1
Identify context - weather was pleasant, so they changed their indoor plans
2
Look for logical connection - pleasant weather made them change indoor plans to outdoor activity
3
Check meaning - 'abandon' means to give up, which fits perfectly
4
Verify grammar - 'abandon' is grammatically correct here
Answer: (b) abandon
Worked Example 2: 'Despite his _____ efforts, he could not solve the complex problem.'
Options: (a) casual (b) half-hearted (c) strenuous (d) minimal
1
Notice 'Despite' - this signals contrast
2
The result was failure ('could not solve')
3
With 'despite', we need a positive effort word that contrasts with failure
4
'Strenuous' means great effort, creating perfect contrast with failure
Answer: (c) strenuous
Shortcut Trick #3 - The Collocation Method: Some words naturally go together. Learn common word partnerships like 'make efforts', 'take steps', 'heavy rain', 'strong coffee'. If you see one part, the partner word is likely the answer