What is exertion?

• A. Shrapnel
• B. Parenthetical
• C. Exertion
• D. Precarious

Answer: (C)

Exertion is the effort or energy you use to do something—the strain you feel when you push yourself to complete a task, whether physical or mental. The word names the act of applying effort and the energy expended to achieve a result. For example, climbing a steep hill requires noticeable exertion, as your muscles work and your breath quickens. Among the options, only exertion correctly refers to that idea of putting in effort. Shrapnel means fragments from an explosion, a parenthetical is something placed in parentheses in writing, and precarious means unstable or dangerous—none of these convey the sense of energy and effort involved in doing something.