Analogy — Choose the pair that mirrors authenticity vs doubt: Authenticity : Apocryphal :: ?

Difficulty: Medium

Correct Answer: Integrity : Hypocritical

Explanation:


Introduction / Context:
“Apocryphal” means of doubtful authenticity or spurious. The pair “Authenticity : Apocryphal” encodes a tension between a positive quality (being genuine) and an adjective that negates or contradicts it (being of dubious origin). We must find a pair that parallels this opposition: a virtue confronted by an adjective that contradicts it.


Given Data / Assumptions:

  • Authenticity ↔ apocryphal (doubtful, spurious).
  • Seek virtue ↔ adjective that undermines that virtue.


Concept / Approach:
Among the options, identify a moral or character virtue, then test whether the second word is an adjective that contradicts or nullifies that virtue in common evaluation.


Step-by-Step Solution:

1) Wickedness : Nefarious — both are negative and aligned; this is synonymy, not contradiction.2) Artifice : Deceptive — artifice already implies deception; again, near-synonymy, not a virtue contradicted.3) Assertiveness : Dogmatic — assertive means confidently self-assured; dogmatic is rigidly opinionated. This is not a direct negation of assertiveness.4) Integrity : Hypocritical — integrity is moral uprightness; hypocritical contradicts integrity by implying insincere virtue.


Verification / Alternative check:
Conceptual mapping: authenticity (virtue of being genuine) is contradicted by apocryphal (spurious). Integrity (virtue of moral wholeness) is contradicted by hypocritical (feigned morality). This preserves the structure.


Why Other Options Are Wrong:

  • Wickedness : Nefarious — same moral valence, not an opposition.
  • Artifice : Deceptive — similar meaning; no virtue-to-negation contrast.
  • Assertiveness : Dogmatic — different traits with no direct negation relation.
  • None of these — incorrect because a parallel exists.


Common Pitfalls:
Confusing synonymy with the required virtue-versus-negating-adjective structure.


Final Answer:
Integrity : Hypocritical

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