A. The baby would seem sneakier.
Using the word "cunning" instead of "clever" would give the impression that the baby is behaving in a more sly or deceitful manner, rather than simply exhibiting intelligence or skill. This would change the overall tone of the sentence to be more negative or suspicious.
Choosing the right word can make all the difference. Even words similar in meaning can end up being a compliment or a criticism depending on when you use them. Words can share a similar meaning (denotation), but the feelings associated with each (connotation) are very different.
Read the following sentence.
The baby was very clever. It already knew how to crawl into a room without making a sound.
How would the meaning of the sentence change if the author used the word “cunning” instead of word “clever”?
A
The baby would seem sneakier.
B
The baby would seem cuter.
C
The baby would seem stupider.
D
The baby would seem louder.
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