The report builder will ___ the orders table to fetch last week's sales.
To query a table means to retrieve data from it using a language like SQL. Query is the foundational database verb, as in "run a query" and "query optimisation." Ask, question, and request are everyday words that lack the technical precision of query. Developers say "query the database," so query the table is the precise, idiomatic collocation for selecting and reading stored records in any relational system.
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To speed up lookups on a large table, the DBA will ___ the email column.
To index a column means to build a data structure that makes lookups on it faster. Index is the exact database term, as in "add an index" and "indexed queries." Mark, tag, and label do not carry this performance meaning. DBAs discuss "missing indexes" in slow queries, so index the column is the precise collocation for accelerating searches by building an index on a frequently filtered field.
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Good schema design will ___ the data to remove redundancy across tables.
To normalize a database means to organise tables to reduce duplication and improve integrity. Normalize is the precise term, tied to "normal forms" (1NF, 2NF, 3NF) in relational theory. Standardize and regularize are general, and average is statistical and unrelated. Designers say "normalize the schema," so normalize the data is the correct collocation for structuring tables to eliminate redundant storage and avoid update anomalies.
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When the model changes, developers write a script to ___ the schema safely.
To migrate a schema means to apply versioned changes to the database structure in a controlled way. Migrate is the standard term, behind tools like Flyway and Alembic and phrases such as "run the migrations." Travel, move house, and relocate are literal and wrong here. Teams "apply database migrations," so migrate the schema is the precise collocation for evolving the database structure without losing data.
5 / 5
To reduce load, the app will ___ frequent query results so the database is hit less often.
To cache results means to keep a fast copy of frequently accessed data to avoid recomputation. Cache is the precise term, behind tools like Redis and phrases such as "cache hit ratio." Store, keep, and save are general persistence words without the performance, temporary-copy sense of cache. Engineers say "cache the query," so cache the results is the correct collocation for serving repeated reads quickly and offloading the database.