Topic: Group verb,

Best Answer Explained in Below-:

The question "The man -- malaria." is asking for the correct prepositional phrase to indicate how the man met his fate due to the disease malaria. The correct answer is A) "died of."

The phrase "died of" is commonly used in English to express the cause of death. In this context, it implies that malaria was the specific illness that led to the man's death. For instance, we would say, "He died of cancer," or "She died of heart disease," indicating a direct relationship between the illness and the outcome.

On the other hand, the other options do not convey the intended meaning:
- B) "died off" typically refers to a gradual decrease or extinction of a species, not applicable here.
- C) "died from" is technically correct in colloquial usage, but "died of" is more formal and widely accepted in this context.
- D) "died by" is incorrect as it does not appropriately express the connection between a cause (malaria) and the effect (death).

Overall, "died of malaria" succinctly and accurately describes the cause of the man's death, making it the most suitable choice.