Vocabulary – Choose the option that BEST expresses the meaning of the underlined word in context. Sentence: Many species of animals have become extinct during the last hundred years.

Introduction / Context:
“Extinct” describes a species that no longer exists anywhere on Earth. In conservation and biology, this term signals a complete disappearance of a species’ living members.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Target word: extinct.
• Context: biodiversity loss over a century.
• We need the closest single-word paraphrase among the options.

Concept / Approach:
Because “extinct” means there are no surviving individuals, the best available match is “non-existent.” Although “extinct” is a technical biological term, “non-existent” captures the total absence in general English.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Define: extinct = no longer existing.Scan options: “aggressive” (behavioral trait), “non-existent” (total absence), “scattered” (dispersed), “feeble” (weak).Select “non-existent.”Validate by substitution to ensure the sentence remains accurate.

Verification / Alternative check:
Paraphrase: “Many species of animals have become non-existent …” While less technical, it conveys the same core meaning of absence.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• aggressive: unrelated to existence.
• scattered: implies distribution, not extinction.
• feeble.: weakness does not imply non-existence; also punctuation indicates a typo.

Common Pitfalls:
Confusing “endangered” (high risk) with “extinct” (already gone). “Non-existent” aligns with the latter.

Final Answer:
non-existent