Difficulty: Easy
Correct Answer: fascinating
Explanation:
Introduction / Context:
This question tests your understanding of antonyms. The word given is "Humdrum", which describes something that is dull, monotonous, or lacking excitement. You must choose the option that expresses the opposite idea, namely something interesting, exciting, or absorbing. Vocabulary questions like this help measure your ability to recognise shades of meaning in descriptive words.
Given Data / Assumptions:
Concept / Approach:
"Humdrum" is an adjective that means boring and ordinary, with no variety or excitement. It is often used to describe routine work or repetitive daily life. An antonym must describe something that captures attention and avoids boredom. Words like "fascinating" or "exciting" are good opposites. The other options in the list tend to either repeat the meaning of "humdrum" or share similar negative connotations, so they must be rejected.
Step-by-Step Solution:
Verification / Alternative check:
Consider a pair of example sentences. "He lives a humdrum life in a tiny office cubicle" suggests boredom and monotony. The opposite would be "He lives a fascinating life, travelling the world and meeting new people." You can see that "fascinating life" is the natural opposite of "humdrum life". By contrast, phrases like "tedious life", "trite life", "drab life", or "dull life" all reinforce the same boring quality and do not provide contrast. This test confirms that fascinating is the antonym sought.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Tedious, trite, drab, and dull all share the idea of something being boring, uninteresting, or lacking originality. They express the same negative feeling that is already present in humdrum. Because the question specifically asks for the opposite meaning, these similar words are unsuitable. Only fascinating flips the emotional tone from boredom to strong interest and curiosity, making it the correct antonym in this set.
Common Pitfalls:
The main pitfall here is failing to recognise that many options are near synonyms and choosing one of them simply because it looks familiar. Another issue is not clearly distinguishing between subtle differences in negative adjectives. To avoid such mistakes, always pause to restate the meaning of the original word in simple terms and then check which option truly reverses, rather than repeats, that meaning. If the original word is negative, most of the time the antonym will be strongly positive, as "fascinating" is compared to "humdrum".
Final Answer:
The word that is opposite in meaning to "Humdrum" is "fascinating", so the correct answer is Fascinating.
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