Question
Texas grew quickly because of transportation and the discovery of valuable resources. Areas near waterways or with railroad stops nearby thrived. By the 1880s, largely driven by railroad growth, 20 cities of 4,000 or more residents had developed in Texas.
Which word, if it replaced the word "thrived" in the paragraph, would CHANGE the meaning of the paragraph?
blossomed
collapsed
flourished
prospered
Which word, if it replaced the word "thrived" in the paragraph, would CHANGE the meaning of the paragraph?
blossomed
collapsed
flourished
prospered
Answers
GPT-4o mini
The word that would CHANGE the meaning of the paragraph is "collapsed."
While "blossomed," "flourished," and "prospered" all convey a sense of growth and success similar to "thrived," "collapsed" has the opposite meaning, implying failure or decline, which would alter the overall message of the paragraph.
While "blossomed," "flourished," and "prospered" all convey a sense of growth and success similar to "thrived," "collapsed" has the opposite meaning, implying failure or decline, which would alter the overall message of the paragraph.