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Difficulty: HardIdentifying Synonymous Context Clues

Read the following passage and use the context clues to complete the statement below:

"Combat engineers tasked with clearing mountain supply routes frequently encounter arduous terrain. Navigating these strenuous, grueling paths requires exceptional physical stamina and specialized winching gear, particularly when heavy tactical convoys must ascend steep, unpaved switchbacks in freezing rain. Without adequate mechanical support, prolonged transit across such demanding corridors can exhaust personnel and delay critical logistics."

Answer:Based on the synonymous context clues in the passage, the word 'arduous' most nearly means 【strenuous】.

Answer

The word 'arduous' most nearly means strenuous (or grueling / demanding / difficult), as directly established by the synonymous parallel descriptors in the text.
In the passage, the author introduces 'arduous terrain' in the opening sentence and immediately refers back to those same routes in the second sentence as 'these strenuous, grueling paths.' The author reinforces this meaning in the concluding sentence with 'such demanding corridors.' The parallel descriptive adjectives 'strenuous,' 'grueling,' and 'demanding' function as direct synonymous context clues indicating that 'arduous' means difficult, strenuous, or taxing.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Locate the target vocabulary word in the initial sentence of the passage.
The target word 'arduous' modifies the noun 'terrain' in the context of mountain supply routes.
Identifying the target word and its syntactic role provides the baseline for locating clarifying context.
2
Examine adjacent sentences for parallel phrasing, restatements, or appositive descriptors that refer back to the same subject.
The subsequent sentence describes navigating 'these strenuous, grueling paths,' and the final sentence refers to 'such demanding corridors.'
Demonstrative pronouns like 'these' and 'such' link the newly introduced adjectives directly to the previously mentioned 'arduous terrain.'
3
Synthesize the synonymous clues to define the target word.
The words 'strenuous,' 'grueling,' and 'demanding' serve as direct textual synonyms defining 'arduous' as requiring great effort or physical exertion.
Contextual synonyms replace or restate the meaning of the target word without altering the core idea of the passage.

Key Concept

Identifying Synonymous Context Clues
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Identifying Synonymous Context Clues

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