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Difficulty: EasyInferring Meaning from Examples and Explanations

When preparing a garden bed for heavy-feeding crops, growers often need to amend the native soil. For example, they might work in aged compost to increase nutrient levels, blend in coarse sand to enhance aeration and water drainage, or mix in peat moss to adjust moisture retention. Without these deliberate additions, dense clay or loose sand may fail to support healthy root systems.

Based on the examples in the passage, what does the word 'amend' most nearly mean?

  1. A
    formally alter a written law or legal document
  2. improve the quality of soil by adding supplementary materialsAnswer
  3. C
    drain excess standing water away from plant root systems
  4. D
    eliminate invasive pests and weeds from a cultivation area

Answer

improve the quality of soil by adding supplementary materials
The author clarifies the meaning of 'amend' by providing three concrete examples of substances added to the ground—aged compost for nutrients, coarse sand for aeration, and peat moss for moisture retention. Together with the phrase 'these deliberate additions,' the passage demonstrates that amending means improving soil quality by mixing in beneficial materials.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Locate the target word and the clue phrase that follows it.
The word 'amend' is immediately followed by the illustrative phrase 'For example'.
Signal phrases such as 'For example' introduce concrete instances that clarify the meaning of an unfamiliar or specialized term.
2
Analyze the specific examples listed in the text.
The text lists working in compost for nutrients, blending coarse sand for drainage, and mixing in peat moss for moisture retention.
Each example describes incorporating a beneficial additive to improve a particular characteristic of the soil.
3
Synthesize the shared purpose of the examples to determine the word's contextual meaning.
To 'amend' soil means to modify and improve its condition by mixing in supplemental substances.
This synthesis accurately captures the common function shared by all three illustrated actions.

Key Concept

Inferring specialized vocabulary meaning using illustrative examples
Estimated Time:45s
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Inferring Meaning from Examples and Explanations

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