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Question 2721Question →

Complete the sentence below by supplying the grammatically correct verb form in the blank.

Fill in the blanks below

By the time the rescue team finally arrived at the collapsed mine, the trapped workers for assistance for nearly three days.
Show answer & explanation

Answer

had been waiting
The sentence requires the past perfect continuous tense because the action of waiting was continuous over a specific duration ('for nearly three days') prior to a completed past event ('arrived'). The structure 'had been waiting' correctly expresses this past-before-past continuous relationship.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the temporal reference points in the sentence.
The phrase 'By the time...' combined with the simple past verb 'arrived' establishes a fixed past reference point.
This establishes that the entire situation occurred in the past prior to another completed past event.
2
Determine the required tense and aspect based on the time expression.
The duration marker 'for nearly three days' indicates an ongoing action that began before the past reference point and continued up until that moment.
An action continuous in duration up to a specific past moment requires the past perfect continuous tense ('had been + -ing verb').

Key Concept

Past Perfect Continuous Aspect
Question 2722Question →

Consider the following active sentence: 'Why did the panel turn down the candidate's application for the scholarship?' Which of the following choices represents its correct passive transformation?

Show answer & explanation

Answer: Why was the candidate's application for the scholarship turned down by the panel?

Answer

Why was the candidate's application for the scholarship turned down by the panel?
The correct choice accurately shifts the direct object 'the candidate's application for the scholarship' into the subject position, utilizes the singular simple past passive verb phrase 'was turned down', and maintains the exact prepositional particle 'down'.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the active sentence structure, tense, and components.
Subject = 'the panel', Verb = 'turn down' (simple past interrogative: 'did turn down'), Direct Object = 'the candidate's application for the scholarship'.
Identifying these components allows for the proper rearrangement into passive voice where the direct object becomes the subject.
2
Promote the object to subject position and select the correct passive verb form matching the original tense and number.
The singular noun 'application' requires the singular simple past auxiliary 'was' combined with the past participle 'turned down'.
Simple past active questions ('did + verb') convert to simple past passive questions ('was/were + past participle').
3
Construct the complete passive question preserving all prepositions and phrasal particles.
'Why was the candidate's application for the scholarship turned down by the panel?'
Phrasal verbs must retain their original particle ('down') and word order in interrogative passive sentences.

Key Concept

Passive transformation of interrogative active sentences with phrasal verbs in the simple past tense
Estimated Time:1m 0s
Question 2723Question →

In the critical analysis of prescribed prose, drama, and poetry, symbolic narrative events and character actions express overarching central themes. Match each symbolic character action on the left with its corresponding central thematic implication on the right.

Click a left item, then click its matching right item

Items

A former colonial administration clerk systematically destroys official state tax ledgers before surrendering his position to a rural liberation movement.
A traditional priestess refuses to perform purification rites for a commercial railway corridor cutting through ancestral sacred groves.
A village midwife adopts modern clinical sterilization practices while preserving indigenous herbal birthing rituals.
An exiled court poet circulates anonymous satirical verses to undermine the public rhetoric of an autocratic regime.

Matches

Show answer & explanation

Answer

The clerk's destruction of state ledgers matches the repudiation of institutional complicity; the priestess's refusal to bless the railway matches the defense of spiritual heritage against industrial expansion; the midwife's dual practice matches the pragmatic synthesis of traditional and modern systems; and the exiled poet's satirical verses match the subversion of totalitarian governance through art.
Each narrative action represents a distinct central message: burning state ledgers expresses repudiation of institutional complicity; rejecting railway consecration reflects defense of heritage against industrialization; merging birthing rites with clinical hygiene demonstrates technological and cultural synthesis; and broadcasting satirical verse illustrates artistic subversion of totalitarian rule.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the thematic significance of the former colonial clerk burning tax ledgers.
Recognized that tax ledgers symbolize state control; burning them marks a complete break with colonial institutions to join popular resistance.
This symbolic action reflects the theme of repudiating institutional complicity to pursue revolutionary restitution.
2
Examine the priestess's resistance to the railway development through sacred land.
Identified the conflict as ancestral spiritual sanctity versus commercial infrastructure expansion.
Her refusal directly embodies the theme of protecting heritage and environment against industrial encroachment.
3
Evaluate the midwife's integration of clinical hygiene with traditional birthing rites.
Determined that neither system is rejected; rather, both are harmoniously blended.
This illustrates the central message of pragmatically synthesizing indigenous knowledge with modern innovation.
4
Assess the exiled poet's distribution of anonymous satirical literature.
Identified the literary work as a weapon of political resistance against state propaganda.
Using artistic expression to expose state corruption corresponds directly to subverting autocratic rule.

