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Emphatic Stress

59 questions

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Question 41Question →

Read the statement below in which the word printed in CAPITAL LETTERS carries emphatic stress. Complete the contrastive question that correctly matches the stressed statement by filling in the blank.

Fill in the blanks below

Statement: The chief archivist UNANTICIPATEDLY revealed the classified documents during the international symposium.

Question: Did the chief archivist reveal the classified documents during the international symposium?
Show answer & explanation

Answer

The blank must be filled with a word that directly contrasts with 'UNANTICIPATEDLY' (such as 'expectedly' or 'predictably'), while keeping all other sentence elements unchanged.
The capitalized word 'UNANTICIPATEDLY' expresses the manner in which the action occurred. The correct completion requires a contrasting word like 'expectedly' or 'predictably' so that the statement serves as an emphatic refutation.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Locate the word carrying emphatic stress in the given statement.
The word printed in capital letters is 'UNANTICIPATEDLY', which places contrastive focus on the unexpected manner of the action.
Emphatic stress isolates a specific word to emphasize its information against an implicit alternative or contradiction.
2
Formulate the contrastive question targeting only the emphasized element.
The question must replace 'UNANTICIPATEDLY' with an opposing modifier (such as 'expectedly') while preserving the exact subject, action, object, and temporal/locational context.
A proper contrastive question sets up the premise that the stressed statement directly refutes.

Key Concept

Emphatic Stress and Contrastive Focus
Estimated Time:1m 30s
Question 42Question →

Select the question to which the following statement, containing emphatic stress on the word in FULL CAPITAL LETTERS, provides the appropriate answer:

The chief curator PRESERVED the rare manuscripts in the climate-controlled vault.

Show answer & explanation

Answer: Did the chief curator discard the rare manuscripts in the climate-controlled vault?

Answer

The correct response is the question asking whether the chief curator discarded the rare manuscripts in the climate-controlled vault.
The verb 'PRESERVED' carries emphatic stress, indicating that the speaker is emphasizing the action taken rather than another action. The appropriate contrastive question must present a contradictory action (such as 'discard') while keeping the subject ('chief curator'), object ('rare manuscripts'), and location ('climate-controlled vault') completely unchanged.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the word carrying emphatic stress in the given sentence.
The word 'PRESERVED' is written in capital letters and carries emphatic stress.
Emphatic stress is used to highlight or contrast a specific piece of information in a sentence.
2
Determine the part of the sentence that must be questioned or contradicted.
The appropriate question must contradict the verb 'PRESERVED', while leaving the subject, object, and adjuncts unchanged.
In Oral English emphatic stress rules, the correct contrastive question replaces only the stressed element with a contrasting word.
3
Evaluate the options to find the question that contrasts only the verb.
The question substituting 'discard' for 'PRESERVED' is the only option that directly contrasts the stressed action.
The other options erroneously introduce contrasting terms for the subject, object, or location.

Key Concept

Emphatic Stress and Contrastive Focus
Estimated Time:1m 0s
Question 43Question →

Read the statement below and identify the specific word that carries emphatic stress based on the contrastive question provided.

Fill in the blanks below

Statement: 'The principal APPROVED the new school curriculum on Friday.'
Contrastive question: 'Did the principal reject the new school curriculum on Friday?'

In the statement above, emphatic stress is placed on the word .
Show answer & explanation

Answer

The word that carries emphatic stress is APPROVED.
In Oral English, emphatic stress falls on the word that provides the contrastive focus. Here, the contrastive question asks whether the principal 'rejected' the curriculum. The word 'APPROVED' in the statement directly opposes 'rejected', so it receives emphatic stress.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the contrastive question to find the point of contradiction.
The contrastive question asks if the principal 'rejected' the curriculum, directly contradicting the action taken.
Emphatic stress highlights information that responds to or corrects a specific point raised in a question.
2
Match the contradicted word in the question ('reject') to its corresponding word in the statement ('APPROVED').
The action 'APPROVED' in the statement directly answers and corrects the idea of 'rejecting'.
The word carrying emphatic stress in a sentence is the one that contrasts with the questioned element.

