"Dad has been whaling ..... at the siding on the backside of the house for hours and it still won't come off. He has been steadily beating at it with a hammer and I think the hammer will break before the siding comes off," Sammy told his mom. (*) back (*) ahead (*) away (*) across
This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://english.best/questions/15037,dad-has-been-whaling-___-at-the-siding-on-the-backside-of-the-house-for-hours-and-it-still-wont-come-off-he-has-been-steadily-beating-at-it-with-a-hammer-and-i-think-the-hammer-will-break-before-the-siding-comes-off-sammy-told-his-mom/