Question

first selection vocabulary
identify the choice that best answers the question.

in the following quotation from \titanic vs. lusitania,\ what is the most likely meaning of disabused?

finally, there was the simple fact that everyone aboard the lusitania was aware of what had happened to the titanic just three years earlier and thus disabused of the idea that there was any such thing as a ship that was too grand to sink-their own included.

a. freed of the error
b. harmed by a belief
c. persuaded to share opinions
d. outraged at threats to safety

Explanation:

Analyze the context clues

The sentence states that passengers on the Lusitania knew about the Titanic disaster, "and thus disabused of the idea that there was any such thing as a ship that was too grand to sink." Knowing that a supposedly unsinkable ship sank would free them from the false belief (error) that their own ship was unsinkable.

Examine the etymology

The prefix dis- means "away" or "free from," and abuse historically means "to deceive" or "lead into error." Therefore, to disabuse someone is to free them from a deception, misconception, or error.

Evaluate the options

• (A) "freed of the error" directly matches the meaning of correcting a false belief.
• (B), (C), and (D) do not align with the context of realizing a previous belief was false.

Answer:

• A. freed of the error (Correct answer)
• B. harmed by a belief
• C. persuaded to share opinions
• D. outraged at threats to safety