Texas EOC English 2: 4.4 Understanding and Analysis Across Genres

The word "dissipating" means which of the following??

And here are the potential answers... [Potential answers shown]

A combination of context and common sense will get us through this question—no sweat.

There’s no way (D) is true.

No neighborhood has ever benefited from stronger storm surges. [Plants blowing in a storm]

It’s just not cool when our house is underwater. [Man scubadiving at an under water house]

Answer (B) gives us another meaning of dissipating.

But we can rule this one out because of the context.

The idea of wasting a storm surge doesn’t make much sense. [Ocean waves]

Unless, you’re a lazy surfer. [Man in bed with a surfboard]

(C) is the most tempting option so far because estuaries could be viewed as getting rid of

storm surges. [Boy flying a kite and old man appears]

However, surges aren’t necessarily destroyed by the estuaries.

It’s not like the rising water is hurled into another dimension when it hits the wetlands.

Though that would be cool to see. [Boy disappears into a police box]

(A) is the correct answer.

When storm surges stream into the wetlands, the floodwater’s power is lessened because [Cloud hovers over an island and begins raining]

it gets caught up in all the plants and mud.

Try running a marathon through an estuary and you'll see what we mean. [Man running through an estuary]

Or maybe just take our word for it.