Question

what is the meaning of the word deficient as used in the passage? scurvy is a nutritional disorder caused by a diet lacking in vitamin c. near the end of the fifteenth century, scurvy was the major cause of illness and death among sailors on lengthy ocean voyages, because their diets were often deficient in fresh fruits and vegetables. in 1753, scottish surgeon james lind showed that scurvy could be treated and prevented by consuming citrus fruits. imperfect or flawed not having enough of something needed irregular or not uniform

Explanation:

To determine the meaning of "deficient" in the passage, we analyze the context. The passage states scurvy is caused by a diet lacking vitamin C, and sailors' diets were "deficient" in fresh fruits/vegetables. The first option ("imperfect or flawed") is too general. The third option ("irregular or not uniform") doesn't relate to quantity of nutrients. The second option ("not having enough of something needed") matches the context of lacking sufficient fresh produce (which provide vitamin C) in the diet.

Answer:

not having enough of something needed