Examkin

Question

Difficulty: HardSecondary Meanings and Polysemy

Recognizing that the expedition's remaining rations were dangerously limited, the chief logistics officer instructed the crew to __________ their remaining provisions rather than consuming them carelessly during the final leg of the journey. Which of the following words best completes the sentence?

  1. husbandAnswer
  2. B
    marry
  3. C
    squander
  4. D
    publicize
  5. E
    exhaust

Answer

husband
The correct option is 'husband'. As a verb, to husband resources means to manage them economically and conserve them. This precisely opposes 'consuming them carelessly' as signaled by the contrast marker 'rather than'.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze contextual clues and logical contrast in the sentence.
The sentence presents a contrast marker ('rather than') between the target blank and 'consuming them carelessly.'
The blank requires a verb that means the opposite of consuming resources carelessly—specifically, using them carefully or conserving them.
2
Evaluate the secondary definitions of polysemous words among the choices.
The verb 'husband' means to manage economically, conserve, or use sparingly.
Secondary definitions of common words frequently test high-level vocabulary mastery on the GRE.
3
Verify fit and eliminate distractors.
'Husband' fits the context perfectly, while words like 'marry' exploit primary definition traps and 'squander' or 'exhaust' contradict the intended valence.
Conserving provisions directly resolves the crisis of limited rations.

Key Concept

Secondary meanings of polysemous words in contrastive contexts
Rate this question

Topics

Secondary Meanings and Polysemy

More questions from this topic