Meaning: 'Blocked' means to obstruct or prevent passage, indicating that the houses were positioned in a way that hindered movement in the streets.

Wrong options:

• ploughed: 'Ploughed' refers to turning over soil and does not relate to the context of houses obstructing streets.
• tallied: 'Tallied' means to count or record, which does not fit the context of physical obstruction in the streets.
• endowed: 'Endowed' means to provide with a quality or asset, which does not apply to the physical arrangement of houses.

Correct answer: the number of

Explanation: The phrase 'the number of' is grammatically correct as it specifies a quantity, fitting well in the context of discussing meals served daily. It is a standard expression used to quantify countable nouns.

Meaning: 'The number of' refers to a specific quantity or count of something, in this case, meals served each day.

Wrong options:

• an amount of: 'An amount of' is typically used for uncountable nouns, making it inappropriate for the countable noun 'meals.'
• a few of: 'A few of' implies a small quantity but lacks the specificity needed in this context, making it less suitable.
• a lot: 'A lot' is informal and does not provide the precise quantification required in this context.

Correct answer: held

Explanation: The word 'held' is the correct choice as it indicates that religious festivals take place at St. Mary’s Church, fitting grammatically and contextually with the sentence structure.

Meaning: 'Held' means to conduct or organize an event, indicating that festivals are regularly celebrated at the church.

Wrong options:

• confined: 'Confined' means restricted or limited, which does not convey the idea of conducting festivals.
• refined: 'Refined' means improved or purified, which does not relate to the act of holding festivals.
• heralded: 'Heralded' means announced or proclaimed, which does not fit the context of the festivals occurring.