Read the given passage and answer the questions that follow. As the Sun inches closer to its peak activity in its solar cycle, an explosion has been picked up behind the north-eastern limb of the star in our solar system. Solar observatories saw bits and pieces of the explosion, which remain obscured in view from Earth's orbit. The explosion was spotted on 31 July at around 2309 UT and Earth-orbiting satellites registered a long-lasting C9.3-class solar flare. "The intensity is probably an underestimate because it was partially eclipsed by the edge of the sun. Nasa's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) saw hot debris flying away from the blast site," space weather, which tracks the solar activity, reported. While the explosion was powerful, experts have predicted that Earth is not in the line of fire from the Sun. Scientists are expected to get a view of the active region later this week as it comes to sight. Earth is not in the line of fire. The explosion is significant because it may herald an active region set to emerge over the sun's north-eastern limb later this week. A new sunspot group could bring an end to weeks of relative quiet," space weather said in its report.
Select the most appropriate synonym of the given word from the passage. Debris
Detritus
Finding Synonyms: Understanding Debris in the Passage
The question asks us to find the most appropriate synonym for the word "Debris" as used in the provided passage about a solar explosion. To answer this, we first need to understand the meaning of the word "Debris" in the context of the passage and then examine the given options.
The passage mentions: "Nasa's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) saw hot debris flying away from the blast site". The blast site is an explosion on the Sun. When something explodes, it often breaks apart into pieces that scatter. Therefore, in this context, "debris" refers to the scattered fragments or remnants of the explosion.
Let's look at the common definition of "Debris":
- Debris: Scattered pieces of waste or remains, especially after a destruction or accident.
Now, let's analyze the given options and their meanings:
- 1. Detritus: Waste or debris of any kind. This term is often used for material resulting from disintegration or destruction.
- 2. Rays: Beams of light or radiation, like solar rays.
- 3. Specks: Very small spots or particles.
- 4. Liquid: A substance that flows freely but is of constant volume, having a consistency like that of water or oil.
Comparing Options and Identifying the Synonym for Debris
We need to find the word that best replaces "Debris" while retaining the meaning of scattered fragments from the explosion. Let's compare the options:
- Detritus is a strong synonym for debris, particularly in the context of waste or fragments resulting from an event like an explosion.
- Rays are beams of energy, not physical fragments. This is clearly not a synonym for debris.
- Specks are very small particles. While debris can include small particles, the term "specks" implies *only* very small ones. "Debris" can refer to larger fragments too. "Detritus" is a more general term for scattered remnants.
- Liquid is a state of matter and does not describe solid fragments flying from an explosion. This is not a synonym for debris.
Based on the analysis, "Detritus" is the most appropriate synonym for "Debris" as used in the passage, as it accurately describes the scattered material from the solar explosion.
Statement-wise Analysis
The passage uses "debris" to describe "hot debris flying away from the blast site" of a solar explosion. We need a word that fits this description.
- "Detritus" fits well, describing scattered material from disintegration.
- "Rays" do not fit; they are energy, not physical pieces.
- "Specks" are too specific (only very small pieces); "debris" implies fragments of varying sizes.
- "Liquid" does not fit; the material from a solar explosion is hot plasma/particles, not liquid in the common sense.
Therefore, "Detritus" is the best fit.
| Word | Meaning | Fit as Synonym for Debris in Context? |
|---|---|---|
| Debris | Scattered fragments from destruction | - |
| Detritus | Waste or debris from disintegration | Yes, most appropriate |
| Rays | Beams of light/energy | No |
| Specks | Very small particles | Partially, but less general than Detritus |
| Liquid | Fluid substance | No |
The word "Detritus" is the most fitting synonym for "Debris" in the context of scattered material resulting from a solar explosion.
The final answer is $\boxed{\text{Detritus}}$.
Revision Table: Understanding Synonyms and Context
| Term | Definition | Example Context |
|---|---|---|
| Synonym | A word or phrase that means exactly or nearly the same as another word or phrase in the same language. | "Happy" and "joyful" are synonyms. |
| Debris | Scattered pieces of waste or remains. | "After the storm, there was debris everywhere." |
| Detritus | Waste or debris of any kind, especially that produced by the disintegration of organic or inorganic matter. | "The river carried a lot of organic detritus." |
| Context | The circumstances that form the setting for an event, statement, or idea, and in terms of which it can be fully understood and assessed. | Understanding a word's meaning depends heavily on its context in the sentence or passage. |
Additional Information: Solar Activity and Debris
The passage discusses a solar flare and explosion. Solar flares are intense bursts of radiation from the release of magnetic energy associated with sunspots. These events can eject material from the Sun into space.
- Solar Flare: A sudden, rapid, and intense variation in brightness on the Sun.
- Solar Cycle: The Sun's activity follows an approximately 11-year cycle, varying from periods of low activity (solar minimum) to high activity (solar maximum). The passage mentions the Sun nearing its peak activity.
- Sunspots: Temporary phenomena on the photosphere of the Sun that appear as spots darker than surrounding areas. They are regions of reduced surface temperature caused by concentrations of magnetic field flux that inhibit convection. Active regions associated with sunspots are often the source of solar flares and coronal mass ejections (CMEs).
- Debris from Solar Events: Material ejected during solar flares or CMEs consists of plasma (hot, charged particles, electrons, protons, etc.) and magnetic fields. This material travels through space and, if directed towards Earth, can interact with our planet's magnetic field and atmosphere, potentially causing geomagnetic storms, auroras, and affecting satellites and communication systems. The "hot debris" mentioned in the passage refers to this ejected plasma/material.
Understanding these terms helps clarify the context in which the word "debris" is used in the passage, further supporting "detritus" as the most appropriate synonym for scattered material from such an event.
Important Questions from Reading Comprehension
Why, according to the writer can't people be motivated to use a resource prudently?
1. They feel that others may overuse the resource
2. It is possible to substitute the resource
3. Abundance of the resource availability
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
When do people use resources exhaustively?
The self-interest of people affects the use of renewable resources
People rooted in a locality
Which among the following is closest in meaning with the word 'deplete'?
