Question

Read the sentence from paragraph 7 of the passage.

As many businesses offer incentives such as gift cards or discounts for going paperless, the paper bill, paper check, and paper bank statement are becoming fossils of a bygone age.

Which word could best replace incentives in this sentence?


rewards


suggestions


ideas


demands

Reading Passage
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The Future of the USPS

by Cedric Brown

What do I think of the postal service? Last month when I mailed a check to pay my phone bill, it arrived a week late. I got charged a late fee! Mail delivery these days is terrible!

Kevin D., Cottonwood, CA

The postal service? Are they asking Congress for more money again? If other package delivery services can make money, the USPS should be able to make money too.

Manny G., Austin, TX

I think the USPS is great! Look, for under fifty cents they'll take this card and get it to my son who's in college on the other side of the country. That's a pretty good deal.

Nancy W., Boston, MA

1 As these comments made in front of post offices in various parts of the country reveal, people have strong opinions about the United States Postal Service, commonly known as the USPS. However, despite the strength of people's feelings, the truth is that Americans are using the USPS less and less and the agency has been losing money for years (USPS, "Pieces of Mail"). When was the last time you mailed or received a letter written on stationery, tucked into a hand-addressed envelope, with a stamp stuck in the upper-right corner? If you're like most Americans, it's been a while. However, it probably hasn't been that long since you sent or got a text, an email, or a tweet. A decreasing volume of first-class mail, mostly personal correspondence, bills, and small packages, is at the root of many of the USPS's problems.

Answer 1

rewards

Reason: "Incentives" here means benefits offered to encourage a behavior, so "rewards" is the best synonym.