Question

the pangolin is a long - snouted, scaly, ant - eating mammal. this animal is widely known in china. some people eat it as a delicacy and believe in its purported medicinal benefits. their scales are used in traditional medicine and folk remedies. what does the word purported mean? a. honored b. said to be true, but not certain c. described in detail d. completely true

Explanation:

To determine the meaning of "purported", we analyze the context. The text mentions that people believe in the pangolin's "purported medicinal benefits". The use of "believe" implies that these benefits are claimed or said to exist, but there may be uncertainty. Option b ("said to be true, but not certain") aligns with this context. Option a ("honored") is unrelated to the context of claims about benefits. Option c ("described in detail") does not fit the idea of a claim with uncertainty. Option d ("completely true") contradicts the implication of uncertainty from the word "believe".

Answer:

b. said to be true, but not certain