An officer throws his pen on his table during a meeting. This shows his

The correct answer is A) Anger. Throwing a pen onto the table is a sudden, forceful release of irritation. It is a classic display of frustration, a non-verbal signal that the person has run out of patience.

Why the others fail:

• Tiredness shows up as slumping, slow movements, yawning or drooping eyelids. A tired person does not usually fling objects.
• Disinterest shows up as withdrawal: looking away, doodling, checking a phone. Throwing a pen is an active, emotionally charged act, not disengagement.
• Confusion shows up as a puzzled look, a furrowed brow, or asking for clarification. It is an information gap, not an emotional outburst.

The core concept is emotional expression through body language, which links directly to Emotional Intelligence in GS Paper IV. For a Mains answer, the point is that a senior officer's visible anger in a meeting can intimidate subordinates and suppress candid feedback, so self-regulation is itself an administrative skill.

Trap: Candidates confuse frustration with anger, or pick Confusion because the meeting sounds like a problem-solving session. Look for the strongest emotional signal in the act itself.