Bala ate a slice of BREAD.

Step 1: Analyze the question This is an emphatic stress question. The capitalized word, BREAD, is the focus of the sentence. Emphatic stress is used to correct or contrast a particular piece of information. The question that "relates" to the sentence is the one where the thing being questioned is the word that carries the stress.

Step 2: Explain the concept When a word is stressed for emphasis, it contrasts with another word that could have taken its place. In "Bala ate a slice of BREAD," the stress on BREAD suggests the answer to a question like "Did Bala eat a slice of something else?" That is, the item eaten is the point of contrast, not who ate it, what he did, or the quantity.

Step 3: Check each option

• A. Did Bala drink a slice of bread? The contrast here is between drink and ate. The stress would fall on ATE, not BREAD.
• B. Did Bala eat a loaf of bread? The contrast is between loaf and slice. The stress would fall on SLICE.
• C. Did Olu eat a slice of bread? The contrast is between Olu and Bala. The stress would fall on BALA.
• D. Did Bala eat a slice of cake? The contrast is between cake and bread. The stress falls on BREAD, which is the answer to this question: "No, Bala ate a slice of BREAD (not cake)."

Step 4: Answer The correct option is D.

Tip: In emphatic stress questions, find the word in the question that differs from the sentence. That swapped word is what the capitalized word is correcting. Here, cake is replaced by bread, so the stress is on BREAD.