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Question

Difficulty: HardTone and Inference Clues

The lead cryptanalyst regarded the intercepted transmission with a jaundiced eye, suspecting the sudden flood of unencrypted coordinates was an elaborate ruse designed to mislead allied forces.

As used in the sentence, what is the meaning of the word jaundiced?

  1. A
    yellowed
  2. distrustfulAnswer
  3. C
    trusting
  4. D
    inquisitive

Answer

distrustful
In this context, 'jaundiced' describes a cynical, skeptical, or distrustful outlook. The surrounding clues—specifically that the analyst suspects an 'elaborate ruse' intended to 'mislead'—demonstrate that the analyst does not take the information at face value and views it with profound suspicion.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Examine the sentence for context clues surrounding the underlined target word.
The target word is used in the phrase 'with a jaundiced eye' to describe how an analyst views unencrypted coordinates suspected of being an 'elaborate ruse' meant to 'mislead'.
Contextual details and tone establish how a multiple-meaning or idiomatic word functions in a sentence.
2
Infer the attitude and emotional valence conveyed by the speaker.
The tone is guarded, cynical, and suspicious rather than accepting, objective, or merely curious.
Inferential clues clarify whether the connotation is positive, negative, or neutral.
3
Evaluate the answer choices against the deduced contextual meaning.
The option meaning 'distrustful' precisely captures the skeptical, cynical perspective implied by suspecting deception.
Eliminating literal traps, opposite meanings, and tone mismatches isolates the correct contextual synonym.

Key Concept

Tone and Inference Clues in Context
Estimated Time:1m 0s
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Topics

Tone and Inference Clues

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