English Vocabulary — Choose the closest meaning (contextual synonym). Sentence: After the dismal performance of the team in the series that concluded yesterday, the captain offered his resignation to the president of the club.

Introduction / Context:
Sports writing uses evaluative adjectives to summarize form and outcomes. “Dismal” in performance contexts means very bad or poor. You need the option that conveys this negative assessment without changing the sentence's register or meaning.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Key adjective: dismal (qualifying “performance”).
• Context: competitive series finished recently.
• Effect: captain offers resignation (reinforces negative performance).

Concept / Approach:
“Dismal” can mean gloomy or depressing; in metrics-based contexts like matches or exams, it aligns with “poor” or “very bad.” Words like “sorrowful,” “minimum,” or “short” do not adequately express performance quality; they shift to emotions or different dimensions (quantity, duration).

Step-by-Step Solution:

Verification / Alternative check:
Headline-style paraphrase: “After a poor performance … the captain resigned.” This is idiomatic and commonly used in sports reporting, validating the choice.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• sorrowful: Emotion, not performance quality.
• minimum: Quantity/degree, not evaluation.
• short: Duration or length; irrelevant to quality.

Common Pitfalls:
Equating “dismal” only with mood or sadness. In results contexts, prioritize the quality/effectiveness sense (“poor performance”).

Final Answer:
poor