Key Concept

Thematic Analysis and Central Messages in Prescribed Texts
Question 2724Question →

In a narrative exploring communal conflict and reconciliation, which event serves as the primary catalyst for convening the final peace assembly between the two neighboring villages?

Show answer & explanation

Answer: The unexpected return and diplomatic intervention of the banished elder

Answer

The unexpected return and diplomatic intervention of the banished elder serves as the direct narrative catalyst that brings both warring villages to the peace assembly.
The plot reaches its resolution phase specifically through the return of the banished elder, whose moral authority creates the opportunity for dialogue between the opposing factions.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the key turning point in the plot sequence.
Recognized that the conflict remains unresolved until an influential character acts to break the stalemate.
Plot summary analysis requires isolating the main cause of the resolution from minor background events.
2
Evaluate the direct consequence of the banished elder's return.
The elder leverages historical respect to convince leadership from both sides to convene.
Narrative progress depends on cause-and-effect links between character actions and major plot developments.

Key Concept

Plot Resolution and Narrative Catalysts
Question 2725Question →

Complete the statement by identifying the correct International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) symbol for the specified monophthong sound.

Fill in the blanks below

The pure vowel sound represented by the underlined letters in the word c<u>ou</u>ntry is symbolized in IPA as .
Show answer & explanation

Answer

The pure vowel sound represented by 'ou' in 'country' is /ʌ/.
In English phonetics, the letter combination 'ou' in the word 'country' yields the short central unrounded monophthong /ʌ/. This same sound is present in words such as 'flood', 'blood', and 'couple'.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Determine the accurate phonetic transcription of the word 'country'.
The word 'country' is transcribed phonetically as /ˈkʌntri/.
Identifying the full transcription isolates the targeted vowel sound.
2
Isolate the monophthong sound produced by the underlined spelling pattern 'ou'.
The letters 'ou' in this context produce the short, open-mid back unrounded vowel sound.
Despite the 'ou' orthography, the vowel sound is short and pure rather than a diphthong.
3
Select the standard International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) symbol matching this sound.
The sound is represented by the IPA symbol /ʌ/.
The symbol /ʌ/ represents the short monophthong heard in words like 'bus', 'flood', and 'tough'.

Key Concept

Identification of English Monophthongs (Short Vowel /ʌ/)
Estimated Time:1m 0s
Question 2726Question →

A number of critical vulnerabilities in the new software system _______ brought to the attention of the lead developer during yesterday's security audit. Which option correctly completes the sentence?

Show answer & explanation

Answer: were

Answer

were
The expression 'a number of' acts as a plural quantifier meaning 'many' or 'several', which grammatically requires a plural verb. Because the action occurred in the past ('yesterday's security audit'), the plural past-tense verb 'were' is the correct option.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the head noun expression establishing subject-verb concord.
The subject begins with the indefinite quantifier expression 'a number of'.
In standard English concord rules, 'a number of' functions as a plural determiner meaning 'several' or 'many' and takes a plural verb.
2
Determine the required tense and number for the verb.
The temporal context 'yesterday's security audit' requires a past-tense verb, and plural concord requires 'were'.
Combining plural agreement with past-tense context yields 'were'.

Key Concept

Subject-Verb Agreement with 'A number of' vs 'The number of'
Question 2727Question →

Match each excerpt from Column A with the correct literary device it demonstrates from Column B.

Click a left item, then click its matching right item

Items

"The sea lashed out in furious anger at the rocky shore."
"He was a lion in the battle, standing fearless against the enemy."
"Her smile was as bright as the morning sun."
"Parting is such sweet sorrow."

