Question

read the excerpt from the hot zone

jerry was terribly keyed up. in the past he had lectured nancy on the dangers of working with ebola in a space suit, and now he was leading a team into an ebola hell. at the moment, he didnt care what happened to himself, personally. he was expendable, and he knew it.

based on context clues, what is the best definition of the word \expendable\?

necessary to an operation
knowledgeable about a topic
capable of being sacrificed
useless in a specific situation

Explanation:

Analyze the context clues

The excerpt states: "At the moment, he didn't care what happened to himself, personally. He was expendable, and he knew it." The phrase "didn't care what happened to himself" indicates that his personal safety or survival was not the priority. This suggests that he could be lost or sacrificed for the larger mission.

Evaluate the options

Using our skills in Nonfiction Analysis, we examine how the word functions in this passage:

• "necessary to an operation" contradicts his lack of concern for his own safety.
• "knowledgeable about a topic" does not fit the context of personal risk.
• "capable of being sacrificed" directly aligns with "didn't care what happened to himself."
• "useless in a specific situation" is incorrect because he is actively leading a team.

Answer:

• necessary to an operation
• knowledgeable about a topic
• capable of being sacrificed (Correct answer)
• useless in a specific situation