Question

Find the synonym of the underlined word.
Editorial cartoons inspire readers to form opinions on current affairs.
a. Motivate
b. Bore
c. Discourage
d. Dismay
e. Appal

Answer 1

Hint: The meaning of inspire is to stimulate a person to act in a certain way. If a person inspires you, it means that they encourage you to do your best.

Complete step-by-step answer:

 Synonyms are words that have the same meaning as a given word. Generally, words in the English language have many synonyms bearing similar meanings. A thesaurus is a book that contains all these synonyms in one place.
Let us look at some examples of synonyms. Transparent is an adjective which means to be clearly visible or obvious. Unambiguous is another adjective that can be used to describe this same meaning in one word.
Similarly, let us look at the adjective drastic. When something is drastic it is likely to have a strong and forceful effect that is far reaching. Radical is another adjective that can be used to describe this meaning in one word.
In our question, we have been given the word ‘inspiring’. Let us consider what its meaning is. If something is inspiring, it fills you with an urge to do a certain deed or to feel in a certain way. It is derived from the Latin word ‘inspiratus’ which means to breathe into. The meaning of inspiring is best characterized by the word motivating. Therefore, option ‘a’ is the correct answer.

Note: This is a fairly straightforward question with an easy answer. To avoid making errors, consider the meaning of each option and see if it matches the word given in the question. You may refer to a thesaurus to get the best synonyms of a given word.