Question

Read the excerpt from a persuasive text.

Voting is an essential element of American society, and everyone should exercise their right to vote. If you fail to vote, you are ____ your duty as a citizen and discarding your right to have your voice be heard.

Which word completes the sentence and has the most emotional impact?

Answer 1

If you fail to vote, you are neglecting your duty as a citizen and discarding your right to have your voice be heard.

Step-by-step explanation:

The options you were given are the following:

• overlooking
• missing
• forgetting
• neglecting

The word that has the most emotional impact is neglecting.

Every word has two types of meaning: its literal meaning (denotation) and an emotional or cultural association it carries (connotation). Depending on what emotion is connected to the word, its connotation can be negative, neutral, or positive. The verbs to overlook, to miss, and to forget have a more neutral meaning than the verb to neglect, which is always negative. That's why neglecting is the correct option.