Question

read the passage.
alicia resented the fact that she had to sit through the same training two summers in a row. she had been a summer park program last year, and knew the rules and regulations by heart. she had come up with inventive ideas and been given extra responsibilities near the end of the summer. but here she was, being treated like a beginner. she set and opened the program on her lap reluctantly.
which word is closest in meaning to the word reluctantly as it is used in the passage?

1. cautiously
2. grudgingly
3. hesitantly
4. regretfully

Explanation:

To solve this, we analyze the meaning of "reluctantly" in the passage. Alicia resents having to do the training again despite her experience, so "reluctantly" here means doing something with dissatisfaction or unwillingness.

• "cautiously" means carefully, not matching.
• "grudgingly" means doing something unwillingly or with resentment, which matches Alicia's feelings (she resented the situation).
• "hesitantly" means with doubt or hesitation, not the same as reluctant.
• "regretfully" means with regret, which is different from reluctant (unwilling vs. sorry about). So "grudgingly" is the closest.

Answer:

1. grudgingly