Question

1. which of the following might rankle?

(a) a deliberate insult
(c) an unexpected rebuff
(b) a false accusation
(d) an affable remark

Explanation:

To solve this, we first define "rankle", which means to cause irritation or resentment. Let's analyze each option:

• Option (a): A deliberate insult is intended to offend, so it can cause irritation/resentment (rankle).
• Option (b): A false accusation wrongly blames someone, leading to resentment/irritation (rankle).
• Option (c): An unexpected rebuff (rejection) can also cause annoyance or resentment (rankle).
• Option (d): An affable remark is friendly and pleasant, so it would not rankle.

Since the question asks "which of the following might rankle", (a), (b), and (c) are actions that can cause irritation/resentment, while (d) cannot. If we assume the question might have a typo or expects identifying the one that does NOT rankle (but the wording is "might rankle"), but likely, the intended is to see that (d) is the one that does not, but the options (a), (b), (c) might. However, if we re - check, "rankle" is about causing lasting irritation. A deliberate insult (a), false accusation (b), unexpected rebuff (c) can all rankle, while an affable remark (d) is kind and won't. But maybe the question is to find which does NOT, but the wording is "might rankle". If we consider the options, (a), (b), (c) are the ones that might. But if we follow the common type of such questions, maybe the answer is (d) as the one that does not, but the question says "might rankle". Wait, no - the question is "which of the following might rankle", so (a), (b), (c) are correct. But maybe the question has a different intention. Let's re - check the definitions:

• Deliberate insult: intended to hurt, so can rankle.
• False accusation: can make someone resentful, rankle.
• Unexpected rebuff: can make someone annoyed, rankle.
• Affable remark: friendly, no rankle.

So the ones that might rankle are (a), (b), (c). But if the question is multiple - choice and we have to pick the one that does not, it's (d). But the question says "might rankle", so (a), (b), (c) are possible. But maybe the original question has a different context. Assuming the question is to find the one that does NOT rankle, the answer is (d).

Answer:

(a) a deliberate insult, (b) a false accusation, (c) an unexpected rebuff