Question

Please select the sentence that makes the accurate use of the word 'diffuse':

• A. He was modest and diffuse about his own success
• B. The problem is how to diffuse power without creating anarchy
• C. Technologies diffuse rapidly.
• D. The moon was fuller than the night before, but the light was diffused by cloud.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

The question tests the understanding and appropriate use of the word "diffuse." Let's analyze each option to determine the most accurate usage:

1. Option 1: "He was modest and diffuse about his own success."
   This sentence is incorrect because "diffuse" refers to something spread out or not concentrated. It doesn't correctly apply to being modest about success.
2. Option 2: "The problem is how to diffuse power without creating anarchy."
   This sentence uses "diffuse" correctly. Here, "diffuse" means to spread out or distribute evenly. It accurately conveys the idea of spreading power to prevent anarchy.
3. Option 3: "Technologies diffuse rapidly."
   While this can make sense in certain contexts, as technologies can spread quickly, it could be ambiguous without additional explanation.
4. Option 4: "The moon was fuller than the night before, but the light was diffused by cloud."
   This option uses "diffused" correctly to describe light being scattered or spread by the presence of clouds. However, the context asked for "diffuse," not "diffused," as the past participle.

Thus, the sentence that makes the most accurate use of "diffuse" is:

Correct Answer: "The problem is how to diffuse power without creating anarchy."

In this context, "diffuse" is correctly used as a verb meaning to spread or distribute something more evenly.