Read the following passage carefully and choose the most appropriate answer to the question out of the four alternatives. In short, to write a good letter you must approach the job in the lightest and most casual way. You must be personal, not distant. You must not say, 'This is too small a thing to put down'. You must say, 'This is just the sort of small thing we talk about at home. If I tell them this, they will see me, as it were they'll hear my voice, they'll know what I'm talking about'. That is the purpose of a letter. Carlyle had the trick to perfection. He is writing from Scotsbrig to his brother Alec in Canada and he begins talking about his mother. 'Good old Mother', he says, 'she is even now sitting at my back, trying at another table to write you a small word with her own hand; the first time she has tried such a thing for a year past. It is Saturday night, after dark; we are in the east room in a hard, dry evening with a bright fire to our two selves; Jenny and her Barns are 'scouring up things' in the other end of the house; and below stairs, the winter operations of the farm go on, in a subdued tone'; you can conceive the scene! How simple it is and yet how perfect. Can not you see Alec reading it in his far-off home and his eyes moistening at the picture of his old mother sitting and writing her last message to him on earth?
'Distant' in the passage means
aloof
Understanding the Meaning of 'Distant' in Context
The question asks for the meaning of the word 'distant' as it is used in the provided passage about writing good letters. To answer this, we need to look at the context in which the word appears.
The relevant sentence is: "You must be personal, not distant."
The passage advises writers on how to make their letters good. It suggests being "personal" by including small, casual details that make the recipient feel connected and 'hear your voice'. The opposite of this suggested approach is being "distant".
Analyzing the Options for 'Distant'
Let's consider the provided options and see which one best fits the contrast with "personal" in the context of letter writing tone:
- remote: This typically refers to being far away physically. While a letter might be sent to a remote location, the word 'distant' here describes the *style* or *tone* of the writing, not the geographical distance.
- abroad: This means being in a foreign country. Like 'remote', it refers to physical location, not the emotional or personal connection conveyed in a letter.
- far off: This also refers to a significant physical distance. The example given in the passage is writing to a brother in Canada, which is far off, but the instruction "be personal, not distant" is about the *quality* of the letter's content and tone, regardless of where it's sent.
- aloof: This means distant or detached emotionally or socially; cool and not friendly. Someone who is aloof keeps their distance. In the context of letter writing, being 'distant' (as opposed to 'personal') means the writing lacks warmth, casualness, or personal connection. It feels formal, detached, or impersonal. This meaning aligns well with 'aloof'.
Determining the Most Appropriate Meaning
The passage contrasts 'personal' with 'distant'. A personal letter shares intimate, casual details that make the recipient feel close. A distant letter, therefore, would be one that fails to do this; it would be detached, formal, or emotionally removed. Among the given options, 'aloof' is the word that most accurately describes this sense of emotional or social distance and detachment in communication.
Therefore, 'distant' in the passage means 'aloof'.
| Word | Common Meaning | Meaning in Passage Context |
|---|---|---|
| Personal | Relating to a particular person; private; intimate. | Sharing small, casual details that connect with the recipient. |
| Distant | Far away; remote in relationship or feeling; reserved or formal. | Lacking personal connection; detached; formal; the opposite of personal. |
| Aloof | Not friendly or forthcoming; cool and distant. | Emotionally detached; keeping a distance socially or emotionally. |
Revision Table: Key Terms from the Passage
| Term | Context in Passage | Relevance to Question |
|---|---|---|
| Good letter | The main subject of the passage; how to write effectively. | The word 'distant' is described as something to avoid when writing a good letter. |
| Personal | The desired quality in a good letter, contrasted with 'distant'. | Helps define 'distant' by presenting its opposite. |
| Distant | A quality to be avoided in letter writing. | The word whose meaning is being questioned. |
| Casual way | How to approach writing a good letter. | Contrasts with a formal, 'distant' approach. |
| Small thing | Details that should be included in a personal letter. | Emphasizes the need for specific, connecting details, which a 'distant' letter would omit. |
| Aloof | One of the options for the meaning of 'distant'. | The most fitting synonym for 'distant' in the given context. |
Additional Information: Understanding Vocabulary in Context
When you encounter an unfamiliar word in a reading passage, it's important to try and figure out its meaning from the surrounding text. This is called understanding vocabulary in context. Here are some tips:
- Look for synonyms or antonyms: The passage might use other words with similar or opposite meanings that give clues. In this case, 'personal' is an antonym for 'distant' as used here.
- Analyze the sentence structure: How is the word used in the sentence? What kind of word is it (noun, verb, adjective, adverb)?
- Read the sentences before and after: These sentences often provide definitions, examples, or further explanation that clarify the word's meaning. The sentences describing what a personal letter *should* contain help define what a distant letter *lacks*.
- Consider the overall topic: What is the passage about? The subject matter can limit the possible meanings of a word. Here, the topic is letter writing and communication tone.
- Substitute options: If it's a multiple-choice question, try substituting each option into the sentence to see which one makes the most sense in the overall context.
In this specific passage, the contrast between "personal" and "distant" is the strongest clue, indicating that "distant" refers to a lack of personal connection or warmth in the writing style, which aligns best with the meaning of "aloof."
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