Choose the answer that best matches the word in italics. Use context clues to determine the meaning of the word, if necessary.
The oil spill *dispersed* throughout the river killing hundreds of fish.
A. Combusted
B. leaked
C. spread
D. waded
C. spread
To determine the best answer that matches the word in italics, "dispersed," we can look at the context clues provided in the sentence. The sentence mentions an "oil spill" that is affecting the river and causing harm to fish. Based on this information, we can infer that the oil is spreading throughout the river.
Therefore, the answer that best matches the meaning of "dispersed" in this context is C. spread.
To arrive at this answer, we can analyze the sentence and understand that the word "dispersed" is used to describe how the oil is moving or spreading throughout the river. The other answer choices have different meanings that do not fit the context:
A. Combusted - This means to burn or explode, which is not appropriate in the given context of an oil spill.
B. Leaked - While leaking could be a possible event leading up to the oil spill, it does not fully capture the meaning of "dispersed" in terms of the oil spreading throughout the river.
D. Waded - This means to walk through water, which does not describe how the oil is spreading.
By analyzing the sentence and understanding the intended meaning of "dispersed," we can determine that the correct answer is C. spread.