Question

Choose the word which best expresses the meaning of the italicised bold parts of the sentence:
The meeting was called to ruminate on recent events in the subcontinent.
a) ponder
b) examine
c) argue
d) discuss

Answer 1

Hint: The word ‘ruminate’ refers to ‘think deeply about something'. This word is usually used as a verb. Another synonym of ‘ruminate’ is ‘contemplate’.

Complete answer:
The word in the given sentence is used in a specific context. This means that the word that is italicized is a verb that describes why the meeting was called. So, the sentence is trying to convey the fact that the meeting was called to think about what happened, i.e. recent events on the subcontinent.

Now, we know the meaning and usage of the given word. Let’s look at the given options:

a) ponder - The word ‘ponder’ refers to ‘think about (something) carefully, especially before making a decision or reaching a conclusion’. This word has the exact same meaning as the given word. This is the synonym of the word ‘ruminate’. This is the required answer. So, this is the correct answer.
b) examine - The word ‘examine’ refers to ‘inspect (someone or something) thoroughly in order to determine their nature or condition’. This word has a very different meaning to the given word. This is not the synonym of the given word ‘ruminate’. This is not the required answer. So, this is an incorrect option.
c) argue - The word ‘argue’ refers to ‘give reasons or cite evidence in support of an idea, action, or theory, typically with the aim of persuading others to share one's view'. This word has a completely different meaning to the given word. This is not the synonym of the given word ‘ruminate’. This is not the required answer. So, this is an incorrect option.
d) discuss - The word ‘discuss’ refers to ‘talk about (something) with a person or people’. This word has a different meaning to the given word. This is not the synonym of the given word ‘ruminate’. This is not the required answer. So, this is an incorrect option.

Note:
Try to understand the meaning of the word, as accurately as possible, with the help
of the sentence. Then, go through the options one by one and choose the word similar in
meaning to the given word, i.e. a synonym.