WAEC 2024 English Language · Question 52

The supervisor spurned the offer of help from the cleaner.

Question

From the words lettered A-D below each of the following sentences, choose the word or group of words that is nearest in meaning to the underlined word as it is used in the sentences. The supervisor spurned the offer of help from the cleaner.

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

A.rebuffed
B.denied
C.defied
D.refuted

Answer: A. rebuffed

Explanation written with AI and checked against the answer key

Step 1: Analyze the question The underlined word is spurned. We need the option closest in meaning to it in the sentence: "The supervisor spurned the offer of help from the cleaner."

Step 2: Explain the concept To spurn means to reject something with disdain or contempt, usually an offer, advance, or proposal. The key idea is rejecting an offer.

Step 3: Test each option

A. rebuffed: means to reject or snub someone's offer or advance bluntly. This matches "spurned" very closely, as in "She rebuffed his offer of help."
B. denied: means to state that something is untrue, or to refuse to give something. It does not fit with rejecting an offer.
C. defied: means to openly resist or disobey authority or a rule. An offer of help is not an order, so it does not fit.
D. refuted: means to prove a statement or claim to be false. It applies to arguments, not offers.

Step 4: Answer The best synonym is A. rebuffed.

Tip: Link the word spurn with the idea of "kicking away" an offer, since it is related to the old word for kicking. Other synonyms to remember are reject, snub, rebuff, scorn. Words like refute go with arguments or claims, and defy goes with orders or rules.

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