Question

How is the word pioneer connotative? Select all that apply.

It directly states that people are the first to do something.
It associates courage, vision, and wisdom with people who settled the West.
It suggests the independence of democratic self-government in America’s expansion.
It associates shortcomings and mistakes in how the country was settled.

Answer 1

Answer: It associates courage, vision, and wisdom with people who settled the West.

The term pioneer originally referred to the people who settled the Western United States. These people needed a lot of bravery, determination and vision in order to settle a territory where there were no European populations. Because of these characteristics, the term "pioneer" has now come to represent courage, vision and wisdom in any industry that is considered innovative.

Answer 2

consider "pioneer" as a word in itself--do you think it has a positive or a negative connotation? i would say positive. if a person is first to explore a certain area, they're usually regarded with praise and congratulations. being a pioneer is an achievement, not something to be looked down upon.

with that in mind, you can throw out choice 4. the immediate association does not include the negative side of western pioneers. choice 2 has the strongest positive connotation description--courage, vision, and wisdom are all desirable attributes--and choice 3, while pushing the point of america's expansion, misses the mark. choice 3 emphasizes democracy and self-government, which is not necessarily included in the connotation of pioneer.

you can state that one is a pioneer in the information technology field. would that remind you of self-government in america? not quite.

i think that choice 2 is the most reasonable answer in this case!!