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Difficulty: MediumVocabulary and Word Meaning in Context

Read the passage excerpt carefully:

"In his critique of modern urban planning, the sociologist noted that municipal authorities often discount the spontaneous social networks formed in informal settlements, viewing them merely as chaotic rather than vital structures of community resilience."

Which of the following best captures the meaning of the word discount as used in the excerpt?

  1. dismiss as insignificantAnswer
  2. B
    reduce the financial cost of
  3. C
    actively dismantle and replace
  4. D
    miscalculate the total number of

Answer

The word 'discount' as used in the passage means to dismiss as insignificant.
In the excerpt, 'discount' is used as a verb meaning to minimize or disregard the importance of something. The contrast between viewing social networks 'merely as chaotic' rather than 'vital structures' confirms that municipal authorities underestimate or dismiss their true value.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the sentence context surrounding the highlighted word
The text explains that municipal authorities view spontaneous social networks 'merely as chaotic rather than vital structures.'
Contextual clues reveal the attitude of the authorities toward these networks.
2
Determine the contextual sense of 'discount'
Because authorities see the networks as chaotic and unimportant, they disregard or fail to value them.
The verb 'discount' functions here figuratively to express undervaluation or dismissal.
3
Test option substitution
Replacing 'discount' with 'dismiss as insignificant' maintains identical sentence logic and tone.
A valid contextual synonym must fit both syntactically and semantically.

Key Concept

Contextual Word Meaning (Figurative vs. Primary Dictionary Meaning)
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Topics

Vocabulary and Word Meaning in Context

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