Read this sentence: The people in the audience were falling asleep out of boredom from his banal speech.
Which word from the sentence provides a clue to the meaning of banal?
a) Audience
b) Boredom
c) Falling
d) Speech
b) Boredom
The correct answer is d) Speech.
To find the word that provides a clue to the meaning of "banal," we first need to understand the context of the sentence.
In this case, the sentence states that "The people in the audience were falling asleep out of boredom from his banal speech." This implies that the speaker's speech was uninteresting or lacking in originality.
Now, let's look at the given options:
a) Audience: The word "audience" refers to the people who were present to listen to the speech. While it sets the context for the sentence, it does not directly relate to the meaning of "banal."
b) Boredom: The word "boredom" indicates that people were becoming bored during the speech. While it provides insight into people's reaction, it doesn't provide a direct clue to the meaning of "banal."
c) Falling: The word "falling" describes the action of the people in the audience. Though it suggests their physical state, it doesn't offer any insight into the meaning of "banal."
d) Speech: The word "speech" is directly connected to "banal" in the sentence. It suggests that the speaker's presentation was lacking in interest or originality.
Therefore, the correct answer is d) Speech.