Question

read the passage.
when she realized that she had missed the bus, jia became distraught. she paced back and forth, wringing her hands and trying not to cry. there was no doubt about it—she would be late for her meeting and might lose her job as a result of her tardiness.
based on context clues in the passage, what is the most likely meaning of distraught?
○ tardy
○ agitated
○ doubtful
○ earnest

Explanation:

Context clues in the passage show that Jia "paced back and forth, wringing her hands and trying not to cry" after realizing she missed the bus and would be late for a meeting (and might lose her job). These actions suggest a state of agitation. "Tardy" means late (but the word is used later in the passage to describe being late for the meeting, not the meaning of "distraught"). "Doubtful" implies uncertainty (but the passage says "there was no doubt about it" regarding her lateness). "Earnest" means sincere or serious (not related to the described actions). "Agitated" (restless, disturbed) fits the context of her physical actions and emotional state.

Answer:

agitated