Question

read this sentence from paragraph 7 of the passage.

the brand flashes on the screen or is highlighted prominently on the rear of the new automobile as the light turns green and the car speeds off in front of him.

which of the following could best replace the word prominently in this sentence?

• highly
• actually
• noticeably
• only

reading passage
7 ads that tell a story are found most often in commercials, as a story relies on multiple images and a sequence of events. this format has infinite variations, but imagine one that goes like this: a man is driving in his old car and pulls up next to a new, shiny car at a stop light. he looks at the driver in the new car and imagines that he is the one driving the fancy new car. images flash across the screen—images of how different the mans life would be if he had that car. suddenly he flashes back to reality. the brand flashes on the screen or is highlighted prominently on the rear of the new automobile as the light turns green and the car speeds off in front of him. the last scene of this story? man driving to the new car dealership for—you guessed it—that same car.

Explanation:

Analyze the target word and sentence

The question asks for the best replacement for the word "prominently" in the following sentence from paragraph 7:
"The brand flashes on the screen or is highlighted prominently on the rear of the new automobile as the light turns green and the car speeds off in front of him."

Using the Vocabulary in Context knowledge point, we examine the meaning of "prominently." The adverb "prominently" describes how something is highlighted or displayed so that it is easily seen, standing out conspicuous or noticeable to the viewer.

Evaluate context clues

Using the Context Clues knowledge point, we look at the surrounding text in paragraph 7. The passage describes a commercial where "The brand flashes on the screen or is highlighted... on the rear of the new automobile."

• "Flashes on the screen" indicates a highly visible, attention-grabbing visual action.
• The parallel structure "or is highlighted..." suggests that the brand is displayed in a way that is easily seen or stands out to the audience.

Assess the given options

• highly: While "highly" means to a high degree, "highly highlighted" is redundant and does not capture the visual aspect of standing out clearly.
• actually: This means in fact or reality, which does not fit the visual description of how the brand is displayed.
• noticeably: This means in a way that is easily seen or noticed, which perfectly matches the meaning of "prominently" in a visual advertising context.
• only: This means solely or exclusively, which changes the meaning of the sentence entirely.

Select the best fit

Replacing "prominently" with "noticeably" maintains the original meaning of the sentence: the brand is highlighted in a way that is easily noticed by the viewer.

Answer:

• highly
• actually
• noticeably (Correct answer)
• only