Question 134·Medium·Words in Context
In a speech to the city council, the mayor acknowledged that the downtown revitalization plan had faced unexpected delays, but argued that abandoning the project now would be _____, wasting years of careful planning and millions of dollars already invested.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
For words-in-context questions, first paraphrase the sentence and identify the author’s main point and tone. Then underline key context clues near the blank—especially any explanations after commas or words like "because" or "so"—and decide what kind of idea (e.g., foolish, generous, repetitive, vengeful) belongs there. Finally, quickly plug each option into the sentence and eliminate any that clash with the logic or tone, even if they seem roughly negative or positive; keep only the word that precisely matches the situation described.
Hints
Look at the mayor's argument
The mayor admits there have been delays, but still argues against quitting. Ask yourself: what reason does the mayor give for continuing the project?
Focus on the clause after the comma
Pay close attention to the phrase "wasting years of careful planning and millions of dollars already invested." What kind of criticism is the mayor making about the idea of abandoning the project now?
Check the tone and type of criticism
Is the mayor accusing the council of being silly, repeating something, seeking revenge, or making a poor decision about the future of the project? Use this to rule out choices that don't match the situation.
Step-by-step Explanation
Understand the sentence meaning and tone
Paraphrase the sentence: The mayor admits the project has had delays but says it would be a bad idea to quit now because that would waste many years of planning and a lot of money. The tone toward abandoning the project is clearly negative and critical, not playful or emotional; the mayor is arguing that giving up would be a poor, unwise choice.
Use the key context clues
Focus on the phrase after the comma: "wasting years of careful planning and millions of dollars already invested." This tells you why the mayor thinks quitting is bad: it would throw away all the effort and money already put in, and it ignores what those investments might mean for the future. So the blank needs a word describing a decision that fails to respect or take into account those investments and their long-term value.
Test each answer choice against the context
Now check each option:
- Redundant means "unnecessarily repeated" or "more than needed"; abandoning a project is not an example of repetition, so it doesn't fit.
- Frivolous means "not serious" or "silly and trivial"; the issue here is not that the council is being silly, but that they would be making a bad judgment about a major project.
- Vindictive means "seeking revenge"; there is no suggestion that anyone wants to punish someone.
- Shortsighted means "not considering the future or long-term effects"; quitting now, after investing so much, would ignore the long-term consequences of that choice. This matches the mayor's argument, so "shortsighted" is the correct answer.