In the following sentence completion question, choose the most appropriate adverb to fill in the blank so that the sentence expresses difficulty in seeing: "We can __________ see anything in the dim light."

Introduction / Context:
This sentence completion question tests your ability to choose an adverb that conveys the correct degree of difficulty. The speaker is describing how hard it is to see in dim light, and you must choose a word that means "almost not at all," which fits both grammatically and logically in the sentence.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Sentence: "We can __________ see anything in the dim light."
• The phrase "dim light" suggests poor visibility.
• The auxiliary "can" is followed by an adverb and then the base verb "see."
• The desired meaning is that seeing is very difficult, almost impossible.

Concept / Approach:
The word "scarcely" means "hardly" or "almost not." It is often used with "can" in sentences like "We can scarcely see" or "He could scarcely breathe." This perfectly matches the idea of struggling to see in dim light. The other adverbs "badly," "fairly," and "rather" express different degrees or types of quality and do not fit as naturally in this pattern.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Understand that the speaker wants to say that seeing is almost impossible in the dim light. Step 2: Recall common collocations like "can scarcely see," "can hardly hear," and "can barely move." Step 3: Recognise that "scarcely" captures the meaning "almost not at all." Step 4: Insert "scarcely" into the sentence: "We can scarcely see anything in the dim light." Step 5: Confirm that the sentence now sounds natural and expresses the intended difficulty.

Verification / Alternative check:
Test each other option: "We can badly see anything" is not idiomatic; usually we say "see badly," and even then it refers to poor eyesight rather than difficulty because of dim light. "We can fairly see anything" and "We can rather see anything" both sound unnatural and do not express the "almost not" meaning. Only "scarcely" works smoothly with "can" in this structure and accurately reflects the situation.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• badly: This adverb usually goes after the main verb, as in "see badly," and it refers to poor quality, not to the idea of "almost not at all."
• fairly: Means "moderately" or "quite," which suggests a reasonable ability, the opposite of the intended difficulty.
• rather: Often means "quite" or "to some extent," again implying more ability than the context allows.

Common Pitfalls:
Students sometimes ignore the subtle difference between "cannot" and "can scarcely." The latter is a softer way of saying almost the same thing and is frequently used in descriptive writing. Another common mistake is to choose an adverb based only on its familiarity, such as "rather" or "fairly," without testing the exact nuance it adds to the sentence. Always check whether the adverb matches the degree of difficulty or ease implied by the context.

Final Answer:
The correct word is scarcely, giving the sentence: We can scarcely see anything in the dim light.