Contextual vocabulary: choose the best word to complete "The bank ______ his house as he had failed to pay the instalments"

Introduction / Context:
This question tests contextual vocabulary in a sentence about a bank taking action against a borrower who failed to pay instalments. The verb must fit both the formal financial context and the idea of seizing property due to non payment. Such fill in the blank questions check whether you can choose a word that is semantically and collocationally appropriate.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The sentence is: "The bank ______ his house as he had failed to pay the instalments despite repeated warnings."
• The subject is "The bank", which is a financial institution.
• The object is "his house", a piece of property.
• The cause is failure to pay instalments, indicating a legal or financial penalty.
• Options are "mobbed", "confiscated", "hijacked", and "captured".

Concept / Approach:
The correct verb should describe a lawful or official seizure of property as a consequence of non payment. In English, "confiscate" means to officially take something away, especially as a punishment or because of a law or rule. Banks and authorities may confiscate property in such contexts. Other verbs like "mob", "hijack", and "capture" belong to different semantic fields such as crowds, criminal seizure of vehicles, or military action and do not fit the banking context.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Understand the scenario: because the man did not pay instalments, the bank legally took over his house. Step 2: Consider "mobbed": this means a crowd surrounding or attacking someone; banks do not "mob" houses. Step 3: Consider "confiscated": this means officially seized as a penalty, perfectly matching what a bank may do with a house on loan default. Step 4: Consider "hijacked": this describes unlawfully seizing a vehicle, aircraft, or similar, not a legal action by a bank. Step 5: Consider "captured": often used in war or games; a bank does not "capture" a house in standard formal English. Step 6: Conclude that "confiscated" is the only verb that accurately matches the situation.

Verification / Alternative check:
You can test each verb in a full sentence. "The bank confiscated his house" is a natural and grammatically correct sentence describing legal seizure. In contrast, "The bank hijacked his house" or "The bank mobbed his house" sound wrong and misleading. "The bank captured his house" also seems out of place, as "capture" suggests an enemy or prey rather than overdue loan action.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option A: "Mobbed" involves a crowd behaviour and is unrelated to banking or property law. Option C: "Hijacked" is connected with illegal seizure of vehicles or aircraft, not with lawful property repossession. Option D: "Captured" usually applies to enemies, animals, or pieces in a game, not to legal financial procedures.

Common Pitfalls:
Some candidates may be tempted by "captured" because it loosely suggests taking control, but good vocabulary use requires both correct meaning and suitable context. Another pitfall is not paying attention to the subject of the sentence; verbs that fit criminal or informal contexts are unlikely to be correct when the subject is a bank. Always consider how commonly a verb is used with the type of subject and object presented.

Final Answer:
The most appropriate verb is "confiscated", so option B is the correct answer.