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Question

Difficulty: MediumContext Clues for Synonyms

Instead of offering vague reassurances during the system outage, the network administrator chose to be completely candid about the severity of the malfunction. In this sentence, the word candid most nearly means which of the following?

  1. A
    deceptive
  2. straightforwardAnswer
  3. C
    informal
  4. D
    comforting

Answer

The word 'candid' most nearly means 'straightforward'.
In this sentence, the introductory phrase 'Instead of offering vague reassurances' sets up a clear contrast between ambiguous, evasive language and open, truthful disclosure. Therefore, 'candid' means frank and honest, making 'straightforward' the correct contextual synonym.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the sentence structure and identify the target word.
The target word is 'candid', used as a predicate adjective to describe how the network administrator communicated regarding the outage.
Understanding the grammatical role of the target word helps locate the key modifiers and relationships in the sentence.
2
Examine the surrounding context clues and transition markers.
The opening dependent clause 'Instead of offering vague reassurances' introduces a direct contrast clue, indicating that the administrator's approach was the opposite of vague, ambiguous, or misleading.
Contrast signal words like 'Instead of' establish that the target word possesses a meaning opposite to the stated alternative.
3
Match the deduced meaning of openness and honesty to the closest synonym among the choices.
'Straightforward' directly conveys the meaning of being open, honest, and direct.
A person who is candid speaks plainly and truthfully without concealing the facts.

Key Concept

Using contrast context clues to determine the precise contextual synonym of a word.
Estimated Time:45s
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Context Clues for Synonyms

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