The exercise of ______ by prison officers was not intended as a symbol of their power but was rather a reflection of their sense of vulnerability.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The sentence suggests that the prison officers were not trying to assert their authority with the exercise of violence, but instead were responding to a sense of vulnerability. Sympathy and empathy do not make sense in this context, and while coercion could be another possibility, the use of the word "violence" in the sentence makes B the most appropriate answer.

The Exercise of ______ by Prison Officers Was Not Intended