Choose the correct one-word substitution for:
The sound of the funeral bell.
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: C
Explanation
Correct Answer
Knell
Explanation
The question asks for the correct one-word substitution for the sound of a funeral bell.
The word "Knell" refers specifically to the sound of a bell rung slowly, typically to announce a death, a funeral, or the end of something. Historically, it carries a somber or mournful connotation.
The other options are incorrect because they have more general or different meanings:
Toll means to ring a bell slowly and repeatedly, often for a death or a formal occasion, but it can apply to any slow bell ringing (like striking the hour) and is the action rather than the specific noun for the funeral sound itself.
Ring is the general, everyday term for the sound made by a bell, telephone, or alarm, carrying no specific connection to funerals.
Echo refers to a sound or series of sounds caused by the reflection of sound waves back to the listener from a surface.
Key Points
While both toll and knell relate to bells, knell is the precise noun reserved specifically for a funeral or death announcement in English vocabulary tests.