Answer the following question, choose the option nearest in meaning to the word or phrase underlined Ayodeji…

Analyze the question: The sentence is "Ayodeji is an ardent supporter of education for the girl child." The question asks for the word closest in meaning to the underlined word, which is ardent.

Explain the concept: "Ardent" is an adjective meaning very enthusiastic, passionate, or devoted. It comes from the Latin ardere, "to burn". An ardent supporter is someone who supports a cause with burning enthusiasm.

Check each option:

• A. a cogent: "Cogent" means clear, logical and convincing, as in a cogent argument. It describes reasoning, not feeling, so it is not a match.
• B. a passionate: "Passionate" means having or showing strong emotion or enthusiasm. This is the closest in meaning to "ardent".
• C. an ignorant: "Ignorant" means lacking knowledge. It has no link to enthusiasm, and a support of education who is ignorant would make little sense.
• D. an optimistic: "Optimistic" means hopeful about the future. Someone can be hopeful without being deeply devoted, so this is not the best fit.

Answer: Substituting gives "Ayodeji is a passionate supporter of education for the girl child", which keeps the meaning of the original sentence.

Exam tip: For vocabulary questions, put each option into the sentence and see which keeps the original meaning. Also group words by feeling: ardent, fervent, zealous, passionate, avid all describe strong enthusiasm. Knowing these word families helps you answer several questions at once.