Collocation and word choice – select the best noun to fit the phrase "on the ____ of his fiftieth birthday". Sentence: "The family gave father a gold watch on the ____ of his fiftieth birthday." Choose the most idiomatic and precise word.
Verbal Ability
Selecting Words
Difficulty: Easy
Choose an option
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Atime
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Bevent
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Coccasion
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Dcelebration
Answer
Correct Answer: occasion
Explanation
Given data
- Sentence context: marking a specific milestone date (fiftieth birthday).
- Options: time, event, occasion, celebration.
Concept/ApproachThe fixed expression is on the occasion of + event. It is the natural, formal collocation used to mark notable dates.
Option analysisoccasion — correct collocation: "on the occasion of his fiftieth birthday." ✅time — too general; "on the time of" is unidiomatic.event — a count noun but the fixed phrase is not "on the event of".celebration — names the act of celebrating, not the marked date; typical preposition would be "at the celebration".
Usage tipSet phrase: "on the occasion of + noun phrase".
Final Answeroccasion