What is the best description of a patient who responds with irrelevant statements and shows no understanding of what is asked?

The best description of a patient who responds with irrelevant statements and shows no understanding of what is asked is receptive aphasia. This condition specifically affects a person's ability to comprehend language and process verbal information. Individuals with receptive aphasia might speak fluently; however, their responses do not align with the questions posed, indicating a significant disconnect between understanding and expression.

In contrast, unresponsive to verbal stimuli describes a patient who does not respond at all to verbal communication, indicating a more profound level of unresponsiveness than what is observed with receptive aphasia. Being disoriented to time refers to an awareness issue related to the current time, which is not applicable when assessing a person's verbal comprehension. Expressive aphasia affects the ability to produce language rather than comprehend it; thus, patients recognize what is being asked but struggle to verbalize their responses appropriately. Receptive aphasia, on the other hand, highlights the lack of understanding demonstrated by irrelevant responses, making it the most accurate choice in this scenario.