Matches

Show answer & explanation

Answer

The correct pairings are: 'The sea lashed out in furious anger at the rocky shore' matches Personification; 'He was a lion in the battle, standing fearless against the enemy' matches Metaphor; 'Her smile was as bright as the morning sun' matches Simile; and 'Parting is such sweet sorrow' matches Oxymoron.
Each excerpt features distinct stylistic markers: giving human feelings to the sea is personification; stating directly that a warrior is a lion is a metaphor; using 'as bright as' establishes a simile; and joining contradictory ideas like 'sweet' and 'sorrow' produces an oxymoron.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the figurative language in each excerpt from Column A.
Determined that the first excerpt attributes human traits to an inanimate object, the second makes a direct comparison, the third uses explicit comparison words, and the fourth combines contradictory terms.
Identifying key linguistic structures allows accurate classification of literary devices.
2
Match each analyzed excerpt to its corresponding device term in Column B.
Mapped personification, metaphor, simile, and oxymoron to their respective excerpts.
Aligning contextual examples with standard definitions confirms the correct pairings.

Key Concept

Identification of Literary Devices in Context
Question 2728Question →

Read the excerpt below carefully:

"The sun stretched its golden arms across the sleeping town, signaling the arrival of a new dawn."

Which figure of speech is predominantly employed in the excerpt above?

Show answer & explanation

Answer: Personification

Answer

Personification is the figure of speech predominantly employed in the excerpt.
Personification is used because human physical features and actions—such as having arms to stretch and sleeping—are attributed to the sun and the town.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Examine the descriptions assigned to the non-human entities in the passage.
The sun is depicted as having 'golden arms' that it 'stretched', while the town is described as 'sleeping'.
Identifying the attributes given to non-human elements reveals whether human characteristics are being applied.
2
Match the literary technique to its standard literary definition.
Assigning human qualities, actions, or emotions to non-living things or abstract concepts is defined as personification.
The direct attribution of human features confirms personification as the correct term.

Key Concept

Personification
Question 2729Question →

In the plot structure of the prescribed prose text, which critical narrative event directly impels the protagonist to relinquish his hereditary title and go into voluntary exile?

Show answer & explanation

Answer: The public exposure of his secret pact with the rival trade guild during the town assembly

Answer

The public exposure of his secret pact with the rival trade guild during the town assembly directly impels the protagonist to relinquish his title and choose voluntary exile.
The public exposure of the secret pact directly compromises the protagonist's leadership, rendering his position untenable and serving as the direct cause for his forfeiture of power and voluntary exile.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the causal sequence of narrative events leading to the protagonist's exile.
Identify the specific climax and turning point in the plot.
Exile is a major resolution event that requires an immediate, high-stakes plot catalyst.
2
Differentiate between background subplots, minor character actions, and the central climax.
Confirm that the exposure of the secret pact directly triggers the political ruin of the protagonist.
The revelation destroys his moral authority among the elders, leaving exile as his only resolution.

Key Concept

Plot Climax and Narrative Cause-and-Effect
Question 2730Question →

In a prescribed African poem exploring modern social transformation, four key motifs reflect the community's structural changes. Match each poetic motif on the left with its corresponding central thematic implication on the right.

Click a left item, then click its matching right item

Items

The drying up of the communal ancestral stream
The installation of a copper fence around the sacred baobab tree
The silence of the night masquerade's iron bell
The migration of village weavers to coastal urban factories

Matches

Show answer & explanation

Answer

Each poetic motif maps to its symbolic socio-political message: the drying ancestral stream aligns with ecological and spiritual erosion; the copper fence around the baobab represents privatization of cultural landmarks; the silent masquerade bell reflects the suppression of spiritual authority and voice; and the migration of weavers signifies the collapse of traditional craft economies.
The correct pairing accurately links each literary motif to its allegorical thematic significance: environmental decay directly correlates to lost spiritual heritage, physical barriers denote privatization of communal property, silent ritual instruments express cultural censorship, and labor migration signifies the disruption of traditional generational industries.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the literal imagery of each left item to deduce its symbolic meaning within literary thematic analysis.
Identified natural elements (stream), physical barriers (fence/baobab), ritual objects (masquerade bell), and socio-economic shifts (artisan migration).
Literary motifs in African poetry function as allegories for broader socio-political realities.
2
Evaluate the underlying central message associated with each symbolic motif.
Determined that environmental decline ties to spiritual loss, enclosure ties to privatization, quieted ritual instruments tie to cultural suppression, and rural-urban drift ties to economic disruption.
Thematic identification requires connecting concrete imagery to abstract central themes.
3
Match each motif to its precise thematic statement while avoiding literal misreadings.
Formed accurate pairings between left_1 and right_1, left_2 and right_2, left_3 and right_3, and left_4 and right_4.
Ensures complete consistency between narrative detail and central message.

