Which English verb corresponds to the concept of collapse?

• A. To Detach
• B. To Fail
• C. To Collapse
• D. To Stretch

Answer: (C)

The concept being tested is the exact word for a structure giving way under stress. The best fit is to collapse because it means to fall down or cave in suddenly due to loss of support or integrity, which is what happens in a bridge or building during a collapse. It conveys both the physical failure and the abruptness of the event.

Other options don’t capture that precise sense. To detach means to come apart from what it was attached to, which isn’t the full failure of the structure itself. To fail is broader and can describe not meeting a requirement or a system not working, but it doesn’t necessarily describe the dramatic physical falling apart. To stretch describes pulling something to longer lengths, which is the opposite of giving way.