In the following English vocabulary question, you are given a short descriptive phrase. Choose, from the four alternatives, the one word that best substitutes the phrase "a short story with a clear moral lesson".

Difficulty: Easy

Correct Answer: Parable

Explanation:


Introduction / Context:
This one word substitution question focuses on a common literary term. The phrase given is a short story with a moral. You need to identify the single word that names a brief narrative used to teach a moral or spiritual lesson. Such words are frequently encountered in religious texts, fables and moral stories, so knowing them is valuable for both literature and general English exams.



Given Data / Assumptions:

  • The descriptive phrase is a short story with a clear moral lesson.
  • Option A: Wobble.
  • Option B: Parable.
  • Option C: Scrabble.
  • Option D: Affable.
  • We assume that one of these is the recognised literary term for a brief instructive story.


Concept / Approach:
A parable is a short, simple story that illustrates a moral or spiritual lesson. It often uses everyday events and characters to convey deeper truths. Wobble means to move unsteadily, scrabble refers to scratching or scrambling and is also a board game, and affable means friendly or easy to talk to. Therefore, only parable fits the idea of a short moral story given in the stem.



Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Focus on the key elements in the phrase: short story and moral.Step 2: Recall that religious texts and moral collections often contain parables, such as parables about kindness or forgiveness.Step 3: Match this memory with option B, parable, which is defined as a simple story used to illustrate a moral or spiritual lesson.Step 4: Check option A, wobble; it describes unsteady movement and has nothing to do with stories or morals.Step 5: Check options C and D, scrabble and affable, which relate to scratching or a game, and a pleasant personality, rather than moral narratives. Thus, parable is the only word that satisfies the description in the question.


Verification / Alternative check:
Consider example sentences. You may read that a teacher shared a parable to teach honesty to children. The word wobble cannot substitute here because it refers to movement. Scrabble would suggest the board game rather than a lesson. Affable would be used to describe a person, as in an affable host, not a story. These substitution tests confirm that parable and only parable matches the phrase a short story with a moral.



Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Wobble is a verb or noun indicating unsteady movement, such as a table that wobbles. Scrabble is used as a verb meaning to scratch or scramble or as the name of a word game; it does not relate to moral storytelling. Affable is an adjective describing someone who is friendly, good natured, and easy to talk to. None of these words carries the idea of a concise moral narrative that the stem clearly requires.



Common Pitfalls:
Because parable is not used very frequently in everyday conversation, some learners may confuse it with fable. Both refer to short stories with lessons, but fables often use animals as characters, while parables usually involve human characters and have a stronger spiritual or ethical focus. For the purpose of one word substitution, the exam setter has chosen parable to fit the given phrase, so that is the answer you should select.



Final Answer:
The one word that best substitutes the phrase a short story with a moral is Parable, so option B is correct.


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