Select the most appropriate option to substitute the underlined segment in the given sentence.
The cynical investors believed in every word the analysts said.
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: A
Explanation
The correct answer is option 1 i.e. credulous.
Error Concept:Incorrect word choice due to misunderstanding the meaning of the underlined word.
What is wrong:The word 'cynical' means distrusting or doubting others' motives. The sentence says the investors believed in every word, which is opposite to 'cynical.'
Grammatical Concept:The meaning of the word should match the context of the sentence.
Incorrectness of the concept in context:Using 'cynical' implies distrust, but the investors are described as believing everything, which contradicts the meaning of 'cynical.'
correction:Replace 'cynical' with a word that means trusting or willing to believe easily.
Correct phrase:credulous
Final sentence:The credulous investors believed in every word the analysts said.
Hence, the chosen option is correct.