23.
Directions (Next 3 Questions): Fill up the blanks in the passage given below with the most appropriate word from the options given for each blank.
At the time, the White House was as serene as a resort hotel out of season. The corridors were _____(23)_____ in the various offices. _____(24)_____ gray men on waistcoats talked to one another in low-pitched voices. The only colour or choler, curiously enough, was provided by President Eisenhower himself. Apparently, his _____(25)_____ was easily set off; he scowled when he paced the corridors.
Which one of the following best suits the 23rd blank?
