(D) practically

　　310. Throughout the colonial period there was a marked shortage of women, which varied with the regions and was always greatest in the frontier areas.

　　The word "marked" is closest in meaning to which of following?

　　(A) underlined

　　(B) graded

　　(C) prolonged

　　(D) distinct

　311. Puritan town councils expected widows and unattached womento be self- supporting and for a long time provided needy spinsters with parcels of land.

　　The phrase "unattached women" is closest in meaning to which of following?

　　(A) women without high social status

　　(B) women without property

　　(C) unmarried women

　　(D) unemployed women

　　312. The artisan who makes pottery in North America today utilizes his or her skill and imagination to create items that are beautiful as well as functional, transforming something ordinary into something special and unique.

　　The word "functional" is closest in meaning to which of following?

　　(A) useful

　　(B) strong

　　(C) inexpensive

　　(D) original

　　313. The potter uses one of the Earth's most basic materials: clay. Clay can be found almost anywhere.

　　The word "basic" is closest in meaning to which of following?

　　(A) familiar

　　(B) fundamental

　　(D) dirty

　　314. They then pour on the liquid glaze and let it run over the clay surface, making any kind of decorative pattern that they want.

　　The word "pattern" is closest in meaning to which of following?

　　(A) model

　　(B) color

　　(C) puzzle

　　(D) design

　　315. Horses live in a monochrome world. Light visible to human eyes, however, occupies only a very narrow band in the whole electromagnetic spectrum.

　　The word "monochrome" is closest in meaning to which of following?

　　(A) monotonous

　　(B) ultraviolet

　　(C) one-dimension

　　(D) one-color

　　316. The world would look eerily different if human eyes were sensitive to infra-red radiation.

　　The word "eerily" is closest in meaning to which of following?

　　(A) strangely

　　(B) increasingly

　　(C) slightly

　　(D) superficially

　　317. They are, in fact, remarkably discerning in color gradation. The color sensitivity of normal human vision is rarely surpassed even by sophisticated technical devices.

　　The word "surpassed" is closest in meaning to which of following?

　　(A) recorded

　　(B) exceeded

　　(C) found

　　(D) provided

　　318. Once, just before he died, when he was sick with the flu, I took him a sack full of oranges. The joy I felt in giving that simple gift is undiminished by time. He said he liked oranges, too. "

　　The word "undiminished" is closest in meaning to which of following?

　　(A) not exaggerated

　　(B) not lessened

　　(D) unequaled

　　319. And he was kind to me; I will always be grateful that in his absolute warmth and generosity he fulfilled my deepest dream (and need) of what a poet should be. "

　　The word "dream" is closest in meaning to which of following?