In this English vocabulary question, you must select the word that is most similar in meaning to “Plebiscite,” a political term related to direct voting by the people on a particular issue.

Introduction / Context:
This question assesses your knowledge of political vocabulary in English. The word “plebiscite” is used in contexts where citizens vote directly on a specific issue rather than electing representatives to decide for them. You are required to choose the option that most closely matches this meaning. Understanding such terms is important for exams that include general knowledge and current affairs, as they frequently appear in discussions of democracy and governance.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The target word is “Plebiscite.”
• Options are: Referendum, Tyranny, Despotism, Monarchy.
• A plebiscite refers to a direct vote of the entire electorate on a particular proposal, law, or constitutional change.
• The other options refer to forms of rule or government that are quite different in nature.

Concept / Approach:
“Plebiscite” and “referendum” are both terms used to describe processes in which the electorate votes directly on a question of public importance. In many contexts, especially in general discussion, the two words are used almost interchangeably. On the other hand, “tyranny” and “despotism” refer to oppressive or absolute rule by an individual or small group, and “monarchy” refers to rule by a king or queen. These three terms describe systems of power rather than a specific voting process. Therefore, “Referendum” is the only synonym for “Plebiscite” among the options.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that a plebiscite is a direct vote by citizens on a specific public issue or proposal.Step 2: Look for a word among the options that refers to a similar direct voting process.Step 3: Recognise that “Referendum” is defined as a direct vote in which an entire electorate is invited to accept or reject a particular proposal.Step 4: Examine “Tyranny,” which means cruel and oppressive government or rule and does not involve democratic voting.Step 5: Evaluate “Despotism,” which is a form of government where a single entity rules with absolute power.Step 6: Consider “Monarchy,” which is a system of government headed by a monarch, such as a king or queen.Step 7: Conclude that only “Referendum” has a meaning similar to “Plebiscite.”

Verification / Alternative check:
To verify, you can place each word in a sentence: “The government decided to hold a plebiscite on the proposed constitutional amendment” is very similar in meaning to “The government decided to hold a referendum on the proposed constitutional amendment.” In contrast, “holding a tyranny,” “holding a despotism,” or “holding a monarchy” do not make sense. This real sentence comparison confirms that “Referendum” is the correct synonym in this context.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
“Tyranny” is wrong because it denotes a cruel and oppressive form of rule with little or no participation by citizens. “Despotism” is similarly a term for autocratic rule by a despot, again unrelated to citizen voting. “Monarchy” describes a hereditary system of rule where sovereign power is vested in a monarch. None of these describes a direct voting process by the people on public questions, so they cannot be synonyms for “Plebiscite.”

Common Pitfalls:
Some candidates may not know the meaning of “Plebiscite” and may guess based on partial familiarity with the other terms. For example, they might choose “Monarchy” merely because it is a common word related to government. Others may think “Tyranny” or “Despotism” fit because they are also political terms. To avoid such errors, it is important to build a basic political vocabulary, including words like referendum, plebiscite, democracy, autocracy, and so on, and to distinguish between processes (like voting) and forms of government (like monarchy or tyranny).

Final Answer:
The word most similar in meaning to “Plebiscite” is Referendum.