SAT OwlQuestion bank / Words in Context
The following text is from an 1886 novel by Lavinia Crewe. Mr. Hale is being interviewed by the directors of a bank.
Mr. Hale answered every question put to him by the directors with perfect composure, and his voice never wavered. Only his hands, which turned his hat round and round upon his knee, betrayed how much the position meant to him.
As used in the text, what does the word "betrayed" most nearly mean?
deceived
abandoned
revealed
exaggerated
Show answer and explanation
Answer: C
Mr. Hale's calm voice hides his feelings, but his restless hands show how badly he wants the job. "Betrayed" here means revealed.
Choice A is the most familiar meaning of "betrayed," but his hands don't mislead anyone; they give away the truth.
Why the other choices are wrong
- A. His hands don't mislead anyone. They show the truth about his feelings.
- B. His hands didn't desert anything. They made his nervousness visible.
- D. Nothing suggests his hands made his feelings seem stronger than they were. They simply showed them.
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