The ripe orange was beyond his … .

Analyze the question: You need the word that best completes the sentence: "The ripe orange was beyond his __." This tests collocations and idioms, which means knowing which words naturally go together in English.

Explain the concept: The phrase "beyond one's reach" is a fixed expression. It means something is too far away or too high to be gotten hold of. Other similar expressions include "beyond one's means" and "beyond one's control."

Step-by-step solution:

1. Touch – "beyond his touch" is not a standard English expression. We would say "out of touch" or "untouchable," not "beyond his touch."
2. Catch – "beyond his catch" is not idiomatic. We use "catch" for things in motion, like a ball.
3. Pluck – This is a verb meaning to pull a fruit from a tree. "Beyond his pluck" does not work here. "Pluck" as a noun means courage, which changes the meaning completely.
4. Reach – "Beyond his reach" is a correct, natural collocation. An orange hanging on a tree too high for him to grab fits this perfectly.

Answer: The ripe orange was beyond his reach.

Exam tip: In "fill in the gap" questions, always ask: "Which word do native speakers naturally pair with this preposition or phrase?" Memorise common "beyond" phrases: beyond reach, beyond doubt, beyond belief, beyond repair. Spotting a fixed expression can save you precious seconds in JAMB.