Question

Present-day artists continue to be inspired by this river. Suppose Roberto Barrera added this sentence to the end of the section. Which would correctly identify the author's meaning for the word present?
Consider the effect of the stressed or unstressed syllable in the word present.
A) You should stress the first syllable because it is a noun that means gift.
B) You should stress the second syllable because it is a verb that means to offer.
C) You should stress the first syllable because it is a noun that means a current moment or period in time.
D) You should stress the first and second syllables because it is a noun that means not absent or not missing.

Answer 1

Answer:

C) You should stress the first syllable because it is a noun that means a current moment or period in time.

Explanation:

The word "present" has different meanings that are revealed through the context and the pronunciation used. In the sentence "Present-day artists continue to be inspired by this river," the word present does not refer to a gift, to the person not being absent, or to the action of offering something. When we talk of a present-day something or someone, we mean that thing or person exists now, in the current period of time - not in the past, not in the future. In that case, the pronunciation stresses the first syllable. With that in mind, the best option is letter C) You should stress the first syllable because it is a noun that means a current moment or period in time.