Key Concept

Thematic Analysis and Central Messages
Question 2731Question →

In Khadija Abubakar Jalli's prescribed prose text, *The Life Changer*, which minor character serves as Tomiwa's hostel roommate hailing from Anambra State, whose background and interactions contribute to the narrative's thematic representation of inter-ethnic unity?

Show answer & explanation

Answer: Nkechi; nkechi

Answer

Nkechi
In *The Life Changer*, Nkechi is the minor character who represents Anambra State (South-Eastern Nigeria) among Tomiwa's room members. Together with Ada from Benue and Clare from Ondo, her inclusion highlights the structural and thematic function of promoting ethnic harmony, accommodation, and peaceful coexistence among tertiary institution students from diverse backgrounds.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Examine the narrative context surrounding Tomiwa's living arrangements at the university in *The Life Changer*.
Tomiwa shares a hostel room with three other female students from distinct geopolitical regions of Nigeria: Ada, Clare, and Nkechi.
Establishing the composition of Tomiwa's hostel room isolates the candidates for this minor character role.
2
Correlate each roommate with her state of origin and narrative function as described in the text.
Ada hails from Benue State, Clare from Ondo State, and Nkechi represents Anambra State (South-East).
Matching the regional origin specified in the question stem confirms Nkechi as the character who embodies this aspect of national diversity and integration.

Key Concept

Minor Character Identification and Cultural Functions in *The Life Changer*
Question 2732Question →

Which of the following words contains the same pure vowel sound as the underlined letters in h<u>ei</u>fer?

Show answer & explanation

Answer: guest

Answer

The word 'guest' contains the same short monophthong /e/ as 'heifer'.
The underlined letters 'ei' in the target word 'heifer' produce the short monophthong /e/ (pronounced /ˈhef.ər/). Among the choices, the word 'guest' is pronounced /gest/, which features the exact same short monophthong vowel sound /e/.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the phonetic sound of the underlined spelling pattern in the target word.
In the word 'heifer', the letter combination 'ei' is pronounced as the short monophthong /e/ (/ˈhef.ər/).
Establishing the correct IPA symbol for the target word is necessary to match it with the options.
2
Analyze the vowel sound present in each option.
'guest' has /e/, 'height' has /aɪ/, 'reign' has /eɪ/, and 'ceiling' has /iː/.
Distinguishing between pure monophthongs (short and long) and diphthongs isolates the matching sound.
3
Select the option that shares the target monophthong /e/.
'guest' (/gest/) matches /e/.
Both words feature the identical short front unrounded monophthong /e/.

Key Concept

Monophthongs (Pure Vowels) - /e/ sound identification across non-standard spelling patterns
Question 2733Question →

Match each environmental description from a prescribed text to the setting dimension it primarily represents.

Click a left item, then click its matching right item

Items

A rural community undergoing rapid economic transition during the colonial era
A dimly lit, decaying courtroom during a high-stakes cross-examination
A crowded coastal fishing village at dawn

Matches

Show answer & explanation

Answer

The description of a rural community in the colonial era matches Socio-historical context; the description of a dimly lit, decaying courtroom matches Atmospheric setting and mood; the description of a crowded coastal fishing village at dawn matches Physical and temporal setting.
Each setting element is correctly aligned with its setting dimension based on whether it describes social/historical background, emotional atmosphere, or physical/temporal markers.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the description of the rural community during the colonial era.
Identified as socio-historical context because it involves historical time periods and social structures.
Contextual background tied to history and social change defines socio-historical setting.
2
Examine the description of the dimly lit courtroom environment.
Identified as atmospheric setting and mood due to sensory details conveying tone and tension.
Elements affecting emotional tone and atmospheric quality define mood.
3
Evaluate the coastal fishing village at dawn.
Identified as physical and temporal setting because it specifies spatial location and time of day.
Geographical location and temporal markers define physical and temporal environment.

Key Concept

Dimensions of Literary Setting and Context
Question 2734Question →

Read the sentence below and fill in the missing word. Which verb form correctly satisfies the rules of grammatical concord?

Fill in the blanks below

Professor Evelyn is one of the few climate scientists who consistently advocated for stricter environmental policies.
Show answer & explanation

Answer

have
In the structure 'one of the [plural noun] who/that', the relative pronoun 'who' refers to the plural noun immediately preceding it ('climate scientists'). Therefore, the verb inside the relative clause must be plural ('have').

