Question

Difficulty: MediumVocabulary and Word Meaning in Context

Read the excerpt below carefully and fill in the blank with the word that best captures the contextual meaning of the word 'redundant'.

Answer:In the face of rapid urban expansion, environmental activists urged the city council to preserve the local wetlands, emphasizing that these ecosystems act as a vital buffer against seasonal flooding. However, industrial developers argued that such natural areas were redundant and advocated strongly for their immediate conversion into commercial hubs. In this context, the word 'redundant' most nearly means 【unnecessary】.

Answer

In this context, the word 'redundant' means unnecessary or superfluous.
In the provided text, developers view the wetlands as unnecessary or superfluous (redundant) to justify replacing them with commercial developments, contrasting with the activists' view that the wetlands are essential.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the contrast in the passage context.
Activists view the wetlands as vital buffers, while developers want to replace them with commercial hubs.
The word 'However' signals an opposing viewpoint from developers regarding the necessity of preserving the land.
2
Deduce the contextual meaning of 'redundant'.
Developers consider the wetlands to be surplus or no longer needed.
Calling something redundant when arguing to build over it indicates that one views it as extra or unnecessary.

Key Concept

Vocabulary and Word Meaning in Context
Estimated Time:1m 0s
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