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Difficulty: MediumContext Clues for Synonyms

Although the maintenance crew anticipated that repairing the damaged radar mast would be an onerous assignment, the advanced hydraulic lifts made the entire job surprisingly effortless. In this context, which of the following words most nearly means onerous?

  1. A
    honorable
  2. burdensomeAnswer
  3. C
    effortless
  4. D
    urgent

Answer

burdensome
In the sentence, the transition word 'Although' establishes a contrast between what the crew expected and what actually occurred. Because the work was described as 'surprisingly effortless,' their expectation was that the job would be difficult, heavy, or oppressive. Therefore, 'onerous' most nearly means 'burdensome.'

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the sentence structure and identify transition words.
The subordinating conjunction 'Although' indicates a direct contrast between the crew's initial expectation and the actual outcome of the task.
Contrast transition clues reveal that the target word possesses a meaning opposite to the descriptive phrase in the main clause.
2
Identify the contrasting contextual description.
The assignment turned out to be 'surprisingly effortless' thanks to hydraulic equipment.
Finding the contrasting phrase defines the opposite meaning required for the target word.
3
Select the synonym corresponding to the opposite of effortless.
The opposite of effortless and easy is burdensome or arduous, which defines 'onerous.'
'Onerous' refers to an obligation or task that involves great effort, difficulty, or burden.

Key Concept

Using contrast context clues to deduce word meaning
Estimated Time:45s
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Context Clues for Synonyms

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