There is a sentence that is missing in the paragraph below. Look at the paragraph and decide where (option 1, 2, 3, or 4) the following sentence would best fit.
Paragraph: Wedding season is upon us and – after two years of Covid chaos that saw nuptials scaled back- you may think the temptation would be to go all out ___ (1) ___ . But instead of expanding the guest list, many couples are opting to have entirely secret ceremonies. With Covid case numbers remaining high and the cost-of-living crisis meaning that many couples are feeling the pinch, it's no wonder that some are less than eager to send out invites ___ (2) ___ . Plus, it can't hurt that in celebrity circles getting married in secret is all the rage ___ (3) ___ . "I would definitely say that secret weddings are becoming more common," says Landis Bejar, the founder of a therapy practice, which specialises in helping brides and grooms manage wedding stress. "People are looking for ways to get out of the spotlight and avoid the pomp and circumstance of weddings ___ (4) ___ . They just want to get to the part where they are married."
Sentence: Easing the anxiety and pressure of having a "big day" is part of the appeal for many couples who marry in secret.
There is a sentence that is missing in the paragraph below. Look at the paragraph and decide where (option 1, 2, 3, or 4) the following sentence would best fit.
Paragraph: Wedding season is upon us and – after two years of Covid chaos that saw nuptials scaled back- you may think the temptation would be to go all out ___ (1) ___ . But instead of expanding the guest list, many couples are opting to have entirely secret ceremonies. With Covid case numbers remaining high and the cost-of-living crisis meaning that many couples are feeling the pinch, it's no wonder that some are less than eager to send out invites ___ (2) ___ . Plus, it can't hurt that in celebrity circles getting married in secret is all the rage ___ (3) ___ . "I would definitely say that secret weddings are becoming more common," says Landis Bejar, the founder of a therapy practice, which specialises in helping brides and grooms manage wedding stress. "People are looking for ways to get out of the spotlight and avoid the pomp and circumstance of weddings ___ (4) ___ . They just want to get to the part where they are married."
Sentence: Easing the anxiety and pressure of having a "big day" is part of the appeal for many couples who marry in secret.
Solution
The paragraph builds an argument: Wedding season is back → people could go big → but instead they're choosing secret ceremonies. Then it gives reasons why.
From passage: "With Covid case numbers remaining high and the cost-of-living crisis meaning that many couples are feeling the pinch, it's no wonder that some are less than eager to send out invites"
The missing sentence talks about reducing anxiety and pressure - this connects directly to couples "feeling the pinch" and being "less than eager" to send invites.
Think about it: Financial stress → anxiety → wanting to avoid pressure → secret weddings make sense.
🔴 Option 1 → context-shift → The sentence mentions secret wedding benefits, but we haven't even established that people are choosing secret weddings yet. Too early in the argument.
🟢 Option 2 → CORRECT → Perfect flow: Cost crisis causes stress → Our sentence explains this reduces anxiety → Then celebrity trends support this choice. The "anxiety" directly connects to "feeling the pinch."
🟠 Option 3 → scope-error → Comes after celebrity trends, but our sentence isn't about celebrities - it's about general couples' motivations. Doesn't connect well.
🟠 Option 4 → repetitive → This spot already has similar ideas about avoiding "spotlight and pomp." Our sentence would just repeat rather than add new reasoning.
The key is recognizing that position 2 builds the logical chain: financial pressure → emotional anxiety → solution (secret weddings).