Key Concept

Emphatic stress is used to emphasize a specific word in a sentence to contrast with or correct a alternative idea presented in a question.
Question 44Question →

In the statement below, emphatic stress is placed on the word printed in CAPITAL LETTERS:

'The chief accountant SECURELY stored the confidential audit files in the vault.'

Which of the following questions is the appropriate context for this statement?

Show answer & explanation

Answer: Did the chief accountant carelessly store the confidential audit files in the vault?

Answer

Did the chief accountant carelessly store the confidential audit files in the vault?
The sentence places emphatic stress on the adverb 'SECURELY'. In English phonology and discourse analysis, emphatic stress indicates contrastive focus on the stressed word. Therefore, the statement serves as a direct response to a question that poses a contrasting condition to 'SECURELY' (i.e., 'carelessly'), while keeping all other information in the sentence constant.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the word carrying emphatic stress in the given statement.
The word 'SECURELY' (an adverb of manner) is capitalized and receives emphatic stress.
Emphatic stress highlights a specific item in a sentence to contrast it with alternative or opposing information.
2
Determine the contrastive focus required for the corresponding question.
The correct question must keep every part of the original sentence identical except for the stressed word, replacing 'SECURELY' with an opposite or alternative modifier.
An emphatic stress response directly answers a question that contradicts only the stressed element.
3
Evaluate the options to locate the question that contrasts only the stressed word.
The question asking if the accountant 'carelessly' stored the files contrasts only 'SECURELY' while leaving the subject, main verb, object, and prepositional phrase intact.
Contrasting 'carelessly' with 'SECURELY' provides the precise pragmatic context for the emphatic stress.

Key Concept

Emphatic Stress and Contrastive Focus
Question 45Question →

Which of the following questions is the appropriate query to which the statement below, with emphatic stress on the word in CAPITAL LETTERS, serves as the direct answer?

The diligent surgeon CAREFULLY performed the complex operation yesterday.

Show answer & explanation

Answer: Did the diligent surgeon carelessly perform the complex operation yesterday?

Answer

The question asking if the surgeon performed the operation carelessly is the correct response because emphatic stress on 'CAREFULLY' indicates that the manner of performance is being emphasized and contrasted.
In Oral English, emphatic stress highlights a specific word in a sentence to convey contrastive focus. Because 'CAREFULLY' is capitalized, the speaker is emphasizing the manner in which the action was completed. The appropriate question must dispute ONLY this manner (asking if it was done 'carelessly') while preserving every other detail of the sentence intact.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the word bearing emphatic stress in the sentence.
The word 'CAREFULLY' is written in capital letters, indicating emphatic stress.
Emphatic stress is used to highlight or place contrastive focus on a specific piece of information in a statement.
2
Determine the function of the emphasized word and find its direct contradiction.
'CAREFULLY' is an adverb of manner; its contradiction is 'carelessly'.
The correct contrastive question must disagree ONLY with the stressed word, keeping all other elements of the sentence intact.
3
Select the option that questions only the manner of performance.
The question asking if the operation was done carelessly matches the required contrastive focus.
All other options challenge uncapitalized parts of the sentence (the subject's adjective, the object's adjective, or the time adverbial).

Key Concept

Emphatic Stress and Contrastive Focus
Question 46Question →

Read the statement below in which emphatic stress is placed on the word written in CAPITAL LETTERS. Identify and fill in the missing question that appropriately elicits this emphatic response.

Fill in the blanks below

Statement: The lead investigator DISCREETLY transferred the sensitive files before dawn.
Question:
Show answer & explanation

Answer

Did the lead investigator openly transfer the sensitive files before dawn?
In Oral English, emphatic stress signals contrastive focus. Because the adverb 'DISCREETLY' is emphasized, the speaker is specifically correcting or contrasting the manner of execution. The appropriate question must therefore ask whether the action was done in the opposite manner (such as 'openly' or 'publicly'), while retaining the exact same subject ('the lead investigator'), action ('transferred'), object ('the sensitive files'), and time adjunct ('before dawn').

