Read the following sentence.There are strict laws in place regarding the dumping of waste, in part to avoid the possibility that drinking water supplies will become contaminated.

“Contaminated” has a negative connotation because it suggests that something has been made unsafe or impure. In this sentence, contaminated drinking water could contain a harmful substance. Therefore, choice C is correct; an unknown substance is not necessarily harmful, so choice D does not explain the word’s negative connotation.

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