What are the options? I can make a guess by denotation means the literal or primary meaning of a word. Floundered in the context of this sentence means to struggle mentally, or show great confusion.
Explanation: The denotation of a word is the literal meaning, the one that we can find in a dictionary. It is the antonym of connotation which is the meaning given by the context of the word or even by the readers, based on their emotions or personal experiences. In the given sentence, the denotation of the word "floundered" is "struggled", "Mariah's voice shook and her hands fluttered as she struggled helplessly to answer the difficult questions Steven was asking her."
I think the reason why she told a lie instead of the truth was because she loves her husband with all of her heart and she would hate to see him perish.
The Pledge of Allegiance was written in August 1892 by the socialist minister Francis Bellamy (1855-1931). It was originally published in The Youth's Companion on September 8, 1892. Bellamy had hoped that the pledge would be used by citizens in any country.
