In this passage on booth capturing and rigging, choose the word that best completes the second blank in the phrase "as murmurs of _____ losers."

Introduction / Context:
The passage criticises the tendency to dismiss complaints about booth capturing and rigging as nothing more than excuses made by people who have lost an election. The second blank describes the losers whose voices are being ignored. The chosen adjective must reflect their emotional state in a way that supports the author argument.

Given Data / Assumptions:

The phrase containing the blank is murmurs of _____ losers.

The topic is allegations of electoral malpractice.

The passage suggests that these allegations may be serious, not just excuses.

The adjective should indicate a mood or attitude typical of those who have lost, according to people who dismiss them.

Options include rational, disgruntled, huge, idealist and optimistic.

Concept / Approach:
In English, the term disgruntled loser is common and refers to someone who is unhappy or dissatisfied after losing, often complaining or protesting. People who want to ignore complaints may label them as the murmurs of disgruntled losers, implying that the complaints are emotional reactions rather than genuine concerns. Therefore, the correct adjective should capture this idea of dissatisfaction and resentment. The word must also agree grammatically and collocate naturally with losers.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Read the complete phrase with each option and test which one sounds idiomatic and meaningful. Step 2: Insert disgruntled. The phrase murmurs of disgruntled losers is natural and vividly describes people who are unhappy and complaining after defeat. Step 3: Insert rational. Murmurs of rational losers is odd because rational suggests calm and logical thinking, which does not usually match a dismissive description. Step 4: Insert huge. Murmurs of huge losers is incorrect; huge describes size or degree, not an emotional state, and does not fit the context. Step 5: Insert idealist. Murmurs of idealist losers sounds forced. Idealist refers to people who have high principles, not necessarily those grumbling after loss. Step 6: Insert optimistic. Murmurs of optimistic losers is contradictory because optimistic people are hopeful, not necessarily complaining about defeat.

Verification / Alternative check:
In political commentary, disgruntled workers, disgruntled customers and disgruntled voters are common collocations for people who are dissatisfied. The word disgruntled clearly supports the criticism made in the passage, which is that serious allegations are dismissed as mere grumbling. Considering the entire sentence, the combination realistic and disgruntled in the first two blanks creates a strong contrast between the seriousness of the issue and the attitude of those who ignore it.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Rational does not fit because the passage is talking about allegations treated as mere emotional complaints, not calm reasoning. Huge cannot describe losers in terms of emotional state and does not match the idea of murmurs or complaints. Idealist changes the meaning toward people who have strong ideals, which is not the focus of the criticism. Optimistic is inconsistent with the negative emotional tone suggested by murmurs and with the usual pattern of speech about defeated candidates or parties.

Common Pitfalls:
A typical mistake is to choose a word just because it feels high level or positive, without checking whether it matches the logic and tone of the passage. Another problem is ignoring common collocations like disgruntled losers that are widely used in political and journalistic language. Always read the full phrase and think about how the writer wants to describe the people in question.

Final Answer:
The word that best completes the second blank is disgruntled.