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Question

Difficulty: MediumContext Clues for Synonyms

Because the field crew lacked modern excavation machinery, digging the drainage trench by hand proved to be an onerous task that exhausted the workers. In this sentence, onerous most nearly means which of the following?

  1. A
    effortless
  2. burdensomeAnswer
  3. C
    customary
  4. D
    honored

Answer

The word 'onerous' most nearly means 'burdensome'.
The context clues in the sentence ('lacked modern excavation machinery', 'by hand', and 'exhausted the workers') establish that the task was arduous and physically draining. Therefore, 'burdensome' is the accurate synonym for 'onerous'.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the context clues surrounding the target word in the sentence.
The phrases 'lacked modern excavation machinery', 'digging... by hand', and 'exhausted the workers' indicate that the task required intense effort and caused fatigue.
Contextual clues reveal the semantic conditions and tone associated with the word.
2
Match the deduced meaning with the closest synonymous option.
'Burdensome' directly reflects a task that is troublesome, arduous, and oppressive.
The correct synonym must preserve the intensity and definition suggested by the surrounding clues.

Key Concept

Using cause-and-effect and descriptive context clues to determine the synonym of an unfamiliar word.
Estimated Time:45s
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Topics

Context Clues for Synonyms

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