Read this excerpt from paragraph 15 of Nelson Mandela's Nobel Prize address and answer the question. The children must, at last,
play in the open veld, no longer . . . threatened with the scourge of ignorance, accost, exploit. Which of the following synonyms for scourge best conveys Mandela's intended meaning in describing ignorance, accost, and exploit? A) Plague B) Difficulty C) Disturbance D) Punishment
The noun <em>scourge </em>refers to something or someone that causes great trouble or suffering, or the use of a whip as an instrument for physical punishment. Some synonyms of scourge are <em>torment, affliction </em>and <em>punishment.</em> As a result, Mandela means that children should run freely and not be menaced, confronted or taken advantage of.