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the word carrying emphatic stress in the given statement.
The word 'DISCREETLY' is capitalized, indicating that emphatic stress is placed on the manner in which the action was performed.
Emphatic stress highlights the specific information being asserted or corrected in contrastive focus.
2
Determine the focus of the required contrastive question.
The contrastive question must challenge or inquire about the manner of transfer ('discreetly') using an opposing or contrasting adverb (e.g., 'openly' or 'publicly'), while keeping all other information in the statement unchanged.
An emphatic statement contradicts only the specific element questioned in the preceding query.
3
Formulate the correct question.
'Did the lead investigator openly transfer the sensitive files before dawn?'
This question directly contrasts 'openly' with 'DISCREETLY', making the statement a natural and precise response.

Key Concept

Emphatic Stress and Contrastive Focus
Question 47Question →

Complete the contrastive question that correctly elicits the emphatic stress in the statement below.

Statement: The experienced MECHANIC repaired the faulty engine before noon.

Fill in the blanks below

Did the experienced repair the faulty engine before noon?
Show answer & explanation

Answer

The contrastive question must substitute the capitalized word 'MECHANIC' with a contrasting profession (such as 'electrician' or 'technician') while keeping all other elements of the statement unchanged.
Placing emphatic stress on 'MECHANIC' indicates that the speaker is giving contrastive emphasis to who performed the repair. Therefore, the appropriate question must question the identity of the person by replacing 'MECHANIC' with a contrasting role while leaving the verb, object, and time adjunct unchanged.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the word carrying emphatic stress in the statement.
The word 'MECHANIC' is capitalized, indicating that emphatic stress is placed on the subject performing the action.
Emphatic stress highlights a specific item of information in contrast to alternative possibilities.
2
Formulate the required contrastive question.
The question must introduce a false assumption specifically about the stressed word by replacing 'MECHANIC' with a different profession.
Answering 'No, the experienced MECHANIC repaired the faulty engine before noon' corrects the false noun in the question while affirming the rest of the statement.

Key Concept

Emphatic Stress and Contrastive Focus
Question 48Question →

In the sentence below, one word is written in CAPITAL LETTERS to indicate emphatic stress:

The senior prosecutor RELUCTANTLY presented the key evidence during the preliminary hearing.

Which of the following questions is the statement above a direct answer to?

Show answer & explanation

Answer: Did the senior prosecutor eagerly present the key evidence during the preliminary hearing?

Answer

The question 'Did the senior prosecutor eagerly present the key evidence during the preliminary hearing?' is the correct query.
In Oral English, emphatic stress indicates contrastive focus. When stress is placed on the word 'RELUCTANTLY', the sentence serves as a corrective answer to a question that assumes a different manner of action (e.g., 'eagerly'). The question asking whether the prosecutor eagerly presented the evidence matches the statement precisely because only the manner word is questioned and contradicted, while the subject, verb, object, and adverbial phrase remain completely unchanged.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the word receiving emphatic stress in the given statement.
The word printed in full capital letters is 'RELUCTANTLY', which functions as an adverb of manner.
Emphatic stress highlights the specific information being asserted against a contrastive assumption.
2
Determine the contrastive focus required for the corresponding question.
The target question must disagree with or query only the word 'RELUCTANTLY' (manner of action), replacing it with an opposing or alternative word while retaining the exact subject, verb, object, and adjuncts.
In Oral English emphatic stress rules, placing stress on a word provides a direct contrast only to that specific item in the utterance.
3
Evaluate the options to find the question that contradicts only the stressed element.
The question substituting 'eagerly' for 'RELUCTANTLY' preserves all other sentence elements unchanged, making it the proper context for the response.
Distractors incorrectly query the subject, main verb, or direct object.

Key Concept

Emphatic Stress and Contrastive Focus
Estimated Time:1m 0s
Question 49Question →

Fill in the blank with the appropriate contrastive question that correctly elicits the emphatic stress in the statement provided.

