Difficulty: Easy
Correct Answer: deceased
Explanation:
Introduction / Context:
This vocabulary question asks you to choose a one-word substitute for the phrase "the recently dead person in question". Such questions test your ability to recognise precise formal terms used in reporting, law, and general English usage. Having a strong stock of one-word substitutes is very helpful in competitive exams.
Given Data / Assumptions:
Concept / Approach:
The formal word used to refer to a person who has died is "deceased". For example, legal documents often refer to "the deceased" when talking about someone who has died recently. It functions as a noun referring to the person and sometimes as an adjective ("the deceased person"). None of the other options correctly capture this sense in standard English usage.
Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Interpret the phrase: It refers to a specific person who has recently died and is being discussed.Step 2: Recall that in legal or formal contexts, such a person is referred to as "the deceased".Step 3: Examine each option: "obliviate", "deceased", "euthanized", "reposed", "obituary".Step 4: Immediately recognise "deceased" as the correct term; the others either refer to processes or different concepts.Step 5: Choose "deceased" as the one-word substitute.
Verification / Alternative check:
Consider how death notices and legal reports are written: "The deceased was survived by two children." Here, "the deceased" clearly replaces "the person who has died". The phrase in the question is essentially describing this same idea. None of the other words would be used in that sentence: "the euthanized" or "the reposed" are either incorrect or unnatural, and "obituary" refers to a written notice, not the person.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Common Pitfalls:
Some candidates confuse words related to death, like "obituary", "euthanasia", and "deceased". Remember that "obituary" is the published notice, "euthanasia" is the process of mercy killing, and "deceased" is the formal label for someone who has died. Paying attention to part of speech (person vs process vs document) will help avoid such confusion.
Final Answer:
The correct one-word substitute is deceased.
Discussion & Comments