Choose the one word that can be substituted for the given phrase: "Act of making things like new again."

Introduction / Context:
This one word substitution question asks you to replace the phrase "Act of making things like new again" with a single, precise verb. Such questions are common in competitive exams and test how closely you know the meanings of related words. The phrase clearly refers to repairing, restoring, or improving something so that it looks or feels new, rather than inventing something for the first time or inspiring a person.

Given Data / Assumptions:
• Phrase: "Act of making things like new again." • Options: Innovate, Renovate, Motivate, Activate. • The focus is on objects or places being restored to a new like condition. • The question wants a verb that captures this idea.

Concept / Approach:
"Renovate" means to restore something, especially a building or room, to a good or new condition by repairing and improving it. "Innovate" means to introduce something new, such as a method or idea. "Motivate" is to inspire a person to act, and "activate" is to make something start working. Only "renovate" directly captures the sense of making an existing thing fresh or like new again. Understanding these subtle distinctions is vital for accurate vocabulary use.

Step-by-Step Solution:
1. Identify the key idea in the phrase: making existing things like new again by repair or improvement. 2. Recall that "renovate" is commonly used for buildings, rooms, or houses that are repaired and updated. 3. Compare this with "innovate", which deals with introducing new ideas or processes rather than repairing old ones. 4. Compare with "motivate", which relates to encouraging people, not objects. 5. Compare with "activate", which only means to start a device or system, not to restore it to new condition. 6. Conclude that "Renovate" is the only verb that matches the given phrase exactly.

Verification / Alternative check:
Insert each option into typical sentences: "They plan to renovate the old house" makes sense and means they will make it like new again. "They plan to innovate the old house" is incorrect because you innovate processes or ideas, not houses. "They plan to motivate the old house" is nonsense, and "They plan to activate the old house" does not match the idea of repairing it. These tests confirm that renovate is the correct one word substitute.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option A, innovate, is about creating or introducing something new, not about restoring old things. Option C, motivate, applies to people and their feelings or behaviour, not to objects. Option D, activate, is used for starting machines, accounts, or systems, such as activating a card or device. None of these words conveys the sense of restoring something to a like new condition, which is the focus of the original phrase.

Common Pitfalls:
Some learners confuse "innovate" and "renovate" because both contain the element "nov", related to newness. However, innovate deals with new ideas or methods, while renovate deals with improving and repairing existing things. To avoid this confusion, remember that renovation typically applies to physical structures, and innovation applies to ideas and technology. Seeing these words used in context while reading will make their differences much clearer.

Final Answer:
The correct one word substitute is Renovate.