Question

read the sentence from paragraph 1 and the dictionary entry for the word support.
it was the continent’s largest continuous ecosystem supporting an enormous quantity of plants and animals.

sup·port | \\ sə-ˈpȯrt \\ verb

1. to assist or help
2. to maintain at a desired level
3. to hold up
4. to sustain or keep alive

which dictionary definition best reflects the precise meaning of supporting as it is used in the sentence from paragraph 1?

a. definition 1
b. definition 2
c. definition 3
d. definition 4

Explanation:

To determine the correct definition of "supporting" in the sentence, we analyze the context: the ecosystem is enabling plants and animals to live. Definition 4 ("to sustain or keep alive") matches this context, as an ecosystem sustaining life aligns with "supporting" in the sentence. Definitions 1 (assist/help), 2 (maintain level), and 3 (hold up) do not fit the ecological context of sustaining life.

Answer:

D. definition 4