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Difficulty: MediumContext Clues for Synonyms

During the routine audit, technicians discovered that an unpatched vulnerability would compromise the integrity of the entire server network if left unaddressed.

In this sentence, compromise most nearly means

  1. A
    settle
  2. endangerAnswer
  3. C
    protect
  4. D
    examine

Answer

The word compromise most nearly means endanger.
In this scenario, 'compromise' is used in its secondary sense meaning to expose to danger, suspicion, or disrepute. The surrounding context clues ('unpatched vulnerability', 'integrity of the entire server network', 'if left unaddressed') clearly point to a negative hazard, making 'endanger' the accurate synonym.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the context clues in the sentence.
The clues 'unpatched vulnerability' and 'if left unaddressed' describe a hazard or security flaw that threatens the system's integrity.
Contextual clues reveal the cause-and-effect relationship between the flaw and its impact on the network.
2
Determine the intended meaning of the target word based on these clues.
The target word must mean to impair, weaken, or expose to danger.
A software vulnerability puts network integrity at risk rather than resolving a dispute or providing protection.
3
Evaluate the options to find the closest synonym.
The word 'endanger' directly captures the meaning of putting the network at risk.
Replacing 'compromise' with 'endanger' preserves the exact grammatical and semantic sense of the sentence.

Key Concept

Using cause-and-effect context clues to identify the secondary meaning of a polysemous word.
Estimated Time:45s
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Topics

Context Clues for Synonyms

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