UK Clinical Aptitude Test (UKCAT) Practice Test

What does the term "to temper" something imply?

1. To make it stronger

2. To make it less extreme

3. To remove it altogether

4. To enhance it completely

The correct answer is: To make it less extreme

The term "to temper" something means to make it less extreme or to moderate its intensity. This can involve softening a harsh quality or balancing out a forceful characteristic. For example, in the context of emotions, to temper anger could mean to reduce its severity, promoting a more measured response. In metallurgical terms, tempering involves heating metal to achieve a desired level of hardness or flexibility, thus processing it to make it more usable without losing its beneficial qualities. In contrast, making something stronger would imply an increase in its intensity or resilience, which diverges from the notion of moderation. The idea of removing something altogether denotes a total absence, countering the nature of tempering, which is about adjusting rather than eliminating. Enhancing something completely suggests an elevation beyond its original state, which also differs from the essence of tempering, as that typically aims for balance rather than enhancement. These distinctions clarify why the correct interpretation of "to temper" is associated with making something less extreme.