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the relative clause and its relative pronoun subject.
The relative clause is 'who... consistently advocated', introduced by the relative pronoun 'who'.
A relative pronoun takes its number and person from its antecedent noun.
2
Determine the antecedent of the relative pronoun 'who'.
The antecedent is the plural noun 'climate scientists', not the singular pronoun 'one'.
In the construction 'one of the [plural noun] who', the relative pronoun refers back to the plural noun in the phrase.
3
Select the verb form that agrees with the plural antecedent.
The auxiliary verb 'have' must be used.
Since 'climate scientists' is plural, the relative clause requires the plural auxiliary verb 'have'.

Key Concept

Relative Pronoun Concord (One of the + Plural Noun + Who + Plural Verb)
Question 2735Question →

In Lola Shoneyin's novel *The Secret Lives of Baba Segi's Wives*, match each major character on the left with their primary structural role or narrative function within the household dynamics on the right.

Click a left item, then click its matching right item

Items

Bolanle
Baba Segi
Iya Segi
Iya Femi

Matches

Show answer & explanation

Answer

Bolanle matches with the educated fourth wife acting as narrative catalyst; Baba Segi matches with the pompous patriarch masking medical vulnerability; Iya Segi matches with the formidable senior wife orchestrating the paternity cover-up; Iya Femi matches with the scheming third wife whose trauma fuels her hostility.
Each character correctly aligns with their functional role in the novel: Bolanle acts as the narrative catalyst, Baba Segi as the oblivious patriarch, Iya Segi as the controlling matriarch, and Iya Femi as the hostile, traumatized co-wife.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the narrative function of Bolanle
Recognize Bolanle as the university-educated fourth wife whose presence triggers the investigation into the household's infertility issues.
Her willingness to seek modern medical help unlocks the novel's core secret.
2
Analyze Baba Segi's character role
Identify Baba Segi as the head of the family whose exaggerated self-importance conceals his underlying health issue.
His insistence on asserting control unintentionally exposes his own secret.
3
Distinguish between the roles of the senior co-wives Iya Segi and Iya Femi
Assign Iya Segi to matriarchal management of the secret lineage, and Iya Femi to bitter domestic opportunism.
Iya Segi leads the pact among the older wives, whereas Iya Femi's motivation stems from self-preservation and spite.

Key Concept

Major Character Identification and Role Analysis
Question 2736Question →

In the plot progression of a prescribed prose narrative, arrange the following key narrative events in their correct chronological order from earliest to latest.

Drag items to arrange them in the correct order

Show answer & explanation

Answer

The correct chronological order of events is: the accidental shooting during the funeral ceremony, followed by the decree of exile, then the rebuilding of a homestead in the maternal village, and finally the farewell feast prior to returning home.
The plot moves logically from cause to effect: the inadvertent shooting causes the village council to issue the decree of exile. The protagonist then spends his exile rebuilding his life in his maternal homeland, culminating in a farewell feast to signify the end of his seven-year banishment.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the inciting incident in the plot sequence.
The accidental shooting during the communal funeral ceremony serves as the initial event.
Narrative structure places the inadvertent crime at the start of the conflict.
2
Determine the immediate legal and traditional consequence.
The village elders decreeing a seven-year exile follows the accidental crime.
Traditional law demands punishment and ritual purification following the inadvertent killing.
3
Trace the protagonist's actions during the period of exile.
Seeking refuge in his motherland and establishing a new compound occurs during the banishment.
The protagonist must spend his seven years of exile away from his fatherland.
4
Identify the concluding event of the exile narrative arc.
Hosting the farewell feast marks the end of the banishment period.
The feast expresses gratitude to his mother's relatives right before his return.

Key Concept

Chronological Plot Ordering and Narrative Structure
Question 2737Question →

Read the literary excerpt below:

"The general's victory was a glorious defeat; three thousand brave soldiers lay silent in the dust while the kingdom celebrated the triumph of a dying throne."

In the excerpt above, which pair of literary devices is exemplified by the expressions "glorious defeat" and "lay silent in the dust" respectively?