Fill in the blanks below

Statement: The courageous ASTRONAUT explored the distant galaxy.
Question:
Show answer & explanation

Answer

Did the courageous scientist explore the distant galaxy?
Because emphatic stress falls on 'ASTRONAUT', the speaker is emphasizing WHO explored the galaxy rather than another detail. The correct contrastive question challenges the identity of the astronaut by substituting a different subject noun while leaving every other component of the original statement unchanged.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Locate the word bearing emphatic stress in the given statement.
The word 'ASTRONAUT' is printed in capital letters, indicating emphatic stress on the subject noun.
Emphatic stress points to a specific contrast regarding the capitalized word.
2
Determine the element of the statement that must be questioned or contradicted.
The target question must replace 'ASTRONAUT' with another profession/noun (such as 'scientist' or 'pilot') while holding all other words ('courageous', 'explored', 'the distant galaxy') constant.
An emphatic stress question explicitly contradicts only the emphasized lexical item.

Key Concept

Emphatic stress highlights a single word in a sentence to contrast it with an alternative. The corresponding eliciting question alters only the stressed item and retains the rest of the sentence structure intact.
Estimated Time:45s
Question 50Question →

In the sentence below, emphatic stress is placed on the word in CAPITAL LETTERS:

'The courageous ARCHITECT designed the eco-friendly skyscraper in Abuja.'

Which of the following questions is the sentence above designed to answer?

Show answer & explanation

Answer: Did the courageous engineer design the eco-friendly skyscraper in Abuja?

Answer

Did the courageous engineer design the eco-friendly skyscraper in Abuja?
Emphatic stress is used to highlight or contrast specific information in a sentence. When the word 'ARCHITECT' is emphasized, the speaker is correcting or clarifying who designed the skyscraper (e.g., asserting it was an architect, not an engineer or someone else). The question asking if a 'courageous engineer' designed the skyscraper is the only query that directly prompts this contrast while preserving the rest of the sentence structure.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the word receiving emphatic stress in the given statement.
The word 'ARCHITECT' is printed in full capital letters, indicating that it carries the contrastive/emphatic stress.
Emphatic stress highlights a specific element of information to contradict or emphasize it against alternatives.
2
Determine the element of the statement that must be questioned.
The question must specifically ask about or contradict the profession/person ('ARCHITECT'), keeping all other elements (adjective 'courageous', verb 'designed', object 'eco-friendly skyscraper', location 'Abuja') identical.
A sentence with emphatic stress serves as a direct response to a question that queries only the emphasized information.
3
Evaluate the options to find the question that queries only the stressed element.
The question asking whether an 'engineer' designed the building directly contrasts with 'ARCHITECT', making the statement 'The courageous ARCHITECT designed the eco-friendly skyscraper in Abuja' the appropriate corrective response.
Only this question substitutes the emphasized word while retaining all other original details.

Key Concept

Emphatic Stress and Contrastive Focus
Question 51Question →

Complete the contrastive question by supplying the word that correctly challenges the stressed element in the given statement.

Fill in the blanks below

Statement: The lead geologist VOLUNTARILY surveyed the remote volcanic crater last month.

Contrastive Question: Did the lead geologist survey the remote volcanic crater last month?
Show answer & explanation

Answer

The word required to fill the blank is 'reluctantly' (or another antonymous adverb such as 'involuntarily' or 'compulsorily'), which directly contrasts with the emphasized word 'VOLUNTARILY'.
In Oral English emphatic stress conventions, capitalizing 'VOLUNTARILY' indicates that contrastive focus is placed specifically on the manner in which the surveying was done. To elicit this emphatic statement, the contrastive question must introduce an opposing adverb (such as 'reluctantly' or 'involuntarily') in place of the stressed word while keeping the subject, verb predicate, direct object, and temporal modifier completely unchanged.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the word receiving emphatic stress in the statement.
The capitalized word is 'VOLUNTARILY', an adverb of manner.
Emphatic stress isolates the specific piece of information being emphasized or contrasted in an utterance.
2
Determine the required function of the contrastive question.
The question must query or contradict ONLY the manner of action expressed by 'VOLUNTARILY' while keeping all other sentence components identical.
In emphatic stress, the correct context-eliciting question differs from the statement solely at the point of emphasis.
3
Select an appropriate contrasting lexical item for the blank.
Substituting 'reluctantly' (or 'involuntarily') creates an exact contrastive question that elicits the response statement.
Asking whether the action was done reluctantly prompts the emphatic response that it was performed VOLUNTARILY.

