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:
Lonnie put mortar between the bricks with a spatula instead of a trowel, because the _ was inefficient.
answer:
trowel


question:
The gardener tried to put the flowers in the cups but the _ were too big.
answer:
flowers


question:
The napkin could not absorb enough of the liquid because the _ is too thick.
answer:

liquid