Choose the correct one-word substitution for: ‘A place where wild animals are kept’.

Correct — C. A menagerie is a collection of wild animals kept in captivity, usually for people to see, and also the place where they are kept.

The definition turns on wild animals, not one kind only, and on kept, held in captivity.

Menagerie meets both → option (c).

Why the others are wrong

• (a)
  Aviary — An aviary keeps birds only; the word comes from Latin avis, 'bird'. The definition says wild animals in general, so aviary is too narrow.
• (b)
  Sanctuary — A sanctuary is a refuge where animals are protected, as in a wildlife sanctuary. The definition's word kept points to animals held in captivity, which is a menagerie.
• (d)
  Park — Park on its own names a public open space. It needs a qualifier, as in safari park, before it means animals, so it is not a one-word substitute here.

One-word substitution rewards precise definitions. Several words name places for animals, and each is defined by what is kept there and how.

Menagerie: wild animals kept in captivity, especially for show. Zoo is the everyday modern word. Aviary: birds. Sanctuary: a protected area or refuge.

Menagerie also has a figurative sense, a varied or odd assortment: a menagerie of characters.

Key facts

• Menagerie: a collection of wild animals kept in captivity for exhibition, or the place that holds them.
• Aviary: a large enclosure for birds, from Latin avis, 'bird'.
• Sanctuary: a place of refuge or protection, as in a wildlife sanctuary.
• Figuratively, a menagerie is a varied assortment: a menagerie of characters.

Common traps

• Choosing sanctuary because it is linked with wildlife, without checking the word kept in the definition
• Choosing aviary out of familiarity and forgetting that it holds birds only

No directly related past PYQ was found.