In this English vocabulary and idiom question, choose the most appropriate verb to complete the sentence: "The authorities would not ______ to the strikers' demands." Select the option that correctly expresses formal agreement or yielding to a request.

Introduction / Context:
This question examines your understanding of formal verbs used with demands or requests in a labour or political context. The sentence refers to "the authorities" and "the strikers' demands", an area where specific collocations are common in news reports and editorials. You must choose the verb that naturally pairs with "to the demands" to mean "agree to them or yield to them".

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Sentence: "The authorities would not ______ to the strikers' demands."
• Options:
  • accept
  • accede
  • accession
  • access
  • agree
• The context is a negotiation or dispute between striking workers and authorities.
• The preposition "to" is already present: "______ to the strikers' demands".

Concept / Approach:
The formal verb that commonly collocates with "demands" and the preposition "to" is "accede". The phrase "accede to demands" means "to agree to them, especially after some initial reluctance". In contrast, "accept" usually takes a direct object without "to" ("accept the demands"); "accession" is a noun, not a verb; "access" as a verb means to approach or obtain data; and "agree" normally requires "to" plus a noun simply as "agree to the proposal", but the specific idiom in news language is "accede to the demands". Therefore, "accede" best matches both the structure and the tone of the sentence.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Note the frame "would not ______ to the strikers' demands." The preposition "to" is fixed after the blank. Step 2: Recall the idiom "accede to the demands", which means "agree to or accept demands". Step 3: Test "The authorities would not accede to the strikers' demands." This reads naturally and mirrors the style of newspaper reporting. Step 4: Consider "accept": we normally say "accept the demands" without "to", so "accept to the demands" would be incorrect. Step 5: "Accession" is a noun and cannot be used directly as a verb in this position. Step 6: "Access" as a verb means "to reach or use", often in technical or computing contexts, not "to agree to demands". Step 7: "Agree" could appear in "agree to something", but the standard phrase with "demands" in this formal context is "accede to the demands".

Verification / Alternative check:
Look at typical headlines: "Government refuses to accede to striking workers' demands" or "Management accedes to union demands after prolonged negotiations." Such use is very common in journalistic English. While you might see "agree to the demands" occasionally, examiners prefer the more precise and formal "accede to". Since the preposition "to" is already given, "accede" is the most suitable choice among the options.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• accept: Would require a direct object without "to"; "accept to the demands" is incorrect.
• accession: A noun meaning "the act of agreeing or joining", not a verb; cannot fill the blank.
• access: Verb meaning "to obtain entry" or "to retrieve data"; does not collocate with "demands" in this sense.
• agree: While "agree to" is grammatically possible, the stronger and more context specific expression with "demands" in public disputes is "accede to", which the exam expects.

Common Pitfalls:
Students often pick "accept" or "agree" because they know these verbs are associated with saying "yes". However, exam setters deliberately combine such verbs with slightly different structures ("agree to", "accept something", "accede to") to test your command of collocations. Remember: "accede to demands", "agree to a proposal", and "accept a proposal" are all correct, but they must be used with their proper preposition and object patterns.

Final Answer:
The correct completion is "accede", forming the phrase "The authorities would not accede to the strikers' demands.".