The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
The correct answer is concha.
The word “shell” in English has a direct and common translation in Spanish, which is concha. This term is most frequently used to describe the hard, protective outer layer of a mollusk, such as a clam, oyster, or snail, especially the kind one might find on a beach. For example, a sentence like “I collected shells on the seashore” would be translated as “Recogí conchas en la orilla del mar.” The word concha accurately captures this primary meaning, making it the best choice among the options provided.
It is important to understand why the other options are incorrect. Toalla translates to “towel,” a piece of absorbent cloth used for drying. Lago means “lake,” a large body of fresh water surrounded by land. Isla is the Spanish word for “island,” a piece of land completely surrounded by water. None of these words relate to the meaning of “shell.” They belong to entirely different categories of objects and geographical features.
While concha is the best general translation, the English word “shell” can have other meanings that require different Spanish words depending on the context. For instance, the shell of a nut or an egg is called a cáscara. A turtle’s shell is often referred to as a caparazón. In a military context, an artillery shell is a proyectil or obús. For the outer framework of a building, one might use armazón or estructura. However, in a general vocabulary context as presented in the question, concha remains the most appropriate and direct translation for “shell.”
