The old map was so faded and torn that the explorer found it difficult to ------- the route to the hidden treasure.
- create
- follow
- ignore
- decipher (correct answer)
Explanation: The map being "faded and torn" would make it hard to read and understand. "Decipher" means to figure out the meaning of something that is difficult to read, which perfectly fits the context. (A) The explorer is not creating the map. (B) One cannot "follow" a route that one cannot first understand or read. (C) The explorer's goal is to find the treasure, so he would not "ignore" the map.