In the following question, choose the word that is opposite in meaning to the adjective Barren, which describes land or a situation that produces little or nothing.

Introduction / Context:
This antonym question checks your understanding of descriptive vocabulary used for land, fields, or situations. The word Barren is commonly used in geography, agriculture, and metaphorical writing to describe something that does not produce crops, results, or ideas. To answer correctly, you must know which option presents a directly opposite idea, that of being productive or capable of growth.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Target word: Barren.
• Options: Oily, Polished, Sorrowful, Fertile.
• You must pick the word which is opposite in meaning to Barren.
• The context is typically about land, fields, or productivity, not emotional states or surface qualities.

Concept / Approach:
Barren refers to land that cannot produce crops, or more generally to anything that is empty of results, ideas, or life. The opposite of such unproductive conditions is something that is rich, productive, and capable of growth. Fertile has exactly this meaning for land, animals, and even ideas, as in fertile imagination. The other options describe surface qualities or emotional states and do not oppose Barren in the core sense of productivity.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that Barren means unable to produce crops, fruit, children, or useful results. Step 2: Look at Oily. This describes a surface that is greasy or covered in oil, and has no direct connection to productivity. Step 3: Look at Polished. This means smooth and shiny or refined, and refers to appearance or style, not fertility. Step 4: Look at Sorrowful. This refers to sadness or grief, which is an emotional state and does not reverse the meaning of Barren. Step 5: Look at Fertile. This describes soil or land that can support abundant growth of plants, or a person or animal that can reproduce. Step 6: Conclude that Fertile is the direct opposite of Barren in the usual descriptive sense.

Verification / Alternative check:
Use example sentences for confirmation. We can say The desert is barren land with very little vegetation. The opposite description would be The river valley is fertile land with abundant crops. Replacing Barren with Oily or Polished results in strange descriptions that do not match the usual idea. Sorrowful also does not fit because it describes an emotional quality, not physical productivity. This comparison confirms that Fertile is the correct antonym.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Oily: Refers to a greasy or slippery quality and does not relate to the ability to produce crops or results.
Polished: Describes something smooth or refined and is about appearance rather than productivity or growth.
Sorrowful: Describes sadness, which is a mental or emotional state, not the physical or creative capacity of land or situations.

Common Pitfalls:
Learners sometimes look for a word that simply feels negative or positive instead of focusing on the precise aspect being described. Barren speaks about the lack of production, not about emotion or shine. To avoid confusion, always ask what property the original word is describing. If it is about fertility, the antonym must also speak about fertility, not unrelated qualities. Regular reading of descriptive passages in geography and literature helps internalise how words like Barren and Fertile are used in contrast.

Final Answer:
The antonym of Barren is Fertile, so option d is correct.