Show answer & explanation

Answer: Oxymoron and euphemism

Answer

The expression 'glorious defeat' is an oxymoron, and 'lay silent in the dust' is a euphemism.
The phrase 'glorious defeat' pairs two contradictory words directly together, creating an oxymoron. The expression 'lay silent in the dust' serves as a soft, respectful alternative phrasing for fallen soldiers who died in combat, making it a euphemism.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the first target expression: 'glorious defeat'.
The two words 'glorious' (triumphant) and 'defeat' (failure/loss) have contradictory meanings and are positioned immediately adjacent to each other.
Placing contradictory terms in direct juxtaposition creates an oxymoron.
2
Analyze the second target expression: 'lay silent in the dust'.
The phrase serves as a soft, indirect way to describe soldiers who died on the battlefield.
Substituting a mild or indirect phrase for a harsh reality such as death defines a euphemism.
3
Synthesize the device pair to determine the correct response.
The devices in order are oxymoron and euphemism.
This matches the correct response choice.

Key Concept

Identification of literary devices in context (Oxymoron and Euphemism)
Question 2738Question →

Complete the literary analysis statement below by providing the exact technical term for the figure of speech demonstrated in the excerpt.

Fill in the blanks below

In the descriptive excerpt, 'The weary exile walked with hesitant steps along the mournful road toward the border,' the application of the emotional attribute 'mournful' to an inanimate path rather than the traveler constitutes the device known as .
Show answer & explanation

Answer

transferred epithet (or hypallage)
The correct response is transferred epithet (or hypallage). In literary analysis, a transferred epithet is a figure of speech in which an adjective or modifier is grammatically linked to a noun other than the person or thing it logically modifies. In the excerpt, the road itself is not feeling sorrow; rather, the modifier 'mournful' belongs logically to the exile who is experiencing grief while walking along the path.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the grammatical and semantic relationship between the modifier 'mournful' and the noun 'road'.
Observe that 'mournful' expresses a human emotion belonging logically to the exile, but grammatically modifies the inanimate noun 'road'.
A road cannot experience grief; the modifier has been shifted from the human subject to an associated non-human element in the context.
2
Identify the precise literary device governing this intentional modifier shift.
Recognize the literary device as transferred epithet (also termed hypallage).
Transferred epithet occurs specifically when an adjective (epithet) is transferred from the person or entity it logically describes to another noun closely connected with it.

Key Concept

Transferred Epithet (Hypallage)
Question 2739Question →

Read the literary excerpt below and complete the statement by identifying the correct figure of speech.

Fill in the blanks below

In the passage, 'The press was barred from reporting the tribunal proceedings, while the bench deliberated in secrecy,' the terms 'the press' and 'the bench' illustrate the figure of speech known as .
Show answer & explanation

Answer

metonymy
The correct answer is metonymy because the excerpt substitutes terms closely associated with journalists ('the press') and judges ('the bench') to represent the people and institutions themselves.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the figurative substitutions used in the excerpt.
Identify that 'the press' represents news reporters/journalists and 'the bench' represents the judiciary/judges.
Neither term is an integral physical part of the entity described; rather, each is a closely related symbol or object representing the group or institution.
2
Identify the precise literary device defined by this associative substitution.
Determine that the figure of speech is metonymy.
Metonymy is a figure of speech in which the name of an object or concept is replaced with that of another closely associated with it.

Key Concept

Metonymy in Context
Question 2740Question →

Which of the words listed below shares the same pure vowel sound as the underlined letters in the word c<u>ou</u>rtesy?

Show answer & explanation

Answer: journey

Answer

journey
In the target word 'courtesy' (/ˈkɜːtəsi/), the underlined letters 'ou' represent the long central monophthong /ɜː/. Among the choices, 'journey' (/ˈdʒɜːni/) is the only word that features the exact same /ɜː/ vowel sound.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the phonetic sound of the target word
The underlined letters 'ou' in 'courtesy' (/ˈkɜːtəsi/) produce the long central pure vowel sound /ɜː/.
Recognizing the IPA sound /ɜː/ is essential for matching it accurately.
2
Analyze the vowel sounds in each option
'journey' has /ɜː/, 'mourn' has /ɔː/, 'courage' has /ʌ/, and 'scour' has /aʊə/.
Comparing each word's pronunciation against /ɜː/ identifies the exact phonetic match.
3
Select the correct word
'journey' contains the matching monophthong /ɜː/.
Both 'courtesy' and 'journey' realize their 'ou' spelling as the pure vowel /ɜː/.

Key Concept

Monophthongs (Pure Vowels) - /ɜː/ Sound Identification
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