Question

1945 - 1950
as a young child, rudolph has polio and must wear a leg brace for several years. she remembers, \my doctors told me i would never walk again. my mother told me i would. i believed my mother.\ rudolph attends physical therapy. through hard work and determination, she begins to overcome her physical disabilities.
1956
at the age of 16, rudolph is recruited for her high school track team. this same year she qualifies for the olympic games in melbourne, australia. she wins a bronze medal in the sprint relay event, as the youngest member of the u.s. track and field team.
1960
rudolph attends the olympic games in rome. she wins three gold medals in track and field events, solidifying her reputation as one of the fastest women in the world. rudolph is named woman athlete of the year.
1965
rudolph works as a high school teacher and track coach. she enjoys mentoring young athletes almost as much as she enjoys competing. although rudolph continues to run for recreational purposes, she no longer desires to compete professionally.
based on its use in the passage, it can be understood that the word solidifying belongs to which of the following word groups?
a silencing, restraining, suppressing
b strengthening, reinforcing, emphasizing
c delaying, hindering, obstructing
d succeeding, flourishing, thriving

Explanation:

To determine the group for "solidifying", we analyze the context: Rudolph wins three gold medals, which strengthens her reputation. Let's examine each option:

• Option A: "silencing, restraining, suppressing" are about stopping or limiting, not matching "solidifying".
• Option B: "strengthening, reinforcing, emphasizing" – "solidifying" in this context means making her reputation stronger, so "strengthening" and related words fit.
• Option C: "delaying, hindering, obstructing" are about slowing or blocking, opposite of "solidifying".
• Option D: "succeeding, flourishing, thriving" relate to growth or success but not to making a reputation stronger in the way "solidifying" does here.

So the correct group is B as its words match the meaning of "solidifying" in the passage.

Answer:

B. strengthening, reinforcing, emphasizing