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Difficulty: MediumVocabulary and Word Meaning in Context

Read the passage excerpt from an environmental research report below:

"Faced with unprecedented drought conditions across the region, local agricultural authorities urged farmers to husband their remaining groundwater supplies rather than deplete them on water-intensive cash crops."

Which of the following options best captures the contextual meaning of the bolded word as used in the excerpt?

  1. conserve and use frugallyAnswer
  2. B
    marry or protect legally
  3. C
    replenish through artificial irrigation
  4. D
    distribute without restriction

Answer

The correct answer is 'conserve and use frugally'.
In the passage, 'husband' is used as a verb meaning to manage resources economically and avoid waste. The contrasting clause 'rather than deplete them' confirms that the author is advocating for frugal conservation of groundwater reserves.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the grammatical role of the bolded word within the sentence structure.
The word 'husband' follows the infinitive marker 'to' and acts as a transitive verb taking 'their remaining groundwater supplies' as its direct object.
Identifying the part of speech prevents confusing the verb usage with the common noun form.
2
Examine the surrounding contextual clues in the excerpt.
The phrase 'rather than deplete them' provides a contrast showing that the action intended is the opposite of exhausting or wasting resources.
Contextual contrasts help establish the specific semantic boundary of the target word.
3
Select the option that aligns syntactically and semantically with careful resource management.
Replacing 'husband' with 'conserve and use frugally' preserves the exact meaning and logic of the sentence.
Substitution confirms that the selected synonym maintains textual coherence.

Key Concept

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

Vocabulary and Word Meaning in Context

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