Question

question 1
instructions
read the question carefully and select the best answer.
what is most closely the meaning of superseded as it is used in the passage below (paragraph 3)?
for centuries no political change has been brought about by the citizens themselves. in the capital great rulers have superseded each other—indeed, even dynasties have been deposed or annihilated, and new ones have started; in the past century even the capital itself was destroyed, a new one was founded far away from it, later on this too was destroyed and the old one rebuilt, yet none of this had any influence on our little town.
a. i verb | gave large sums of money to
b. i verb | questioned
c. i verb | defeated in battle
d. i verb | taken the place of, succeeded

Explanation:

To determine the meaning of "superseded" in the passage, we analyze the context: "great rulers have superseded each other—indeed, even dynasties have been deposed or annihilated, and new ones have started". The phrase "taken the place of, succeeded" (option D) aligns with the idea of one ruler/dynasty being replaced by another, as seen in the actions of deposition, annihilation, and new starts. Option A ("gave large sums of money to") is irrelevant. Option B ("questioned") does not fit the context of rulers/dynasties. Option C ("defeated in battle") is too narrow, as the passage implies replacement, not just battle defeat.

Answer:

D. I verb | taken the place of, succeeded