The politician's speech was filled with ___ promises that failed to address the real concerns of the people.

Appeared in: DSSSB 14 August 2024

Explanation

The sentence requires a word that describes promises that are worthless or insincere, as indicated by the clause "failed to address the real concerns of the people.".
The word "empty" is the most suitable choice, as the phrase "empty promises" is a well-established idiom.
This idiom specifically refers to commitments made without any intention of fulfillment, lacking any real substance or value.

Option A: Tangible means clear, definite, and real. Tangible promises would be the opposite of what is described, as they would likely be effective and address real concerns.
Option C: Meaningful means having a serious or useful quality. This is an antonym for the word needed in the context. Meaningful promises would not fail to address people's concerns.
Option D: Repugnant means extremely distasteful or unacceptable. While a politician's actions or speech might be repugnant, this word doesn't typically describe a promise's lack of substance. The core issue is the promise's ineffectiveness, not its offensive nature.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Vocabulary and Contextual Understanding as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
This is a general English question testing vocabulary and contextual understanding, not a clinical concept.
Strong language skills are crucial for nurses for clear communication with patients, families, and colleagues, as well as for accurate documentation.
What if the sentence was 'The politician's speech was filled with ___ ideas that disgusted the audience'? In that case, 'repugnant' would be the correct answer, as the context shifts from lack of substance to causing offense.

How to Approach the Question

Read the entire sentence carefully to understand its overall meaning and context.
Identify the key phrase that provides a clue: "failed to address the real concerns of the people."
Analyze what this clue implies about the missing word. It suggests the promises were worthless, ineffective, or insincere.
Evaluate each option to see how well it fits the meaning derived from the clue.
Eliminate options that are opposite in meaning (tangible, meaningful) or don't fit the specific context (repugnant).
Select the word that creates a logical and common phrase ('empty promises') that aligns perfectly with the sentence's context.

Concept Tested & Keywords

Q7xJvoB-k5DYYtXDqzUjmF

Practise the full DSSSB 14 August 2024

Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.