Which definition best matches 'rouse'?

• A. wake (someone) from sleep
• B. cause (someone who is tired, lazy, or unwilling to do something) to become active
• C. make angry or excited, as to anger or action; stir up
• D. nautical: pull or haul strongly and all together, especially by hand

Answer: (A)

The core idea being tested is the basic sense of the verb rouse: to bring someone out of sleep. The most direct and common definition is to wake someone from sleep, so this choice fits best. For example, an alarm can rouse you in the morning, waking you up. The other senses exist—rouse can also mean to stir someone to action or to provoke an emotion, but those usages are more figurative or context-driven, and a nautical sense is unrelated to the everyday verb meaning. In the simplest, most immediate use, waking someone from sleep is the clearest match.