The manager asked the employees to __________ all unnecessary paperwork from their desks to keep the office tidy.

Question: The manager asked the employees to __________ all unnecessary paperwork from their desks to keep the office tidy.

• a) clear off

• b) clear out

• c) put up

• d) put off

Correct Answer: b) clear out

Reasoning:

The task in the question is to remove unnecessary paperwork in order to keep the office tidy. Let us analyze each of the given choices in context:

a) clear off: This phrase means to move something off a surface or place. While "clear off" can mean removing items from a desk, it is typically used in a more temporary sense, such as simply pushing them aside. In this context, it does not emphasize "removal" as strongly as "clear out" does.

b) clear out: The phrase "clear out" means to remove something completely, often to declutter or empty a space. In the context of the question, the manager wants the employees to completely remove unnecessary paperwork from their desks, which makes "clear out" the most appropriate choice.

c) put up: This phrase means to place something in a particular position or to display it. This does not fit the context of removing paperwork in order to tidy up.

d) put off: The phrase "put off" means to delay or postpone something. This is irrelevant to the action of removing paperwork and does not fit the context of the sentence.

Therefore, the most suitable choice that accurately conveys the intended action of removing unnecessary paperwork from the desks to keep the office tidy is 'clear out', making b) clear out the correct answer.