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Question

Difficulty: MediumWord Precision and Clarity

The following passage is adapted from an article about animal migration:

Monarch butterflies are famous for their annual migration, traveling thousands of miles from North America to central Mexico. While individual butterflies are relatively fragile, their collective journey is a formidable demonstration of biological endurance. Scientists study this migration to understand how these insects navigate across such vast distances.

Which option most precisely and clearly fits the underlined word to maintain the formal tone of the passage?

  1. NO CHANGEAnswer
  2. B
    scary
  3. C
    hard-core
  4. D
    massive

Answer

NO CHANGE
The word 'formidable' is the most precise and contextually appropriate choice. It accurately describes a journey that is impressive and inspires awe due to its difficulty, while maintaining the formal, academic tone of the passage.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the context and tone of the passage.
The passage uses formal, academic language to discuss the migration patterns and endurance of monarch butterflies.
Understanding the context helps determine which word fits both the meaning and the tone of the sentence.
2
Evaluate the underlined word and the alternatives for tone and precision.
The word meaning 'inspiring respect or wonder through being impressively large or powerful' fits perfectly. The words 'scary' and 'hard-core' are too informal, while the word 'massive' refers to physical mass and is imprecise for describing a demonstration of endurance.
This comparison identifies the most precise and tone-appropriate vocabulary choice.

Key Concept

Word Precision and Clarity
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Topics

Word Precision and Clarity

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