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Difficulty: HardVocabulary and Word Meaning in Context

Read the passage excerpt below carefully. What word best captures the contextual meaning of the bolded term as used in the text?

Answer:Excerpt: 'Although the quarterly financial report highlighted unprecedented revenue growth, the executive committee advised the board to temper their enthusiasm for rapid international expansion until market stability could be verified.'

In the context of the passage above, the bolded word temper means to 【moderate】.

Answer

In this passage, 'temper' means to moderate, restrain, or tone down one's enthusiasm in light of surrounding circumstances.
In this context, the verb 'temper' is used to denote softening, curbing, or moderating an intense feeling or action—specifically, enthusiasm for rapid expansion—by balancing it with fiscal caution.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the sentence structure and surrounding context.
The text contrasts 'unprecedented revenue growth' with a warning 'until market stability could be verified', showing a need for caution.
Context clues dictate whether a word retains its common literal meaning or assumes a nuanced contextual sense.
2
Evaluate the primary and secondary meanings of the word 'temper'.
While 'temper' literally relates to toughening metals or a person's state of mind, contextually as a verb preceding 'enthusiasm' it signifies softening or moderating an emotional response.
The sentence urges restraint rather than outright elimination or mechanical hardening.
3
Determine the appropriate semantic replacement.
Words such as 'moderate', 'restrain', or 'curb' fit both grammatically and semantically into the blank.
Substituting 'moderate' maintains the intended tone of prudent balance without altering sentence meaning.

Key Concept

Contextual Word Meaning and Semantic Substitution
Estimated Time:1m 30s
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Topics

Vocabulary and Word Meaning in Context

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