Difficulty: Easy
Correct Answer: Dismiss
Explanation:
Introduction / Context:
This question tests the learner's understanding of the verb "summon" and the ability to identify its antonym, or opposite. Words related to calling, sending away, and gathering are very common both in everyday English and in formal contexts, so distinguishing between them is an important vocabulary skill.
Given Data / Assumptions:
Concept / Approach:
"Summon" means to order someone to come, to call a person to attend, or to gather people, especially for an official purpose. The opposite idea would be to send someone away or formally remove them from duty or presence. "Dismiss" means to send someone away or to remove from position or consideration, so it is the natural antonym. The other options either have similar meanings to "summon" or are unrelated in sense.
Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that "summon" means to call someone to appear or come, often by authority.
Step 2: Examine "Dismiss". This means to send someone away or to remove them from employment, duty, or attention, which is the opposite of calling them.
Step 3: Examine "Draft". This can mean to select someone for a special duty, such as military service, which is closer to calling them in rather than sending them away.
Step 4: Examine "Invite". To invite is also to ask someone to come, which is similar to, not opposite to, summoning.
Step 5: Examine "Mobilise". This means to prepare and organise people or resources for active service, again related to gathering or calling, not dismissing.
Step 6: Conclude that "Dismiss" is the correct antonym.
Verification / Alternative check:
Consider simple command pairs. A judge may summon a witness to the court and later dismiss the witness after the testimony is complete. In this example, "summon" and "dismiss" are natural opposites. On the other hand, to invite someone to a meeting or to mobilise troops both involve calling people to participate, which is similar to summoning. Therefore, "dismiss" stands as the true opposite.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Common Pitfalls:
A common error is to confuse "summon" with "invite", since both deal with asking someone to come. This may tempt learners to pick "invite" mistakenly, thinking of similarity instead of opposition. Another pitfall is to misinterpret "draft" or "mobilise" as neutral or opposite actions. Always focus on the direction of movement: summoning calls people in; dismissing sends them away.
Final Answer:
The word opposite in meaning to "summon" is Dismiss.
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