Read the passage excerpt below carefully:
"In evaluating the feasibility of the regional transit project, committee members agreed to discount unsubstantiated cost estimates. Rather than entertain frivolous objections from competing contractors, they sought to qualify their approval with strict environmental conditions, hoping to channel public investment toward sustainable infrastructure."
Based on the context of the passage, match each bolded word on the left to its precise contextual meaning on the right.
- discountDismiss or disregard as unverified
- entertainGive consideration or thought to
- qualifyRestrict or limit by setting conditions
- channelDirect or route toward a specific target
Answer
The correct pairings are: 'discount' matches 'Dismiss or disregard as unverified'; 'entertain' matches 'Give consideration or thought to'; 'qualify' matches 'Restrict or limit by setting conditions'; and 'channel' matches 'Direct or route toward a specific target'.
Each bolded word operates in an academic/formal register where secondary contextual definitions apply. 'Discount' refers to setting aside unproven data, 'entertain' means taking suggestions into consideration, 'qualify' means imposing specific contractual limits, and 'channel' means steering financial resources.
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
Contextual Meaning of Polysemous Words in Formal Prose