Exhort means...

• A. Gently advise
• B. Criticize harshly
• C. Strongly encourage or urge
• D. Warn calmly

Answer: (C)

Exhort means to strongly encourage or urge someone to take a particular action. It carries a sense of earnest, persuasive urging, more forceful than a simple piece of advice but not scolding or warning. For example, a coach may exhort players to push through the final minutes of a game, stressing the importance of finishing strong. This idea fits best because it captures that active, persuasive push to act.

Gently advise would be milder, not the assertive urging implied by exhort. Criticize harshly is about condemnation, not encouragement. Warn calmly focuses on alerting to danger rather than urging a specific action.