English MCQs – Page 64 (Q631-640)

The correct answer is 'Loosen' because 'fasten', meaning to attach or secure something firmly, is directly opposed by 'loosen', meaning to make something less tight or secure. The distractor options, 'secure', 'attach', and 'tie', are all synonyms of 'fasten' rather than its antonym, this fasten-loosen pairing being common vocabulary in practical, instructional contexts describing physical actions like securing belts, screws, or clothing.

The correct answer is 'Scatter' because 'gather', meaning to bring together or collect in one place, is directly opposed by 'scatter', meaning to spread widely apart or disperse. The distractor options, 'assemble', 'accumulate', and 'collect', are all synonyms of 'gather' rather than its antonym, this gather-scatter pairing frequently describing physical actions with objects, crowds, or natural phenomena like seeds or leaves in descriptive vocabulary passages.

The correct answer is 'Mild' because 'harsh', meaning severe, cruel, or unpleasantly rough, is directly opposed by 'mild', meaning gentle and not severe. The distractor options, 'rough', 'cruel', and 'severe', are all synonyms of 'harsh' rather than its antonym, this harsh-mild pairing applicable to describing weather, criticism, punishment, and personality traits, making it versatile vocabulary tested across various reading comprehension contexts.

The correct answer is 'Exclude' because 'include', meaning to contain something as part of a whole, is directly opposed by 'exclude', meaning to leave something out or prevent it from being part of a whole, formed with the contrasting prefixes 'in-' (in) and 'ex-' (out). The distractor options, 'incorporate', 'contain', and 'involve', are all synonyms of 'include' rather than its antonym, this include-exclude pairing being especially relevant vocabulary in academic and legal writing contexts.

The correct answer is 'Sorrow' because 'joy', meaning a feeling of great happiness, is directly opposed by 'sorrow', meaning a feeling of deep sadness or grief. The distractor options, 'pleasure', 'happiness', and 'delight', are all synonyms of 'joy' rather than its antonym, this joy-sorrow pairing being among the most fundamental emotional opposite pairs frequently tested in vocabulary sections covering feelings and states of mind.

The correct answer is 'Discard' because 'keep', meaning to retain possession of something, is directly opposed by 'discard', meaning to get rid of something no longer wanted or needed. The distractor options, 'retain', 'preserve', and 'hold', are all synonyms of 'keep' rather than its antonym, this keep-discard pairing being common practical vocabulary describing decisions about possessions, documents, and belongings in everyday and organizational contexts.

The correct answer is 'Solid' because 'liquid', describing a substance that flows freely and takes the shape of its container, is directly opposed by 'solid', describing a substance with a fixed shape and firm structure. The distractor options, 'watery', 'fluid', and 'wet', are all synonyms or closely related to 'liquid' rather than its antonym, this liquid-solid pairing being fundamental scientific vocabulary describing the states of matter, alongside the third state, gas.

The correct answer is 'Demerit' because 'merit', meaning a quality deserving praise or reward, is directly opposed by 'demerit', meaning a fault or quality deserving criticism, formed by adding the negative prefix 'de-' to the base word. The distractor options, 'excellence', 'virtue', and 'worth', are all synonyms of 'merit' rather than its antonym, this merit-demerit pairing being particularly common vocabulary in essay writing prompts asking students to discuss the 'merits and demerits' of a given topic.

The correct answer is 'Starve' because 'nourish', meaning to provide with food or nutrients necessary for growth and health, is directly opposed by 'starve', meaning to suffer or die from lack of food. The distractor options, 'sustain', 'feed', and 'nurture', are all synonyms of 'nourish' rather than its antonym, this nourish-starve pairing being relevant vocabulary in contexts discussing health, agriculture, and humanitarian issues in reading comprehension passages.

The correct answer is 'Disobedient' because 'obedient', meaning willing to comply with instructions or authority, is directly opposed by 'disobedient', meaning refusing or failing to comply, formed by adding the negative prefix 'dis-' to the base word. The distractor options, 'compliant', 'submissive', and 'dutiful', are all synonyms of 'obedient' rather than its antonym, this obedient-disobedient pairing being common vocabulary describing behavior in relation to rules, authority, and instructions.