Meaning: 'Inspection' refers to the careful examination or scrutiny of something, in this case, the vehicles being produced by Nissan.

Wrong options:

• section: 'Section' refers to a part of something and does not relate to the context of a scandal involving vehicle checks.
• financial: 'Financial' pertains to money matters and does not connect with the specific issue of vehicle inspections.
• taxation: 'Taxation' relates to the process of taxing and is irrelevant to the context of vehicle inspections.

Correct answer: certifying

Explanation: The word 'certifying' is the correct choice as it indicates the act of officially confirming that the vehicles meet certain standards. This fits both grammatically and contextually within the sentence, which discusses unauthorized actions regarding vehicle sales.

Meaning: 'Certifying' means to officially recognize or confirm that something meets required standards, which is crucial in the context of vehicle safety and compliance.

Wrong options:

• exposing: 'Exposing' means revealing something hidden, which does not fit the context of confirming vehicle readiness for sale.
• piling: 'Piling' implies stacking or accumulating, which is unrelated to the act of confirming vehicle compliance.
• purchasing: 'Purchasing' refers to buying something, which does not relate to the act of certifying vehicles for sale.

Correct answer: inflamed

Explanation: The word 'inflamed' is appropriate as it conveys the idea of intensifying concerns regarding standards. It fits grammatically and contextually, as it describes how the scandal heightened investor worries.

Meaning: 'Inflamed' means to make something more intense or severe, particularly in terms of emotions or concerns, which is relevant to the context of investor anxiety.

Wrong options:

• underestimated: 'Underestimated' means to assess something as less than its actual value, which does not align with the context of increasing concerns.
• cured: 'Cured' implies resolving a problem, which contradicts the idea of escalating concerns about standards.
• overlooked: 'Overlooked' means to fail to notice something, which does not fit the context of actively increasing concerns.

Correct answer: suspension

Explanation: The word 'suspension' is the correct choice as it refers to the temporary halt of vehicle production, fitting both grammatically and contextually within the sentence discussing drastic measures taken by Nissan.

Meaning: 'Suspension' means the act of temporarily stopping something, in this case, vehicle production, which is a direct response to the scandal.

Wrong options:

• expenditure: 'Expenditure' refers to spending or costs, which does not relate to the act of halting production.
• resume: 'Resume' means to continue after a pause, which contradicts the context of stopping production.
• delay: 'Delay' implies a postponement but does not convey the same meaning as a complete suspension of production.