For this question, choose the option nearest in meaning to the word or phrase in italics. When the landlady noticed the silhouette on the wall, she called u...

Answer Details

Silhouette means a dark shape or outline of someone or something visible against a lighter background. It shows the outer edge or contour of a figure without any interior detail.

The word nearest in meaning is outline, which means the outer edge or shape of an object. Both silhouette and outline refer to the external contour or shape of something. "When the landlady noticed the outline on the wall" preserves the original meaning.

The other options do not match:

• ghost means a supernatural apparition; while a silhouette on a wall might look eerie, the word silhouette itself refers to a shape or outline, not a supernatural being.
• speck means a tiny spot or particle, which is far too small to describe what silhouette means.
• soot means black powdery residue from burning. While soot could create a mark on a wall, it refers to the substance itself, not to a shape or outline.