Read the passage excerpt below carefully:
"In his review of the administrative reforms, the auditor noted that attempts to streamline bureaucratic procedures must not compromise official accountability. He warned that if regulatory checks are allowed to atrophy, corrupt practices will inevitably proliferate across local government councils."
Which contextual meaning on the right correctly matches each highlighted word on the left?
- streamlinesimplify or render more efficient
- compromiseendanger or put at risk
- atrophydecline or wither away through disuse
- proliferatemultiply or spread rapidly
Answer
The correct pairings are: 'streamline' matches 'simplify or render more efficient', 'compromise' matches 'endanger or put at risk', 'atrophy' matches 'decline or wither away through disuse', and 'proliferate' matches 'multiply or spread rapidly'.
Each word is matched according to its precise semantic role in the passage: 'streamline' means simplifying processes, 'compromise' means endangering standards, 'atrophy' means declining through neglect, and 'proliferate' means multiplying rapidly.
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
Vocabulary and Word Meaning in Context