It is rude to cut … when people are talking.

Analyze the question: The sentence is "It is rude to cut ......... when people are talking." We need the preposition or particle that forms a phrasal verb meaning to interrupt a conversation.

Explain the concept: In English, "cut in" is a phrasal verb meaning to interrupt someone who is speaking, or to push into a conversation or a queue. Phrasal verbs combine a verb with a particle, and the particle changes the meaning completely.

Test each option:

• A. cut in: means to interrupt a conversation. "Please don't cut in while I'm speaking." This fits perfectly.
• B. cut through: means to pass through or take a shortcut (e.g., "cut through the bush"). It doesn't fit, because it needs an object.
• C. cut off: means to stop something or disconnect it (e.g., "The call was cut off"). It is not used for casually interrupting talk, and it normally needs an object ("cut someone off"). The sentence has no object, so it doesn't fit.
• D. cut from: does not form a meaningful phrasal verb here.

Answer: The best choice is A. in.

Check: "It is rude to cut in when people are talking.

Tip: In WASSCE lexis and structure questions, learn common phrasal verbs in groups. "Cut in" = interrupt. "Cut off" = disconnect or stop. "Cut down" = reduce or fell. "Cut out" = remove or stop doing something. If there's no object after the blank, choose the particle that works without one, such as "in."