Fill in the blanks:
Despite being criticized, the athlete managed to keep her ___ held high and rose ___ the occasion in the final match.

Correct option is A

The correct option to fill in the blank is (a) head, to.
Explanation:
· Keep her head held high – an idiom meaning to maintain pride and confidence despite criticism (आत्मसम्मान बनाए रखना)।
· Rose to the occasion – to successfully meet a challenge (कठिन समय में उत्कृष्ट प्रदर्शन करना)
Why this fits: The sentence highlights that despite criticism, the athlete retained dignity and succeeded — both idioms perfectly reflect confidence and capability.
Grammatical Rule (English): Both are idiomatic expressions. "Hold one’s head high" and "rise to the occasion" are commonly paired with specific prepositions.
Grammatical Rule (Hindi): “Keep head held high” का अर्थ है सम्मान बनाए रखना, और “rise to the occasion” का मतलब है अवसर के अनुरूप अच्छा प्रदर्शन करना।
Meanings of the other options:
· (b) Spirits – mood (मन:स्थिति), against – doesn’t fit idiomatically.
· (c) Confidence – self-assurance (आत्मविश्वास), with – grammatically off.
· (d) Standards – benchmarks (मानक), over – incorrect preposition use.