The manager was eulogised for his speech while his assistant was …

Step 1: Analyse the question We need a word that (a) is opposite in meaning to "eulogised" and (b) fits the gap grammatically and logically: "his assistant was ____."

Step 2: Meaning of the underlined word To eulogise means to praise someone highly, especially in a formal speech or writing. So we need a word meaning to condemn or speak badly of someone.

Step 3: Test each option

• A. discouraged: means to dishearten or deter. It is not the direct opposite of praise.
• B. criticised: means to find fault with or express disapproval. This is the opposite of praising, and it fits the sentence.
• C. appraised: means to assess or evaluate. It is neutral and can even be positive, so it is not an opposite.
• D. denounced: means to condemn publicly and strongly. It is an opposite of eulogise, but it is much more extreme, and it usually suggests a public accusation of wrongdoing, which is not suggested by a contrast with a speech being praised.

Step 4: Choose between B and D Both B and D are antonyms of "eulogised". The standard textbook antonym for "eulogise" is "criticise" (or "condemn/denounce"). The sentence is about a manager praised for his speech and an assistant who is simply the opposite, being faulted.

Answer: B. criticised

Tip: In antonym questions with a gap, first define the underlined word (eulogise = praise highly), then eliminate neutral words (like "appraised") and words that only loosely connect (like "discouraged"). When two options both work, choose the one that matches the sentence's level of intensity.