The labourers who were fired broke into the office building and destroyed some of the machinery. Rather than finding a solution to their problems, they _____________________.
Show Hint
- extended their troubles
- exaggerated their hardships
- exacerbated the situation
- extenuated the circumstance
The Correct Option is C
Solution and Explanation
This question tests vocabulary, specifically the ability to choose the most precise verb to describe the outcome of the labourers' actions. The context implies that their actions made a bad situation even worse.
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
Let's analyze the options:
extended their troubles: This is grammatically correct but lacks the specific meaning of making something actively worse. It's a bit too general.
exaggerated their hardships: This means to represent their difficulties as being greater than they actually were. Their actions were destructive, not just descriptive.
exacerbated the situation: The verb "exacerbate" means to make a problem, bad situation, or negative feeling worse. By destroying machinery, the labourers worsened their conflict with the company, which is a perfect fit for this word.
extenuated the circumstance: The verb "extenuate" means to make a fault or offense seem less serious. This is the opposite of what their actions did.
The most precise and fitting word is "exacerbated."
Step 3: Final Answer:
Rather than finding a solution to their problems, they exacerbated the situation.
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