Read the excerpt from Part 2 of “To Build a Fire.” He got on his hands and knees and crawled toward the dog. This unusual posture again excited suspicion, and the animal sidled mincingly away. Which is the best synonym for the underlined word?

“Mincingly” describes moving with small, delicate, careful steps. In this sentence, the dog sidles away daintily, showing its suspicion. “Happily,” “angrily,” and “noisily” do not describe the manner of its movement here.

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