A sentence is provided in indirect speech. From the four given options, choose the one that most accurately conveys the sentence in its corresponding direct speech. She asked whether, considering the delays caused by suppliers, the delivery deadline could be extended.

Explanation

The correct option is (a). The given sentence is in indirect speech with the reporting verb “asked” and the conjunction “whether,” which indicates a yes/no question in direct speech. While converting indirect to direct speech for yes/no questions: We remove “whether/if.” We use an interrogative form with an auxiliary verb (can/could/will/would, etc.). We place the question mark at the end. Here, the core meaning is: she asked about the possibility of extending the delivery deadline due to supplier delays. Option (a) forms a clear direct question and keeps the intended meaning without adding extra words or changing the request type. Why other options are incorrect: Option (b): Changes the meaning to reviewing the schedule rather than extending the deadline. Option (c): Uses a different structure (“Would it be possible...”), which is close, but the given reported form “asked whether ... could be extended” is more directly matched by a “Can ... be extended?” conversion. Option (d): Adds extra wording (“Is there any chance”) and slightly alters tone, making it less accurate as a direct equivalent. Important rule note: In exam-style conversions, the closest direct form usually keeps a simple auxiliary-based question that mirrors “asked whether.” So the correct answer is (a)