instruction:
You need to answer a given question containing a blank (_). Your answer must be one of the two objects mentioned in the question, for example "trophy" and "suitcase". Your answer must not contain a word that is not present in the question. Please don't use articles (e.g., the, a) before the answer.
question:
She had just gotten her first period not long ago, so she used a tampon with a string. She struggled to use the tampon because the _ was short.
answer:
string


question:
Jane had to fence with either a sword or a stick, but the _ was too dull.
answer:
stick


question:
Our business struggled in the summer but prospered in the winter, as there were fewer sales in the _ .
answer:

summer