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Difficulty: MediumSecondary Meanings of Common Words

The expedition party had been climbing the steep northern face of the mountain for six hours without a break. In the thin altitude, even the most seasoned climbers began to feel the physical strain, and their initial enthusiasm started to flag as the summit remained obscured by heavy clouds. The guide, noticing their slowing pace and drooping shoulders, called for a brief rest near a sheltered rocky outcrop. He knew that if their resolve weakened now, the entire mission would have to be abandoned before nightfall.

As it is used in the passage, the word 'flag' most nearly means:

  1. A
    signal
  2. declineAnswer
  3. C
    mark
  4. D
    grow

Answer

decline
The correct answer is the option meaning 'decline'. In the context of the climbers facing physical strain, slowing their pace, and having drooping shoulders, their initial enthusiasm is weakening. Therefore, the word is used in its secondary sense to mean to lose vigor, diminish, or decline.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Locate the target word in the passage and identify its surrounding context clues.
The word appears in the phrase 'their initial enthusiasm started to flag,' surrounded by clues like 'physical strain,' 'slowing pace,' and 'drooping shoulders.'
Context clues provide the necessary information to determine the secondary meaning of a common word.
2
Analyze the tone and direction indicated by the context clues to deduce the word's meaning.
The clues suggest fatigue, exhaustion, and weakening, meaning enthusiasm is decreasing or fading.
Deducing the correct meaning requires aligning the target word with the logical flow and tone of the sentence.
3
Substitute the options into the sentence to see which one maintains the sentence's meaning.
Substituting 'decline' fits perfectly, as 'enthusiasm started to decline' conveys that it is weakening, whereas 'signal,' 'mark,' and 'grow' do not fit the context.
Substitution verifies that the selected synonym is grammatically and contextually accurate.

Key Concept

Secondary Meanings of Common Words
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Secondary Meanings of Common Words

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