Vocabulary – Choose the option that BEST expresses the meaning of the underlined expression in context. Sentence: His visit to foreign countries brought about a sea-change in his outlook and his attitude to people.

Introduction / Context:
The phrase “sea-change” is a well-known English idiom meaning a very large, transformative change. In this sentence, it describes how the person's outlook and attitude altered after travelling abroad. Understanding fixed expressions like this is essential for vocabulary-building and reading comprehension.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The key phrase is “sea-change”.
• It modifies “his outlook and his attitude to people”.
• We must select the closest meaning from the options.
• No other contextual clues limit whether the change is positive or negative; only its magnitude is emphasized.

Concept / Approach:
“Sea-change” conventionally means a radical or complete transformation. It does not inherently mean “good” or “bad”; rather, it emphasizes scale and depth. Therefore, the best paraphrase focuses on totality, not sentiment.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Identify the idiom: sea-change = profound transformation.Compare options for magnitude versus polarity: “complete change” (magnitude), “partial change” (limited), “favourable” or “unfavourable” (polarity).Match the idiom: only “complete change” captures the sense without adding positive/negative bias.Confirm with context: travel often reshapes attitudes profoundly, aligning with “complete change”.

Verification / Alternative check:
Substitute the option in place of the idiom: “brought about a complete change” keeps the sentence natural and faithful to the intended meaning.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• partial change: contradicts the idea of a radical transformation.
• favourable change: adds positivity not stated in the sentence.
• unfavourable change: adds negativity not stated in the sentence.

Common Pitfalls:
Assuming “sea-change” implies positive improvement. The term is neutral about valence but strong about scale.

Final Answer:
complete change