Read the passage excerpt below carefully. Match each highlighted word from the excerpt to its precise contextual meaning as used in the passage.
"The board's decision to shelve the proposed infrastructure expansion was met with severe criticism from stakeholders who felt that delaying such key projects would prove fatal to the region's economic recovery. Although executive officers tried to couch their reservations in diplomatic terms, the committee remained firm in its stance to qualify its support for future funding requests."
- shelvepostpone or set aside temporarily
- fataldisastrous or ruinous to progress
- couchexpress or frame in a particular manner
- qualifylimit or attach conditions to
Answer
The correct matches are: 'shelve' matches 'postpone or set aside temporarily', 'fatal' matches 'disastrous or ruinous to progress', 'couch' matches 'express or frame in a particular manner', and 'qualify' matches 'limit or attach conditions to'.
Each word is matched to its intended meaning within the excerpt: 'shelve' means setting a plan aside; 'fatal' means ruinous to recovery; 'couch' means expressing thoughts in specific phrasing; and 'qualify' means placing limitations on support.
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
Vocabulary and Word Meaning in Context