Fill in the blank with the most appropriate word: Because she had a ______ demeanour, she was a desirable friend.

Introduction / Context:

Vocabulary and context based questions often require you to choose the word that best completes a sentence so that the overall meaning is natural and logical. Here, the sentence describes a woman whose demeanour made her a desirable friend. Demeanour refers to a person's outward behaviour and manner. The blank must therefore be filled with a word that aligns with a positive, friendly personality rather than a harsh or unfriendly one.

Given Data / Assumptions:

- The sentence is: Because she had a ______ demeanour, she was a desirable friend.

- The options are pleasant, severe, mean, and nasty.

- Desirable friend suggests someone whom others like and want to be close to.

- We assume standard meanings of the adjectives as they are used in general English.

Concept / Approach:

The key concept is semantic compatibility. The describing word must match the idea of a friend who is liked and valued. Pleasant means friendly, agreeable, and enjoyable to be with. Severe implies strict and harsh. Mean describes someone unkind or cruel, and nasty suggests unpleasant and spiteful behaviour. Only pleasant carries the positive connotation that fits with becoming a desirable friend. The other options clearly conflict with the positive tone of the sentence.

Step-by-Step Solution:

Verification / Alternative check:

To verify, substitute each option back into the sentence and read it aloud. Because she had a pleasant demeanour, she was a desirable friend sounds smooth and meaningful. The other combinations, such as severe demeanour or nasty demeanour, create contradictions. People rarely call someone a desirable friend because that person is severe, mean, or nasty. This context based check confirms that pleasant is the only reasonable answer.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

Severe is wrong because it conveys strictness and hardness, traits that may inspire fear or respect but not necessarily friendly affection. Mean is wrong because it refers to cruelty or unkindness, qualities that would discourage close friendship. Nasty is wrong because it implies malicious and offensive behaviour. Each of these adjectives spoils the positive tone of the sentence and contradicts the idea of being a desirable friend.

Common Pitfalls:

A common pitfall in such questions is ignoring the emotional tone of the entire sentence and focusing only on the blank. Some test takers also confuse pleasant with polite or formal and might think severe indicates strength in character. To avoid mistakes, always look for contextual clues like desirable, kind, loving, or respected and match them with adjectives that share similar positive or negative associations.

Final Answer:

The word that correctly completes the sentence is pleasant, giving the phrase pleasant demeanour.