Select the meaning of the underlined word in the sentence.
The patient’s tremors ceased when the medication was administered.
A.
Stopped
B.
Decreased
C.
Changed
D.
Intensified
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
The correct answer is A. Stopped.
Here’s a detailed explanation:
In the sentence “The patient’s tremors ceased when the medication was administered,” the word “ceased” is the key term that needs to be understood. To “cease” means to bring something to an end or to stop it from continuing. Therefore, the context in which “ceased” is used here implies that the tremors stopped happening when the medication was given.
Understanding the Context:
- Medical Context:
- In a medical context, the word “cease” is frequently used to describe the stopping of symptoms or conditions. For instance, if a medication is effective, it might cause symptoms like tremors, pain, or nausea to cease. This means the medication successfully stops these symptoms from occurring.
- Synonyms and Their Implications:
- Stopped: This is the direct synonym of “ceased” and aligns perfectly with its meaning. When something ceases, it means it has come to a halt or has ended.
- Decreased: This suggests a reduction in intensity or amount but does not imply that something has stopped completely. For example, if tremors decreased, they would still be present but less severe.
- Changed: This implies that the nature or state of something has altered, but not necessarily that it has stopped or ended. If tremors changed, they might have become different but not necessarily ceased.
- Intensified: This means to become stronger or more severe, which is the opposite of ceasing. If the tremors intensified, they would be worsening, not stopping.
Conclusion:
In the given sentence, since the focus is on the complete end of the tremors due to the medication, the term “ceased” directly translates to “stopped.” The medication’s effect in this context is to end or halt the tremors, making “stopped” the most accurate and contextually appropriate meaning for “ceased.”