hunger or thirst, curing something, or neglecting something, none of which fit the image of devastation in an attack. Therefore, we look for the word with the strongest destructive meaning.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Insert “incinerate” into the sentence: “because they incinerate everything in their path.” This describes an enemy burning and destroying everything, which clearly explains the fear. Step 2: Test option A: “satiate”. To satiate is to satisfy fully, usually hunger or desire. It does not convey destruction and cannot take “everything in their path” as a typical object. Step 3: Test option B: “quench”. Quench means to satisfy thirst or to extinguish a fire. The phrase “quench everything in their path” does not make sense here. Step 4: Test option C: “remedy”. Remedy means to cure or correct a problem, which is opposite to the idea of an enemy attack. Step 5: Test option E: “ignore”. Ignoring everything in their path would suggest they leave things untouched, which would remove the reason for fear. Step 6: Since only “incinerate” fits both the context of war and the structure of the sentence, it must be the correct answer.

Verification / Alternative check:
Imagine a description of a devastating attack in a news report or history book. Writers commonly describe invading forces as “burning”, “destroying” or “incinerating” villages and fields in their path. None of the other options would be used in that context. This reinforces that “incinerate” is the only natural and meaningful verb choice here.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
- Satiate: does not collocate with “everything in their path” and has a completely different meaning.
- Quench: used for thirst or flames, not for dealing with objects in one's path during an attack.
- Remedy: implies healing, not harming.
- Ignore: implies leaving things alone, whereas the sentence demands a destructive action that causes fear.

Common Pitfalls:
Students may not be fully familiar with the precise meaning of “incinerate” and therefore hesitate to choose it. It is helpful to remember that many English words beginning with “in-” that relate to fire or heat (for example, “ignite”, “incandescent”) involve burning. Memorising such clusters of related words makes it easier to infer meanings from context even if the word is not extremely common in everyday speech.

Final Answer:
The correct word to complete the sentence is incinerate.