In the sentence "Success is achieved twice, once in the mind and the second time in the ______ world", which word best completes the blank?

Difficulty: Easy

Correct Answer: real

Explanation:


Introduction / Context:
This sentence completion question comes from a motivational context that contrasts inner preparation with outer achievement. It suggests that success first happens in imagination or planning and then occurs again when goals are actually accomplished. The blank at the end of the sentence asks you to choose which type of world best contrasts with the mind and fits standard motivational language.


Given Data / Assumptions:

  • The sentence reads: Success is achieved twice, once in the mind and the second time in the ______ world.
  • The options are real, virtual, fantasy, and artificial.
  • Success in the mind refers to mental rehearsal, planning, or visualisation.
  • The second success is meant to indicate practical, outward achievement.


Concept / Approach:
In motivational and self help writing, there is a very common contrast between the mind and the real world. First you see success in your thoughts, then you work and see it in real life. Real world is a fixed phrase used to describe actual conditions, responsibilities, and results outside imagination. Virtual, fantasy, and artificial refer to non actual or simulated environments, which would not reflect the intended message about concrete achievement. Therefore, real is the only option that produces a natural and meaningful expression: in the real world.


Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recognise that the sentence sets up a clear contrast: inner world of the mind versus an outer, practical world.Step 2: Recall the common phrase real world, which is widely used to describe life outside theory or imagination.Step 3: Test the option real in the blank: Success is achieved twice, once in the mind and the second time in the real world. This sounds fully idiomatic.Step 4: Test virtual, fantasy, and artificial; each of these suggests something unreal or simulated, contradicting the idea of actual fulfilment of goals.Step 5: Conclude that real is the only option that matches the message and standard English usage.


Verification / Alternative check:
When people talk about education, careers, or personal development, they often say that something must work in the real world, or that students are not ready for the real world. The same kind of language appears in motivational statements about success: you imagine success and then create it in the real world. If we insert virtual world, the meaning shifts to a computer generated or online environment, which is not the general idea here. Fantasy world suggests daydreaming rather than genuine achievement. Artificial world describes something unnatural or man made, again not the normal phrase in this context.


Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Virtual typically refers to computer simulations or online spaces, such as virtual reality or virtual classrooms. Fantasy suggests imagination, unreality, or fiction, which would mean success never leaves the mind, contradicting the intended contrast. Artificial often implies fake or unnatural, which clashes with the positive idea of true success. None of these words produces the established phrase that matches how this idea is usually expressed.


Common Pitfalls:
Sometimes exam takers overthink and are tempted by more unusual words like virtual because they feel modern or technical. However, questions in this section usually rely on standard phrases. When you see a familiar motivational structure like once in the mind and the second time in the..., recalling the very common expression real world will quickly guide you to the correct answer.


Final Answer:
The blank should be filled with real, giving the sentence: Success is achieved twice, once in the mind and the second time in the real world (option A).

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