In this word analogy, “Hope is to Despair as Lunatic is to ______”. Select the word that stands in the same opposite relationship to lunatic as despair stands to hope.

Introduction / Context:
This analogy uses antonym relationships. Despair is the opposite feeling to hope. The question then asks for a word that is opposite in meaning to lunatic, so that the pattern “positive state : negative opposite” is preserved. Such verbal analogies test knowledge of common antonyms and emotional or psychological vocabulary.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• First pair: Hope → Despair. • Second pair: Lunatic → ? • Options: honest, hardworking, sane, stylish. • Hope and despair are emotional opposites: one is positive expectation, the other is complete loss of hope.

Concept / Approach:
We must first recognise the relationship in the first pair: despair is an antonym of hope. Therefore, in the second pair we need an antonym of lunatic, which refers to a person who is mentally unsound or insane. The opposite of being a lunatic is being sane, that is, having normal and sound mental health. Other traits like honesty, hard work, or style do not directly oppose lunacy.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Clarify the first relationship. Hope is a feeling of positive expectation; despair is the complete absence of hope and a feeling of extreme sadness and helplessness. Step 2: Infer that the pattern is “emotion or condition : opposite emotion or condition”. Step 3: Consider the word lunatic. It describes a person who is mentally deranged or insane, an outdated but commonly used term in many exam questions. Step 4: Find the opposite term. The direct opposite of insane or lunatic is sane, meaning mentally sound and reasonable. Step 5: Check the options. Only sane refers to a mental state and serves as a clear antonym. Honest, hardworking, and stylish refer to moral character, work habits, and appearance respectively.

Verification / Alternative check:
We can express both pairs as antonym pairs: hope versus despair, lunatic versus sane. The structure “X : opposite of X” is preserved in both cases. If we substitute any other option, the relationship breaks. For instance, lunatic : honest does not express opposite meanings. This confirms that sane is the correct answer.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
• Honest: Opposite of dishonest; it refers to truthfulness, not mental health. • Hardworking: Opposite of lazy; it focuses on work ethic, not sanity. • Stylish: Relates to fashion or appearance rather than mental state.

Common Pitfalls:
A common mistake is to look for a positive sounding word without checking whether it is truly an antonym. All the incorrect options sound positive, but only sane answers the specific question of mental soundness. When solving antonym based analogies, always identify the exact quality involved before choosing its opposite.

Final Answer:
The word that correctly completes the analogy is Sane.