Vocabulary meaning: “Ration is most similar in meaning to which of the following words?” Choose the option that best expresses the meaning of ration.

Introduction / Context:
This vocabulary question asks for the word most similar in meaning to “ration”. The term ration commonly appears in contexts of food distribution, supplies in emergencies, or limited resources. Identifying its closest meaning among the options requires understanding that ration refers to a controlled or fixed share of something, not the entire quantity or an unrelated concept.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Target word: ration. • Options: debt, allowance, whole, rear. • We assume standard usage of ration as both a noun (a fixed portion) and a verb (to distribute in fixed portions). • The correct option must capture the idea of a limited share or portion provided to each person.

Concept / Approach:
As a noun, a ration is a fixed amount of a commodity officially allowed to each person, especially during a time of shortage. As a verb, to ration is to allow each person only a set amount. Allowance, in the sense of a fixed regular amount of money or supplies given to someone, is very close in meaning. Debt, whole, and rear carry entirely different meanings, unrelated to controlled shares or portions.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Define ration. In everyday examples, people may say “soldiers received daily rations” or “fuel was rationed during the crisis”. Both uses show that a ration is a limited, fixed share. Step 2: Examine each option. Debt is the state of owing money to someone. This is a financial obligation, not a portion given to a person. Allowance is a fixed sum or share given regularly, such as pocket money or an official share of resources. Whole means the complete amount of something, which is the opposite of a restricted portion. Rear refers to the back part of something, like the rear of a building or vehicle, and has no connection to shares or distribution. Step 3: Allowance matches the idea of a fixed amount given out according to rules or schedule, so it is most similar to ration.

Verification / Alternative check:
We can try substituting the options into typical sentences. In “Each family received a ration of rice”, replacing ration with allowance gives “Each family received an allowance of rice”, which still conveys a limited, assigned share. Substituting debt, whole, or rear would make the sentence nonsensical. This substitution test shows that allowance is the only viable synonym in the list.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
• Debt: Represents something owed, not something given or distributed in controlled amounts. • Whole: Means complete or entire, which is the opposite of the idea of a small, fixed portion. • Rear: Refers to a physical position, such as the back of an object or group, and has no semantic relation to ration.

Common Pitfalls:
Sometimes test takers think of ration as reduction or restriction and mistakenly look for a word that mainly means reduction rather than portion. However, the essential idea is a controlled share. Allowance captures that better than anything else in the options. Keeping in mind how ration is used during wartime, emergencies, or limited resources helps recall that it is about fixed shares, leading correctly to allowance.

Final Answer:
The word most similar in meaning to “ration” here is Allowance.