Which option expresses a meaning of the verb vary?

• A. To fluctuate
• B. To alter
• C. To differ
• D. To change

Answer: (C)

The idea here is finding a word that captures the sense of not being the same in some respect—that things differ from one another.

Differ fits best because it directly expresses that things are not alike; it describes the state of being unlike or not the same as another item. When you say the prices vary, you’re saying they differ from each other in amount; the same idea applies to opinions, results, or measurements.

The other options are less precise for this meaning. Fluctuate emphasizes irregular ups and downs over time rather than simply being different from one another. Alter means to make a change to something, which isn’t the same as two items simply differing. Change is broad and general, focusing more on becoming different than on the relation that two items have to one another.