The drought was severe, but its effects were ____ by the reservoirs built in the previous decade.

Question

The drought was severe, but its effects were ---- by the reservoirs built in the previous decade.

Accepted Answer

mitigated — 'But' zıtlık kurar: şiddetli kuraklığa karşılık barajlar etkiyi azaltmıştır ve 'mitigated' (hafifletti) bu yumuşamayı verir. 'Aggravated', 'intensified' ve 'compounded' etkinin artması anlamına gelir ve 'but' ile kurulan karşıtlığı yok eder. 'Prolonged' (uzattı) ise süreyle ilgilidir.