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Question

Difficulty: HardAntonym Context Clues

Unlike the direct and streamlined flight path taken by the reconnaissance aircraft, the transport plane was assigned a circuitous heading across the northern mountain ridge to evade radar detection. As used in this context, what is the meaning of the underlined word circuitous?

  1. A
    Direct and straightforward
  2. Roundabout and indirectAnswer
  3. C
    Treacherous and hazardous
  4. D
    Powered by electrical circuitry

Answer

Roundabout and indirect
The introductory word 'Unlike' establishes an explicit contrast between the two flight paths. Because the reconnaissance path was 'direct and streamlined', the underlined word describing the alternate path must mean the opposite—namely, 'roundabout and indirect'.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the contrast marker and antonym context clue in the sentence.
The preposition 'Unlike' establishes an explicit contrast between the reconnaissance aircraft's flight path ('direct and streamlined') and the transport plane's heading.
Contrast markers signal that the target word possesses the opposite meaning of the paired descriptive clue.
2
Determine the opposite meaning of the clue phrase 'direct and streamlined'.
The opposite of a direct path is one that is winding, indirect, or roundabout.
Applying the antonym relationship yields the contextual definition of 'circuitous'.
3
Evaluate the answer choices to locate the definition matching 'indirect and winding'.
'Roundabout and indirect' precisely matches the deduced opposite meaning.
This confirms the intended vocabulary definition in a military aviation context.

Key Concept

Using contrast markers to determine word meaning through antonym clues
Estimated Time:45s
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Topics

Antonym Context Clues

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