Question 7·Easy·Words in Context
In just a few years, mobile payment apps have shifted from novelty to necessity in many countries. For millions of people, paying with a phone has become ______, replacing cash and cards in everyday transactions.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
For words-in-context questions, always read a few lines around the blank and identify the tone (positive, negative, or neutral) and the main idea of the sentence. Then, plug each choice into the sentence and eliminate any that clash with the tone or add meanings (like danger, difficulty, or inefficiency) that the passage never suggests. Choose the option that fits smoothly and precisely with the existing description, not one that introduces a new opinion.
Hints
Look at the big picture
Focus on the whole idea: mobile payment apps went from "novelty" to "necessity" and now replace cash and cards in everyday transactions. Is the author describing a problem or just a change in habits?
Check the tone
Decide whether the author sounds negative, positive, or neutral about paying with a phone. This will help you rule out choices that don’t match the tone.
Plug in each option
Read the sentence with each answer choice in the blank. Ask yourself: does it logically fit with "replacing cash and cards in everyday transactions," or does it make the sentence sound like a complaint or warning?
Step-by-step Explanation
Use the context around the blank
Look at the key phrases: "shifted from novelty to necessity" and "replacing cash and cards in everyday transactions." These show that mobile payment apps are now a regular part of life for many people, not something rare or problematic.
Determine the sentence’s tone
The tone is neutral and descriptive. The writer is explaining a change in habits, not warning about dangers or complaining about problems. There are no negative words suggesting that paying with a phone is bad or difficult.
Test each answer choice against the context and tone
Ask, “If I plug this word into the sentence, does it match the idea of a normal daily habit and the neutral tone?”
- "burdensome" would mean paying with a phone is a heavy inconvenience.
- "risky" would mean it is dangerous.
- "inefficient" would mean it wastes time or effort. None of these match the idea that mobile payments have simply become an ordinary part of everyday life.
Select the word that best completes the idea
The only option that describes something that has become a regular, ordinary part of daily transactions—without adding a negative opinion—is "commonplace", so C is the correct answer.