Why not dean?

[Nonverbis]

This is from Upstream Proficiency by Virginia Evans and Jenny Dooley.

Please, have a look at the screenshot.



Tha answer is don according to the keys.
But why not dean? I'd say it is also acceptable.

 

[Rover_KE]

This is from Upstream Proficiency by Virginia Evans and Jenny Dooley.

Please [no comma here] have a look at the screenshot.

View attachment 4256

The answer is "don" according to the key.

But why not "dean"? I'd say it is also acceptable.

So would I.

Please note my use of quotation marks.

 

[jutfrank]

It depends what you mean by 'acceptable'. The point of these questions is to get you to select just one answer—the best one.

A don is a general kind of job, like a teacher. A dean is a more specific title, with a specific role. That's why we'd refer to someone as 'the dean' but not 'the don'. I think that's what the question is getting at—the use of the indefinite article leads you to choose 'don'.