Question

read the passage and then answer the question. in 1798, the americans were fighting the british. deborah samson wanted to help the american army. only men could join the army, but samson didnt let that stop her. she put on mens clothing and signed up for the army. for about two years, she kept her secret, pretending to be a man. the deception finally ended when she got sick and was taken to the hospital. samson was sent home as soon as she was well. after the war, she gave talks about her time in the army. crowds cheered to see samson dressed in her army clothes. today she is remembered as the first american woman in the army. what is the meaning of deception as used in the passage? the act of putting on clothes the act of helping other people the act of tricking people the act of joining an army

Explanation:

The passage says Deborah Samson pretended to be a man to join the army. "Deception" here refers to her act of tricking people (by hiding her true identity as a woman). Putting on clothes is just part of her trick. Helping others is not relevant to the context of "deception" here. Joining the army is what she did through deception, not the meaning of deception itself.

Answer:

the act of tricking people