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Difficulty: MediumAntonym Context Clues

Although the forward reconnaissance team reported a severe scarcity of potable water, the primary base camp secured copious reserves from a natural spring. As used in the sentence, which of the following is the closest meaning of the underlined word?

  1. A
    Scarce and inadequate
  2. Abundant and plentifulAnswer
  3. C
    Imitated and duplicated
  4. D
    Excessive and wasteful

Answer

Abundant and plentiful
The sentence uses the contrast signal word 'Although' to set up an opposing relationship between the 'severe scarcity' of water for the reconnaissance team and the 'copious' reserves at the main base. Because 'scarcity' means a shortage or lack, 'copious' must mean abundant and plentiful.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the contrast context clue in the sentence
The subordinating conjunction 'Although' signals a contrast between the 'severe scarcity' of water at the forward position and the water reserves at the primary base.
Antonym context clues rely on transition markers to signal that two clauses describe opposing conditions.
2
Determine the opposite of the clue word
The opposite of 'scarcity' (a severe shortage or lack) is an abundance or plenty.
Because the sentence structure establishes a contrast, the target word must mean the opposite of scarce.
3
Select the option that matches the deduced meaning
The definition 'Abundant and plentiful' accurately matches the contextual meaning of 'copious'.
This option correctly captures large, ample supply without negative tone or superficial word confusion.

Key Concept

Using contrast transition markers ('Although') to determine the meaning of an unfamiliar word by identifying the direct opposite of an antonym clue ('scarcity').
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Antonym Context Clues

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