For years, Dr. Vance observed the nesting habits of the alpine swift with a dedication that bordered on obsession. While his peers published broad surveys of avian migration, Vance confined his focus to a single granite ledge. He cataloged every twig, every shift in plumage, and every fledgling's first tentative flight. To the casual observer, such painstaking labor might seem tedious, but Vance saw it as a necessary devotion. He *nursed* his hypothesis for a decade, not out of a desire for academic fame, but from a quiet, protective reverence for the fragile mountain ecosystem.
Based on the passage, when the author writes that Vance *nursed* his hypothesis, this word choice most nearly suggests which of the following?
- AHe harbored his thoughts with a sense of secrecy and suspicion.
- He nurtured his idea with patient and protective care.Answer
- CHe treated his theory as if it were a physical illness.
- DHe tolerated his research despite finding it tedious.
Answer
He nurtured his idea with patient and protective care.
The correct option is the one stating that Vance nurtured his idea with patient and protective care. In the sentence, the author highlights Vance's 'protective reverence' and 'necessary devotion.' Metaphorically, to 'nurse' an idea in this context is to foster and develop it carefully over time, mirroring the nurturing aspect of caregiving.
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
Connotation and Tone of Words in Context