Question 136·Easy·Words in Context
The following text is adapted from an 1897 expedition journal.
As the first rays of dawn filtered through the tents, Captain Harris surveyed the gathered crew, his weather-beaten face registering a calm confidence that belied the sleepless night.
As used in the text, what does the word “registering” most nearly mean?
For Words in Context questions, always reread the full sentence (and sometimes the one before or after) to see how the word is being used, not just what you think it usually means. Identify what noun the word is connected to and what role it plays (action, description, feeling, etc.). Then plug each answer choice back into the sentence and eliminate any that don’t make sense with the subject, tone, or logic of the sentence. Choose the option that fits the context smoothly, even if it’s not the word’s most common dictionary meaning.
Hints
Focus on what the face is doing
Look at the phrase “his weather-beaten face registering a calm confidence.” Think about what a face usually does in a description like this.
Use the rest of the sentence
Pay attention to “a calm confidence that belied the sleepless night.” What is the difference between how he actually feels and how he appears to his crew?
Try substitution
Try swapping “registering” with each answer choice in the sentence. Which one makes sense for what a face can do with an expression of calm confidence?
Step-by-step Explanation
Understand the sentence
Read the whole sentence carefully:
As the first rays of dawn filtered through the tents, Captain Harris surveyed the gathered crew, his weather-beaten face registering a calm confidence that belied the sleepless night.
The word “registering” comes right before the phrase “a calm confidence,” and it is linked to “his weather-beaten face.” So the sentence is describing what his face is doing or how it appears.
Use context to infer the meaning
The sentence ends with “a calm confidence that belied the sleepless night.” This means he has actually had a sleepless night, but his face gives a different impression.
So his face is doing something with “a calm confidence” — it is expressing, displaying, or giving the impression of that confidence, despite his tiredness.
Test each choice in the sentence
Mentally replace “registering” with each option and see if it makes sense with “his face” and “a calm confidence”:
- His face calculating a calm confidence… (faces don’t do math or plan like that.)
- His face recording a calm confidence… (faces don’t usually “record” confidence.)
- His face delaying a calm confidence… (doesn’t fit the idea at all.)
- His face [option] a calm confidence… (one option means “displaying” or “expressing,” which matches what a face can do.)
Choose the best match
The only option that fits both the context and what a face can realistically do is “Showing”, because his weather-beaten face is showing (displaying) a calm confidence that hides how tired he really is.