Which strategy would be most in determining the meaning of the word “scalpel”?

replacing “scalpel” with the nearby synonym “blade”
substituting the word “object” for the word “scalpel”
using context clues “away from her gloved fingers”
becoming familiar with prefixes, roots, and suffixes

Plz asap read this sentence from paragraph 3 of the article. the boys and girls are merely asked to obtain the signatures of ten friends or relatives. how does the word "merely" affect the meaning of the sentence? a- it suggests that asking people to subscribe to the washington times is something negative. b- it implies that obtaining ten signatures is not a requirement for receiving a prize. c- it downplays the fact that to win the prize, children must ask people to subscribe to the washington times. d- it emphasizes that children receive the prize only if they obtain ten signatures.