This morning, Audu arrived at the school looking dishevelled

Analyze the question: You are asked to find the word nearest in meaning to dishevelled as used in the sentence: "This morning, Audu arrived at the school looking dishevelled."

Explain the concept: Dishevelled describes someone's appearance, especially hair, clothes, or general look, that is messy, disordered, or not neat. It is about how a person looks, not how they feel.

Solution, step by step:

1. The sentence says Audu arrived "looking" dishevelled. "Looking" points to physical appearance.
2. Check each option: • A. worried: this is an emotion, which you cannot be sure of from appearance alone. • B. terrified: this is an extreme emotion of fear, and it doesn't match the word. • C. untidy: this means messy or not neat, which is the direct meaning of dishevelled. • D. confused: this is a mental state, not a look of disorder in dress or hair.
3. Only untidy describes disorderly appearance.

Answer: C. untidy

Exam tip: Look at the word right before the target. "Looking ___" signals appearance, so choose a word about how someone looks (untidy, neat, scruffy), not a feeling. Also remember that dishevelled is often used with hair ("dishevelled hair") and clothes. Picture someone who just woke up and rushed out the door.