Read the passage and answer the following question.
The human body is a wonderful machine. It performs several functions without rest from birth. The main organs of the human body are the lungs, heart, kidneys, liver and brain. These organs work together and are controlled by the brain. The body has trillions of living cells of about two hundred different types. These cells include neurons (nerve cells) and the cells of glands. Hormones and enzymes are produced and secreted by these glands. Cells doing similar jobs are grouped to form tissues. The tissues group together in a special manner to form organs.
The human body is covered by the skin. Skin is a flexible covering that protects the body. It keeps water and harmful germs out. The body’s strong internal framework (skeleton) is made of 206 bones. These are connected at joints, such as in the legs. These joints help us to move. Between the skeleton and the skin, there are more than 600 muscles. Nerves spread from the brain to all parts of the body. They carry signals in the form of tiny electrical impulses. The sense organs, namely the eyes, nose, ears, tongue and skin, pass messages to the brain through nerves. Nerves also take instructions from the brain to the muscles. The brain automatically controls breathing, heartbeat, digestion, etc. When we grow old, the skin becomes wrinkled and less elastic. The joints become stiff, the muscles lose their strength and the bones become weak.
The human body is the most valuable gift of God to human beings. A healthy body contains a healthy brain. As such, it is very important to take care of our bodies. For this, regular exercise, control over eating habits, cleanliness of body and discipline are essential in daily life.
The word secreted, as used in the passage, means
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → released
The passage says that hormones and enzymes “are produced and secreted by these glands”.
- Glands make these substances and then send them out into the body.
- So secreted here means released, or let out. Example: The glands in our mouth secrete saliva when we smell good food.
Why the Other Options are Incorrect?
Option 1: hidden away — Incorrect. Wrong meaning: “Secrete” can also mean to hide something. That sense does not fit here. The glands do not hide hormones. They make them and send them out. Example: The thief had secreted the money under the floor.
Option 3: absorbed — Incorrect. Opposite meaning: Absorbed means taken in. The glands do the reverse. They give out what they produce. Example: The dry soil absorbed the rain in minutes.
Option 4: destroyed — Incorrect. Wrong meaning: Destroyed means broken up completely. The glands make hormones and enzymes. They do not destroy them. Example: The flood destroyed many houses in the village.