16. Select the best word for the blank in the following sentence: He thought it was ___ than 3 miles to the hospital.
Answer: D
He thought it was less than 3 miles to the hospital.
The appropriate word to fill in the blank is "less," which correctly conveys that the distance to the hospital is not more than 3 miles.
A) Further
"Further" is typically used to describe a greater distance in terms of physical space or to indicate more abstract concepts like time or degree. In this context, it would imply a distance greater than 3 miles, which contradicts the intended meaning of the sentence.
B) Fewer
"Fewer" is used when referring to countable nouns. Since "miles" is a measure of distance and not a countable object, using "fewer" in this context is grammatically incorrect and does not fit the sentence structure.
C) Bigger
"Bigger" describes size rather than distance and is not applicable in this context. The sentence is focused on the measurement of distance to the hospital, making "bigger" an irrelevant choice.
D) Less
"Less" is the correct choice as it is used to indicate a smaller amount or degree, particularly with uncountable nouns or in reference to measurements. In this case, it accurately reflects that the distance to the hospital is not more than 3 miles.
Conclusion
The word "less" is the only option that correctly fits the context of the sentence, emphasizing a distance that is smaller than 3 miles. All other options either misinterpret the measurement context or do not grammatically align with the sentence structure, thereby confirming "less" as the definitive answer.