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Question

Difficulty: MediumAntonym Distractor Elimination

Read the sentence context carefully and determine the appropriate synonym for the emphasized word while avoiding opposite meaning traps. What synonym correctly fills the blank?

Answer:Navigating the steep, snow-covered ridge was an arduous undertaking; the hikers were exhausted after such a(n) 【strenuous】 climb.

Answer

strenuous (or an equivalent synonym such as demanding, laborious, or grueling)
The adjective 'arduous' means requiring great physical or mental effort, taxing, or strenuous. In the sentence, the context of navigating a dangerous ridge and leaving hikers exhausted directly supports 'strenuous' or 'demanding' as the accurate synonym.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the target word and surrounding context clues in the sentence.
The word 'arduous' describes a climb across a 'steep, snow-covered ridge' that left the hikers 'exhausted.'
Contextual indicators of physical fatigue and challenging terrain establish that the word conveys difficulty and extreme exertion.
2
Differentiate the true synonym from high-frequency antonym traps and lookalikes.
Words such as 'effortless', 'easy', or 'breezy' are direct opposites (antonyms), while 'ardent' is a lookalike meaning passionate.
Antonym distractor elimination ensures that terms representing the reverse meaning are rejected in favor of true synonyms like 'strenuous'.
3
Substitute the synonym into the sentence blank to verify grammatical and semantic coherence.
'...such a strenuous climb' preserves the original meaning and tone accurately.
Substitution confirms that 'strenuous' matches the noun phrase and aligns with the concept of an arduous undertaking.

Key Concept

Identifying true synonyms through context analysis while actively rejecting antonym traps and morphological lookalikes.
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Antonym Distractor Elimination

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