Complete the sentence by choosing the most appropriate verb: "By a single mean act, he _____ out all his good deeds."

Introduction / Context:
This sentence completion question checks your knowledge of phrasal verbs and collocations in English. The sentence describes how one cruel or mean act can cancel the effect of many good deeds. You must choose the verb that forms a natural and meaningful phrase with out in this moral context.

Given Data / Assumptions:
The sentence is:

• By a single mean act, he _____ out all his good deeds.

The options are:

• wiped
• whipped
• worked
• whisked

We assume we want to express the idea of cancelling or destroying the effect of the good deeds.

Concept / Approach:
In English, the phrasal verb wipe out means to destroy, cancel, or remove completely. It can be used in both literal and figurative situations, such as wiping out a village or wiping out past achievements. In this context, the sentence suggests that one bad action cancelled all earlier good actions, so wiped out is the natural collocation. The other verbs do not form a meaningful phrase with out in this sense.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Understand the meaning of the sentence. It says that because of one mean act, the value or memory of all his good deeds was cancelled. Step 2: Consider the phrasal verb wiped out. It means completely destroyed or removed, which matches the moral message. Step 3: Examine whipped out. This usually means took something out very quickly, such as whipped out a phone, which does not fit the idea of cancelling good deeds. Step 4: Examine worked out. It generally means solved or exercised, and would require an object or a different structure. Worked out all his good deeds does not make sense in context. Step 5: Examine whisked out. Whisked means moved quickly or stirred, and whisked out is not a common collocation for cancelling actions. Step 6: Therefore, wiped is the only verb that forms the correct phrasal verb wiped out, giving the sentence a clear and idiomatic meaning.

Verification / Alternative check:
Read the full sentence with the chosen verb: By a single mean act, he wiped out all his good deeds. This clearly conveys that the moral balance of his actions was cancelled by one cruel action. In moral or ethical discussions, it is common to say that one bad deed can wipe out many good ones. None of the other options produce a well known phrase that expresses this idea.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Whipped out is wrong because it implies taking something out quickly, not erasing previous actions. Worked out is wrong because it usually means solved (a problem) or exercised, which does not relate to good deeds being cancelled. Whisked out is wrong because whisked means moved quickly or stirred, and does not form a standard phrasal verb in this context. Only wiped out accurately captures the meaning of total removal.

Common Pitfalls:
Students can be misled by similar sounding verbs or by familiarity with words like whipped. It is important to think not only about the single verb but also about the complete phrasal verb and its typical usage. Learning common phrasal verbs such as wipe out, break down, and turn up helps in recognising correct combinations quickly during exams.

Final Answer:
The correct completion is wiped, forming the phrasal verb wiped out.