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Question

Difficulty: MediumContext Clues for Synonyms

The field mechanics secured the damaged generator on a precarious ledge, warning the team that any slight vibration could send the heavy unit falling into the ravine below. In this sentence, precarious most nearly means which of the following?

  1. A
    stable
  2. unstableAnswer
  3. C
    precious
  4. D
    valuable

Answer

unstable
The sentence provides direct context clues showing that the generator is in a hazardous, insecure position where even a minor vibration could cause it to plunge into the ravine. Therefore, 'precarious' means dangerously insecure or unstable.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the context clues in the sentence
The phrase 'warning the team that any slight vibration could send the heavy unit falling into the ravine below' provides a clear cause-and-effect clue about the condition of the ledge.
Contextual clues describing danger, potential collapse, or delicate balance directly define the physical state of the object.
2
Evaluate the answer choices against the deduced meaning
The word 'unstable' accurately matches the meaning of dangerously insecure and likely to fall.
Replacing 'precarious' with 'unstable' maintains the logical integrity and tone of the sentence.

Key Concept

Using cause-and-effect and situational context clues to identify contextual synonyms.
Estimated Time:45s
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Topics

Context Clues for Synonyms

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