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Difficulty: MediumAntonym Context Clues

Technicians were warned that a perfunctory inspection of the hydraulic seals was unacceptable; conversely, standard operating protocol required an exhaustive, in-depth diagnostic before authorizing flight clearance. In the sentence above, what is the meaning of the underlined word perfunctory?

  1. A
    Thorough and rigorously detailed
  2. Carried out with minimal effort or attentionAnswer
  3. C
    Operating at full functional capacity
  4. D
    Inherently hazardous and damaging

Answer

Carried out with minimal effort or attention
The sentence contrasts an unacceptable 'perfunctory' inspection with a mandatory 'exhaustive, in-depth diagnostic' using the transitional adverb 'conversely'. Because these two ideas represent opposing qualities, 'perfunctory' means careless, superficial, or executed with minimal effort.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Locate the contrast transition marker and the opposing description.
The word 'conversely' signals that the condition in the second half ('exhaustive, in-depth diagnostic') is the opposite of a 'perfunctory' inspection.
Antonym context clues rely on contrast markers to highlight opposing characteristics between clauses.
2
Determine the antonym of the descriptive phrase to deduce the definition of the target word.
The opposite of 'exhaustive' and 'in-depth' is superficial, hasty, or done with minimal care.
Reversing the meaning of the antonym clue reveals the intended meaning of the underlined word.

Key Concept

Using antonym context clues to determine word meaning
Estimated Time:45s
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Antonym Context Clues

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