Select the most appropriate option to fill in the blank.
During the night the express train picked up ______.

Correct option is A

The correct option to fill in the blank is "speed."
· "During the night the express train picked up speed."
· Speed is appropriate in this context as it refers to the train increasing its velocity, which is a common occurrence for express trains especially during the night when tracks are less congested.
· Example: As we left the city, the train picked up speed, moving faster through the countryside.
· Other options:
· (b) "distance," (c) "rate," and (d) "quick" do not grammatically or contextually fit the sentence structure or typical expressions about trains.