Directions: Read the following passage. Then, answer the questions that follow.

¹Maria is a very intelligent third grade student at Sunshine Elementary. ²She is a diligent worker that wants to make straight As. ³Last night, she had a plethora of homework that took her several hours to complete. ⁴She had two pages of math homework to complete. ⁵She has a spelling worksheet to complete. ⁶She had a page of science homework to complete. ⁷She had one page of social studies homework to complete. ⁸Her __________ understand that she attends one of the top schools in the state and this requires a lot of hard work. ⁹Meanwhile, they feel that this amount of work ________ a bit absurd. ¹⁰There is no time for their ____________ extracurricular activities. ¹¹They are going to call the school later today to discuss their concerns.

What does the word "plethora" in the passage MOST LIKELY mean?