In the sentence "The evidence was compelling, so the jury convicted him quickly", the word compelling most nearly means

  • A. forcing by law
  • B. very convincing
  • C. lengthy
  • D. confusing

Explanation

The clue lies in the consequence: the jury was persuaded quickly, so the evidence must have been highly convincing. Compelling does derive from a root meaning to force, but in this context it describes persuasive power rather than legal compulsion. Reading the whole sentence for such clues is the essential technique for context questions.

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