Multiple choice

Marshy

Directions: Read the passage and select appropriate contextual meanings for the words underlined.

Once an old tiger found a gold bangle by the side of a marshy pool. He was too old to hunt; so he thought he would use the bangle as a bait to catch a man. Just then an old traveller was passing by on the opposite bank. The tiger spotted him and decided to have him for his dinner.
The tiger called the traveller and asked him to take the gold bangle, as he had no use for it. The traveller suspected that this may be a trick to get him.
"How can I trust you?" asked the traveller.
The tiger replied, "Don't you see I am old! My teeth are practically gone. My claws are blunt, and I cannot use them. I am now a vegetarian and have given up meat. Don't worry, come and take my gold bangle as a gift."
The traveller said, "When I get closer, my smell may change your mind."
"Don't be silly, have no fear. I am now leading the life of an ascetic. You are safe with me."
The traveller’s love for gold overcame his natural fear of the tiger.
"I think he is telling the truth,” the traveller said to himself. "I will wade across the pool and get the gold bangle. He seems to be a nice tiger."
As he started to wade through the marshy pool he got stuck in the quick sand and began to sink. The tiger shouted with a smile on his face, "Wait there, I am coming to rescue you."
Finally the tiger pounced upon the traveller and killed him.
That night the tiger had the greatest feast of his life.

  1. Dry

  2. Green

  3. Muddy

  4. Deep

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

The word 'marshy' describes wet, soggy, muddy ground - typically a swamp or bog. In the passage, the traveller gets stuck in quicksand when trying to cross the 'marshy pool.' The term describes terrain that is soft, wet, and difficult to walk through. 'Muddy' is the correct answer as marshy areas are characterized by mud, wet soil, and water-saturated ground that makes them treacherous to walk through.