VOCABULARY — Choose the best meaning (closest in sense) of the highlighted word, based on the sentence. Sentence: “No one will invite her to a tea party, for she is so GARRULOUS.”

Introduction / Context:
“Garrulous” describes a person who talks excessively, often about trivial matters. The sentence uses a social context (a tea party) to imply that this trait is socially off-putting.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The word modifies a person's habitual social behavior.
• We need the closest meaning, not a specific subtype like giggling or gossiping.
• The correct option should cover excessive talkativeness broadly.

Concept / Approach:
“Talks a lot” captures the core of garrulity. “Giggles all the time” and “laughs a lot” refer to laughter, not speech quantity. “Repeats gossip” is closer to “gossipy” or “scandal-mongering,” which is a different trait from sheer loquacity.

Step-by-Step Solution:
1) Define garrulous: excessively talkative, especially on trivial topics.2) Compare options and select the one that denotes abundant talking in general.3) Choose “talks a lot.”

Verification / Alternative check:
Thesaurus links include “talkative,” “loquacious,” and “gabby,” all emphasizing quantity of speech, not laughter or gossip specifically.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
B) “giggles all the time” — laughter, not talk.C) “laughs a lot” — same issue; not speech.D) “repeats gossip” — content type, not quantity.

Common Pitfalls:
Confusing loquacity with being gossipy; a person can be garrulous without spreading gossip.

Final Answer:
talks a lot