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Question

Difficulty: EasyVocabulary and Word Meaning in Context

Read the passage excerpt below carefully:

"When the new principal took over the administration of the school, she noticed that discipline had reached an all-time low. To restore order, she introduced strict measures to curb late-coming among both students and staff."

In the excerpt above, what is the contextual meaning of the word curb?

  1. restrainAnswer
  2. B
    edge of a sidewalk
  3. C
    punish
  4. D
    encourage

Answer

In the passage context, 'curb' means to restrain or keep in check.
In the excerpt, 'curb' is used as a verb that means to limit, control, or keep in check an undesirable phenomenon such as late-coming. Substituting 'restrain' into the sentence accurately captures this meaning without altering the author's intent.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the sentence context around the target word
The principal wants to restore order and address discipline that reached an all-time low by addressing late-coming.
Contextual meaning depends on the situation described in the passage.
2
Determine the grammatical role and intended action of 'curb'
'Curb' functions as an infinitive verb ('to curb late-coming') meaning to check or reduce an unacceptable trend.
Identifying the part of speech helps eliminate unrelated noun meanings.
3
Substitute the options into the sentence to test semantic fit
'...introduced strict measures to restrain late-coming...' fits seamlessly and preserves the logical meaning.
Substitution verifies that the chosen word matches both syntax and sense.

Key Concept

Contextual Word Meaning in Comprehension
Estimated Time:45s
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Topics

Vocabulary and Word Meaning in Context

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