Question

Choose the word which gives an appropriate meaning of referendum (last line, para 5). 

• A. election
• B. nomination
• C. plebiscite
• D. survey
• E.

Hint:

Plebiscite is a term often used interchangeably with a referendum, as both refer to a direct vote by the people on specific political issues.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

A referendum is a direct vote by the electorate on a particular proposal or issue. It is commonly referred to as a plebiscite, a term used to describe a direct vote by the people on important issues, often constitutional or political. Hence, the correct answer is (C). 

Answer 2

The word to be replaced is "referendum," so each option can be checked for whether it carries the same core meaning of a direct public vote on a specific issue.

1. Option A: An "election" is the process of choosing representatives or officeholders through voting; it does not specifically mean a public vote on a single proposal or law, so it does not match the meaning of referendum.
2. Option B: A "nomination" refers to proposing a candidate for a position or an award; this concept is unrelated to a public vote on an issue.
3. Option C: A "plebiscite" is a direct vote in which the entire electorate decides on a specific proposal, which is exactly the sense in which "referendum" is used in the passage.
4. Option D: A "survey" is a method of gathering opinions or data from a sample of people; it does not carry the binding, decision-making sense of a referendum.

Only "plebiscite" preserves the exact meaning of a direct, decisive public vote conveyed by "referendum" in the passage.

Hence, the correct answer is Option C.