Question

first read: concept vocabulary
identify the choice that best answers the question.

what is the most likely meaning of heretics in the following sentence?

the people who left the cult were shunned by the remaining members and treated as heretics.

a. people who live by a strict set of rules and customs

b. people who constantly and habitually break the law

c. people who share a given cultural and ethnic background

d. people who reject a given set of religious beliefs and rules

Explanation:

The sentence describes people who left a cult being shunned as heretics. A cult is a group with specific religious-like beliefs, so leaving would mean rejecting those beliefs. Option D matches this context, while the other options do not fit the scenario of leaving a belief-based group.

Answer:

D. people who reject a given set of religious beliefs and rules