Some drugs have a deleterious effect on a child's development?

Analyze the question: The underlined word is deleterious. You need the option closest in meaning to it.

Explain the concept: "Deleterious" is an adjective meaning causing harm or damage. It comes from the Greek dēlētērios, meaning "harmful." You often see it in phrases like "deleterious effects on health."

Solution, step by step:

1. Look at the sentence: "Some drugs have a deleterious effect on a child's development." The phrase "Some drugs have... effect" with a negative-sounding word suggests a bad influence on development.
2. Test each option: • A. debilitating means making weak or feeble. It is related to harm, but it is more specific (it describes weakening). It is not a general synonym for "harmful." • B. helpful means beneficial. This is the opposite of deleterious, so it is wrong. • C. harmful means causing damage. This is the direct synonym of deleterious. • D. healing means curing or restoring health. This is also the opposite, so it is wrong.
3. Between A and C, "harmful" is the closest and most general match. "Debilitating" is a distractor because it sounds negative, but it only describes one kind of harm (weakening).

Answer: The correct option is C. harmful.

Tip: For "nearest in meaning" questions, first eliminate the opposites (here, helpful and healing). Then pick the option that matches the general meaning, not just one that sounds similar or negative. A memory trick: DELeterious = DELiver damage.