Concept:The word "mitigate" means to make something unpleasant less severe, painful, or serious. We are selecting the synonym that best fits this meaning in the given sentence.
Explanation:In the sentence, the new law was meant to "mitigate the people's suffering." This implies a reduction in the intensity of the suffering, not a complete elimination.
Option A, "restrain," means to hold back or limit, which is not exactly what mitigating suffering means.
Option B, "moderate," can mean to make less extreme, but it is less specific to relief of pain.
Option C, "stop," suggests bringing suffering to an end, which is stronger than mitigation.
Option D, "alleviate," directly means to relieve or make suffering less severe.
This is the closest in meaning to "mitigate" as used in the sentence.
Answer:D. alleviate