Question

Read the following selection from What Caused the Dust Bowl, and answer the question which follows. They were prosperous in the decades that followed, but when the 1930s rolled in, so did strong winds, drought, and clouds of dust that plagued nearly 75 percent of the United States between 1931 and 1939. What is the best meaning for the word prosperous, based on context clues?

a) Successful and thriving
b) Unfortunate and troubled
c) Isolated and desolate
d) Challenged and distressed

Answer 1

The word 'prosperous' means successful and thriving in the given context.

Step-by-step explanation:

The word 'prosperous' in the given context means successful and thriving. The passage mentions that the region was prosperous in the decades before the 1930s, indicating that the area experienced economic growth and success. However, the subsequent events of strong winds, drought, and dust storms caused the prosperity to decline.