Word meaning in context

ATI TEAS
HESI A2
Reading: Craft and Structure
Multiple choice
Difficulty 3 of 5

Question

Passage

An environmental exhibit describes dry deposition. In the exhibit, acidic gases and particles can settle from the air onto surfaces even when moisture is absent. The word absent signals that moisture is not there during that deposition. The exhibit contrasts this with wet deposition, in which acids arrive mixed with forms of precipitation such as snow or rain. Visitors are asked to notice the difference in how material reaches the ground, rather than assume that the word acid always means liquid rain is falling. Both descriptions concern substances arriving from the atmosphere, but only the wet example requires them to be mixed with precipitation. The names help sort the examples by the conditions under which the material is deposited. These conditions give readers a useful distinction.

In this passage, what does “absent” mean?

Not present✓ Correct

The surrounding sentences define the word in this sense.
Highly concentrated✗ Incorrect

The context points to a different meaning.
Moving quickly✗ Incorrect

The context points to a different meaning.
Recently measured✗ Incorrect

The context points to a different meaning.

Answer

A. Not present

Rationale

Not present The surrounding details establish this meaning, so the other choices do not fit the context.

RememberUse nearby clues to determine a word’s meaning.

Sources

What is Acid Rain? U.S. Environmental Protection Agency · License: US government work (public domain) · Retrieved November 2, 2026 · Dry Deposition; Wet Deposition · page updated 2026-02-13

Last verified: November 5, 2026 2 independent automated checks Question teas-rcs-00191, version 1

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