Read the following passage and answer the questions given after it. From January 28 to February 4, 2023, a Chinese-operated, large white high-altitude balloon was seen in North American airspace, including Alaska, western Canada, and the contiguous United States. The American and Canadian militaries asserted that the balloon was for surveillance, while the Chinese government maintained it was a civilian meteorological research airship that had been blown off course. Analysts said that the balloon's flight path and structural characteristics made it dissimilar from those which have typically been used for meteorological research. The U.S. Department of State said that the balloon was capable of locating electronic communication devices, including mobile phones and radios, and that American U-2 reconnaissance aircraft deployed to track the balloon in the air revealed that the balloon carried antennas and other equipment "clearly for intelligence surveillance and inconsistent with the equipment on board weather balloons." The State Department said that the spy balloon was part of a global Chinese military-directed surveillance effort in which Chinese spy balloons have flown over more than 40 nations in five continents. On February 4, the U.S. Air Force shot down the balloon over U.S. territorial waters off the coast of South Carolina, on the order of U.S. President Joe Biden. Debris from the wreckage was recovered and sent to the FBI Laboratory in Quantico, Virginia, for analysis. The incident increased U.S.-China tensions. The incident prompted U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken to delay a diplomatic visit to Beijing, which was set to be his first since 2018. It also further strained Canada–China relations, as Canada summoned the Chinese ambassador because of the violation of Canadian airspace. On February 3, the U.S. Department of Defense announced that a second Chinese balloon was passing over Latin America, which China also said belonged to it. On February 10, the Air Force shot down another aerial object over U.S. territory at the order of President Biden.
The word ‘contiguous’ means
adjoining
Understanding the Meaning of 'Contiguous'
The question asks for the meaning of the word ‘contiguous’ as used in the passage. The passage mentions the balloon was seen in "Alaska, western Canada, and the contiguous United States." To answer this, we need to understand what 'contiguous' means.
Defining 'Contiguous'
The word 'contiguous' means sharing a common border; touching; next or together in sequence.
- Think of states in the United States that are directly connected to each other, without being separated by a significant distance or non-U.S. territory like Alaska or Hawaii are from the main part of the country. These connected states form the 'contiguous United States'.
Analyzing the Options
Let's look at the given options and see which one matches the meaning of 'contiguous':
- adjoining: This means next to or adjoining something else. It implies sharing a border or being in contact. This aligns well with the definition of 'contiguous'.
- far off: This means distant or not near. This is the opposite of sharing a border or being next to something.
- spreading: This means to extend over a large or increasing area. While something might spread *into* a contiguous area, the word itself doesn't mean spreading.
- separated: This means divided or not connected. This is also the opposite of sharing a border or being connected.
Based on the definition, the word that best represents 'contiguous' is 'adjoining'. The contiguous United States refers to the states that are all connected together, adjoining each other.
Conclusion
The word ‘contiguous’ means touching or sharing a border. Among the given options, ‘adjoining’ is the word that most closely matches this meaning.
| Word | Meaning | Match with 'Contiguous'? |
|---|---|---|
| Adjoining | Next to; sharing a border | Yes |
| Far off | Distant | No (Opposite) |
| Spreading | Extending over an area | No |
| Separated | Divided; not connected | No (Opposite) |
Revision Table: Vocabulary
Let's quickly review the key term from the question.
| Term | Definition | Example Context (from passage) |
|---|---|---|
| Contiguous | Sharing a common border; touching. | "...and the contiguous United States." (Referring to the main body of US states that are connected). |
Additional Information: Synonyms and Antonyms
Understanding synonyms and antonyms can help reinforce vocabulary.
- Synonyms for Contiguous: Adjoining, touching, bordering, neighbouring, adjacent, connected.
- Antonyms for Contiguous: Separated, divided, nonadjacent, detached, distant.
In the context of geography, 'contiguous' is often used to describe areas that are physically connected.
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