Witnesses were _____ about the surprising events of the night.

• A. Incredulous
• B. Indifferent
• C. Indelible
• D. Income

Answer: (A)

The main idea being tested is choosing a word that best captures how someone reacts to surprising information. Incredulous describes a state of disbelief or skepticism—people who are incredulous doubt or question what they see or hear. So witnesses were incredulous about the surprising events of the night means they found the events hard to believe and were doubtful about their accuracy. Indifferent would mean they didn’t care or weren’t affected, which clashes with reacting to something surprising. Indelible refers to lasting memory or an unforgettable impression, not a reaction of disbelief. Income is unrelated to reaction and describes earnings. A natural usage is: Witnesses were incredulous about the surprising events of the night.