Select the most appropriate option that can substitute the highlighted segment in the given sentence.
During the preparation for competitive exams, Meena avoided going to parties.

Correct option is B

The correct substitution of the highlighted words is (b) steered clear of.
The phrase “avoided going to parties” means that Meena deliberately stayed away from attending social events. The idiomatic expression “steered clear of” perfectly conveys this meaning in a natural and concise way.
Grammatical rule used: This is an example of idiomatic verb substitution, where a phrase is replaced by a more expressive and idiomatic alternative without changing the tense or grammatical structure.
Explanation of the grammatical rule in Hindi: यहां “avoided going to parties” एक सामान्य वाक्यांश है, जिसे “steered clear of” जैसे भाववाचक और संक्षिप्त मुहावरे से बदला गया है।
Example: During exam time, she steered clear of all distractions.
Meanings of other options:
· Cracked a joke: To tell a humorous story.
· Hindi: मजाक करना।
· Fired a cracker: To light fireworks.
· Hindi: पटाखा फोड़ना।
· Whispered a secret: To speak something confidentially.
· Hindi: कान में बात करना।