There is a certain relationship between the words Firm and Flabby, and you must find a similar relationship for the pair involving Piquant. Firm and flabby are opposites in terms of physical feel. Choose from the options the word that has a relationship with piquant similar to the relationship between firm and flabby.

Difficulty: Easy

Correct Answer: Bland

Explanation:


Introduction / Context:
This is a verbal analogy question from English vocabulary. The words Firm and Flabby form a pair that helps you identify the relationship you must reproduce using the word Piquant. Firm and flabby are opposite in meaning with respect to texture or physical tightness. Piquant is usually used to describe food that is pleasantly sharp or spicy in taste. The question asks you to select the option that stands in the same kind of opposite relationship to piquant as flabby does to firm.


Given Data / Assumptions:
- Firm and flabby differ in meaning and are opposites in the context of body or material firmness. - Piquant describes something that has a sharp, stimulating, or pleasantly spicy flavour. - We must identify which option represents the opposite or near opposite of piquant.


Concept / Approach:
In analogy questions of this type, the first pair defines the relationship. Firm is roughly the opposite of flabby; therefore, we expect that piquant will be paired with a word that is opposite in meaning in the context of taste. Piquant food is interesting, sharp, and stimulating to the taste buds, so its opposite would be food that is dull, tasteless, or lacking in flavour. Knowing basic vocabulary, bland is commonly used to describe food that does not have a strong or interesting taste.


Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recognise that firm and flabby represent opposite qualities, one tight and the other loose and soft. Step 2: Understand that piquant indicates a pleasantly sharp or spicy taste that excites the palate. Step 3: Examine the options. Salty is a strong taste, but not necessarily the opposite of piquant; some piquant foods may also be salty. Step 4: Pleasant is too vague and does not provide the opposite sense, because piquant can itself be pleasant. Step 5: Bland is used for food that is dull and lacking strong flavour, which stands as the opposite of sharp and spicy. Step 6: Smell is a noun describing a sense and not an adjective of taste; it does not fit the required relationship.


Verification / Alternative check:
A quick verification is to form simple sentences. Piquant sauce excites the taste buds, while bland soup fails to excite them. This contrast best matches the firm versus flabby pair. Also, if you tried to pair piquant with salty or pleasant, you would not get a clear opposition. Therefore, the analogy Firm : Flabby :: Piquant : Bland is the most consistent and meaningful pair, aligning both with vocabulary usage and with the pattern of opposites presented in the question.


Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option A, salty, is a strong taste but can sometimes be part of a piquant flavour, so it is not opposite. Option B, pleasant, is too general and can include piquant flavours, so it does not create a contrast. Option D, smell, changes from taste to another sense and breaks the relationship pattern entirely.


Common Pitfalls:
Students often pick related words rather than logically opposite ones. Another mistake is to ignore the part of speech or the context in which the words are used. In analogy questions, always confirm whether the pair is based on synonymy, antonymy, part whole relation, or function. Here, the first pair clearly indicates antonyms, so you must search for an antonym of piquant, which is bland. Building a strong vocabulary base and constantly revising common antonyms help in scoring well in such questions.


Final Answer:
The correct completion of the analogy is Piquant : Bland.

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