In the following passage there are blanks, each of which has been numbered. These numbers are printed below the passage and against each, five pair of...
Question
In the following passage there are blanks, each of which has been numbered. These numbers are printed below the passage and against each, five pair of options are given. Find out the appropriate pair of words which fits the blank appropriately without changing the meaning. U.S. President Joe Biden’s attempts to revive the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), better known as the Iran nuclear deal, have not seen any _________ (87) with both sides waiting for the other to blink. The Biden administration says it would return to the deal if Iran starts complying with its terms. Tehran, on the other side, asks the U.S., which unilaterally __________ (88) the deal under the Donald Trump administration in May 2018, to return to the agreement first and lift sanctions on Iran. The EU’s efforts to organise direct U.S.-Iran talks were also unsuccessful as Tehran reportedly___________ (89) the offer. Iran has also accelerated its nuclear programme. This game of chicken continues as the clock is ticking. Iran will elect a new President in June. Hassan Rouhani, who bet his presidency on the deal — only to be repudiated by Mr. Trump — cannot stand in a third consecutive election. There is no guarantee that a moderate like Mr. Rouhani would be elected this time. And it is not a secret that there is considerable opposition among the hardliners, a powerful constituency, towards any kind of ___________ (90) with the U.S. Mr. Biden’s best bet is to get the nuclear agreement back on track before Mr. Rouhani leaves office. To be sure, Mr. Biden has moved with a sense of urgency after ____________ (91) power. He appointed a special envoy for Iran, showed signs of rebalancing ties with Saudi Arabia, and sent clear signals to Tehran about America’s desire to get back to the deal. But these actions do not seem to be enough to ______________(92) the trust after the acrimonious Trump years. Some of Iran’s concerns are genuine. After the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack, Iran had cooperated with the U.S. in the war against the Taliban. But once the Taliban were ___________ (93) out of power, the Bush administration branded Iran as part of an “Axis of Evil” along with Iraq and North Korea. As President Barack Obama offered diplomacy, the Iranians grabbed the opportunity, leading to the signing of the JCPOA in 2015.
93. Choose the correct pair of words to fill the blank (93):