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Question

Difficulty: HardAntonyms and Words Opposite in Meaning

Read the sentence below carefully. Complete the sentence by providing a word in the blank that is most nearly opposite in meaning to the capitalized target word. Which word correctly fills the blank to complete the contrast?

Answer:While the prosecution witness was remarkably LOQUACIOUS during cross-examination, offering lengthy explanations for every query, the defendant remained completely 【taciturn】 throughout the trial.

Answer

The blank is correctly completed by 'taciturn' (or 'reticent' / 'laconic'), which means reserved or untalkative, serving as the direct antonym to 'LOQUACIOUS' (talkative or garrulous).
The sentence establishes a contrast between a witness who is 'LOQUACIOUS' (excessively talkative) and a defendant who exhibits the opposite trait. The correct word must denote speech restraint or silence, making 'taciturn' (or synonyms like 'reticent' and 'laconic') the appropriate contextual antonym.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the meaning of the target word in context.
The target word 'LOQUACIOUS' means tending to talk a great deal or garrulous, as evidenced by offering lengthy explanations.
Establishing the precise contextual meaning of the capitalized word is necessary before identifying its opposite.
2
Identify the contrast indicated by the sentence structure.
The subordinating conjunction 'While' sets up a direct contrast between the behavior of the prosecution witness and that of the defendant.
Recognizing the structural contrast signals that the missing word must express the antonym of being talkative.
3
Determine the appropriate antonym to fill the blank.
Words such as 'taciturn', 'reticent', or 'laconic' describe someone who is silent, reserved, or uncommunicative in speech, perfectly opposing 'loquacious'.
Supplying a contextual antonym satisfies both the syntactic structure and the semantic contrast of the sentence.

Key Concept

Identifying contextual antonyms for high-register tertiary vocabulary in complex sentence structures.
Estimated Time:1m 30s
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Topics

Antonyms and Words Opposite in Meaning

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