"Tread" is a word that when used as a verb means walk in a particular manner and when used as a noun means the way in which a person walks or the sound he or she makes by walking in that way. We thus need to pick out an answer choice that is either a verb or a noun and means something like walk or manner of walking. While "treat" and "tread" may look somewhat alike, they have completely different meanings, so "treat" cannot be the correct answer. "Step," however, when used as a verb means move one's foot forward as part of the action of walking, so "step" is the answer choice closest in meaning to "tread" and the correct answer.

When used as a verb, "desert" means to leave or abandon a group one has previously committed oneself to, such as an army. So, "leave" is the correct answer.

The word "shield" is often used as a noun to describe the object used to protect a soldier from darts, arrows, swords, and so forth. However, remember that the word can also be used as a verb to describe the act of protecting. I can "shield" my little sister with my hand to protect her from something. Therefore, although the word "to shield" might seem to mean "battle" or even "parry" because it is involved in battling and in protective actions like parrying, it is best described by the word "protect."

The correct answer is "absence." Both "lack" and "absence" mean the status of something not being present or available, especially when it is needed. "Abundance" is an opposite, or antonym, of "lack."

A "gorge" is a narrow valley with a stream at the bottom, so "canyon," which means a deep ravine in the ground carved by a river over time, is the correct answer. When used as a verb, "gorge" means eat a great amount in a small amount of time; someone might be said to gorge themselves on food at a buffet if they eat a lot there. While "food" is an answer choice and the verb "gorge" is related to food, "gorge" does not mean "food," so it cannot be the correct answer.

The word "dupe" can be used either as a noun or as a verb. In both cases, it deals with fooling or tricking someone or being the person tricked. A "dupe" is someone who has been deceived or is easy to deceive. Often we use the word negatively to imply that the tricked person was stupid (and hence able to be tricked). It does not need this negative sense, though. The verb use would be found in a sentence like, "The merchant duped the buyer into thinking the metal was real gold when it was in fact nothing more than painted clay." Therefore, the best option among the answer choices is "trick," as in "to trick," meaning to fool.

To yield means to give in or to relent; for example, a parent may relent in terms of the requests of a child.

"Jumble" is a word that when used as a noun means "an untidy collection or pile of things," and when used as a verb means "mix up in a confused or untidy way." "Muddle" means "bring into a disordered or confusing state" when used as a verb, and either "an untidy and disorganized state or collection" or "a mistake arising from or resulting in confusion" when used as a noun. So, "muddle" is the correct answer because it is the answer choice closest in meaning to "jumble."

Because all of the potential answer choices are nouns, we will be looking for a word that is synonymous with "moral" when "moral" is used as a noun, and means "a lesson, especially one concerning what is right or prudent, that can be derived from a story, a piece of information, or an experience." While a fable usually includes a moral, "fable" does not mean the same thing that "moral" does, so "fable" cannot be the correct answer. "Message," however, when used as a noun, can mean "a significant point or central theme, especially one that has political, social, or moral importance." Because "message" is the answer choice closest in meaning to "moral," "message" is the correct answer.

"Process" means procedure.