The aggrieved customers staged a fierce … on the street.

Step 1: Analyze the question The sentence is: "The aggrieved customers staged a fierce __ on the street." We need the word that best fits the context.

Step 2: Key clues

• "aggrieved customers": "Aggrieved" means feeling resentful or wronged. People who feel wronged usually express their complaint publicly.
• "staged": We say people stage a protest, a demonstration, a strike, or a walkout. The verb "stage" means to organize a public event or action.
• "on the street": This points to a public demonstration.

Step 3: Test each option

• A. contest: A contest is a competition. Customers don't "stage a contest" to show anger. Wrong.
• B. argument: People have or engage in an argument, rather than "stage" one. It also doesn't suit a public action by a group. Weak fit.
• C. fight: "Staged a fight" is possible, but it suggests physical violence and doesn't connect to the customers' grievance. It is less precise.
• D. protest: "Staged a fierce protest" is a natural collocation. Aggrieved people stage protests to show dissatisfaction publicly. Best fit.

Step 4: Answer The correct option is D. protest.

Tip: Learn common collocations with "stage": stage a protest, stage a demonstration, stage a coup, stage a play. In "Lexis and Structure" questions, look for the verb or adjective that pairs naturally with one of the options. Words like "aggrieved" (wronged) also give a strong hint about the context.