单选题 They ______ for an early end to the fighting which had brought about a great loss to the city.

【正确答案】 A
【答案解析】(petition请愿，祈求，请求)。句意为：他们请求早日结束战争，因为战争给该市带来了重大的损失。B．reason推论，推理；C．reckon计算，估计；D．rebuke指责。