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Difficulty: HardAnalyzing Multiple-Meaning Words

Before navigating the uncharted coastal inlet, the lead navigator ordered the watch team to sound the shallow waters ahead using weighted lead lines. Relying on verified bathymetric measurements rather than visual surface cues prevented the heavy patrol vessel from grounding on shifting sandbars during low tide.

As used in the passage, the word "sound" most nearly means to:

  1. A
    broadcast an acoustic warning across
  2. measure the depth ofAnswer
  3. C
    map the geographical coordinates of
  4. D
    listen for ambient sonar echoes in

Answer

The word 'sound' in this context most nearly means to measure the depth of water.
In maritime and navigational contexts, the verb 'sound' means to measure the depth of a body of water. The passage provides immediate context clues with the mention of 'weighted lead lines' and 'bathymetric measurements' designed to prevent the vessel from running aground.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the syntactic role and surrounding context clues for the target word.
The word 'sound' functions as an active verb performed by a watch team using 'weighted lead lines.'
Identifying the tool being utilized clarifies the specific physical action being carried out.
2
Examine the subsequent sentence for clarifying semantic context.
The action yields 'verified bathymetric measurements' that prevent the vessel from 'grounding on shifting sandbars.'
Bathymetry specifically refers to the measurement of water depth in oceans, seas, or lakes.
3
Evaluate the options against the contextual evidence to distinguish between multiple meanings.
Selecting 'measure the depth of' matches the specialized nautical definition of sounding a waterway.
This isolates the maritime depth-testing definition from acoustic or auditory definitions.

Key Concept

Analyzing multiple-meaning words using technical and domain-specific context clues
Estimated Time:1m 0s
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Topics

Analyzing Multiple-Meaning Words

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