What is the synonym of the word scared?

Directions: Read the given passage carefully and answer the given question.

We learn throughout that tigers and sharks are dangerous animals. We are also scared of them because they are big and powerful. However, as we get older we learn that sometimes the most dangerous animals are also the tiniest animals. In fact, the mosquito is the animal that kills many people every year and is probably the most dangerous. It may seem that all mosquitoes are biters, but this is not actually the case. Male mosquitoes eat plant nectar. On the other hand, female mosquitoes feed on animal blood. They need this blood to live and produce eggs. When a female mosquito bites a human being, it transmits a small amount of saliva into the blood. This saliva may or may not contain a deadly disease. The result of the bite can be as minor as an itchy bump or as serious as death by a disease like malaria and yellow fever. Although mosquitoes may not seem as scary as larger, more powerful animals, they are far more dangerous to human beings.