The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
Based on the question, here is the answer and explanation.
Answer:
In the context of the text, the word “brutal” means that the winters are extremely harsh, severe, and difficult to endure.
Explanation:
To understand that “brutal” means extremely harsh or severe, a reader must use context clues, which are the surrounding words and sentences in the text. Although the full text is not provided, we can infer the types of clues that would lead to this definition. The question is about the taiga biome, a region known for its very challenging climate.
A text describing the taiga would likely provide specific details that illustrate the intensity of its winters. For example, the author probably mentioned the extremely low temperatures, which can plummet far below freezing for extended periods. The text might also describe the duration of the winter, noting that it lasts for six months or longer, with very short daylight hours. Other context clues could include descriptions of heavy and persistent snowfall that covers the landscape, making travel and finding food difficult for wildlife. These details about the length, cold, and snow are the context clues.
When you see a word like “brutal” used alongside these descriptions, you can logically conclude it does not mean physically violent but rather environmentally punishing. The combination of intense cold, prolonged darkness, and deep snow paints a picture of a season that is incredibly difficult to survive. The author chose the word “brutal” to effectively communicate this sense of extreme hardship and unforgiving conditions. Therefore, by analyzing the descriptive details that characterize a taiga winter, the reader correctly interprets “brutal” as meaning extraordinarily harsh and severe.
