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Difficulty: MediumSecondary Meanings of Common Words

Throughout the trial, the defense team struggled to counter the prosecutor's forensic evidence, which directly linked the suspect to the scene of the crime. Even when presented with GPS data from his own phone, the defendant continued to maintain his innocence, claiming that he had lent the device to a friend on the night in question. His attorneys, however, realized that this explanation was highly implausible and began to focus their efforts on securing a plea bargain rather than pursuing an outright acquittal.

As it is used in the passage, the word 'maintain' most nearly means which of the following?

  1. A
    preserve
  2. B
    prove
  3. assertAnswer
  4. D
    admit

Answer

assert
The correct answer is the option that means to state or declare strongly. In the passage, the defendant continues to claim or insist on his innocence in the face of incriminating evidence. Therefore, the word 'maintain' is used in its secondary sense to mean 'assert'.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Locate the target word 'maintain' in the passage and evaluate its surrounding context.
The target word is used in the phrase: 'the defendant continued to maintain his innocence, claiming that...'
Analyzing the immediate context helps determine the grammatical role and meaning of the word.
2
Differentiate between the word's primary meaning and the meaning required by the context.
Although the primary meaning of 'maintain' is to preserve or keep up, the context shows the defendant is declaring or stating a claim of innocence.
This step prevents falling for the primary meaning bias and points toward the secondary meaning: to state or declare strongly.

Key Concept

Secondary Meanings of Common Words
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Secondary Meanings of Common Words

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