Question

read the excerpt from paragraph 3.

stan krugman collected the seeds and an attempt at germinating some of the seeds was made in houston. somewhat surprisingly, it proved successful and the seeds started growing, but they did not survive long because the facilities there were inadequate. a year later the remaining seeds were sent to the southern forest service station in gulfport, mississippi (sycamore, loblolly pine, and sweetgum) and to the western station in placerville, california (redwood and douglas fir) to attempt germination. many of the seeds, and later cuttings, were successful and grew into viable seedlings.

what is the meaning of viable as it is used in the excerpt?

a. suitable
b. awful
c. weak
d. complete

Explanation:

To determine the meaning of "viable" in the excerpt, we analyze the context. The seeds were successfully germinated and grew into seedlings. "Viable" here should relate to the seedlings being able to survive or be suitable for growth. Option A "suitable" fits as the seedlings were successful (so suitable for development). Option B "awful" is negative and opposite. Option C "weak" contradicts the success. Option D "complete" doesn't fit the context of seedling growth.

Answer:

A. suitable