Key Concept

Emphatic stress places contrastive focus on a single element of a sentence. The correct contrastive question challenges only that capitalized element using an opposing term while retaining all other syntactic and lexical components.
Question 52Question →

Consider the following statement in which one word is printed in capital letters to show emphatic stress:

"The environmental scientist RIGOROUSLY tested the water samples from the polluted river."

Which of the following questions is the appropriate contrastive query for the statement above?

Show answer & explanation

Answer: Did the environmental scientist carelessly test the water samples from the polluted river?

Answer

Did the environmental scientist carelessly test the water samples from the polluted river?
The correct query asks whether the environmental scientist 'carelessly' tested the water samples because it directly contrasts the capitalized word 'RIGOROUSLY' while keeping all other elements of the statement unchanged.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the word carrying emphatic stress in the sentence.
The word printed in capital letters is 'RIGOROUSLY', indicating contrastive emphasis on the manner in which the action was performed.
Emphatic stress is used to highlight or correct a specific element of a sentence during dialogue.
2
Select the question that contradicts ONLY the capitalized word while retaining all other sentence components.
The query asking if the scientist 'carelessly' tested the samples directly contrasts 'RIGOROUSLY' without altering the subject, action, or object.
In standard JAMB UTME emphatic stress items, the correct eliciting question differs strictly at the point of emphasis.

Key Concept

Emphatic Stress and Contrastive Focus
Question 53Question →

Fill in the blank with an appropriate word to complete the contrastive question that elicits the emphatic stress in the given statement.

Fill in the blanks below

Statement: The skilled PILOT safely landed the commercial aircraft during the storm.
Contrastive question: Did the skilled safely land the commercial aircraft during the storm?
Show answer & explanation

Answer

A contrasting profession noun (such as 'driver' or 'captain') that directly challenges the capitalized word 'PILOT'.
In English emphatic stress rules, the correct contrastive question replaces only the capitalized word ('PILOT') with a contrasting word of the same word class (e.g., 'driver' or 'captain'), maintaining the exact same structure for the uncapitalized elements.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the word carrying emphatic stress in the statement.
The word 'PILOT' is written in capital letters, indicating emphatic stress.
Emphatic stress highlights the specific item in the sentence that receives contrastive focus.
2
Determine the required contrastive substitution to form the correct question.
The subject 'PILOT' must be replaced with a contrasting subject/profession, while all other words remain identical.
The correct question to elicit emphatic stress must query only the stressed element and keep the rest of the sentence unchanged.

Key Concept

Emphatic Stress and Contrastive Questioning
Question 54Question →

Read the statement below with emphatic stress on the capitalized word, and complete the contrastive question that elicits this stress pattern.

Fill in the blanks below

Statement: 'The chief surgeon HESITANTLY authorized the emergency procedure.'

Contrastive Question: Did the chief surgeon authorize the emergency procedure?
Show answer & explanation

Answer

The blank must be filled with a contrasting adverb of manner (such as 'promptly', 'decisively', or 'eagerly') that directly challenges the capitalized word 'HESITANTLY'.
In Oral English assessments like JAMB UTME, emphatic stress places contrastive emphasis on the capitalized word in a statement. To elicit emphatic stress on 'HESITANTLY', the contrastive question must challenge the manner of the action by replacing 'HESITANTLY' with a contrasting adverb (such as 'promptly' or 'decisively') while leaving all other grammatical elements of the sentence intact.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the word receiving emphatic stress in the statement.
The word 'HESITANTLY' is printed in full capital letters, indicating contrastive focus on the manner of action.
Emphatic stress singles out specific information to be emphasized or contrasted.
2
Formulate a contrastive question that challenges ONLY the stressed element.
Keep the subject ('the chief surgeon'), main verb ('authorize'), and object ('the emergency procedure') unchanged.
A valid contrastive question maintains all context except the specific element being challenged.
3
Supply an appropriate contrasting word for the blank position.
Inserting an adverb such as 'promptly', 'decisively', or 'eagerly' challenges 'HESITANTLY', prompting the response: 'No, he HESITANTLY authorized it.'
Using an opposing or alternative adverb directly elicits the intended emphatic stress.

