Use context clues in the passage to determine the meaning of the underlined word, and then choose the correct definition below.

Question

Use context clues in the passage to determine the meaning of the underlined word, and then choose the correct definition below.

Near the sleds, the dogs huddled together so tightly that they seemed to be a single enormous beast at rest. At the start of the journey, they had been rowdy, often scrapping among themselves; now, after more than a month, however, they were listless.

energetic

inactive

annoying

excited

Answer 1

To determine the meaning of the underlined word, it is important to look for clues in the passage. In this case, the dogs were originally described as "rowdy, often scrapping among themselves." However, after more than a month, they were now described as "listless." Based on these context clues, it can be inferred that the word "listless" means they were no longer energetic or excited. Therefore, the correct definition for the underlined word is "inactive."