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Difficulty: HardVocabulary and Word Meaning in Context

In the excerpt below, a scientific observation is presented:

'Neuroscientists have demonstrated that the mature human brain remains remarkably plastic, continuously reorganizing its neural pathways in response to novel cognitive challenges and environmental shifts.'

Which of the following options best captures the contextual meaning of plastic as used in the passage?

  1. A
    synthetic and non-biodegradable in composition
  2. adaptable and capable of structural reorganizationAnswer
  3. C
    fragile and vulnerable to physical damage
  4. D
    artificial and lacking authentic function

Answer

adaptable and capable of structural reorganization
In the provided text, the word 'plastic' describes the brain's capacity for neural reorganization and adaptation. Therefore, the option stating 'adaptable and capable of structural reorganization' accurately conveys this contextual meaning.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the context of the sentence containing the target word.
The target word 'plastic' describes how the mature human brain 'continuously reorganizing its neural pathways in response to novel cognitive challenges'.
Contextual clues in the surrounding clause clarify the exact attribute being assigned to the brain.
2
Deduce the specialized sense of the word in this domain.
In neuroscience, 'plasticity' refers to the brain's ability to adapt, reshape, and reorganize itself throughout life.
Understanding domain-specific register prevents selecting literal everyday definitions.
3
Evaluate the options against the contextual meaning.
The phrase 'adaptable and capable of structural reorganization' aligns perfectly with the brain's ability to reorganize neural pathways.
The correct answer must be syntactically and semantically substitutable into the text.

Key Concept

Contextual Word Meaning (Neuroplasticity)
Estimated Time:1m 30s
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Topics

Vocabulary and Word Meaning in Context

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