In the following question, choose the word that is opposite in meaning to the adjective Generous, which describes someone who freely gives help, money, or time.

Introduction / Context:
This question tests your knowledge of antonyms, that is, words with opposite meanings. The target word is Generous, a common adjective used in everyday English to describe people who are willing to share or give more than is strictly necessary. Examinations often ask for the opposite of such character traits so that you learn both positive and negative descriptors for personality and behaviour.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Target word: Generous.
• Options: Stoic, Stingy, Poor, Specific.
• You must identify the word whose meaning is opposite to Generous in the context of giving or sharing.
• The question is about attitude, not about social class or emotional control.

Concept / Approach:
Generous describes someone who gives freely, shares gladly, and is often large hearted with money, time, or kindness. The antonym should therefore refer to someone who is unwilling to give, very close with money, or mean in sharing. Stingy precisely carries this sense of being miserly and unwilling to spend or share. The other options do not directly contrast with Generous in this behavioural sense. Poor refers to lack of money, Stoic refers to emotional control, and Specific refers to clarity or precision in detail.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall the meaning of Generous as liberal in giving, open handed, or large hearted. Step 2: Consider Stoic. This word describes a person who can endure pain or hardship without showing feelings. It has nothing to do with giving money or help. Step 3: Consider Stingy. This describes someone who hates spending money and avoids sharing, which is directly opposite to being generous. Step 4: Consider Poor. This refers to not having enough money or resources, but a person can be poor and still generous. Step 5: Consider Specific. This relates to being clear and detailed, which is unrelated to generosity. Step 6: Conclude that Stingy is the correct antonym.

Verification / Alternative check:
Think of sample sentences. One might say She is a generous donor to charity. The opposite description would be She is a stingy donor who rarely gives anything. If you try using Poor, you would get She is a poor donor, which refers to low amount but not necessarily unwillingness. Stoic and Specific do not even fit naturally in this structure. This confirms that Stingy is the best opposite of Generous in this context.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Stoic: Describes calm endurance of pain or hardship and does not relate to giving habits.
Poor: Describes economic status, not willingness to share, and poor people can still be generous.
Specific: Relates to precision in description, not to personality traits like generosity or meanness.

Common Pitfalls:
A common mistake is to confuse Poor with the opposite of Generous because learners focus only on the money aspect. However, generous behaviour is about attitude, not bank balance. Another trap is to choose a word that looks serious or formal, such as Stoic, without checking if the meaning matches. To avoid such errors, always convert the question into a simple sentence and test each option in place of the target word to see whether it truly functions as an opposite.

Final Answer:
The antonym of Generous is Stingy, so option b is correct.