Why did we not use fog?

[Meriline]

English Language Tests, Intermediate level

ESL/EFL Test "Life on Mars?", question 9

Unfortunately the dust storms tend to ......... the view of the planet.

(a) fog
(b) obscure
(c) confuse
(d) darken

English Language Tests, Intermediate level

ESL/EFL Test "Life on Mars?", answer 9

Unfortunately the dust storms tend to obscure the view of the planet.

Correct answer: (b) obscure

Your answer was: incorrect
Unfortunately the dust storms tend to fog the view of the planet.
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Obscure hear means what.
Why we have not used fog?

[Alan]

Hi Meriline,

Obscure is make something unclear.

Alan
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English as a Second Language
You can read my ESL story Present Simple

[Saneta]

why can't it be: darken here? thanks

[Alfwm]

[Alan]

Hello,

What is needed here is a verb that suggests 'block' in the sense that the view isn't as clear as it could be if the dust wasn't there. Of this list:

(a) fog
(b) obscure
(c) confuse
(d) darken

'obscure' is the most appropriate. 'Fog' as a verb is unusual but would be used in a figurative sense. 'Confuse' is used in the sense of not understanding, which wouldn't work here at all. 'Darken' suggests something becoming darker in colour and doesn't really describe the noun 'view'.

Alan
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English as a Foreign Language
You can read my EFL story Progressive Forms

[RudnyBR]

Yeah.. it makes sense. A view can't be 'darkened'. You can darken colors and make colorful things darker but a view is something abstract. Is that right?
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