Question

Difficulty: MediumReading Comprehension: Passage-Based Word in Context Analysis

Read the passage below and identify the contextual meaning of the highlighted word as used by the author.

Answer:In mid-twentieth-century urban planning, theorists frequently invoked the concept of urban fabric to describe the spatial layout of historic districts. Rather than referring to woven textiles, the term was employed to denote the physical structure and spatial continuity of buildings, streets, and public spaces that collectively defined a neighborhood. When modernizers proposed carving wide thoroughfares through old city centers, critics warned that such interventions would sever this fabric, disrupting long-established community networks and destroying architectural cohesion.

In the context of the passage, the word fabric most nearly means 【structural framework】.

Answer

In this context, 'fabric' refers to the structural framework or physical composition of an urban area.
The correct answer accurately reflects the passage's explicit definition of 'fabric' as the physical structure, spatial layout, and built environment of a city district.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the passage context surrounding the target word 'fabric'.
The text explicitly contrasts 'woven textiles' with the intended definition: 'the physical structure and spatial continuity of buildings, streets, and public spaces'.
The author provides a direct clue by defining what the term denotes in urban planning versus its literal meaning.
2
Synthesize the passage clues to determine the precise contextual definition.
The word refers to the physical composition, spatial layout, or structural framework of the built environment.
The surrounding sentences emphasize architectural cohesion and spatial arrangement rather than woven cloth or figurative social harmony alone.

Key Concept

Passage-Based Word in Context Analysis
Estimated Time:1m 15s
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