JAMB 2010 English Language · Question 67

The girl's father was astounded to see her appear from the shrine?

Question

Choose the option nearest in meaning to the underlined word(s). The girl's father was astounded to see her appear from the shrine?

In the original paper part of this question is underlined. The underline isn't shown here: see the explanation below.

A.collected
B.overwhelmed
C.embarrassed
D.astonished

Answer: D. astonished

Explanation written with AI and checked against the answer key

Analyze the question: The underlined word is "astounded." We need the option closest in meaning to it.

Explain the concept: "Astounded" means greatly surprised or shocked, so amazed that one is almost speechless. Its closest synonyms are astonished, amazed, and stunned.

Solution, checking each option:

A. collected: This means calm and composed, which is the opposite of astounded. ❌
B. overwhelmed: This means overpowered by emotion or a heavy burden. It can be close in some contexts, but it stresses being swamped by feeling, not sudden surprise. ❌
C. embarrassed: This means feeling awkward or ashamed, which has nothing to do with surprise. ❌
D. astonished: This means greatly surprised, and it matches "astounded" almost exactly. ✅

Answer: The father was shocked and amazed to see his daughter come out of the shrine, so "astonished" fits best.

Tip: In synonym questions, look for the option that carries the same core idea, not just a similar mood. Group words by meaning: astounded = astonished = amazed = stunned = flabbergasted. "Overwhelmed" is a tempting distractor because it sounds strong, but it is about being swamped, not surprised.

AI can make mistakes. Report anything that looks wrong.