VOCABULARY IN CONTEXT — Choose the option that best captures the intended meaning. Sentence: 'While the ladies continued their SMALL TALK in the drawing room, I felt bored.'

Introduction / Context:
“Small talk” is a fixed collocation in English referring to light, casual conversation about non-controversial topics such as the weather, travel, or daily routines. It is the opposite of deep discussion. The sentence’s tone (“I felt bored”) reinforces that the talk was trivial and routine.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Setting: drawing room, a social space for casual chat.
• Key term: “small talk.”
• Speaker reaction: boredom, which often accompanies trivial chatter.

Concept / Approach:
Although small talk can shade into gossip, the term itself remains neutral and focuses on topic lightness rather than speaking ill of others. The best choice is “light conversation.” “Whispering” and “backbiting” add secrecy or malice not present in the sentence. “Gossip” specifically implies discussing others’ private matters, which the sentence does not state.

Step-by-Step Solution:
1) Recognize collocation: “small talk.”2) Recall standard definition: light, casual conversation.3) Select the neutral equivalent “light conversation.”4) Discard options adding negativity absent from the context.

Verification / Alternative check:
Substitute: “While they continued their light conversation, I felt bored.” The paraphrase preserves tone and meaning.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
A) “whispering” implies hushed secrecy, not necessarily casual topics.B) “backbiting” includes slander; it is pejorative.C) “gossip” is possible but not guaranteed; the neutral term is safer and more accurate.

Common Pitfalls:
Equating all casual talk with gossip. Small talk often serves social bonding without malign content.

Final Answer:
light conversation