Select the correct definition of the word in italics:
Ecologists noted that the desert lake was ephemeral, appearing exclusively during the brief wet season before evaporating completely.
Answer and explanation
Correct answer: C. transitory and short-lived
- Step 1: Examine the contextual clue: 'appearing exclusively during the brief wet season before evaporating completely' points directly to a temporary, transient existence.
- Step 2: 'Ephemeral' means lasting for a very short time, transitory, or fleeting.
Answer
transitory and short-lived.
Why not the others: 'perennial and everlasting' is the exact antonym (lasting year-round or perpetually); 'heavily polluted by chemicals' relates to toxicity; 'artificially constructed by humans' describes man-made structures.
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