Comprehension

Read the given passage and answer the questions that follow.


A group of 178 men, all sharing the name Tanaka Hirokazu, convened in Tokyo on Saturday to break the Guinness World Record for the largest gathering of people with the same first and last name. The successful record attempt was organised by the Tanaka Hirokazu association. This group was established by a guy called Tanaka Hirokazu in 1994. Mr. Tanaka's inspiration came from seeing a namesake of his drafted into a professional Japanese baseball team. Ex-baseball player Tanaka Hirokazu was also part of Saturday's record meeting. The 178 new record holders span the generations, with the youngest being three years old, and the eldest being an octogenarian.
Association leader Tanaka Hirokazu, 53, was elated at breaking the world record. His association had tried twice before, in 2011 and 2017, to break the record. These attempts were thwarted largely because of the association's insistence on all participants having to have the same Chinese characters (kanji) in their name. Saturday's meeting had a more lenient criterion. The association deemed that anyone with the name Hirokazu Tanaka was eligible, regardless of the kanji used to spell their name. Mr. Tanaka reflected on his world-beating achievement. He told reporters: "I never expected we would achieve such a ridiculous record." He added that the 178 Tanakas had 'set an example of silliness'.

What does the word 'namesake' in the context of the passage most closely mean?

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  1. a relative with the same last name
  2. a professional athlete
  3. a person with the same name
  4. a member of the same association

Answer (Detailed Solution Below)

Option 3 : a person with the same name

Detailed Solution

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The correct answer is: a person with the same name

Key Points

  • Explanation: The term 'namesake' refers to a person or thing that has the same name as another person or thing. In the context of the passage, it specifically means a person with the same name, which aligns with option 3. This term is often used to indicate someone named after another individual, such as a child named after a relative or a famous person.
  • Why the other options are incorrect:
    • A relative with the same last name: This option is incorrect because 'namesake' refers to the entire name being the same, not just the last name. It specifically implies a shared full name rather than a familial connection through a surname.
    • A professional athlete: This option is incorrect as it does not relate to the meaning of 'namesake'. The term does not have any inherent connection to professional athletes.
    • A member of the same association: This option is incorrect because 'namesake' does not imply membership in an association. It strictly refers to sharing the same name.
  • In summary, option 3 best captures the meaning of 'namesake' as used in the passage, which is a person with the same name. Options 1, 2, and 4 introduce unrelated concepts and do not accurately reflect the term's definition.
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