Suppose the following sentence appears in the sports section of the newspaper:
Lorton's experienced linemen performed well in handing Jefferson High's Eagles a
crushing defeat.
What word in the sentence is most clearly a loaded word?
A. Experienced
B. Crushing
C. Handing
D. Defeat

Question

Suppose the following sentence appears in the sports section of the newspaper:
Lorton's experienced linemen performed well in handing Jefferson High's Eagles a
crushing defeat.
What word in the sentence is most clearly a loaded word?
A. Experienced
B. Crushing
C. Handing
D. Defeat

anonymous · Answer

Crushing. A loaded word is one that attempts to create a strong emotional response. If your favorite team lost a game then you would assume they went out there and had a bad night. If you heard they suffered a CRUSHING defeat you would be appalled at how easily they had been beaten. Understand?