Sentence:  Petitioner first contends that the Department denied him procedural due process by not giving him timely opportunity , before its final recommendation to the appeal board , to <WSD>answer</WSD> the statement of the local board as to his claim of devoting 100 hours to actual preaching . 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  give a defence or refutation of (a charge) or in (an argument)