Key Concept

Emphatic Stress and Contrastive Focus
Estimated Time:1m 0s
Question 55Question →

Read the statement below with emphatic stress on the capitalized word, and fill in the blank to complete the contrastive question that elicits this stress pattern.

Fill in the blanks below

Statement: The chief curator cataloged the ANCIENT bronze artifacts.

Question: Did the chief curator catalog the bronze artifacts?
Show answer & explanation

Answer

The contrastive question requires a word that contrasts directly with the emphasized word 'ANCIENT' (such as 'modern', 'recent', or 'new').
Emphatic stress highlights 'ANCIENT' to refute a contrasting idea. Inserting a word like 'modern' or 'recent' into the question forms the exact contrastive context needed for the statement to serve as an emphatic correction.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the capitalized word receiving emphatic stress in the statement.
The word 'ANCIENT' is capitalized, indicating contrastive focus on the age of the artifacts.
Emphatic stress in English oral communication isolates a specific word to correct a misconception or contrast it with an opposing idea.
2
Analyze the structural requirements of the contrastive question.
The question must keep all uncapitalized elements identical (subject, verb, object noun) while introducing a contrasting attribute for the stressed word.
Only a question that challenges the specific detail 'ANCIENT' will elicit a response emphasizing 'ANCIENT'.
3
Supply an appropriate contrasting word for the blank space.
A word contrasting in meaning with 'ANCIENT' (such as 'modern', 'recent', or 'new') accurately completes the question.
Asking if the artifacts were modern directly causes the speaker to correct the listener by placing emphatic stress on 'ANCIENT'.

Key Concept

Emphatic stress places oral prominence on a specific word in a sentence to contrast it with an alternative concept or correct an inaccurate assumption regarding that word.
Question 56Question →

In the sentence below, the word printed in full capital letters has the primary emphatic stress.

The lead architect SPONSORED the urban renewal project in Kaduna.

Which of the following questions is answered by the statement above?

Show answer & explanation

Answer: Did the lead architect reject the urban renewal project in Kaduna?

Answer

The statement answers the question 'Did the lead architect reject the urban renewal project in Kaduna?' because emphatic stress on the verb 'SPONSORED' contrasts the specific action performed against a contrasting action like rejecting or opposing.
In Oral English, emphatic stress is used to highlight or place contrastive focus on a specific word in a sentence. When stress is placed on the verb 'SPONSORED', the speaker is emphasizing the action performed to correct or deny an opposing action (such as 'rejecting' or 'opposing' the project). Therefore, the question asking if the lead architect rejected the project is the appropriate question answered by the statement.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the word carrying emphatic stress in the given sentence.
The word printed in capital letters is the main verb 'SPONSORED'.
Emphatic stress serves to place contrastive focus specifically on the capitalized item.
2
Determine the contrastive function of stressing a verb.
Stressing 'SPONSORED' implies that the action itself is being asserted or corrected against a conflicting action, while the subject, object, and location remain undisputed.
The correct contrastive question must keep all uncapitalized elements identical and change only the stressed element.
3
Evaluate the options to find the question that contradicts only the verb.
The question asking if the architect 'rejected' the project introduces a contrasting verb while preserving the rest of the sentence details exactly.
The sentence 'The lead architect SPONSORED the urban renewal project in Kaduna' serves as a direct emphatic response correcting 'rejected' to 'SPONSORED'.

Key Concept

Emphatic Stress and Contrastive Focus
Question 57Question →

Read the statement below in which one word is printed in CAPITAL letters to show emphatic stress. Complete the contrastive question that elicits this specific stress pattern by filling in the blank with an appropriate contrasting verb.

Fill in the blanks below

Statement: The principal botanist CATALOGUED the rare orchid specimens in the greenhouse.
Contrastive Question: Did the principal botanist the rare orchid specimens in the greenhouse?
Show answer & explanation

