This question is missing the answer choices. I was able to find them online. They are the following:
A. positive, because attractiveness is a quality many people admire.
B. positive, because attractiveness is an indicator of strength in women.
C. negative, because it could imply a lack of intelligence.
D. negative, because it could imply a lack of beauty.
Answer:
The choices that describe the connotations of the word "pretty" are:
A. positive, because attractiveness in a quality many people admire.
C. negative, because it could imply a lack of intelligence.
Explanation:
A connotation is an extra meaning a word can have besides the literal one it already possesses. Connotations appear according to the different contexts in which a word or phrase is used. For instance, the same word may have a positive and a negative connotation, depending on how it is employed.
That is what happens with the adjective "pretty". We all know the general and positive connotation of the word. When we call a girl pretty, we are complimenting her physical beauty. Since people admire beauty, this connotation is good.
However, we can also use "pretty" in a negative way. If we say a woman is "nothing but a pretty face," we are implying she lacks intelligence. This connotation derives its negative meaning from the context and the construction of the sentence (combined with "nothing but").
