Improve the bracketed part of the sentence by selecting the best alternative. The mobile phones have made digital cameras a little (superfluous) in the modern world.

Introduction / Context:
This sentence-improvement question asks you to choose a better word to replace the bracketed word “superfluous” in the sentence: “The mobile phones have made digital cameras a little (superfluous) in the modern world.” The sentence is commenting on how smartphones, which have built-in cameras, have affected the everyday need for separate digital cameras. You must pick the option that best captures the idea that digital cameras are not completely useless, but less necessary than before.

Given Data / Assumptions:

The original word is “superfluous”, which roughly means “unnecessary, more than what is needed”.
The options are “extinct”, “obsolete”, “redundant” and “No improvement”.
The phrase “a little” before the bracketed word suggests partial, not total, loss of importance.
Digital cameras still exist and are used by professionals, so they are not truly extinct.

Concept / Approach:
The key is to match both meaning and tone. “Superfluous” is quite strong and can mean completely unnecessary or useless extra items. However, the sentence qualifies it with “a little”, indicating that digital cameras are still used but no longer essential for casual photography, because mobile phones cover most basic needs. The word “redundant” is commonly used to describe something which has become unnecessary because another thing now performs the same function. For example, “email has made letters almost redundant” is parallel to “mobile phones have made digital cameras a little redundant”. This fits better than “superfluous” and more accurately represents the idea.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Understand the context: mobile phones now provide good cameras, so many people do not need separate digital cameras for casual use. Step 2: Examine “superfluous”: it suggests completely unnecessary or excessive, which sounds too strong even with “a little”. Step 3: Consider “extinct”: this means “no longer in existence”, which is clearly false; digital cameras still exist and are used. Step 4: Consider “obsolete”: this means “out of date” or “no longer in use”, which again is too strong, because digital cameras remain relevant for professional and high-quality photography. Step 5: Consider “redundant”: this means “unnecessary because there is something else that does the same job”. Step 6: “A little redundant” accurately expresses that for everyday users, digital cameras are not as necessary now. Step 7: Therefore, choose “redundant” as the improved word.

Verification / Alternative check:
Rebuild the sentence with “redundant”: “The mobile phones have made digital cameras a little redundant in the modern world.” This reads naturally and clearly states that smartphones perform the same function, reducing the need for separate devices. If you use the original word, “a little superfluous”, the phrase sounds slightly awkward. “Extinct” and “obsolete” are factually inaccurate because digital cameras continue to be sold and used widely. This comparison shows that “redundant” best fits the meaning, tone and real-world context.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Extinct: Means “no longer existing at all”. Digital cameras are very much still available, so this is incorrect.
Obsolete: Suggests that something is completely outdated and no longer used; digital cameras remain important for many serious photographers, so this overstates the case.
No improvement: Keeping “superfluous” leaves the sentence sounding less natural and slightly stronger than intended, especially with “a little”; “redundant” is the more precise and idiomatic choice in modern English.

Common Pitfalls:
Students sometimes treat “superfluous”, “redundant” and “obsolete” as exact synonyms, but the shades of meaning matter. “Redundant” often implies that something has been replaced by a newer, overlapping alternative, while “obsolete” suggests complete out-of-dateness, and “superfluous” can mean a useless extra. When the sentence carries a softening phrase like “a little”, it is safer to choose a word that allows partial relevance to remain, such as “redundant”. Paying attention to such small qualifiers (“a little”, “almost”, “nearly”) will help you choose the most accurate word in sentence-improvement questions.

Final Answer:
Correct answer: redundant.