Answer

Any contrasting verb (such as 'destroy', 'ignore', 'discard', or 'neglect') that questions the action 'CATALOGUED' while keeping the subject, object, and adverbial phrase unchanged.
Emphatic stress on the capitalized verb 'CATALOGUED' signifies that the speaker is emphasizing the specific action carried out. An appropriate contrastive question must test or contradict this specific action using an alternative verb (such as 'destroy' or 'ignore') while holding all other sentence elements (subject, object, and prepositional adjunct) constant.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the word receiving emphatic stress in the given statement.
The verb 'CATALOGUED' is written in capital letters, indicating that emphatic stress is placed on the action performed.
Emphatic stress serves to highlight contrastive focus on a specific component of the sentence.
2
Determine which element of the sentence must be questioned in the contrastive query.
The contrastive question must challenge the verb (the action), leaving the subject ('The principal botanist'), the direct object ('the rare orchid specimens'), and the location ('in the greenhouse') unchanged.
A contrastive question eliciting emphatic stress on a word must contradict only the stressed word while keeping all unaccented contextual elements identical.
3
Select an appropriate word to complete the blank in the contrastive question.
Inserting a contrasting verb such as 'destroy', 'ignore', or 'discard' completes the contrastive question correctly.
Answering 'No, the principal botanist CATALOGUED them' directly corrects the false verb proposition posed by the question.

Key Concept

Emphatic Stress and Contrastive Focus
Estimated Time:1m 0s
Question 58Question →

Read the dialogue below and identify the specific word in the response sentence that must carry emphatic stress.

Fill in the blanks below

Consider the following conversational exchange:
Question: "Did the chief ARCHITECT approve the structural blueprints yesterday?"
Response: "No, the chief ENGINEER approved the structural blueprints yesterday."

To correctly convey the contrastive focus refuting the question, the word in the response sentence that MUST carry primary emphatic stress is .
Show answer & explanation

Answer

The word that must carry primary emphatic stress is ENGINEER.
In Oral English, emphatic stress is placed on the word that provides contrastive focus. In this dialogue, the question asks whether the 'architect' approved the blueprints. The response refutes this by asserting that the 'engineer' approved them. Because 'ENGINEER' is the only word in the response that contradicts and updates the information from the question, it must carry the primary emphatic stress.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Compare the question with the response to locate the point of contrast.
The question specifies 'ARCHITECT', while the response substitutes 'ENGINEER'. All other structural elements ('chief', 'approved', 'structural blueprints', 'yesterday') remain unchanged.
Emphatic stress in English phonology highlights contrastive focus—specifically the word that corrects or contradicts information in the preceding prompt.
2
Determine which word receives the emphatic stress in the response sentence.
Because 'ENGINEER' replaces 'ARCHITECT' to deliver the corrected factual information, 'ENGINEER' receives the primary stress.
Placing emphatic stress on 'ENGINEER' signals to the listener that the occupation is the single piece of information being corrected.

Key Concept

Emphatic Stress and Contrastive Focus
Question 59Question →

In the statement below, the word printed in CAPITAL letters carries emphatic stress:

The treasurer PROMPTLY submitted the financial report to the board.

Which of the following questions is the statement an appropriate response to?

Show answer & explanation

Answer: Did the treasurer reluctantly submit the financial report to the board?

Answer

Did the treasurer reluctantly submit the financial report to the board?
The correct answer is the question asking whether the treasurer reluctantly submitted the financial report to the board. Because 'PROMPTLY' is the only capitalized word in the statement, the statement is designed to correct or emphasize the manner of action against a contrasting term such as 'reluctantly'. All other parts of the sentence remain unchanged.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the capitalized word carrying emphatic stress in the statement.
The stressed word is 'PROMPTLY', which indicates the manner of submission.
Emphatic stress highlights a single word to emphasize or correct that specific element in contrast to an alternative.
2
Determine which element of the sentence must be questioned or contradicted.
The correct question must question or contradict only 'PROMPTLY' (e.g., asking if it was done 'reluctantly').
A sentence with emphatic stress provides a direct correction or emphasis exclusively on the capitalized word while holding all other elements constant.
3
Evaluate the options to find the question that contrasts only the stressed word.
The question asking whether the treasurer reluctantly submitted the report contrasts 'reluctantly' with 'PROMPTLY' while keeping the subject, verb, object, and prepositional phrase identical.
This makes the given statement the appropriate contrastive answer.

Key Concept

Emphatic stress highlights a specific word in a sentence to contradict or contrast that specific piece of information while leaving all other details unchanged.
Estimated Time:1m 0s
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