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Choose the option in which the usage of the word is incorrect or inappropriate: break A. The activist urged for a complete overhaul of the system, calling for society to break away from outdated norms. B. Despite the initial awkwardness, a well-placed joke helped the team leader to break the ice among the new members. C. Her pioneering work in neuroscience aims to break new grounds in understanding the complexities of the human brain. D. After months of intense competition, the start-up company finally managed to break even, avoiding further losses.
The incorrect or inappropriate usage of the word "break" is in option C: "Her pioneering work in neuroscience aims to break new grounds in understanding the complexities of the human brain." Why it's wrong: The standard idiomatic expression is "to break new ground" (singular), which means to discover or develop something new or innovative. The plural form "grounds" is not used in this idiom. Corrected sentence: Her pioneering work in neuroscience aims to break new ground in understanding the complexities of the human brain.