Question 21
Cloze PassageJAMB 2008 Passage IV: Fear and anxiety (cloze)
When a mother is afraid that her child will die when it has only a pimple or a slight headache, we speak of anxiety. But if she is afraid when the child has a serious illness, we call her reaction ...16.... If someone is afraid whenever he stands on a height or when he has to discuss ...17... he knows well, we call his reaction ...18...; if someone is afraid when he loses his way high up in the mountain during a heavy thunderstorm we would speak of ...19.... Thus far, we have a simple and neat distinction between the two, namely, one is a reaction that is proportionate to the danger one has to face whereas the other is ...20... reaction to danger or even a reaction to ...21... danger. This distinction has one ...22..., however, which is that the decision ...23... whether the reaction is proportionate depends on the average knowledge existing in the particular ...24.... But, even if that knowledge proclaims a certain attitude to be unfounded, a neurotic will find no difficulty in giving his action a ...25... foundation.
Passage IV, gap 21: ...or even a reaction to ________ (21) danger.
- A.imaginary
- B.unrealistic
- C.ominous
- D.unusual
Show the answer and explanation
Answer: A (imaginary)
Explanation
Anxiety can be a reaction to a danger that is not real at all, that is, imaginary.