In English vocabulary, choose the one-word substitution that means an exact copy or precise reproduction.

Difficulty: Easy

Correct Answer: Facsimile

Explanation:


Introduction / Context:

This question belongs to the important area of one-word substitutions in English vocabulary. Examinations often present an everyday phrase such as "an exact copy" and expect you to recall a precise formal term. Knowing such words improves the quality of your written and spoken English, especially in academic, legal, and technical contexts where exactness matters.


Given Data / Assumptions:

- The phrase to be replaced is "an exact copy". - The options provided are Facsimile, Twin, Mirror, and Clone. - The goal is to choose the most accurate one-word substitution used in standard English.


Concept / Approach:

Words like twin, mirror, and clone may indicate similarity, but the one-word substitution used specifically to mean an exact copy of a document, picture, or text is "facsimile". In formal English, facsimile refers to an accurate reproduction, often of a printed or written material. The strategy is to recall how each option is used in real contexts and then select the word whose definition most closely matches "an exact copy".


Step-by-Step Solution:

1. Identify the key idea in the phrase, which is exactness or faithful reproduction. 2. Recall that "facsimile" is frequently used for an exact copy of a document, such as a facsimile edition of a manuscript. 3. Consider "twin", which refers to one of two children or things born or formed at the same time, often implying similarity rather than a manufactured copy. 4. Consider "mirror", which usually suggests reflection or very close resemblance but not necessarily a technical reproduction. 5. Look at "clone", which is a biological term for a genetically identical copy, often used informally for very similar items, not specifically for documents or texts. 6. Therefore, the best one-word substitution for an exact copy in formal English is "Facsimile".


Verification / Alternative check:

To verify, think of how publishers or historians talk about rare manuscripts. They often publish a "facsimile edition" so readers can see an exact reproduction of the original. Dictionaries define facsimile as an exact copy, especially of written or printed material. This confirms that facsimile is the most accurate term for the phrase given in the question.


Why Other Options Are Wrong:

Twin: Suggests one of a pair that are very similar or born together, rather than a deliberately created replica of another object or document. Mirror: Implies reflection or close resemblance. Someone can say "this is a mirror of that", but facsimile is the more precise word for an exact copy. Clone: Primarily a biological word for a genetically identical organism and, by extension, something almost the same. It is more colloquial and less accurate for formal one-word substitution of "an exact copy".


Common Pitfalls:

Candidates sometimes pick "twin" or "clone" because they imagine two things that look alike. However, the exam requires the word that is most widely accepted in formal English for an exact reproduction, especially in print or document contexts. Remember that one-word substitutions often have specific domains of usage, and misreading those domains leads to incorrect choices.


Final Answer:

The correct one-word substitution for "an exact copy" is Facsimile.

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